The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-18

our hearts and memories ana plasned tn'
water into our eyes,"
The review over, President Hayes rose ant
in clear voics and with very genial manner
congratulated the immense audience on the
day. the glory of the occasion celebrated
and Oh the presence of 80 many of the brave
survivors of the great war that is gone, and
then remArking that perhaps the people
would like to make the acquaintance Of
some of his distinguished party. he intro
duced the Hon. E. J. Phelps, President oi
the centennial commission, who promptly
seconded the Presidents little pleasantry by
introducing Secretary Evarts. whO spoke q
few words of weighty and dignifed elo-
quence appropriate to the occasion.
President Hayes then called out Governor
Fairbanks, who ably lodged the blow and
pushed General DeVens' portly person. hgur'
atively speaking, between him and his au
dience. Devens spoke as he always does. in
manner at once elegant and impressive
and soon made his bow amid great applause
President Hayes then called out Postmaster
Key, who spoke long enough to satisfy his
audience that he was q well-wisher to the
Union, and earnestly Aought to bind up the
wounds Of war. and make the waste places
blossom like the rose. President Hayes then
making pleasant allusiOn to Molly Stark,
introduced the grand-daughter and great
granddaughter of General Stark, those
.dles being among ihe persons on the plat
form. Tue crowd cleered the ladies into II
stale Of mental embarrassment, and secretary
Evarts seizsd the opportunity to introduce
Mrs. Hayes, who graceful ly bowed and smiled
ler acknowledgment OF the cheers that
greeted her. McCrary, whom the President
introduced as the able representative OF 'the
Vermont Of tie West" spoke briefly in the
same vein as hts asso ;iai \. and an Adjourn-
mat Was taken 10 tho Pavilion. where the
literary eIslcSea OF the day We're csebntsd.
Chef Marshal Valentine and staff escorted
The President and Cabinet, the Governor OF
Vermont and executives Of other States, the
Chaplain aud Orator Of the day, and other
distinguished guest to seats upon the plat
form. Among them. quite Unexpectedly, was
General Baldy Smith, who arrived IN the
morning. The services began with prayerby
Thomas Allen, grandson of Fighting Paison
Allen" Hon. E. j. Phelps, President of the
centennial commission, then introduced Gov.
Fairbanks. who gave a short address Of well
come, as follows:
Mr.. President and Ladies' and Gentlemen :
II is well, and we are glad, that this momor-
able occasion should be bonored by the
presence Of citizens and the chief executive
officers Of 80 many of our states, and espe-
cially by the presence of The President of the
United States and his cabinet. The heroic
deeds OfC1O0 years ago were not done to
achieve the heindependence or liberty of any one
colony or state, but 60 achieve the liberties
of America. Fellow citizens Of this great
Republic, and patriot soldiers, lovers Of hui
| man rights and liberty, in the name of the
most cordial welcome TO these cOmmemOra-
| tive services and hallOwed associations. Well
will it be il from them we catch and carry
away in some measure the same patriotic de-
votiOn to all freedom which inspired those
brilliant heroes on yonder battlefield 100
years ago.
President Bartlett was then introduced,
and delivered an historical OratiOn, delineat-
ing the causes and results of the battle of
Bennington, and describing the battle, He
was frequently interrupted with applause.
From the top OF Mount Anthony the eve
locke out ON n panorama Of angular extent
and beauty. Westward the AdirOndncks. dun
with the distance OF . hundred miles OF more,
the Helderbergs and the Catakills to the
south. Greylock, saddle and bald, the long
Green Mountain wall on the east, and the
KillinRton Peak sixty miles away to the
north, outline q vast amphitheatre Of hill
and vale, of fertile tieldsand graceful forests,
dotted with thrifty Villages and happy
naif dozen railway lines aud there arc
9limpses Of the HOOslok and Walloomsack
bOrdcred with manufactures. Nestled In
visibly away are schools and banks and
| prin ting presses, here vane and there col
/ lege. As the day declines, silver gtreamlets
course glintlng forth with reflected sunbeAmE
| from the broad aXpanBe rich Of farming
| lands, near fountain spreads its lofty spray
upon the air, and at length theresettles down
nVer the whole landscape, that mellow, low
and dreamy hue which makes 1t seem OF
some other world. But this is no dream-land
vision. These things all lie ON the soil OF
! their sovereign States, aud they are the sub
stantial tokens of industry, culture, peace
and prosperity, the ripest fruits Of Republi-
can liberty.
On o bright morning. over one hundred
years ago to-day. German officer, on an
eininence over five miles from here, looked
forth admirlngly on part of this same land
scape, then ripe" he sand, with pastoral
beauty"-"a wide sweep Of stately forests
/ interrupted at remote intervals by green
l
and there o cottage, a shed or other primi-
\ tive edihee." and Bennington was a clus-
! ter of poor cottages in q wild country"
Around him was we'll appointed military
Oand glittering with arms, some Of the men
/ in brass helmets, some in red coats, some in
citizens garb, and dusky forms in war-paint
nung upon the outskirts. Two miles this
side of him, hidden from his sight lay anO-
| ther band, ill-armed and miscellaneOusly
clad, largely in cloth Of tow or linen, dyed
with buttonwoOd or maple and too deeply
absorbed In their day break preparations to
spend one Thought upon the glory Of the
earth or sky. Between these two bodies Of
troops and in good measure on that days
struggle. hung pending the question wheth-
er the pastoral beauty of that time should
\ unfold into the civic freedom and blessing OF
this.
Tho natural theme of Onr thoughts, there
fore is, The Place Of the Battle Of BenninR-
ton in the History Of our Country.
The early days Of August, 1777. were cul-
minatinR time of gloom and alarm. For
prospects b ad steadily ebbed until the shoals
aud reefs were plainly In sight, In the OPEN
ing OF our conflict, the first great clash Of our
arms had carried all before 1t. The British
army and its favOrite generals, Gage, Howe,
Clinton, aud BurgoYne, were prtsOned mp IN
Boston with bitter memories Of Lexington
and Concord, then driven forth TO find q
shelter in Halifax. Lord Dunmore was
expelled from Norfolk, aud took refuge ON
bis fleet, TleonderoRa, CrUWn Point, st.
johns, and Montreal had been talcen in rapid
succession and Quebec alone had escaped.
Prom Canada to Virginia we bad made a
clear sweep.
Buta change came just before our Indepen-
dence was declared, the last of our troops
were driven out Of Canada, in the strong
but true language Of the day, "disgraced,
defeated. discOntented, dispirited, diseased,
undisciplined." The day before that decla-
rltion was read to the army on Broadway.
Howe landed on Staten Island the first de-
tachment OF twenty-six thousand troops.
Then followed the disastrous battle Of Long
Island, the evacuation Of New York, the
tight Of White Plains, the surrender of Fort
Lee aud Washington, the chase Of our army
through the Jerseys and the capture OF
Charles Lee. the second in command, and
then the idol Of the army, Just as he was
writing to Gates profane attack upon his
chief And, before our great General re-
treated Rrimly southwest cOnEuired anainaf