Typical of many Civil War statues. Major
E.E. Bedee's monument to the 12th New Hampshire Regiment
has a colorful history. The regiment participated in many
of the fiercest battles of the Civil War, including Chancellorsville,
Gettysberg and Cold Harbor. Local soldiers reportedly
sustained the highest percentage of casualties of any
unit in the Union Army. Major Bedee himself was injured
twice and later spent several months in a Rebel prison
camp. Following the war's end, he was present at Ford's
Theatre in Washington, D.C., the night President Lincoln
was shot and helped carry the fatally wounded emancipator
to the house across the street where he died the next
morning. After the war, Major Bedee mined diamonds in
Africa, and later spent some of his fortune on this memorial
"to keep alive the memory of our fallen brave."
Civil War Statue can
be found by taking Route 3 to the lights in Meredith.
Turn left and go up the hill onto Main Street. Civil War
Statue is located on the right side of Main Street, in
front of the Meredith Public Library.
