At the battle of Gettysburg the 13th Vermont was a part of General
Stannard’s Vermont command. The 2nd Vermont brigade had been left on
outpost duty in Virginia until the third day after the Army of the
Potomac had passed in pursuit of Lee’s troops into Maryland and
Pennsylvania. Then the brigade got orders to proceed by forced marches
to join the Army of the Potomac. The latter was also on a forced march,
but in six days’ time the Vermonters had overtaken the main body. Just
before the first day’s battle, Captain Brown’s command came up to a
well, at which was an armed guard. “You can’t get water here,” said the
guard. “’Gainst orders.” “Damn your orders!” said Captain Brown, and
then with all the canteens of the men, and with only one man to help
him, he thrust the guard aside and filled the canteens. His arrest
followed, and he was deprived of his sword.
When the battle began, Captain Brown was a prisoner. He begged for a
chance to rejoin his company, and was allowed to go. His men were far
away at the front, and he had no weapons. He picked up a camp hatchet
and ran all the way to the firing-line, reached it, rushed into the
fray, and singling out a Rebel officer 50 yards away, penetrated the
Rebel ranks, collared the officer, wresting from him his sword and
pistol, after which he dropped the hatchet, while his men cheered him
amid the storm of bullets and smoke.
When the design for the 13th Vermont monument was made, it was the
desire of the committee to have the statue represent Captain Brown,
hatchet in hand. Accordingly, a model was prepared, but the Federal
Government would not permit its erection. A second model was approved,
showing Captain Brown holding a sabre and belt in his hand, the hatchet
lying at his feet as though just dropped. The sabre depicted in the
statue is an exact reproduction of the one captured.
This monument is on the east side of Hancock Avenue, near the large
Stannard monument.