Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-07-15
THIRTEENTH WIS MONUMENT.
A Newspaper Makes a Sharp Attach on
the Plan to ImmortaliZe Lieut..
Brown.

The Vermont Sun, published under
direction of Felix w. McGettrick,
sharply assails the 18th Vermont reg
iment for the action taken at the re-
cent reunion at Swanton in regard to
a monument at Gettysburg. Among
other things il says:-
sIt was voted to erect a monument
to the regiment at Gettysburg at a
cost of sc, 900 to $4,000. There being
no reunion fund to justify any such
expenditure, the scheme, as we are in
formed from the inside, did not meet
with enthusiastic endorsement and
would most certainly have been de-
feated if it depended on a general as
sessment or contribution. But it leaks
out that the project had its inception
in the adamantine cheek and uneXam-
pied vanity Of a man wishing and will
ling to purchase unmerited glory and
fame for himself even though the
transaction involves the assassination
of common decency, brazen insult to
the regiment and nauseating burlesque
on real heroism.
One Stephen f. Brown was a lieu
tenant in Co. X of the 18th Vt. regl-
ment AT the time of the Gettysburg
fight he was under arrest, having been
relieved of his sword by order of Gen.
Stannard. II is related by himself
and some of his particular friends that
Notwithstanding his disgrace he went
into that battle with his company car
rying a Ratchet III lieu of the sword
that had been taken from him. To
Lieut.. Brown that eventful battle pre-
sented an opportunity to bid for the
restoration of his sword and the re-
moval of his disgrace and he availed
himself of it. Hundreds of men in
the 18th regiment faced death in the
fire and fury of that battle in obedi-
ence to the command of duty, seeking
not adulation of themselves but slim
ulated by the spirit OF loyaltyto coun-
try and devotion to the flag that they
followed. and their names must re-
main unhonored and unmentioned.
One individual has lassoed immortal
fame with a coil of greenbacks and all
the bravery, all the patriotism, all the
heroism. all the sacriiicial blood Of
ferred and spent on the field of Get
tysburo by the 18th Vermont regi-
ment is to be symbolized by a bronze
statue of Stephen f. Brown, with a
Ratchet raised in his hand, oyer the
spot where the tide of that battle and
of the war was turned by the gallant
STANDARDS brilliant dash. God save
the mark
Ii is understood that Brown pro.
posed to pay for the monument on
condition that he be permitted t.
choose the design and the design Sc
lected is of purse eminently salts
factory, TO Brown.
What a sickening example of th'
wav in which war history is manu-.
featured and heroes created. Me-
whose olfactories were offended
by the scent of powder on the battle
field figure in "Rolls of Honor" witt
eulogies written by themselves simply
because they are willing to pay fol
such false notices and now comes thi
s~elf-seeking pillager of glory and by
virtue of his money defies truth, de
cencv and honor by personating il
perpetuam the heroism of a regiment
To every thinking, self-respectins
survivor of the regiment this trans
action speaks a lesson in disgusting
toadyism. but what story will tina
statue in bronze with an appraised
tomahawk tell to future generations
Why, that the 18th Vermont regimen
was a band Of savage Indians unused
to the arms employed in civilized
warfare but doing battle for tn
Union with their primitive weapon
and through the famous Chief Brow
achieving destruction that will form
the basis Of fiction, story, song an,
legend beside which that other fraud