Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-04-16

BY N. w. Bingham, one of the
scholarly board of custom house Of
ficers at Island Pond.
Then those having friends in that
company began to realize the horrors
of war; then, for a few hours, the
fear and anxiety was plainly written
on the faces of many, their looks
tell they have friends there. At last
the terrible suspense is broken. A
telegram announces that Orlando
Stevens is among the killed. A mes
senger is dispatched to the widows
cottage with the melancholy intel
ligence that her eldest son was killed
by a rebel bullet. The depth of
anguish of that mother and those
sisters cannot be known except by
those who have experienced a similar
loss. But there is an addition to the
message which seems to give little
relief, it said He died bravely
fighting the enemy" The bravery
and devotion then exhibited will
make the Green Mountain State
proud of her sons. The widow said:
" 1t is hard to bear, but | am glad to
hear he was doing his duty. | sup
pose hundreds of mothers in the
land are mourning to-day as | am it
is necessary for some to die to save
the country"
Mrs. Stevens found many sympa-
thizing friends, and efforts were at
once made by the citizens to procure
the remains of her son, that they
might repose by the side of his kin
dred upon the banks of that beauti-
full lake he had so often visited in his
childish sports; but, unfortunately,
they could not be identified.
Alas like him, how many more
Lie cold upon Potomac's shore!
How many green, unnoted graves
Are bordered by those placi d
waves!
An extract from a letter written
by the youngest son to the mother,
soon after the battle, manifests the
same heroic fortitude; he says:
Brother Orlando was shot in the
breast and died instantly, but while
he lived he fought like a tiger; and,
thank God, he died in noble cause
Let this be a comfort to you, mother;
keep up good courage, we will soon
whip the rebels and be at home
again. " The widow bears the af-
Fiction with heroic fortitude, and
were it an isolated case it would not
seem so bad; but hundreds of just
such mothers are scattered through
the State, ,and their memory deserves
place in the heart of every true
lover of his country.
R. H. Rowell and jeremiah Bishop,
who were wounded in the same fight,
have returned home, intending to
return to the field as soon as they are
able. The above are all that have
been injured from this town to this
date, June 10, 1862. l
3 When the call of the President
was made for 600, 900 more men, al
though Brighton had already raised
more than her quota, the call touched
the patriotism of her people, and a
public meeting was called, at which
sixty came forward and pledged all
who should volunteer a bounty of
$50 each, also guaranteeing the state
pay of 81 per month. The following
liberal donations were made: by j.
Piper, $l00; S. N. Gilkey, $100; Elias
Denison, $50; G. G. Waterhouse, $40;
to be divided in sums of $40 and
paid to each volunteer who should
first enlist to fill up a company
Twenty citizens came forward and
enlisted, many of them leaving lu
crative positions, which formed {
nucleus around which a company
was soon formed from adjoining
towns, and organized by the electier
of the following commissioned of
ficers: Warren Noyes, captain; JOSEPH
Hall, 1st lieutenant; Robert P. Noyes
I'd lieutenant.
The following are the names o
other volunteers from Brighton:
Third Regiment
Co. K.-Charles Mortley.