Hamblin was a fighting officer, seeing action in battles from Big Bethel in June 1861 all the way up through Sailor’s Creek in April 1865. He rose to brigade command in the Shenandoah in 1864, received a brevet to brigadier general in December 1864 to date to the battle of Cedar Creek, and promotion to brigadier general of volunteers to date May 1865, and another brevet, to major general, to date from Sailor’s Creek.

The pistol follows the standard configuration of the S&W No. 2 Army revolver, firing a .32 caliber rimfire cartridge, a favorite pistol among officers for its waterproof ammunition and ease of loading. It rates very good for condition, with 10-20 percent original finish distributed in a thin blue blending with a blue-gray, with sharp lettering, and some handling marks to the wood. The forward sides of the top strap near the hinge and the cylinder on one side show some shallow “salt-and-peppering,” but the patent date is clear. The barrel address is good as well. Some light gray shows through along raised edges of the octagonal barrel. The mechanics are good. The rosewood grips are good, with no gaps or cracks, but show finish loss on the upper left and down the center line of the right, along with some handling dings. The bottom of the grips show some loss of finish and have the number 6825 scratched in (significance unknown.) The serial number is 30622, a late war production fitting the date of the presentation. The backstrap is professionally engraved in period script: “Presented to Brig. Gen. J.E. Hamblin / by officers serving under his command May 20, 1865.”

Hamblin was born in Massachusetts in 1828. He was educated in private school and sent off by an uncle on a sea voyage to China “for his health” in 1846. He returned to work in an engine building company in Boston and then New York, where he entered the elite 7^th NY State Militia in 1851, and entered an insurance firm in 1854. In 1857 he moved to Missouri, working for a hardware company in St. Louis, but returned to New York when war threatened, enrolling in the 5^th New York, Duryea Zouaves, 4/22/61 and mustering in as 1^st Lt. and Adjutant as of 5/14/61. While in this post he appears in several photographs of the regiment taken at Fort Schuyler in May.

He saw action with the regiment at Big Bethel in June, where it lost 19 men and made captain in September, resigning in November to accept promotion to major of the 65^th NY, also known as the “Westchester” or “1^st U.S.” Chasseurs (several photos show him with a “1” on his hat insignia.) The regiment served in the 4^th Corps Army of the Potomac until September 1862 and thereafter in the 6^th Corps until the end of the war. As major he fought at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Glendale, and Malvern Hill, where he escaped death only by the acorn end of his hat cord deflecting a bullet. He made lieutenant colonel 7/20/62, fighting at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Maryes Heights and Salem Church. He was promoted colonel 5/26/63, seeing action at that rank at Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor. The regiment went with the 6^th Corps to the Shenandoah in June 1864 and Hamblin was in command of the division’s 4^th brigade, fighting at Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, and Cedar Creek, where he was wounded in the thigh while fighting to restore the Union line.

He was brevetted to brigadier general for gallant and meritorious service at Cedar Creek, a promotion he received and accepted 20 December 1864 while recovering from his wound and returned to active duty after three months to command the 3^rd Brigade 1^st Division 6^th Army Corps, fighting at Petersburg, Hatcher’s Run, and Sailor’s Creek, for which he was promoted to full brigadier general May 19, 1865, and brevetted to major general to date April 5 “for conspicuous gallantry.” After his troops were mustered out in July he returned home to await further orders and his official muster out, which came 1/15/1866. He returned to the insurance business, but served in the NY National Guard and was active with fellow veterans and a member of M.O.L.L.U.S. He married in 1868 and died in 1870, of causes attributed by many to his long and active service in the field.

The presentation inscription is a great testimonial to the high regard in which Hamblin was held by subordinates as well as by superiors. The date of May 20 falls just one day after his formal appointment to brigadier general of volunteers. There was likely earlier word of the pending appointment, but he was entitled to the rank by brevet in any case as of 20 December 1864 when he received and formally accepted the rank (he was using it by the time he returned to the front in late January.) Hamblin was noted as, “of attractive and soldierly appearance, six feet, four inches in height, finely formed, with strongly marked features and characteristic military bearing.” He cut a fine figure and seemed to know it. In the listing we show several photos of him, in studio and in camp with the Duryea Zouaves. Original copies of these images show up on occasion. They would make a wonderful display with the pistol.   [sr] [ph:L]

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