The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-28
rHE RArr1r oE RENN1NeroN.
BY ALFRED B. STREET.

Famous the deeds by our fathers done:
List to the Battle of Bennington
stalwart in body and lion in heart
The heroes that bore in that battle their part
Oft my grandsire tell the strife,
Till the winter storm with the sounds grew rife
The winds shrieked wild with the tones Of fear;
The hail was the musketry shifting my ear.
The rusty old king's-arm seemed to call
From the broad moose antlers against the wall
As il wishing the blade 10 be sharp at work.
Twas at the close of q summers day;
Zone snowy night thus heard him say0
All through the hours from early morn
Had been working among the corn;
And now watched in the sunset glow
The shadows longer and stronger grow.
Leagues Of forest that hid the day go r,r
Swept from my cabin Of logs away
And naught of tidngs e'er touched my ear 30
From the world lying dimly, distant sphere.
watched, as said, by my cabin door,
The shutdown creeping the clearing DER.
A hawk was rounding a pine near by,
Rousing the echoes with hoarsest cry.
A deer was grazing down toward the brink
vi Tue DchNtT-udul DTOOh lOA LIB suueOJ
Ny sire was leaving the lot on the hill,
OF three score and ten, but vigorous still;
The household song of my wife sang free,n
Blent with my baby hoy's frolicsome glee.i
All was contentment without alloy;s
l blessed the dear God in my grateful joy.
What was the figure that just then broke
Out from the shade Of skirting oakH
Hurried his footsteps and wild his air,
Surely Hans Boorne was approaching there
"Rouse thee. John Arnold" he painted quick;
Swift were his gestures, his breath came thick
Thick with his haste, and he sank below;
Rouse thee, John Arnold! the foe! the foe"
We sat us down in the plumy brake.
And he told how Burgoyne had come up the lake.
Taken Old ~, and with twofold might
Won Hubbardton's desperate stand'up fight,
And now was coming with bow and spear, >
To bring captivity far and hear.
As deep listened my veins grew hot.
And battlefield rushed DER the sylvan spot.
The kines' bell changed to the weapons clank,
The rows OF rye to the serried rank
And full in the midst was John Arnold's tread,
With no fear in his heart, but wars fever instead
Where shots blazed reddest his way he took,
And his arm waxed weary with blows he strook.
And sprang to my feet with ringing cry.
Hans BORNE, John Arnold will do or dle"
took down the king's-arm; the rust cleared.
Till its barrel like silver smooth shining appeared;
Left to my father the rife, to slay ~ =: ts
The venison or panther chance prowlng that
way. ..# i..EA3 .'f p"
Clasped to my bosom my boy and wife,
Then pointed my way tothe region Of strife.
Three days did 1 tramp by the moss on the bark;
Three nights did my campfire jewel the dark,
At last. as the morning was beamng won
The beautiful meadows Of Bennington.
The little Walloomsac rippled along
Giving the wilderness song for song; z.
Hasty tramplings of men were there;
The flag ofmy country high streaming in air.
Old Stark was galloping to and froJ
Wherever he fastened out burst glow. ,,
"There stand the red.coatsI Wen smite 'em well,
And drive back the hounds to their kennels in
hell
None but towards will stink away!
Sons Of brave sres will fight to-day!
"For victory's banner shall fly DER me.
Or Molly Stark is widow!" said he.
A shout rolled upward of fierce acclaim;
Each bosom was burning with patriot flame,
AS blinked in the distance the red-coat ranks,
Our torrent of frenzy boiled over its banks,
And we shook with our firing the valleys green
lap;
1t was like one continuous thunder clap.
We stormed the heights were the Hesssns stood,
And made them red with their rascal blood.
Not a cannon did give us aid,
AS on us their deadliest batteries played.
We swept the fierce Indiana yelping pack
And sneaking Tory like leaves in our track.
w haot . hos,
Brave rallied the foe, and they fought us once
more.
But all in vain, for bold Warner too
Bore up, and for us, and We charged anew.
Bearskin helmet and plpmed cap fell.
VolleY met volley, yell mixed with yell.
The musket ball Kissed and the rifle ball sang.
And the screech Of the .caunonball deafening
rang
l saw through the black smoke the red-coats reel,
And my heart at the brave sight grew harder
than steel.
My trusty old kings-arm waxed heavy and hot,
And still poured without stint my shot.
My wife seemed saying, John Arnold, fight ont"
And heard through the conflict the voice of my
son.
Still Stark went galloping up and down!
Eight, fight the base red-coats, mean slaves of
crownln
Fight, fight my brave fellows. fight onl" said
he H.
"or Molly. I tell ye, widow shall be!'
With shout that shook the sunset sky
We dashed right OMIT was conquer or die.
chow fashioned" asked, "was our noble
oldIStaTki"
Tall, gsunt, with an eye like the lightning spark.
And where that eye glittered there withered our
foes,
For there fell the might Of our fearfulest blows.
The little walloomsac blushed with red,
And hushed its song, for twas filed with dead
And when the night darkened, the air about
Shook with our victory's laundering shout.
Cannon and banners, and swords and guns,
And captives were tribute to Freedoms sons.
With the leader OF all, bold Baum, who died
AS we rolled the loud cheers in our conquering
pride.
Old Stark uptowered among us Still
And Molly'p no widowl" laughed he with will.
And so, my boy. was the grim fight won;
Such was the battle Of Bennington.