With every argument, there are always two sides. And so it was with the Civil War. While many native Vermonters moved out west, to Iowa, Illinois, and other states, then served in Union units from those states, others moved south and west, and would later serve in units of their adopted, Confederate, States. Occasionally they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Harry John Fleury was one of the latter.

Six Fleurys enlisted from Isle La Motte. Five joined the Union army chiefly Company K 11th Vermont. The sixth, 24 year old Harry, was visiting his grandfather, John Scott, in Missouri when the war began. According to the Isle La Motte historian, Harry "evidently had no idea what the war was for or why!!!" He went to Texas and joined the Confederate cavalry. A French Canadian from Isle La Motte, Vermont in a Texas cavalry regiment does make one pause to wonder.

Source: Allen L. Stratton, compiler: History of Isle La Motte, Vermont. (The Northernlights Studio Press, Barre, Vt., 1984)

(Contributed by David F. Cross M.D., Charlotte)

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