The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21
SOUVENIRS AND RELICS.

SOUVENIRS AND RELICS.
Under this head and referring to an
item in our last weeks issue, we have
received the following letter:
NORTH BENNINGTON, Aug. 18th, 1891.
Editor Of Banner DEAR SIR:-In
your issue of the 14th, under an article
entitled Souvenirs and Relics" you
question the authenticity of an alleged
"Camp Furnace" said to have belonged
to Colonel Baum, and which has been
illustrated both in magazines and other
publications.
1t is rather late in the day for anyone
to impugn the collection of antiquities
left by the late George W. Robinson,
many of which have been not only in his
possession, but in that of his ancestors
since the battle. / can but think that
you have been misinformed, and would
not knowingly do an injustice TO one
who during his life did so much to
stimulate historic research, in connec-
ton with the battle, and who so con-
scientiously verified in every possible
way his assertions and conclusions.
The original Scamp Furnace" So
called, is among his collection, and has
been for years, and may be considered
authentic.
Yours, ETC.,
JUSTICE.
The confusion of names is what has
caused this apparent injustice. The
relic in Mr.. RObinson's collection has
always been spoken of to us as Camp
Kettle hence when it is called "Camp
Furnace" there arises the question. But
when we are assured that both titles
refer to one article, then we gladly give
place to the letter above. Moreover in
all lists of relics of the Robinson collec-
ton, not excepting the one reprinted
below land which has appeared in a
dozen of our exchanges within week.,
we tiud the ''Camp Kettle mentioned.
1t is far from our intention to question
the authenticity of the Robinson collec-
ton. We reprint as follows from our
last issue: ....... ........ ....
Another relic will see the light this
year, the Camp Kettle of Gen. Burgoyne,
not Baum's as we had it last week
This "kettle" has been for fourteen years
in possession of Col. Olin Scott of Ben
nington. 1t is owned by parties in
Castleton and was sent here in 1877 to
exhibit but was sent too late. This
years celebration will be graced by the
relic that prepared Burgoyne's food,
and its location will be in the Battle
Monument. The ''kettle" will be sus-
pended by a cham from the floor above,
and will hang in view of the people at
an elevation of about twelve feet from
the lower floor at the base of the mOnu-
ment as one enters that structure. This
is fitting place and does credit to Col.
Scott's idea of the fitness of things.
There are many things of historic in
terest hereabouts, says the Herald,
which will be brought out for the oc-
casion. Bennington is full of relics of
the battle and of other ancient things,
and souvenirs of the occasion are being
manufactured by the thousand. There
are photographs without number, from
a big photograveur of the monument to
cabinet pictures of the battle ground,
the old Catamount tavern and other
places of interest. There are souvenir
spoons, one of the monument and the
other of Ethan Allen. Then there is the
medal got up by the committee and
badges oflmany kinds.
"There are lots of relics of the battle
in the possession of descendants of the
Green Mountain boys. There are CONT
mental muskets and guns captured from
the British swords and cannon balls and
such material of war brought away
from the battle or since dug up on the
field. If all this stuff were got to-
gether it would make quite an imposing
display"
AS is we'll known the family of the late
George W. Robinson of Bennington Cen
ter have many interesting relics of the
battle. Among them are two or three
cannon balls, several British uniforms
and the sword and Camp Kettle of Col.
Baum. The sword was taken on the
field of battle by Lieut. Thomas Jewett
of Capt. Dewey's company of militia
The sword was soon after purchased by
David Robinson, afterward commits
stoned general.
The family also has daguerreotype,
taken in 1913, of a group of six aged
gentlemen, who were well known in
Bennington. Each was more than so
years old and the united ages of all were
more than 400 years. The first one of
the six is Benjamin HARDWOOD, who was
the first child born in Bennington
county. He died in his Goth year. In
the picture he is represented as holding
Gen. Baum's sword. The second figure
IN the picture is capt. DAVID Robinson.
He was lawyer and nominee for COVER
nor on the Hunker ticket. He died at
the age of 81. Next is Abisha KinsleY,
who also holds a sword taken at the
battle. He died at the age of 95. The
fourth figure in the picture is Aaron
Robinson, son of Gov. Moses Robin
son. Next is Samuel Fay, who died at
the age of 92 years. He was the son of
Capt. Stephen Fay, who kept the old
Catamount tavern. He was little
more than five years old at the time of
the battle and distinctly remembers see
ing the prisoners as they marched by the
tavern. The sixth figure is Samuel SAT-
ford, who was prominent in the early
history of Bennington. Though only 16
years old at the time of the battle he
was one of Gen. Stark's soldiers and is
said to have been the 14th man to scale
Gen. Baum's redoubt. He died at the
age of so years.
NHW LIMB Oh GOODS