Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-16

mCnt tndt steals over tne NlSltOr as he
finishes reading A second reading is
usually made to see il the eye has not
been deceived, but the further examina-
ton is confirmatory. Had the inscription
appeared In some churchyard in tho
South, far from Yankecland, over the
body of a beloved son OF Dixie who had
died in northern prison little surprise
would be occa ssoned. One is truly as
tonished to find these sentiments in a
cemetery in state so loyal rs Vermont.
That the stone has endured SO many
years Is a matter Of surprise, but a
close examination Of the front OF the
monument shows that 1t has not escap-
cd dctacins, for 1t is Clipped in several
places and some of the words at the
bottom show unmistkable signs Of hav-
ing been stoned
Old residents recall that feeling ran
high at the time the monument was
erected. Threats were freely made to
tear down the stone. and the father was
urged by friends to allow the crasure
of the biblical reference and the allu-
sion to Lincoln, hut ne declined to do
SO. Mr.. Brainerd held tho view that Mr..
Lincoln was responsible for the war,
and he refused to make any altera-
tions.
THROWN TO GROUND.
The stone stood unframed until Lin
coin had filled martyrs grave. Excite
nlent ran high after the president was
shot and MS ST. Adams was strongly
Union in principle and devoted TO Lin
coin the monument became doubly Of
fensive. One night party OF Union SOL
Iiorc ,l
about the monument threw 1t to the
ground. 1t was too heavy to carr away
and so after tho inscription had been
stoned the monument was left PROSTATE
The names OF the soldiers were never
publicly known. but several of them are
still living in st. Adams. The grief strick-
en- father restored the monument to its
position and it has since stood without
modest ation.
Tho monument gave offense to nearly
everybody in St. Adams. but because the
father, who was affectionatey known
as Uncle 10" Branerd, had such high
standing In the community. the words
were allowed to remain. Having sur
vived the war period the stone has
now become curious bit O. history
The stranger can only half appreciate
it, and usually misinterprets the senti-
ment. There are living, however, some
Of young Braincrd's comrades, who also
knew the father and they understand
how the grief OF the father led him to
draft the inscription.
The engraving itself is not a good piece
of work. One word originally misspelled
is corrected with a tiny caret to mark
the commission. and the division Of sew
eral OF the words is faulty. The choice
of capital letters is a further evidence
that the engraver hal little education.
for prison pen is capitalized and rebels
appear twice with capitals, while the
word union" is carved without a lrage
L. On such a stone the errors must have
been displeasing to the father, who was
talented son OF Yale college.
A GOOD SOLDIER.
The personal data recited on the stone
are correct. AS young man Just gradu-
ated from the University of Vermont Mr..
Brainerd enlisted Sept 90, 1862. and went
to the front. He Is remembered as a
tactiturn man who was shy rather than
social. He as not shy on the battlefield.
however, but acted his part bravely. He
entertained no ll-feeling against Lincoln
ana went to the war a plain duty to
MS country. AS cavalryman he saw
hard service and was always counted a
good soldier In the terrible battles of
the Wilderness. with other Vermonters
he had the misfortune to be wounded
and fell into the hands OF the confeder-
ates, who took him to Andersonville.
As soon as his father learned OF the
capture of his son he brought pressur.
upon President Lincoln to procure his
exchange or release. The heart OF the
great Lincoln must have ached as he
listened to the appeal, for similar re-
quests by the thousands had come N
MN during the war. and few Of then,
! could be availing. At the time this an
| peal was made it was not the policy III
| the president to exchange prisoners
Again. in all probability Lincoln was alb
| soiuteiy powerless to have secured the
requested release. Young Mr.. Brainerds
| case was like hundreds and hundreds O,
others, and may truly DO said to Illus
trate the saying that war is hell
The soldier boy was left TO his fate
and he died mserably in the prison pen.
The failure Of LincolN to procure his
sons release was staggering blow ia
Mr. Brainerd. He never ceased TO mourn
and he never ceased to blame the nresi-
dent. He lived Il years after the dearn
of his SON
ANTI-SLAVERY CENTER.
better understanding Of the case
may be gained by learning that ST.
Adams was one OF the strongest anti.
slavery centers in Vermont and the
/ Brainerd family, root and branch. was
opposed to slavery. The town at an
early date maintained an antl-slavery
library. and a few of it's volumes can
still be found in the private Libraries OF
descendants of the Older families 1,
was a town full OF uncomprornisinr aho
li,lonists.
Lawrence Brainerd n relative OF 10.
seph II. Brainerd, was an aggressive
abolit;onist, and he kept the last sta.
ton Of the underground railroad" tt
Canada, the route by which MANY 81
runaway black secured freedom. In IH.
he was chosen United States senator be
cause Of his known anti-slaycry Views.
Joseph II, Brainerd was uncompromis
ing abolitionist OF the Garrison tyne, ant
when Lincoln was elected president n,
, chafed because he did not immediatel,
free the slaves. Mr. Brainerd sharpl,
criticised Lincoln for this and he main
tanned later to his dying day that Lin
coin was responsible for the war. blam
ing the president for what seemed to hin