American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

Folk art carved wood pipe, medium brown in color, overall width 3 1/2 in., bowl height 3 1/2 in., with 7 in. stem fashioned from a twig (used condition, with top of rim and interior of bowl blackened, some surface loss to stem which cannot be removed from the shank). Top front of bowl features a horizontal riband with the soldier's name "Orren C. Richards" carved in relief. A large crossed cannon is carved in relief at center, with a "3" above and a five-pointed star below, with "Mass" carved near bottom front of bowl. The crossed cannon are surrounded by floral and shamrock motifs. 

Orren Clark Richards (1842-1884) was a painter who studied under George Inness of the Hudson River School, at Medford, MA, prior to the Civil War. At the age of 21, he enlisted as a corporal with the 3rd Massachusetts Light Artillery, mustering in on 9/5/1861. He was discharged for disability on 2/25/1863 at Fort Monroe, VA. During his time with the 3rd Massachusetts Light Artillery, the battery participated in a number of important battles incl. the Siege at Yorktown, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. Following Clark's discharge, the battery went on to fight with distinction at Gettysburg.