Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-07-30

tish officers confessed to him that they had 300
killed Bennington battle, (the frst,) says
Stark, "lasted two hours, and was the hottest
ever saw;' and probably the concluding fight,
when Warner and bis boys pitched in, "bcing
determined to have ample revenge on account
of the quarrel at IInbbardton," with the pur-
suit of the flying entmy, gave two hours more
yet the Americans lost but thirty at Benning-
| ton, precisely the sane number as at Hubbard
ton, while the enemy left two hundred and sew
en- dead on the flld of Bcnnington-being
nearly hundred less than Aliens statement of
the British loss at Ihbbardton The brief bat
tie at Hubbardton was, therefore, terrible
conflict, and the disparity of force against the
Americans and the disparity of loss against the
/ British, with the ohcr unfortunate Incidents
| by which Warner was the sufferer all show
| that the Vermonter4 did most faithfully, most
honorably and m1st brayely perform their
whole duty.
But IIubbardton battle was more than terri
bic to the enemy ard more than honorable to
the Vermonters 1t was an important battle:
important in its influence and consequences.
| The wear preceding was one of the greatest
! gloom. especially in the North. The retreat of
| two large armies from Canada, and the loss of
one of them by disease and hardship, not BY
arms-the evacuation of Ticonderoga and Fort
Independence which were the keys to Lake
George and North River on the South, and to
New England in the East--and the triumpha
entry of Burgoyne with a splendid army and
buoyant expectations, for it must be remember
ed that he expected all the people, especially of
Vermont and Northern New York, to yield at
once to his magniloquent proclamation all
these filed the country with CONSERVATION and
despair. Washington was terribly disappoint-
ed New England was alarmed; and as for New
York and the Middle States, it appeared all but
certain that Burgoyne would Join the British
army then on the Hudson, and command the
heart of the nation. The first CLEAN of hope
appeared when Warner turned and sprang upon
| Frazier at Hubbardton, like tiger upon his
pursuers. Then the first star twinkled to anxi-
Gus eyes through the cloud that had long COW
cred them; and then another and still another,
till the Northern galaxy was full. Hope, cour-
age. strength revived, and all was quickly gained
to US. The darkness speedily fell upon the
! glittering hosts of Burgoyne, and to them all
| was lost. Behold:
July I, 1777-battle of Hubbardton.
Aug. 16, 1777-victory at Bennington.
Aug. 20, 1777-Burgoyne has made the ac-
quaintance of the Green Mountain Boys at
| IIubbardton and Bennington, and thus most
emphatically compliments them: "The Hamp-
shire Grants in particular, country unpeopled
! and almost unknown in the last war, now a.
bounds in the most active and most rebellious
race on the continent, and hangs like a gather
ing storm on my left.
Sep. -, l777-Gcn Lincoln visits Vermont
and from Pawlet dispatches parties to capture
British posts. In five days they recover the
command of the Northern end of Lake George,
recapture Mount Hope, Mount Defiance, and
all but the main fortress at Ticonderoga, with
| 200 batteaux, one armed sloop, and number
! Of o,,, k,nts. takn Dp, nri Sonars of tho pnpuy
and release 100 Americans who were held as
prisoners by the British.
Sep. 10, 1777-Battle of Saltwater.
Oct. I, l1I7-Burgoyne worsted by Gates.
in hard fight. Frazier, who commanded the
British at llubbardton, was killed.
Oct. II, 1777--Burgoyne surrendered, which
put an end to the career of the British Northern
army; and Gates with his forces, was dispatched
for service elsewhere.
This is the history of Vermont in that crisis
for iE these events from Hubbardton to Bur-
goync's surrender, Nermonters bore morc-aye
/ infinitely more-than their share. And what "a
brilliant centre-piece is this, in Nermonts tab
! leau of Revolutionary incidents, with the FIRST
MARrYESt and the FIRST VICToRIESt OF THE
REVOLUTION on the one side and on the other
with that keen stroke of "policy," which by di-
plomacy aloneI completely protected the North
crn Frontiers against large British army, from
1871 to 1888.
Truly it was right to erect n monument on
the field of Hubbardton,-to mark the very
spot where our fathers SO gallanty marked
time" Tor this glorious march of yictores-lnd
TO commemorate SOUR PATRIOT soldirS"-most
cmphatically ours,-for they, we had almost said
they alone, 6ravely stood the test of that bloody
day.
&1he effect Of the Vermont victories on the country
was equally as striking upon Burgoyne. We quote
from Lossings Life of Washington. "While Pennsyl
vania New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland were gaz-
ing with mingled expectations and fears the armies
under Washington and Howe, they slowly closed
on each other, and the whole country was filed with
conflicting rumors, aetating and cheering by turns
the works were rapidly going up at Saratoga, from
which was to recoil the veteran army of Burgoyne.
Stark had dealt him staggering blow by his victory
over Baum ~ Bennington while Gansevoorts gallant
defence of Fort StanwX had frustrated his plans in
that direction From every valley and mountain slope
the sturdy yeomanry went pouring into Gates their
patriotism knidled into brighter glow by The shouts of
rictory that rolling from Pern,ont and down the
Mohawk from Fort StliwiX and the bloody field of
| Oriskany."
VIM. French and Daniel Houghton slain at West
minister March ye 18th, 1775, by the hand of cruel
Ministerial tools Of George We 3D. The Boston Mass
occurred five years before but that time there
hardly deliberate purpose OF coercion unto blood
on the one side, and of resistance unto blood the
other. Indeed, the Boston affair was simply murder
by the enragcd soldiery and was discountenanced by
the civil authority. In Vermont, however the Wings
had determined, previous to March, 1915, "to resist
and oppose all authority that would not aecede[o the
resolves of the Continental Congress - they had taken
possession ~ Westminster courthouse III the spirit
Of this declaration, and they attacked by the
Tory Sheriff. who had the legal (royaD power Of the
country" and the Tory court sustained him, until the
Mhigs captured and imprisoned the judges, and pat
an end to Tory power in Vermont.
| tTiconderogl and Crown Point, May 10th, 1775.
NHaldmand correspondence.