BRUSH MELANCTHON WEBB -- 16th INFANTRY and 2nd VETERAN CAVALRYDIED IN HIS SECOND REGIMENT - In 1850, young Brush Melancthon Webb wasliving in Saranac with his family. His father, Melancthon, was a gatetender on the plank road and Brush was working as a clerk. Four yearslater, he married Orissa Keeler in Vermont. Before he went to war in1861, Brush and Orissa had three children.Brush enlisted in the 16th Infantry on May 2, 1861, under the nameMelanethon B. Webb, and was mustered in as a corporal two weeks later toserve for two years. During the time he was with the regiment, he servedin Virginia and Maryland, and was in such battles as Fairfax CourtHouse, Gaines' Mill, Antietam, Marye's Heights and Salem Church. Brushwas mustered out on May 22, 1863.He came home and enlisted again in Plattsburgh within two months. The2nd Veteran Cavalry was recruiting in July 1863, and he was musteredin as a private in Saratoga Springs. The regiment patrolled Washingtonfor the rest of the year. In the spring of 1864, they were put ontransports to sail for Louisiana and the Red River Campaign.After the Campaign, the regiment moved east to patrol along theMississippi. By the end of July they were at Morganza, LA. Brush becameill, and he was left behind at the hospital there when the regimentmoved south. He was buried near the hospital tents in a makeshiftcemetery.There are two memorial markers in Brush's name in Vermont. One is on theback of his sister's gravestone in the Essex Junction Village Cemeteryin Essex Junction with the correct date of death. The other is in theLakeview Cemetery in Burlington with an inscription date of 1868 whichreflects the date when his death notice was published in the BurlingtonFree Press. Orissa died in 1902 and was buried in the BurlingtonCemetery with his stone.
