Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-07

Go, to famc's proud mount repair;
The tardy Pile, slow rising there,
With tongueless eloquence shall tell
OF those who for their country fell.
All gone! 'Tis the goodly land
Look round-.he heritage behold!
Go forth-upon the mountains stand
Then, If ye can, be cold.-Sprague-
CHAPTERI.
DAWN OF THE REvOLUTION-s' THE RETREAT" P"
The Revolution had commenced. The first
act in the great drama was completed, and one
universal prayer for redress assembled from the
hearts of an oppressed people to the God of the
Just The time at length had come when even
their daily petitions to the Throne of their Gre
ator were forbidden, unless moulded into pro-
scribed forms. The volcano of public sentiment
which had been so long slumbering in the
breasts of the American people, at last burst
forth and Concord and Lexington had spoken
in thunder-to of the spirit which actuated
men when life, liberty and their homes were
threatened to be taken from them. Blood-pat-
riot blood had been shed, and the cry of " to
arms " rang through the land-it penetrated
every hamlet, and started men from their slum-
bers, but to seize the musket and hasten to the
field of action. War with its stern realities
was upon them and now those few who had
been foremost in the great cause, SO dear to ev-
cry true son of America looked to the yeomanry
of our land for their strong arms to carry out
the struggle which should result either in the
triumph of Justice, or the downfall of Ameri-
can Liberty.
The stamp act had been passed, and the news
had reached orr shores There were a few who
prophesied the utter inability of the people to
contend with the horde of wel-disciplined troops
which England could pour into our country,
and many giant mind saw dark clouds en-
shrouding the cause of Freedom.
1t was the night after the passage of the
stamp act that the illustrious Franklin, then in
London, wrote the cherries words, which were
well calculated to discourage many spirit -
"The Sun of Liberty is set-the Americans
must light up the lamps of industry and econ
omy" The sages advice was good, admitting
as q fact--and to him it seemed one-that the
sun of Liberty had indeed sunk below the hori-
zon. But there were those to whose mind this
advice savored but little of wisdom. Charles
Thompsons patriot heart did not believe that
oppression had subdued the altar fires of Free
dom, and Franklin received the stern and spir-
tied reply: E" Be assured pe shaHhgM up torches
Of another sort"
Rude and undsciplincd men gathered around
the leaders of the so-called rebellion, and swore
by all that was sacred to them that while the
life-blood coursed in their veins they would not
turn back until they had swept from America
every foe whose footstep cursed her soil. Lex
ington and Concord had kindled the fire of Free
dom, and balmy day in June saw thirty thou
sand men gathered around Boston to face the
chivalry of England-to oppose those who had
been bred to " the trade of war; 1t was an
army indeed, but only in name. Devoid of dis
cipline, wanting in arms-could it be that these
men were to withstand the shock of the cannon
ade which would be directed against them? The
result showed that the spirit which animated
them was equal to the emergency, and the he.
roc bravery of the patriots taught their foes
that they could establish their sway in America
only by wading through seas of blood. On
came the columns, their artillery playing upon
the entrenchments as the troops advanced, but
d'y ii the sound of musketry echoed from the
American ranks. Along their lines could he
seen the noble form of Putnam, kndlng the
enthusiasm of the men by his cheering words.
AT length from his lips issued the word @ fire -
A sheet of lurid flame burst forth, and for mo-
ment cloud of smoke enveloped the Americans
and then the veteran thousands of the mother
country were seen retreating in disorder anc
confusion As night shut in the scene the bat
tle-feld remained in the hands of the English
but victory was with the Patriots. Thus wcr,
the opening scenes of the Revolution portentoul
of the close of the drama, and weak heart
were inspired with new courage as the result o
the conflict reached their ears.
Among the thousands of those who valued
their lives as nothing did their country demant
its sacrifice, class of persons, denoninated 70
ries, were found who, Judas-lkc, were eve
ready, at the sight of British gold, to bctray tn
supporters of our cause into the hands of it
enemies. They were neither opponents nor il
favor of its prosecution, but like politicians q
the present day always eagar to be in favor wit
the predominant party. Unable to distinguish
in many instances, who were for or against il
the cause suffered much from the duplicity {
the Tories, and in vain did its friends attempt
bring them to justice, for proofs of their sui
were seldom sufficient to condemn them III
inhabitants OF New York were among the grea
est sufferers from this class of villains. He
they had become 50 bold, that organized ban,
of them infested the province, in many instal
ces burning their dwellings and plundcring the
of their possessions The Patriots were but il
protected from these ravages, as many had le
their homes for the different points towar
which the friends of Freedom were Fastening.
Stung to madness by these repeated outrage