The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-07
THE BATTLE or BENNINGTON.
Preparations for the Grand Centen-
NAL Celebration.
The PRESIDENT And OTHER DlGNlIARlES COMING
The Revolutionary Town To De Flooded With
Rural and Metropolitan Visitors.
THE BATTLE AND IT'S LOCAL TRADITIONS

BENNINGTON, VT, August o, 1877.
rhs thrifty and ancient Revolutionary town IL all
hubbub and excitement now over tue grand ccntcn-
NAL celebration which IS 10 monopolzc tho greater
portion OF next week. Indeed preparations have been
going to greater less SIX months for
that matter, and there are unmstakabe evidences
that the commemorative exercises of It's nun
dredih anniversary will be scarcely less Interesting
than tho memorable battle OF Bennington Itself
u struggle which can be looked back upon by this aud
oil succeeding generations as the beginning OF the
victory of American Independence over British
tyranny. Tho celebration Is to 30 very elaborate in
every detail AMI II is not anticipating too say
that 1t will draw together larger concoursc OF people
than ever before assembled in Tho Green Noun
State incidental 10 tho celebration OF tue battle
there will also be commemorative exercises in honor OF
the huncredth anniversary of vcrmont's cxistence
which will take place Wednesday, tho 10Th, the day
previous to the baltic celebration Tho Declaration Of
Independence as state inado at Westminster IN
January, Ill., but the OF the was
ferred until now Tor reasons which obvious Tho
exercises will consist OF procession through tho
town, followed by an GRAFTON by Hon. Daniel Roberts,
OF Burlington, and poem by Mrs. Julia G. Is. Dorr,
Of Burlington and Of course round OF addresses
sentiments from local and visiting dgnitarios.
rmx COLLABORATION OF THE EVENTS.
On Thursday tho 10th, viii grand cclebra-
ton OF the week. which Will involve monster pro-
cession, IN GRAFTON, poem, banquet and general
illumination Of the town IN tho evening
by torcblights and fireworks President Bart
lett, of Dartmouth College. Hanover, N. H.,
Is TO deliver the oration this selection being made II
s said, account of the highest honors OF tho day
belonging to Now HAMPSHIRE for It Stark's
brigade, with help from Berkshire county, in Massi-
chusetts, which defeated Burgoync's troops DR..
Bartlett is descendant OF Josiah Bartlett, who Tough,
in the battle TO be COMMUNICATED and who signed tho
Declaration Of independence aud was at ono time
Governor of the State. William Cullen Bryant OF New
York. but u native Of Berkshire county, Mass,
to be the poet OF the occasion. The procession will
include about all the militia and civic organizations In
Vermont the beng brought up probably by the
stawart legislators OF New Hampshire and Massachu-
Sets both OF which bodies are coming hero IN full
force at the expense OF their respective Common
weahs large tent for the banquet will DO erected
To- morrow, and plates Will be LAID for 4, 900 parsons
and 10 tho tent whcro tho Is to DO delivered
there will DO accommodations for q concoursc OF
$4,000.
PRESIDENT HAYES TO PRESENT
Tho President will arrive ON Tuesday the i4h inst,
accompanied ny Vice President Wheeler, Secretary
Evarts (who Is vt his Vermont farm 10 Wind
sor), Attorney General Dcveus, Postmaster General
| Key and Vice Admiral Brown Of the navy. Among
others who have given assurance OF their presence
| are Governor Ludington, OF Wisconsin; Governor
| Prescott OF New Hampshire; Governor Van Zanct, Of
Rhode Island; Governor Rice, of Massach usctts Gov
Cullen, Of Illinois, and Governor Drew of Flor
ida. II rs quito likely that tho will also DO
gracod by tho presence OF Chief Justice Waiie Carl
Schurs, Governor Matthew's, of wcst Virginia, and
Governor Williams, OF Indiana.
''BrIYiS1 mArCuEr."
In extending the invitations Governor Fairbanks us
president of the Battle Monument Association sent
special messenger TO invite the Governor General OF
Canada TO participate IN the festivities Lord Ducriu
the messenger reports was graciouslv inclined to
ccpt the proposed hospitality IN this OF reconciiia
ton, but as a previous engagement Will take him
Manitoba hs will send government or stan officer to
represent him. Tho messenger was most Hospitality
entertained at Ottawa.
