The Civil War Collection of James C. Frasca

Dark wood carved pipe, overall width 3 1/2 in.; bowl height 2 3/4 in., dia. 1 3/4 in., with 6 1/2 in. hand carved stem and bone mouth piece (used condition, with top of rim and interior of bowl blackened, mouth piece chewed). Bowl features high relief Connecticut state seal surrounded by leafy floral motifs at center, all flanked by two high relief vertical ribands, intersecting on underside of bowl, reading, "Capt. G.S. Benton Co F 5th Regt. C.V." and "Staford Court House, Va. Apr 11th." "1863" carved beneath intersection and 6-point star carved above. Faded blue string affixed to tenon.  

Benton was a resident of New Haven, Connecticut before enlisting as a sergeant major on 28 June 1861. Ultimately rising to the rank of captain, Benton carved this pipe less than a month before he died at the Battle of Chancellorsville on 3 May 1863.