The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-15

his death wounds, and thanked God
that he had son not unwilling or
afraid to die for his country" Of this
heroic stock, Dr. Jonas Fay came He
was Aliens Surgeon at Ticonderoga,
and was also for a time Surgeon to
Col, Seth Warmers regiment.
The Declaration of Independence OF
the United States, in July, 1776, natu-
rally prompted the assembling Of the
convention which met at Westminster,
January 18th, III, and voted HThat
the district of land commonly called
and known by the name of the New
Hampshire Grants be a new and sepa-
rate State, and for the future conduct
themselves as SUCH" Doctor Jonas
Fay was the author of this declaration
and the petition to Congress announc-
ing the fact, and their reasons for it,
and from this time forth until his death
Jonas Fay's hand appears in all the
civil history ofVermont. He was Sec
rotary of the Convention that formed
the Constitution of the State at Wind
sor i'm July 1777, which learning the
evacuation of Ticonderoga hastily com
pleted its work, having first appointed
a council of safety to administer the
affairs Of the state. This council met
at Man6s but soon adjourned to
Benningk where it was in session
previous nd during the battle and
until the surrender of Burgoyne. 1t
gathered in the old .Catamount tavern,
which stood few rods north of the
present Congregational church at the
Center. Jonas Fay was member OF
this Council of Safety, which seems to
have exercised supreme civil and mill.
tary authority.
On the 2Sth of July 1777 the Coun-
Gil voted to seize and sell the property
of those who had fled to the enemy,
aud with this fund they equipped a
body of rangers under Col. Samuel
Herrick who fought at Bennington.
This Council of Safety sent peremp-
tory orders to Colonies of regiments
directing their military movements, dis
patched expresses for lead &c, and
were in hourly consultation with Stark
the night before the battle. The fol-
lowing is a copy of the circular of the
committee of Safety issued by them
while the second battle of Bennington
was still in progress.
OF THE COUNCIL TO MILL
TARY OFFICERS.
State of Vermont,
In Council of Safety,
Bennington, 10th August, 1777
6 o'clock, p. m.
Gentlemen: Brigr. Gen. Stark, from
the State of New Hampshire with his
Brigade together with the militia and
of Rangers raised by this
State, with parts of Col. Symonds regi-
nent of militia from Berkshire County
Mass, } are now in action with num-
Der of the enemy's troops assembled
near this place, which has been for
some time very severe. We have now
n possession taken from them this
lay -four brass field pieces, ordinance
stores, &c, but after being drove about
one mile the enemy being reinforced,
made a second stand, and still continue
the action. Ihe s9ss on each side is
fore in the most pressing terms request.
cd by Gen. Stark and this Council to
forward the whole of the militia under
your several commands to this place
without one minutes delay of time =
they will proceed on horseback with
Ill the ammunition that can be provid.
ed conveniently. On our present ex-
ertions depends the fate of thousands.
am, gentlemen,
Your obdt. servant,
JONAS FAY, Vice President.
To the Gentlemen Officers nearest this
place commanding Regiments of
Militia in the several United States.
Jonas Fay was afterwards member
of the State Council for seven years
from 1878; a judge of. the Supreme
Court in 1882, and attended the Con.
tinental Congress as the agent of the
State in 1777, 1879, 1881, and 1882.
His brother Col. Joseph Fay of Ben
nington was also man of rare parts
to the Council of Safety ;
and of the State Council, and after.
wards Secretary of State. He was the
of Ira Allen in conducting
that famous negotiation with General
Haldimand by which the operations of
of the enemy were paralyzed and the
frontier of Vermont protected from in
vasion during the last three years of
the Revolution. Among the other
Bennington men, who were concerned
with Thomas Chittenden, Ira Allen
and the 'elder Chapman in these cele-
brated Haldimand negotiations by
which the British General was SO long
cajoled, were General Samuel Stafford
Col. Samuel Robinson; John Fassett,
ir. The war of the Revolution did not
end the troubles of Vermont, for Yer
mont's admission into the Union was
bitterly resisted and effectually blocked
by the malign influence of New York
for seven years after the declaration of
peace between Great Britain, and it
was not until the 4th of March, 1871
that Vermont became one of these
United States. The struggle with New
York before the Revolution the diff.
cult task of protecting the lib.
9rty alnd Stath hood of Yer