The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-08-19
IMPOSING EVENT !
BENNINGTON AGLOW WITH
PATRIOTIC ENTHUSIASM.
10000 STRANGERS IN THE TOWN.
The President and a Host Of Other
Distinguished Men Present
Great Parade Of Soldiers
and Citizens.
Ia Nalt,nal 49, AssocLnnon.

By National Press association.
BENNINGTON, VT. Aug. l0-If tho lit
tie band Of farmers who marched out of
Bennington one day in August, l777, to
meet the vanguard Of Gen. B~urgoyne's
army could come back in their shirt
sleeves and cowhide boots to Join the
brilliant parade that moved this morn
ing toward the monument erected on the
scene Of their heroism the contrast would
be startling.
What would be the emotions Of old
John Stark, the brave leader of the
heroic backwoodsmeu, who gave the
famous order, "Aim at their walstcoats,
boys" il he could look upon the rotund
figures of the Putnam Phalanx Of Hart
ford and the Old Guard of New York;
What would he think of the soldierly
bearing Of the West Point oadetsY What
would he say OF the Grand Army, the
Knights of Pythias, the Patriarchs Mill
tant and the sons of the RevolutionP
Would the old General go into the
fight again with the army gathered here
to-day and put Burgoyne's to flight, or
would he ask for the farmers, armed
with their hintlock muskets, and say to
them; "There they are boys. We beat
them to-day or Molly Stark's a widow ?"
a Day to be Remembered.
The celebration in this city to-day
marks n double event In the history OF
the Green Mountain State-oommemor-
ating It's admission into the Union, Just
100 years ago, and the unwilling of the
monument in honor of Stark's famous
victory over the British forces under Col.
Baum in l777.
This achievement, like the battle of
Bunker Hill, acquired celebrity because
it dealt a death blow to a dangerous mil
itary movement at a critical iuncture.
Stark, With an inferior force, com
pletely routed the English troops, cap
tured their cannon and seven hundred
prisoners, and by his success added to
the triumphs which made possible the
Independence of the colonies from Brit
ish rule.
The monument is a plain shaft of
magnetism limestone. 1t is "A feet
square at the base, and is 30l feet and
10 inches in height. The total cost of
the shaft was 800, QUO, of which the fed
eral government contributed $40, 0
There were fully 80, 600 people ia town
to see to-day's proceedings.
The Great Parade.
The procession was very imposinr.
The procession formed on the grounds of
the Soldiers Home. At $50 a. m. a gun
from Fuller's Battery was fired rs the
signal for the start. The column march
ed through North street to Gage, Gage
to Stafford, Stafford to Main, down Main
street, passing under the grand arch
the Putnam House. When the head
of the column reached Dewey street a
halt was made to enable the President
n party to take their positions in the
reviewing stand. The column then
passed in review.
AT the Monument.
The literary exercises at the monu-
ment were as follows; Introductory re-
marks by the president OF the day,
Judge Wheelook G. VeHzey, United
States Interstate Commerce Commits
prayer, the Rev. Charles Park
hurst, editor of Zion's Herald, Boston,
address Of welcome, Gov. Carroll S. Page
of Vermont; address and formal transfer
of the monument to the State of Yer
mont by ex-Gov. B. +. Prescott of New
Hampshire, president Of the association;
acceptance on behalf Of the State by
Gov. Page; music; centennial Grafton by
j. Phelps, ex-Minister TO Eng
land; remarks by President Har rison;
music; benediotiOn.
The Banquet.
AT the conclusion Of exercises at the
monument the banquet took place on the
Soldiers Home grounds. The post-pran-
dial exercises followed, with responses
to toasts by President Harrison, men,
bers of the Cabinet, the Governors of the
different States and other distinguished
The States invited guests number full
200, including President Harrison,
Vice President Morton, members of the
Cabinet, eX-Speaker Reed, the Governors
Of all the St ties and distinguished sons
Of Vermont residing IN other States and
hose residing at home.