OUR MILITARY HISTORY

The Revolutionary War Legacy

Sheldon’s beginnings  rest in land grants and awards as a result of action in the Revolutionary War by heroes of the fight.ing  Elisha Sheldon served with General George Washington.  His sons served in military positions.  Many prominent early citizens including The Sheldons Jed Clark, Jed Clark, Jr. and “The Blind African Slave” all received land rewards from wartime service..

The Fenian Raids

The Fenian raids, 1866 and 1870, were a mini war between the Irish Republican Army, immigrants to the United States who served in the Civil War, and the British Forces in Canada. Ultimately, the Irish retreated after a defensive attack on the border in Canada left a couple of Fenian deaths.

 The Fenian Raids Plaque on Route 105

For a video presentation on the raid go to  https://vermonthistory.org/fenian-raids

Or To You Tube https://vermonthistory.org/fenian-raids

 The American Civil War

The Civil Ware Plaque on Bridge Street on the occasion of the 1991 rededication.

“The state sent more than 34,000 to serve, out of a total population of about 350,000 citizens. More than 28,100 Vermonters served in Vermont volunteer units. .Vermont had “17 infantry regiments, 1 cavalry regiment, 3 light artillery batteries, 1 heavy artillery company, 3 companies of sharpshooters, and 2 companies of frontier cavalry.” The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry included 66 Vermont blacks. An additional 100 black Vermonters also served.
The First Vermont Brigade, or “Old Brigade” was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. It suffered the highest casualty count of any brigade in the history of the United States Army, with some 1,172 killed in action.” Wikipedia

 

 

The

Confederate

Raiders

 

 

 After raiding Saint Albans and robbing several banks, The Confederate Raiders as they were called, proceeded to attempt an excape to Canada that did eventually succeed.  However, in Sheldon they first attempted to burn down the two-lane covered bridge over Bridge Street.  The local minister is credited with putting out that fire.  The Raiders then attempted to rob The Missisquoi Bank which was closed.  They theb proceeded east and north into Canada

 

 

 Di Anne Crane with the image of the bridge she created.

An accounting of the Reinactment Day by Sally Severy

 

References

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermont_in_the_American_Civil_War#:~:text=Military%20enrollment,-Main%20article%3A%20List&text=The%20state%20sent%20more%20than,served%20in%20Vermont%20volunteer%20units.

 

More details at Historic Marker Database

Civil War Marker

Fenian Raids Marker