Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-09-18

I thNlI WHY lNO nuIultu anu llllflN-Onc trrpen
Mountain Boys under Ethan Aliens lead at
Lake Champain And in July, l777, tho Coun-
Gil Of Safety wrote to the councils of Massachu-
sets and New Hampshire, offering to victual a
whole army if they would raise and send one TO
Bennington. And when this engagement which
we celebrate took place. only sixteen years had
passed since the earliest emigration came Ia the
roadless forest from Hardwick This sister
among the States was not come of age them
She was brought into Uncle SANS family in
1901, then in all the flush of her beautiful ma
turity. But at this time she was only begin
ming to develope, and to display her wonderful
loneliness in prospect. Yet thriving under her
hardy discipline, it must be owned that even then
she possessed glorious strength of womanhood
for sixteen year old girl
If were writing history, | should love to
copy those old papers and records which hang
in frames and glass cases. all over town, that the
world might sec them, and learn from them the
stern carnestness and brave manhood with which
our foreiathers met the shock of conflict
should love even here, if | could, to pay pass
ing tribute OF respect to the vcnerated Council
OF Safety, who sat through the long, anxious
day, lssuingand receiving dispatches from dawn
until sunset, chaling under the restraint of duty
which kept them in the cabinet rather than in
the field Even Gen. Stark wrote concerning
them: 81 cannot in justice omit giving the hon
orable Council the honor of exerting themselves
in The most spirited manner in this most critical
time But all these things can be learned in
another way. | am sure you will be more pleas
cd to hear what tradition has brought us, from
around the winter iiresdes of our early homes.
1t has been said that Burgoyne made IA great
mistake IN sending tosth so weak an expedition
for 80 important Il purpose. And this notion
has bpgu .rp.s.l 10 Ln
sneer upon those who term this great victory.
But Burgoyne had no such opinion of their in
significance. He said even ofthc lIessians, they
were "the hest had of that nation" and of the
Others, they were "chosen men from all the reg
iments; !; men, as one Of the IeSsians describe
them "of tried valor and enterprise" And old
Capt. Robinson, who guarded the house where
Baum fingered in his last hours. and watched
gently as a woman with him till he died was
wont TO say that more intelligent and brave
officer he had never seen, than this unfortunate
Lieutenant.
Against these troops came forth the townsmen
and neighbOrs who dwet here upon these farms
They were not professional soldiers at all. They
had no bayonets, little powder and few balls
But every man could hit his man. There was
something terrible in their aim. They shot to
Kill. Having prayed for conscience TO enlight-
''iNh Nh't ''lcl ulSCONtr Tlpnl, ana
having been firmly persuaded that blood must
be shed, and that either themselves or the enc
my must perish, they thought it folly to waste
any ammunition. Among the bullets found in
the held there were very few that were mould
ed in the town of Bennington. Most of those
found more awful resting place than in the
green sward or the trees. Gen. Stark said of
these extcmporaneous soldiers, that "had each
man been an Alexander or Charles of Sweden,
he could not have behaved more gallantly'
These local floating anecdotes of men and
their doings on that famous day are interesting
TO all those who are willing to search them out.
But time and old soldier like enthusiasm, as well
as oft-inyited repetition, have doubtless given
to many of the traditions an air. if not meas
ure of eXaggeration. | am really afraid that if
any fufilEe cnp,niler should ariea to make "a Ri
ole Tor Bennington witnesses TO swear by he
would have to put most enormous apocrvpha
somewhere in the middle, for those he would
hear too good to be lost, but quite too good 20 be
exactly up to the line of inspired yeracity. 4
few of the most authentic, however will perhaps
interest YOU now.
On the morning of the 10th, old Capt. Fav.
who kept the Green Mountain tavern, received
Il little note from the English officers, saving
they would dine with him that day. The; kept
their word, but they came as prisoners And
as they drew near the house just at dusk, out
came the old patriot and swung his three cor
ncred hat from the stoop, while with a kind of
professional enthusiasm he said,-"Iou arcwel-
come gentlemen, dinner is waiting for YOU"
Capt. Samuel Robinson, who commanded the
town militia at the time, was loading and firing
like the rest, but ball on one side of the head,
just singing by the ear, made him dodge away
from it, And soon came another OH the oppo-
site side and the head jerked ncrvously at the
whistle.-Mortifed to think his neck was so
Timber, he turned around to his men and said,
"Boys keep your eye on me, and if ! dodge
again put ball through me sideways"
Major Hawks fingered like a kind husband,
as he was, for while at his home, at the ear.
nest solicitation of the family But ere long,
as the boom of the cannon came rafting up the
sides of the old Whipstock hill his ardor in
creased, the sweat of simple excitement beaded
his forehead. But at last he came in, saying
"he shouldn't try to stand it any longer" lie
caught his gun, and started on keen run across
lots to the scene. Al in glow with his three
mile race, he came on the ground Just as squad
of men We're receiving their allotted pint of IL
quor. He caught the measure and swallowed
it at draugt, There" said he, thinking it was
water, "now give me some rum"
Old uncle Silas Robinson was somewhat pc
culiar in his way of telling thing, but his sharp
voice used TO give great effect TO the account of
his participation. II had heard" said he, "that
these Robinsons were all towards, and | rather
thought if any of 'em was, was the man. But
somebody told me that gunpowder was good for
courage, so | took about gill of gin, and thick
ened it up, and when l drinked that then tell
ye fit :"
Eleazer Egerton, in the midst of the second
battle, was firing away from behind tree when
all at once he saw very young man looking
anxiously around for a standing place alike Sc
cure. "Here, boy" shouted he, take my tree
you fight behind and I'll fight before. The ras-
Gals darsent shoot me they know me-" And
in an instant he had planted his giant frame
back to the trunk, and there he stood firing I'M
til the IIcssians did know him and feard him,
and fled beyond the reach of his bullets
1t is easy to call these men rash, passionate
and brutal But they were the most amabe
men of their age. There was not cross of the
ruffian in their blood. They were men of ster-
ling integrity and undoubted piety. Although
as Shrkshire wit might say, "They were as
full of grit as a pound of sixpenny sugar." they
were as devoted, excellent men as ever exhort-
ed in conference or prayed at family altar
Leonard Robinson, whose aim was as quick and
deadly as lightning, declared that every time he
L ~ III ll..a