The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-08-25
Anniversary Of The Battle of
Bennington.

Bennington. ,
We avail ourselves of the excellent
account given by Mr. Cobleigh, cores
pendent of the Boston Adce1iser:
BENSYoroN, Aug. 16, 1865.
To-day, the SSth anniversary of the !
battle is to be celebrated. The battle
of Bennington occurred on the 10th
of August, lT71
After a series of victories over the
Federal army, General Burgoyne
found himself at Fort Edward, with
his men nearly exhausted and the pro-
visions almost gone In this condl-
ton, hearing that the Federal stores
at Bennington were but lily guarded,
and that the inhabitants were for the
most part friendly to his cause he
despatched Northumberland Baum
with 500 men and two pieces of ar
tillery to seize the stores and learn the
affections Of the people Colonel Baum
marched his men slowly, stopping
every few minutes to "dress" the lines
Meantime the alarm was given, and,
assisted by Mr.. Langdon OF Ports
mouth, Colonel Stark assembled
detachment Of New Hampshire Militia I
( Six miles from b Bennington the two
/ forces met. A heavy rain prevented !
an engagement, and Col Baum began
to intrench As soon as the weather
would permit, Col. Stark drew up his
men and uttered that heroic sentence |
recorded in history. Pointing to the
British he said, There they are. We
beat them tonight on Molly Stark a
widow He led his men close TO the
enemy's intrenchments and finally
succeeded in gaining complete VIC
tory. Scarcely had the fighting ceased
when reinforcements arrived for both
sides, Colonel Brogman to assist Col
Baum, and Seth Warner with the
Green Mountain BOYS to aid Col
Stark. The battle was resumed and
lasted until dark, when the British
fed, leaving behind all the artillery.
The British loss in this engagement
was 300 killed, nearly 600 prisoners,
and 4 pieces of artillery, besides 1000
stand Of arms and 1000 DIS. The
Americans lost II killed aud 40 woun-
ded This was the turning point Of
: General BurSoync S success. Not long
after he was defeated and compelled
to surrender his whole army.
The burning of the engine house at
Troy delayed the train containing the
orator, Gen. Hooker and other impor-
tant personages, some hours. Conse-
quently, instead Of the procession
; being formed at 1870 A. NJ, as adj
vertised, it was nearly l p NJ before
all was in readiness
The procession was formed near
the Mt Anthony House, under the
direction of Chief Marshal Lieut.. Col
John E. Pratt, assisted by Lieut. Col
Eugene Cole, and 1st Lieut. j. H.
g Cushman.
X On the stand in the grove were seat
: ed many prominent men of this and
/ other States. Among them were Major
= Generals Joseph Hooker, Truman
:, Seymour, George j, Stannard and j..
b. Carr; Brigadier Generals John w.
y Phelps and George p Foster; Colonels
= r. Proctor, 18th Vermont, TO. Seaver
r 3D. Vermont McCreary, 145th Penn
/ sylyania; Governor j. q. Smith, Lieut..
Governor Paul Dillingham;, Elk Cover
n nors Inland Hall and Ryand Fletcher,
4 A, d. hager, State Geologist George
f. Houghton, Esq, Rev Pliny II.
White; Hons. j. Wilder, A. l.. Turner
and Mark Skinner of Chicago; Prof
Il. A. Park of Andover Theological
Seminary, and Prof Bascom, of vii
! liams College
/; The attention of the large audience
was called about one o'clock, by Ex-
:, Governor Inland Hall, president Of the
. Vermont Historical Society Prayer
J; was offered by Rev. Isaac Jennings
l. of Bennington. The orator of the
! day, Rev. &C. H. Chaplin of New York
/, was then introduced He occupied an
. hour and a half with finely conceived
D and eloquently delivered grafton. He
compared the battle of Bennington
rs with that of Gettysburg. He sale
d that men do not make nations, but
- they grow in the sunshine of God
He was frequently interrupted with
ie bursts of applause.
b, After the Grafton there was a lou(
l. call from the crowd for Hooker, bu
the president had his programme ar
:, ranged and would not suffer It's in
- tewuption. He introduced His Tx
: celloncy John c. Smith, Governor o
rs Vermont, who made a short speech
p and was followed by Lieut.. Governor
(now republican nominee for Govern
- or Paul Dillingham;. Major Genera
~ Joseph Hooker was then called. IA
- was received With thrice three cheers
=" When silence had been restored, til
General said;
Kr. President, Ladies' and GeaHe
mem If you knew the embmrassmen
which You cause me, YOU would no