Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-17
LATEST NEWS.
BY TELEGRAPH.
Especial to the HERALD tsdf
The battle of Bennington.
A SUCCESSFUL, CELEBRATION,

| -.. =f%. BENNINGTON, Aug. 16. j
| The grand gala day of Bennington, the
anniversary OF the battle fought on the
10Th of August, 1777, was celebrated on
Wednesday with interesting and appro-
pirate ceremonies, the most elaborate
preparations having been made for the
OCCASION. The rush of people was I'M
precedently large, reaching at least the
number of twelve thousand. They came
from the entire Southern section of the
State, and from the adjoining localities in
New York and Massachusetts. The train
from Rutland consisted of fifteen heavily
loaded cars. The Harlem Extension
Railroad conveyed over three thousand
passengers. 40 -.-.
Amoug the prominent invited guests
were Gov. Stewart, ex-Lieut. Gov. .Ssr-
gent of Manchester, Gen. W. f. Badly
Smith, Gen. B. 8. Roberts, Gen. George
P. Foster, Gen. w. w. Gront, Hon.
Joseph White Secretary of the Massachu-
setts Board of Education. The military
organization, from abroad, consisted of
the gath regiment New York militia Col.
Stienburg of Troy, Company G 10th
regiment New York militia from Albany
and the line and staff officers of the 9th
regiment New York city. An INSTALL
ment Of the regimental band accompanied
the latter. The invitation to Col. Fisk
seems to have been unauthorized by the
committee of invitation, and in accord.
ance with the wishes of the people, and
excited much comment Notwithstand-
ing Col. James Fisk was present in all his
paraphanalia of gold, brass and sparkling
diamonds, and was the most observed of
all visitors. So. 81. :.a .... ..
The exercises of the day opened with
organization, which took off with some
effect the local issues of the town, like the
congressional contest of last year, the
graded schools, and steam fire engine
question An Grafton was delivered With
occasional hits at local matters, but as
whole wac low affair. About noon q
train from Troy brought the military wish
tors. A long procession was formed, and
after marching through the principal
streets it proceeded to a grove in the
north part of the village, where the more
formal exercises of the day were perform
ed in the following order . .a.,. ....
Prayer was offered by Rev. Isaac Jen-
nings, pastor of the Congregational
Church at Bennington Centre. s.-.
Seth B. Hunt, Esq, President of the
day, then extended cordial welcome.
He said, I bid one and all most cordial
welcome. 1t is well known TO you all
| that it has baen the custom of the people
of Bennington to keep this anniversary.
The battle this day commemorated was
one of the most important of the revolu-
ton which gave ultimate success to our
arms and resulted in the surrender of the
enemy. We assemble IS one people with
out sectsrian or political spirit. Such as
semblsges give us a military spirit, there
fore I welcome all who come with arms in
their hands, who protect Us in all our re-
lations. | am pleased to know that the
cultivation of military spirit we are
about to srbitrate differences with for
eign nation, and we enter upon that ar
bitratIon with a much better chance OF
success, from the fact of the military
spirit He then introduced the orator OF
the day, J. K. Herbert of New York city.
The grafton treated of great variety
of subjects, and it seemed to us to tresrass
upon partizan issues not appropriate to
the day, with license not ordinarily ex.
ercized on such occasions. The object of
the address seemed to be an argument ON
the importance of the Battle of Benniug-
ton as q foryrunner to Saratoga and the
eubscqueut victories of Gen. Gates. It was
generally received with satisfaction and
listened to with attention, notwithstand-
ing the great heat of the day.
At the CLOSE of the GRAFTON The 9Th
Regiment Band rendered sweet music
Such as it is rarely the fortune of the
people OF the country to hear.
The President then called en- Gov
! Stewart, who made An admirable and per-
tinent address, which we are not able to
write for this mornings issue. He was
was followed by that favorite General
of the Old Vermont Brigade, Gen. W. f.
I Badly Smith, in brief speech, in which
be took occasion to pay high coDpli'
ment to Vermont soldiers. Both these
speeches were enthusiastically received
! After another piece of music by Dor
ing's Band, Col. Fisk was called on by thu
crowd, and he spoke about ten minutes
He compimented Bennington as tht
place where he had made lis first trade
as the village whose hills wore first and
last i'll his memory, aud after affirming
s,lemuly that in bis brilliant career he had
never, knowingly, swerved from the patti
of right, and had only followed the ex
ample Of Gen. Stark. He closed with {
reverent exhortation to virtue and homes
ty. ...
| Inc DAY EXERCISES "ele c'oSeu aOou
four O'Clock.
The whole affair was an eminent suc
Gees. no outward disturbances took place
and the arrests were few. The New Yorl
police had given Information of th'
leaving of fifty pick-pockets for the cele
br,tion but their movements were gener
ally mistrusted. We .hnll refer to hi
appropriate md successful celebration
again, as the late hour precludes our Civ
all the exercises in to-day's issue.
inc ------ -------
rom New York.
TEw YORK, August 1s.