Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-17

and, as the news rolled away TO Lincoii
and Schuyler and Washington. to the conn
Gil of safety in New Hampshire and Yer
mont. and to Congress in session, 1t came
like a flash of bright sunlight, alter thu
gloom of an arctic winter. Stark thought
he bad paid the enemy proper compliment
for the affair at Hubbardton. Lincoln called
it capital blow. A great stroke, SAID
Washington. A signal exploit. said Massa
chusetts and Congress. Yes, it was greater
more signal, more capital than any OF them
then knew. The numbers engaged were moi
great, though larger than they are com,
monty given The whole force of Baum and
Breymann appeared to have been not lar
from fifteen hundred. OF the American
forces there are no complete accounts. q
only know from the roll in the Office of the
adiutant- general of New Hampshire that
Stark's brigade consisted of exactly ], 523
officers and privates, of whom ono company
was probably at Charlestown. The diary
of Capt Peter Kimball. of Boscawen, also
informs us that the spoil was divided among
2,2250 men. OF these, not less than =. I5O
must have been present at the battle. The
numbers were small. but it was great
thing for raw militia to meet the best train
ed soldiers of Europe. greater vet to storm
their intrenchments, greatest of all Tor men
DESTROY body armed to the teeth behind
their breastworks and cannon.
Ii was the most remarkable affair OF the
war. Is there more brilliant exploit re
corded in the annals of warfare 1t was a
| signal exploit. 1t sgnifed what the Yankee
soldier could do, backed by trusty and
| trusting band of his neighbOrs and friends,
and left to the guidance of his own military
genius 1t signified second time to the
British, what Lexington had told them be-
fore, that no enemy could move through
New England except on his bier. 1t sgni-
fed to the Indians that 1t was time to aban-
don the British service. 1t signifed to the
insurgent tories that they had better to de-
part or he still. 1t signited to the neigh
boring States and to Congress that the New
Hampshire grants were certainly to become
| Vermont, and on the spirit of the nation.
the army aid the people tho effect was ma
gical Well did criers proclaim it round the
streets in Boston. and all the bells ring
out the victory. 1t was capital exploit. 1t
was the definite beginning of the distant but
now certain end. Conlessedly it at once
paraly zed Burgoyne's operations. Ii rallied
in fiocks the forces that stopped him at Still
water. Bennington meant Saratoga, too,
where when Burgoyne looked northward
John Stark lay in the rear.
This cluster of events determined the
| treaty with France. and thus furnished
| openly the arms, ammunition and aid which
before were given only in secret. ltastound-
ed the ministry into conciliatOry bills, too
soon for King George, and too late for
America. 1t probably stimulated Spain in
to war with Great Britain, encouraged the
| disaffection of Ireland. fostered the British
opposition at home. and thus embarrassed
the government. Ii FASTENED hither the
foreign military skill, which did so much
for our armies. 1t cooled of the hope OF
Canadian and tory help, and detached the
last band of Indian allies. The very exist
ence of the infant State OF Vermont, wrote
Ira Allen. long afterward, their families
and property were pending on Ithe event.
We might almost call it our Thermopyla,
only that our Leonidas and most of his
troops survived to strike other blows for
their country. Ii is singular token OF the
skill of our mar ksman and the bewildement
of the foe that, while the British left POI
dead on the spot and many others mortally
wounded, our loss was but 30 killed and
about 40 wounded. Thirteen tories buried
in one hole. mostly shot through the head
as they looked over their bresstwork, told
of the aim of the New Hampshire sharp
shooters. and the bayonet of William Gle
ment, that never was withdrawn from the
skull of another, told of the hand hand
conflict that closed the strife.
But there was mourning on our side.
The chiet havoc was in the regiment OF
Nichols, which gave the signal and opened
the fight on the hill. In each Of the four
honorcd homes in Benning ton there were
orphans and a widow. Four New Hamp-
shire officers were killed, and two died Of
thar UnupAl Ton of fhair
privates were laid with them in their grave.
Chaplain IIibbard in his old age remem-
bered well that burial service as the most
mournful occasion of his life. New Hsmp-
shire sent two of her foremost men-Josiah
Bartlett and Stephen Peobody-to do every
thing in their power to assist the sick and
wounded. Let the names OF those dead be
carved here on a monument, that shall be
cOeval with this State and this nation, and,
while the grass grows green on these noun
tain-sides and the granite rock lies firm and
solid beyond the Connecticut. let the name
of Seth Warner be craven in Vermont, and
the name of John Stark lie embedded in the
heart of New Hampshire.
Friends and fellow citizens, the records OF
the past speak to US in vain unless they
speak also for the future. Many a sugges
tive thought clings to this historic spot.
And first of all, the battle of Bennington
is as commemorative of piety a. Of bravery.
| should be false to the truth of history did
fail to speak of the strong religious spirit
in which this victory had its preparation
and its achievement. The smoke of the
battle field mingled as it rose with the in
ccnse of prayer. Each of the three States
that shared the victory had appointed in
the first half of August its special fast-day
in view of the approaching conflict. The
Berkshire men fired 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 before he
led them to the onset. McCary on the pre-
vious Sabbath was exhorting his soldiers to
remember the Lords day" and 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 peellng from the battle
field, in the churches OF Bennington and
Williamstown the voice of prayer was as
cending, and it never ceased till the tidings
came OF victory. John Stark forwarded to
New Hampshire the Hessian equipments as
trophies of that glorious victory given
them by the divine Being who overpowers
and rules all things" The men who
achieved our deliverance here feared God,
and they feared nothing else
They came brave men ever como,
To stand-to fght-to Gle.
No thought Of fear was IN their hearts,
No quailing in their eye.
II the lip ialtered. it was with prayer.
Amid those gathering bands.
For the sure rifle kept its pOise
In strong untrembltng hands"
This consecrated spot speaks to us also
lesson of fraternity. This region was once
the New Hampshire grants, and Benning-
ton 5 charter transmits the name of Benning
Wentworth, New Hampshire governor.
Nine-tenths of the early settlers of Vermont
came from Massachusetts, Connecticut and
Rhode Island. The troops of these common
wealths fought in noble rivalry. and with
equal courage, for the safety OF these homes
and for the common veal. Their dead
sleep side by side. And as | look over the
roster of those regiments | read the Welsh
name of Evans, the Norwegian, Peterson,
the Scotch Webster and Bohanon. The
names Of McGrcgor, McClary, Gregg. Stark
and their companions show that the Scotch
Irish furnished some of the best fighting
stock OF America, while the great bulk OF
those troops were pure Anglo-Saxon blood.
So was it on Il broader scale throughou the
war. The name OF Gen. Sulllyan's ancestors
was O'SullIyan. Lafayette was already with
about to plan the intrenchments at Sara
toga, and his countryman, Pulaski. was
now volunteer and a prospective martyr
Tor American liberty. And though those
German troops that We fought on yonder
hOghtl had been sold like sheep In the
shambles. and fell here like sheep in the
slaughter. We may not forget that it was
Germans and Dutchmen who 10 days before
had defeated st Leeer at Oriskany, and
that llerkimer was dying OF his wounds
even while Stark was winning this victory
nor may We forget the faithful Dekalb,
already in our ranks, and Steuben. who
made var fighters into soldiers. and our
soldiers INTO an army, then died in poverty,
and slept in II long-iorgotton grave. And
why need mention the names OF Dupor-
TAFT. Gnuvin, Radiere, LaunOy. FleuTry and
the Ghcyaller Armand?
The event is also lesson OF fraternity,
for among those who baitled 80 nobly for
the cause Of liberty were citizens of neigh