From the Richmond Whig, 8/18/1865, p. 2, c. 5

The Dog Hero styled by the Northern press the “terrible bloodhound guardian of Castle Thunder,” was on exhibition at last accounts at Rochester, New York, and was drawing crowds, who gloated and wondered over his huge proportions, his massive jaws, his bloody eyes, his terrible teeth, and speculated how many Union prisoners they had emasculated. The exhibitor was taking in money at the rate of $150 per exhibition, and had already realized $3,000 or $4,000 by Hero’s exhibition in other cities. Barnum had offered $2,000 for him, but the exhibitor would not part with him, intending to travel with him to Europe shortly. Hero is a Russian bloodhound, and immigrated to this country when considerable of a pup. Being fed and pampered, he grew to the respectable dimensions of 7 ½ feet from tip to tip, 4 ½ feet I height, and weighed about 200 pounds. Hero has several claimants in this city, who talk of suing out a writ of habeas corpus for the possession of his dogship.

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