THE STORY OF THE BATTLE
As the event OF the celebration In close at hand
II well to revert briefly 10 the incidents OF tho
historic battle In which tho raw mliamcn OF New
| England such a signal victory over tho crack
army of Old England. Tho facts herewith repro
duced-and, indeed, very many morc-wili doubtless
come out again In the owery Language OF orators and
poets week hence; but they are, nevertheless par
donaDe now II only to show how very excusabie the
patriotic Vermouters are Tor getting up such grand
powwow rs is proposed. Tho victory which the mem
orabe battle gave 10 tho American q timely
necessity, for during mary months our troops mad
been suffering series Of defeats no less disastrous
discouragng than tho Bull Run panics
Union iorccs during tho rebellion. Indeed tho cause
tor which brave iorc.athcrs were shedding their
blood seemed to be sadly the cverywhc
and seemed us all that had been gained Bunker
|
that the whole American army be auni
Inflated Burgoync aud his confident army had
marched down lroui Quebec, compehcu early IA July
1777, the evacuation OF Tcondcraga, acknowledged TO
be tho key to Now England and New York, ana was
proceeding to unto with Sir william Howe tho
lower HUDSON and thus cut of from the rest the
colonies and capture and sujugate this whole eastern
country. All tins would have been accom- shed but
Tor the defeats at Bennington and IN tho Mohawk VAL
ley, ending III The surrender ~ saratoga Tho retreat
ing Americans had been ovcrpowercd at Hubbard
ton GU tho 7th OF July. and the Northern colonies
"a
when General Lee raided into Pcnnsy ivunia General
Durgoyuc In reach ny what is now Whitehall n "
had called upon the inhabitants OF Castlcton Rutland
T.nmouth, Pawlct, Wells and Granville, with tho
ncghborlng districts, also the districts belonging
White Crcck-Salein, Camden Cambridge &c--to
send one person more from each township TO meet
Cocnc! Skcnc al Castc,on on tho 10Th, who would
communicate conditions upon which the persons and
properties OF the disobcdcnt might yet be spared the
manifesto ending thus
.'rnIs FAIL NOr UNDER PAiS OF MILITARY EXECUTION
such nnmistakaolc aud earnest language had IT'S
effect upon the inhabitants, who fcsred that Burgoync
would lei loose his savaEes 10 ravage tho coun ry.
History tells us that great numbers IRON all the region
hocked To Skene aud swore allegiance to tho Crown,
many even joining tho invading army. The faithful
To tho cause oi the colonies abandoned their homes
aud lied south to Bennington, Berkshire county I'm
Msssach usctts) aud Connecticut. There flying
fugliivcs everywhere. ''lhc woods iu o. them u
As to the American forces, Gcneral schuyler who
in command OF the Northern department. was dis
trusted account OF his aristocracy Colonel Ethan
Allen was British prisoner, and General stark, aho,
wth his New Hampshire sharpshootcrs, had covered
the retreat Of Presco, at bunker ii and been with
Washington 1T Trenton anu Princeton, hat rotirei
from service disgust because Congress mad promoted
JUNIOR officers over him. But circumstances were 10
give him satisfactory personal compensation, Tor To
him, will presently appear, does Of the credit
for this Bennington victory belong. In tho pre-
ccding January Vermont had been declared m indie
pendent state anu when Tcondcrosa was cvacuatcd u
constitutional convention had been III session AT
WINDSOR, which hastily completed its work, having
hrst appointed Council OF safety 10 administer mo
affairs Ol the state. rDs council mot al Manchoe.
ter but soon adjourned 10 nennns'Sn where was IN
session previous to and during lie battle ana through
the ycur. 1t gathered In the old Catamount Ihvcrh
public house Of considerable ren0wn hundred years
ago which stood a lew rods north VI tho present Con.
grcgatonal Church, ut the centre ana thc slto Oh
which Is marked by granite base, ana upon
which will be placed few days large bronze ngurc
OF a catamounL his noted tavern was Kept by Cap
stephen Fay and ~ the prisoners nlcu by toward
the meeting amer tho battle nc grac,ousy in-
formed them that the dinner was ready wnich their
officers confident oil victory bad ordered tue previous
dny by messenger That meal, II Is hardly necessary
to add was periakcn OF by this Continenlnis.
GhTrING READY fON me way