News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-09-15
THE UNKNOWN HEROINE
Morrlsville People Entertain Southern Lady
OF Civil War Fame

| Last Monday evening at the h all OF
James M. Warner Post, g. A. R., re.
ception was rendered Mrs. Bette Van
Metre and her husband, James Van
Metre, of Berryvlle, Va, who are visit
ing Mr.. and Mrs. Thos c. Cheney this
week.
About so members of James M. Warner
| w. X. {. and members of the Post were
present to greet this noble Southern wo-
! man, whom old soldiers OF Vermont love
for the great service she rendered one of
their comrades in 1864 by her tender
| nursing.
The reception committee was made up
of Mr.. and Mrs. Cheney, Mrs. Ella Small
and Miss Jennie Tillotson. who intro
| duced the distinguished guests to those
| present, Among the enjoyable features
| of the evening were the piano selections
| by Miss Lula Towne. who rendered pa.
triotic airs of both North and South, be.
ing applauded alike by all present. Re-
| freshments Of iced tea and waters were
served.
The story, which is we'll known to old
| soldiers OF Vermont, concerns Lieut.. Hen
| ~ E. Bedell of Westheld, VT, who went
| out from this town in the 18th VT. and
was terribly wounded near Berryville,
Va, Sept. 10, 1864, when a solid shot
crushed his limb near the hip. His limb
was amputated and to the surprise of
the surgeons he began to improve, but
when it became necessary to remove the
wounded to Harper's Ferry on account
of the impending Battle of Winchester,
he suffered terribly and finally became
unconscious and his captain, the late
Chas. ]. Lewis, formerly of this place
and later of Hannibal, Mo-, and an uncle
by marriage of H. c. Slocum, and Capt.
Chester Wright Dodge, also of this place,
took him from the ambulance and placed
him in the third story Of a nearby dwell
ling. Food, medicine and money were
left by them with the occupant of the
place, who faithfully promised to take
good care of BedelI so long as he lived,
which no one thought could be more
than few days at the most. He was
sadly neglected by these people until a
faithful colored man finally went to Mrs.
VanMetre and asked her to do what she
could for this soldier who was thought
to be dying.
Although one of her brothers had been
mortally wounded at Gettysburg and
another was supposed to have been
killed, while her husband had been cap.
tured and was at that time confined in
Northern prison, still Mrs. VanMetre
went at once to Bedell's assistance,
found his condition most pititul, called
in her family doctor and after week of
tender nursing, saw her patient so far
improved that he could return to YER
mont. During these weeks Mrs. Van
Metre was compelled to make several
trips to Harper's Ferry, twenty miles !
distant, for. medicines and provisions, |
always at the peril of her life, as there
were numerous bushwhackers and guer-
ilas, who would not have hestated at
taking her life.
Lieutenant Bedell being too weak to
travel alone, it was arranged that Mrs.
VanMetre should accompany him home.
as no one could tell when the war would
end and her husband would be restored
to her. When they reached Washington.
Secretary of War Stanton was visited.
to whom Bedell told the story of how
Mrs. VanMetre had saved his life. The
great war secretary was much affected
and at once gave an order for Mr.. Van.
Metres unconditional release from Fort
Delaware. The party came to Bedelps
home at Westfeld, where Mrs. VanMe-
tire continued to assist in the care of Be.
dell until his complete recovery, some
two months later.
The great service rendered Bedell by
this noble Southern woman was only
one of the many acts of kindness shown
by her to the Northern Soldiers. l.. E.
Chitfenden, a Vermonter and Regis
5rar of the Treasury, under President
gave to the public the story of
3edell and Mrs. VanMetre in his book,
1.-The Unknown Heroine"
while Col Aldice f. Walker, the COM
nander of the 18th VT, in his book,
The Vermont Brigade in the Shenan. !
ioah Valley" devotes chapter to it. t
Major Chas, G.. Gould of Washing
on, ID c., who was a member of Be-
lell's regiment, and Mr.. Cheney visited
he VanMetres at their home last fall
Through the influence of Mr.. Cheney
he Vermont Legislature, at its recent
ession, passed joint resolutions thank
ng Mrs. VanMetre for the great SER
ice rendered this Vermont boy more 7
han fifty years ago, an engrossed copy
# which was sent to her. When one
ealizes that she was a girl of but 20 {
ears at the time, one appreciated all /.
he more what she did.
The people of Morrisville are glad to a
70 honored by a visit from these good
Tirginia people.