The Men Who Made the Story Famous

William Scott's story became romanticized long after the Civil War. The event played into an endorsement of Lincoln's presidency during a critical beginning of a controversial war. The story also underscored the bravery and heroism of the Union soldiers and Scott's home state of Vermont.

In the movie "Flags of Our Fathers", three GI's at Iwo Jima were paraded around the nation as heros because of a picture immortalizing them raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi.

Later in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch were honored as brave heros and gun blazing soldiers. Their heroism was fictionalized and romanticized by the media to promote the war effort and the decisions of America's leaders.

By his little contribution in allowing a sick Vermont soldier to get some rest while he did double-duty, William Scott became one of those unlikely and slightly embarrassed heros.