Colonel John Brown, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the Brave Accuser of Benedict Arnold

A 1908 address delivered before a historic society sets out to rescue a crumbling marble monument and, in doing so, revives the story of Colonel John Brown of Pittsfield. The speaker frames Brown as a steadfast patriot whose life offers a window into the everyday courage that helped shape the new nation, and he invites listeners to look beyond the familiar headlines of the Revolution.

The narrative traces Brown’s modest New England roots, his education at Yale, and his early legal work in what is now Montgomery County, New York. Family ties link him to the controversial figure of Benedict Arnold, giving Brown a personal stake in the moral battles of the era. Through anecdotes of his athletic vigor, his rapid ride to Philadelphia with news of Ethan Allen’s capture of Ticonderoga, and his unwavering principle, the address paints a portrait of a man “every inch a man,” whose sincerity outshone any battlefield glory.

Listeners will find a blend of local history, vivid personal recollection, and thoughtful reflection on the values that sustained a fledgling republic, all presented in a measured, engaging style that honors both the man and the memory of his forgotten monument.