The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-03
ARTIST AND HISTORIAN,

When boy in the teens, we took from
the old Passumpsic railroad library at
st. JOhnsbury somewhat bulky octave
volume bearing the inviting title, epic
tOrial Field Book of the Revolution, Vol.
L.; by Benson j. Lossing.n With a
fondness for history and biography, and
particularly for the colonial and reyolu.
tionary periods of American history, SO
rich in wild adventure and heroic
achievement, the attractive pages of the
"Field Book" awakened lively interest
AN interest that was sustained to the
end of the two large Volumes We had
studied history at school, in the abstract
fragmentary way the textbooks pre-
sented it; but here was history in the
concrete, made Ineligible by maps, il
Illustrations, plans of forts, battles anC
marches, and rendered attractive by the
skillful Intervening of interesting Incl
dents, anecdote and "reminiscences with
the graver narrative of the historian
Lossing's scheme was to visit in person
every battlefield, every point of interest
in the colonial and revolutionary wars, il
the United States and Canada, and
himself an artist of rare skill and fidelity
to make sketches of historic fields
structures, monuments and other theI
existing objects made memorable by
association with the events of the
national history. These, with fitting de
scriptions, it was his purpose to present
in connection with the story of the wars
and political struggles that ended il
American independence. Lossing's
scheme was an inspiration, stroke OF
genius, and it was carried forward to the
end with faithfulness and completeness
that marked the man of intelligent and
mature purpose, impelled by deep in
terest in his work and warmed by patrio
tic enthusiasm. Events were not de
scribed in their chronological order. His
travels and his story began on the his
| toric Hudson. He set out from New
York in the summer of 1913, and his
earlier chapters tell of the discovery O.
and the stirring events along the "Ameri
can Rhine and the Mohawk valley, OF
the shores of Champlain and among thu
green hills of Vermont. In view of thu
approaching ceremonies at Bennington
his chapter on the battle that was the
precursor of Burgoyne's surrender
should find many readers in Vermont
For the illustration of his story, HI
delved in the archives of states and Ma
tons and produced fac-similes of the
plans of forts and maps of battle-fields
drawn by the hands of the men-Britisl
and American-who were actors in tn,
strifes of those eventful times. Portrits
of those actors, from the dusky Indian
chieftans to the leaders of the pale-facei
in camp and council, adorn the volumes
At the tine of the historians tour ther,
were living many people who had clea
recollection of the times of the Revolu
ton, or who had familiar personal &C
quaintance with the men of that period
They-were the repositories of much in
terestihg but unwritten history. Thest
people Mr.. LOSING sought out, and b,
his skillful pencil and ready pen pre-
served their lineaments to posterity ant
rescued their story from oblivion. Thi
service, and the preservation of land
marks then existing, now swept away b.
the "march of progress" is of tn
highest value to American history. MI
Lossing's literary style was simple
graphic, never dull, never pretentious
always clear, always interesting
Patriotism, love of country, high devo
ton to her welfare, are always strongl!
inculcated, and the CLEAN of bright hu
NOR frequently enlivens his pages AM
redeems them from the reproach o
Freshness. In our judgment, no histor.
of colonial and revolutionary times s.
valuable, particularly for the younge
class of readers, has been written. Al
absorbing love of historical reading il
hardly fault of tine boys and girls o
this generation, and they cannot b
fairly reproached for undue familiarit
with the story of their country's earl
times. For this, very likely, school
books and defective methods of instruc
tons are in measure responsible. 1t i
not our purpose to discuss the causes o
what we believe to be deplorable fact
or to write a review of Mr.. Lossing's re
markable work, but to commend, in til
strongest possible way, his "Field Bool
of the Revolution to every brigh
American boy and girl. It will-o
shOuld-be found in every well-orderet
public library. Its perusal will max
them better men and women, bette
citizens, and more fervent patriots. Mr.
LOSING also wrote pictorial history Of
the war of 1912 and of the great Civi
War, and produced other books of loca
historical interest. His recent dealt
gives rise to these reflections. - Vernon
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