2008-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008
Carte de visite of “Hero. From Castle Thunder” depicting the dog with its owner, and description on verso “Hero, The Blood Hound! Late of Castle Thunder, Richmond, Va., was imported from Russia in 1859, by a Southern gentleman, for sports of the arena, such as bull and bear fighting. Upon the breaking out of the rebellion, Hero was selected by the keeper of Castle Thunder as a fit subject for the contemptible duty of guarding Union prisoners, and many of our unfortunate soldiers can testify how well he peformed the duty assigned him. He is of a very ferocious dispostion, never making friends with any one, not even with his keeper....His proportions are enormous, measuring seven foot from tip to tip, and upon his arrival he weighed 204 lbs. At all times, his keeper is obliged to keep him double chained and muzzled...We are told by those informed, that every slave-holder that keeps his pack of hounds, in order to perfect them for the chase of the Negro, takes each slave before his pack and draws blood from each slave’s arm, and gives to every hound, that htye may at once become familiar with his men, and at the same time, become more perfected in the hunt. IN case one or more escapes at a time, the owner takes to the pack some article worn by the Negroes before they left, which the hound scents. He is immediately placed upon the track, and woe be to the unfortunate Negro!...” VG.
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