Thomas W. Hyde

Thomas Worcester Hyde (January 16, 1841 – December 14, 1899) was an American Union Army colonel, a state senator from Maine, and the founder of the Bath Iron Works, one of the major shipyards in the United States. He wrote two books about his experiences during the American Civil War and at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Biography Born in Florence, Italy, to Zina and Eleanor Hyde, natives of Bath, Maine, Hyde graduated from Bowdoin College in 1861 and then from the Old University of Chicago, now Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. On February 26, 1863, he became Assistant Inspector General of the Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac, which was commanded by Major General William F. "Baldy" Smith. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on December 1, 1863.

On September 24, 1864, Hyde transferred to the 1st Maine Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was promoted to Colonel on October 22, 1864. On February 17, 1869, President Johnson nominated Hyde for the brevet grade of Major General of volunteers, to rank from April 2, 1865, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the appointment on March 3, 1869, one of the last brevet Major General awards for Civil War service.

Starting in 1873, Hyde served three terms in the Maine Senate, including two as president. He became mayor of Bath, Maine in 1878.

In 1884, he founded Bath Iron Works and became general manager of it in 1888. Since it was founded, the shipyard has executed more than 425 shipbuilding contracts, including 245 for the U.S. Navy.

In 1894, he was named president of the Boston Elevated Railway Company.

Hyde wrote the books Following the Greek Cross Or, Memories Of The Sixth Army Corps (1894) and Recollections of the Battle of Gettysburg (1898). He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Bath, Maine.

Medal of Honor citation Rank and organization: Major, 7th Maine Infantry. Place and date: At Antietam, Md., 17 September 1862. Entered service at: Bath, Maine. Birth: Italy. Date of issue: 8 April 1891. His citation read:

Led his regiment in an assault on a strong body of the enemy's infantry and kept up the fight until the greater part of his men had been killed or wounded, bringing the remainder safely out of the fight.