Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-08-14

il by the legislature, which had hastily adj
iourned at Windsor when alarms of war
were heard on the western border. This
council of safety was remarkable body of
twelve good men and true, with strong
common sense; Governor Thomas Chitten-
den and sagacious Jonas Fay were its mas
ter spirits No government ever had
better secret service. Their scouts were
everywhere with argus eyes, and little oc-
Cured in any part of the adjacent country
that was not promptly known and discuss
ed in the council room at the Catamount
Tavern. Thus they learned of Burgoyne's
plan to strike direct at Bennington, to de-
prive them of their supplies and to replen-
ish his own exhausted stores.
Stores of all kinds were needed for the
coming campaign. Bennington. was well
supplied. Riedesers dragons wanted
horses,an many and good ones cropped the
fertile pastures of the Walloomsac valley.
In vain did Riedesel, who saw the danger
of sending a detached body of men through
the wilderness with the enemy in easy
striking distance, use all influence to which
his rank aud experience entitled him to
dissuade Burgoyne from his plan.
In response to Burgoyne's pompous and
threatening proclamation issued from
Skenesborough to the people of the neigh
boring Vermont and New York towns,
some met Colonel Skene at Castleton to
learn how they might earn the gracious
clemency of Englands king, but far
greater number fled to the southwark. The
air was full of panic, but in the Catamount
| Tavern the hardy makers of new state
never lost their heads. Word had gone
out to New Hampshire that New England's
border was in danger, and the New Hamp-
shire assembly had called John Stark from
his Achilean retirement and summoned
him to command a brigade and march at
once to Vermont. In Massachusetts, the
men of Berkshire and Worcester prepared
to respond promptly to call to arms. The
rising had begun.
John Stark was one of the bravest of
the brave. He was born at Londonderry.
n. H., in 1928, and in 1862, while trapping
along Bakers river in Rumncy, he was
captured by Indians. His experiences with
the Indians excel in adventurous romance
any tale of fiction that ever was written.
After several months residence at St.
Francis he was ransomed He won COM
mission in the seven years war He raised
a regiment Immediately after Concord, and
commanded it at Bunker Hill where the
New HamOSb man apnuittoJ tbov,soI ,-os
we'll He was in the Canadian expedition
with Arnold, and was at Trenton. where
he was spoken of as 1.-THE dauntless Stark -
But Congress showed an incredible stupid
ity in passing over such men as Stark and
Arnold and promoting junior officers of in
ferior merit. 1t was this treatment that at
this very period was pushing Arnold on the
downward road to ruin Stark, cooler
tempered, less egotistical and more patri-
otto, retired in March, 1777, with the sim
pie explanation that his self-respect, in
view of his honorable service, would no
longer allow him to hold his commission.
He was living quietly on his farm when
New Hampshire summoned him to her
service. The state council voted at once
to raise brigade, and John Langdon of
Portsmouth, its great-hearted president.
pledged all his wealth to guarantee the eX-
pense. Stark accepted from New Hamp-
shire what he could not accept from the
continental congress, but he accepted the
command only upon condition that he
should have absolute command of the brig
ade entrusted to him, to hang upon the left
wing and rear of the enemy, and with no
responsibility other than to New Hamp-
shire. But for this Stark might have been
obliged to submit to the commands of Lin
coin and the whole course of events would
have been changed. The council of safety
at Bennington, acknowledging no allegi-
ance but to itself and Vermont, saw the
wisdom of giving Stark Independent COM
mand and cordially supported him. Thus
at a most critical time in the struggle foi
independence, an engagement of the great
est significance came to be fought under a
commander commissioned by, and answer.
able only to, New Hampshire. This COM
mander was enabled to put his force in the
field through the loyal generosity of the
civil head of New Hampshire. and from
New Hampshire was sent brigade of sew,
eral hundred men, fully half, in all proba
bility, of all the men engaged in the battle
on the American side.
Stark went at once, upon accepting the
command, to Charestown, No. !, on the
Connecticut, and began forwarding men
and supplies with the promptness which
always characterized him. Proceeding tC
Manchester, where he arrived on the sev-
enth of August, he met Lincoln, and pos
itiyely declined that officer instructions tC
join Schuyler at Saltwater. He had come
he said, to the defence of Vermont and he
could not better harass Burgoyne than by
hanging on his flank and rear. To Lin
coins credit be it said, that he accepted
Stark's position and agreed, possibly be-
cause they were mainly Nermonters, whom
p the council of safety ultimately controlled
to let him have such of the force at Man.
chester as he needed.
Learning that Bennington was threaten
ed, Stark marched to that town. accom-.
panied by Colonel Seth Warner, whose reg
iment of Green Mountain boys remained
at Manchester under Lieutenant-C clone
Stafford. From this time until the briet
campaign was over, Warner was Stark.