Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1891-08-27

ness that has never been surpassed
in any other structure Of equal
massvcncss and height The view from the
upper landing is grand and impressive. On
the one haud lies the teeming valley OF tho
Walloomsac, with the shining river rolling
to the sea. Bold hills rise on every hand,
crowned with patches Of old and sturdy
trees or vast sweeps OF forest, and far of
mountain ranges outline their dcsolate peaks
on the sky, fll out a perspective in which
the grand Is seldom moro strikingly
picturcd."
The story OF the battle OF Bennington, In
Jrlef, is this: Gen. Burg0yne, at the head
+ a large and confident army, had moved
apldly down from Canada and taken IL
ronderogn, which was regarded as the Key to
New England anil New York Flushed
with victory, he marched on to unite with
Sir William Howe, on the lower Hudson,
whence he thought New England, cut oil
from the rest Of the colonies, would fall an
easy prey. But, having been wastefnl OH
supplies, he sent detachment OF his
army to Bennington to capture supplies anu
arms. The Green Mountain boys rallied
under Gen. Stark. The enemy were drawn
up on the slde of n hill. The heroic Stark,
on seeing them, mounted rail fence pccu-
| litr to the community, stcadied himself by
one of the tall stakes, and said: Boys,
there's the enemy; We must whip them be-
| fore sundown, or Mollie Stark sleeps
widow, The rOut of the enemy was conf
petc. On the American side only II were
| killed and ~ wounded; the British loss IN
prisoners and slain fell but little short OF
| lCO0 men. This victory was the beginning
OF the end of the revolution.
The grand stand at the foot OF the monu-
ment was packed with the guests oil the
state, 1900 occupying it during the ceremo-
nies, while il Is estimated tha. fully oo,-
0)0 people occupied the space around the
shaft.
The stand was adorned with flowers and
decorated with the most remarkable col
lection OF flags that has ever been gotten
together in this country. The collection IN.
cudcd 90 flags OF the pre-revolutionary and
revolutionary period. preceding the adop,
tIon OF the stars and stripes, the period
from 1854 to I'LL. The ancient
National Flag of England, st. Georges cross.
n beautiful white flag. with red cross, fioated
from the rear Next in order was 81. Ana,
rew's cross, blue flag, with diagonal
white cross, which from the time OF the
crusaders was for long time the flag OF the
| Scots. It
Other flags IN regular order were the
Kings cross or the Union flag, being the
union in the canton OF st. Andrews and ST.
| Georges crosses on red field; the lohS
Parliament flag used from 1GiS to 1917,
| blue nag with st. Georges cross next 10 tnc
staff with canton and the yellow Irish
harm on blue field; the flag Of New Eng
land under Sir Edmund Andros, which was
presented to him by the King in 1856, which
comprises the st. Georges cross in a white
6alI the centre of the cross
embinzoncd with gilt crown
over the cipher OF the sovereign, King
James l.. the flag hoistcd at Bunker Hill, a
Liuo fnp. with white field and st. Georges
cross. and pine tree in one corner; the pine
tr.c Gar the design OF which was adopted In
OctoLer' 1T75, and which consists OF white
iicld. with pine tree and the inscription an
npnenl to heaven. which Col. Moul,
,ric made by order of the council
~ safety, Sept. 10, 1775; blue
goc with n white crescent init he upper corncrj
the same flag OF later period with the word
.tibcrtys added the state flag, a yellow
sag With a coilcd rattlCsnake IN the centre
mi ihe inscription, "Don't tread on
nen "" the flag suggested by DR.. Franklin at
,ho camn in Cambridge and hOistcd there fol
u,o frst fine Jan. /, 1776, fag OF IL stripes
wi and white, with the English union JACK
IN the INNER corner: the striped jack nag 0
aae of IL red mud white stripes with rattle
snake mas uudulatIng upon It and the words
1Don,t tread on me-; the colors OF Capt
Noves OF Newbury, Vermont, red ground
y;t, small white field with re-
cross In Its upper corner; the New
England ensign, red nag THn
white field IN the upper corner anu pm
tree ON one OF the squares, this nag 6elni
arst used In 1887; the nag OF the LiperN