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


tion--th army and the people--ihe effort wa
magical. Well did crieTs proclaim it roun,
the street ID Boston aud all the bells ring on
the victory. II was a capital exploit ]
was the definite beginning OF the distlnt, bu
now certain end, confessing il at once para
lJZed Burgoyne's operations. II rallied il
hocks the forces that stopped him at Still
water. Bennington meant Saratoga, too
when BnrRoyne looked northward, Johr
Stark lay in the rear. This cluster OF event.
determined the treaty with France and thu
furnished openly the arms, ammunition anc
aid which before we're given only in secret. Il
aslounded the ministry into concilatory Bills
too soon for King George, and too late fol
America. It probably stimulated Spain into
war with Great Britain. encouraged The dis.
affection Of Ireland. iostered the British
opposition at home, and thus embarrassed the
Government. 1t FASTENED hithrr the foreign
military skill which did so much for our M
mics. Il cooled of the hope OF Canadian
aud Tory help, aud detached the list band ol
Indian allies. THE very existence OF the in
iant state OF Vermont" wrots IRA Allen long
aiterward, "tneir families and property wers
all pending on the event" We might almost
call 1t our Thermopyle. only that our
Leonidas and most Of his troops survived to
strike other blows for their country.
1t is a singular token OF the skill OF cur
marksmen. and the bewilderment OF the foe,
that willie the British "lelI 2O7 dead on the
spot" and many others moitilly wounded,
our lost was about lhnty killed. and about
lorty wounded. Thirteen tories, "buried 10
one hola," mostly shot through the head MS
they looked over their breastwork, told Of the
aim Of the New Hampshire sharp shooters,
and the bayonet of William Clement, that
never was withdrawn from the skull OF another
told OF the hand to-hand conflict that closed
the strife. But there was mourning on our
side. The chief havou was in the regiment OF
Nichols which gave the signal and opened the
fght on tho hill. In each of four honored
homes in Bennington, there were orphans and
a widow. -Four New Hampshire officers we're
killed and two died OF their wounds. Ten OF
their townsmen, privates, were laid with them
10 the grave. Chaplain Hubbard in his old
age, remembered we'll that "burial service" as
the most mournful occasion of bis life. New
Ham oshire sent two OF her foremost men,
Josiah Bartlett and Stephen Peabody, ITO do
everything in their power to asaist the sick
and wounded" Let the names oi those dead
be carved here on @ monument that shall be
co-eNal with this State aud this nation, and
while the grass grows green on these noun
lain side, and the granite rock lies firm and
solid beyond the Connecticut, let tho uamo OF
Seth Warner be craven in Vermont, and the
name Of John Stark lie embedded 10 the heart
oi New Ham pshire.
Friends and fellow citizens: The records
Of the past speaks to us in vain, unless they
speak also for the future. Many suggests
i've thought clings TO this historic spot; and
first Of all, the battlefield of Bennington is
aan iua af nfa afxya ~ II
should be false TO the truth of history did fail
to recognize the strong, religious spirit in
which this victory had its preparation and
The smoke Of the battlefield
mingled as it rose with the incense of prayer.
Each Of the three states that shared the
victory had appointed in the tirst half of
August its special fast day, in view of the
approaching conflict.
The Berkshire men fred no shot in the
battle till their pastor had prayed with
them to the God Of battles, Col Nichols
is said to have knelt with his men in prayer
on the previous Sabbath was exhOrting h is
soldiers to remember the Lords day, aud the
bullet from his fatal wound and the bible
from his breast pocket were long preserved
together in his family. All day long while
the sound of the cannon came peallng from
the battle field, in the churches of Benning T.
ton and WilliamstOwn, the voice of prayer
came of victory. John Stark forwarded TO
New Hampshire the Hessian equipments as
trophies of thgt glorious. victory given them
ny tue Divine HeinR who overpowers and
rules ali things The men who achieved oul
deliveraneo here feared God and they feared
nothing else.
They came as brave men ever came,
To stand, TO neht tO diei
No thought of fear was In the breast,
No quailiug in the eye.
II the lip fnltered. twas with prayer.
Amid those gathering bands,
For the sure ride kept its poise
In strong, untremblinR hands"
This consecralsd spot speaks to US lesson
OF maternity. This region was once the New
Giants. ano Bennington's charter
transmits the name OF Benniug Wentworth. a
new Hampshire Governor. NIns.tenths Of the
early settlers Of Vermont came from Massa-
Connecticut aud Rhode Island. Tue
troops of these pummouwealths fought in a
noble rivalry and with equal courage for the
safety Of these times and for the common
veal. Their dead sleep side by SIDE. Aud
IS | look over the roster OF those require
nents l read the Welsh name OF Evans, tue
Norwegian Peterson. the Scotch Webster
The names OF McGregor. McClary, Gregg
Stark aud their companions show that the
Scoich-Irish furnished some oil the best fight
ng stock OF America, while the great bulk oi
hose troops were Of pure Anglo-S lxou blood.
So was it on the broader scale throu ,hout the
var. The name Of Gen. Sulhvan's ancestors
vas O'SullIvan. Lafayette was already with
Kosoiusco tle Pole was about
o plan the eLtrenchments ct S irat1ga, and
lis countryman Pulaski was no a volunteer
md prospective martyr for American liberty;
md though those German troops that we
ought on yonder heights had been sold like
s.,t 4 nd l,tt htra
u le slaughter, we may not forget that 1t was
Germans and Duto lmen who tsn days before
lad defeated St. lsger at Oriskany, and tlat
Isrkimer was dying OF his wounds even
While Stark was winning this victory nor
nay we forget the faithful De Kalb already in
,ur ranks, and Sleubsn, who made our fight
rs iuto soldiers, aud our soldie into an ar.
ny, then died in poverty aud slept in a long
orgotten grave. And why need mention tue
lAmes OF lupoilail, GouvieT, Rldiere, Llunoy
Fleury, and the ChevalIer Armand.
"Out OF tweuty-niue major generals in our
Revolution ry war, eleven were Eurepeins.
The toll and blood OF many races purchased
IA land OF rest and privilege. To many
aces let it be a home OF privilege tnd bless
ne. Yea, they have come, ScandiuAv.Ans
nd Welsh aud Irish and Scotch aud Hebrews
nd Italians. Six millions Of Germans are
,athered voluntarily on the soil OF our ooun-
ry Here let them flourish, Eive millions
II Africans her, not by their own will, toiled
md suffered. but n on tle battlefield, and
heir deliverance too. in due time came. A
luudred aud Airy thousand CuinesA me bat
he "avaunt.oourieTs" o, millions to follow.
let them too come on with lheiS industry and
economy. The free friction OF our free insti |
utions shall woar oil from them at length the
ust OF ages, and stamp them With the super
crption Of this free republic. Docs it not
tand written ID tnS d olarat on made by this |
lew state, seven months before the battle. |
hat the inhabitants that nay hereafter be-
ome resident, sitheF hy prooreation or by |
migration within said terntir shall be en-
tiled 10 the same privileges "and oo the same
conditions" AS "tbe present Inhabitants" and
$ "oi any oil the Tree states Of America" We
ave but TO be true tj these civil principles
or which thr Green Mountain. Boys iougbi, |
nd to that God to whom Nichols und Allen |
nd McOlary prayed be'ore tney fought and |
b.. gb.,N thaea vast hndiaa nj dtvpr.a ala /