The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-12-03


were pitifully scarce.
But brave men make their own re
sources, and bear down difficulties with
Incredible success The secret of the re.
suit is sufficiently indicated in the palriu,ic
speech Of John L1ngdon, speaker Of the
New Hampshire Legislature. IL have"
said he, "three thousand dollars in hard
money; l will pledge my plate for three
thousand more. have seventy hogs.
heads of Tobago rum, which shall be
sold for tn IN )st it W II bring. These
are at the service Of the State If We
succeed in defending our fi"csidrs ard
homes, | may be remuneratcd; il not, tie
property urH be Of no ralue TO me"
The pulpit, too, did its part to compen
safe the want of mean-, by iron courage
and military enthusiasm. General Stark
had no sooner brought his brave ''boys"
TO look the enemy in the face at Benning-
ton, than 10 ParsOn Allen appears with
his heroic parishioners whom he had ac.
companled all the way from Pitisi-id
Nor was he only praying and reaching
chaplain. I h, parsun was much afraid
that the Berkshire militia would not have
a cI a 'ce 20 tr, their ,a.ur, that he can o
to Stark before daylight, in drenchlng
rain. and SAID General, the people ot
Bilkghire have often been summoned to
the field without being allowed to fight
and if you do not give them chance,
they have resolved never to come out a.
gain" Stark replied, "if the Lord shall
once more give us the sunshine, and | do
mt give you fighting enough, I'll never
ask you to come OUT again"
On the morning Of the battle the chap
lain prayed ihat Go would s"teach their
hands to war. and their fingers to fight !"
he then advanced between the lines, and
and called upon the enemy 10 prevent the
shedding of blood by laying down their
arms Being answered by shower of
bullets which riddled the log on which he
stooi he turned to friend and cody,
SAID ''now give me gun ~ and thus the
Pitisiicld Parson fired the first gun from
the American side at the battle of Ben
nington.
The British forces were amply strong
for the victory both advantage of position
and the possession of field pieces, if not by
numbers, they were entitled to the field.
, but Baum's contempt for Vermont militia
and his conceit that they were coming
only to surrender, betrayed them into the
disasters OF the day. "There are your
enemies" said Stark to his men, 'the
red coats and tories; we must have them
: in half an hour, or this night my wife
, sleeps widow T.
The fearless army of Stark made shor
work OF fulfilling the happier alternative
: OF their leaders prophecy. Everything
gave way before them. The eng igemen
btcame general at once.
he lannon's roar through the
valleys OF the Waloomsoc and llooSc
thrilled the hearts OF the mothers AN
, children, until The distant echoes rolict
, back from Greylock into the meetin,
5 house at WilIinmstown.
How heavily those reports of deadly
, shot must have fallen upon the ears o
the detenceless, rs they awaited the re
= suit in speechless suspense Onward
yept the tile of battle The first engage
f n,ent WAS over. 1t had proved the invin
clble prowess of frcemen fighting for tlieir
e homes. The Utssians had learned ic
' fear even IA raw recruit from the Greer
I Moutain slopes. The Indians began {,
| desert the army of B ,um when they fJunt
: that the woods were filled with Yankees
t Reinforcements came to both armes
h They again rushed to conflict Baum wa
= slain his army routed; upwards Of 50(
| prisoners graced the victory Of Genera
= Stark An ever since that day. so Clio
/, rious for American Valor, the Churo
: bells and the gins Of Bcnni ,gton hav,
!, once year summoned the hill and val
evs 10 remember the 10Th of Angus
, l77i.
IS The result Of that struggle, il measure
in blood, and prisoners, and spoiis, sn
, captured guEs, we're very insignifant a
n compared with a half honr skirmish be
: FIRE Sebastopol But those were day
i when vast results hung On causes whicl
It might now seem small.
!, English troops now knew what stuff
c Yankee yeoman WAS made of. Militia
Is with hardly bayonet among them, hs
!. stormed inrenchments, and snat, d gun
d from ramparts deemed secure. Ra,
n troops, unused even to the noise of cannu
n had rushed upon battery, and driven o
u chosen men, and velrans of many fights
n The hopes of freemcn rekindled, cheer
}, ing the long night Of despair in which tn
: revolutionary cause had slumbered. Bur
n goyne was dispirited. Washington re
il joiced, m his discerning eye saw now tn
d clear tokens OF daybreak in the politca
I horizon. Ills sagacious words were ful
d filled. One of Burgoync's detachment
n being cut off, the people "lost sight {
o their past mi,iortunes, flew TO arms, an
n afforded every aid in their power"
n Boston was all astr with the joyfl
g tilings from Bennington. The bells ran
e and criers proclaimed the victory. Cir
10 ton wrote, "Since the affair at l'ennine
ir ton, not an Indian has been heard of
scaigiag has ceased indeed do not ar
l. prehend any great danger from the iutur
e. operatio; of Mr.. Bhrgoyne,"
a. High hope and invinc'ble ardor file
,e every American heart. The electric cur
le rent OF better prospects thrilled throug
i, every patriot soul, leaving there tho'
G. high resolves which led by successiy
sf -. L.