Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-08-26

versary of the battle and the happy CON
summation IN this structure OF the eXer-
tons Of fifteen years, but likewise the cep-
tennial entrance Of Vermont into the Fed
eral Union. 1t uniteS III It's suggestions
the great memories and the great hope in
the life Of our commonwealth, the expiring
century and the limltleSS future. 1t is fit
that we should slgnalizo such an occasion.
1T Is appropriate and gratifying that the
chief magistrate of the nation should be at
such 3 time cur most hOnored guest. In
this scene, party differences are forgotten
We are only Americans and in loyalty to
that great office and respect for the incum-
bent who fills it so well, we are all this day
on the Presidents side. History is full OF
battles. All It's pages are stained with
their memory could perish. But there
have been battles, nevertheless, whose
smoke went up like incense: consecrated
by the sight of heaven by tie canse they
maintained. Such was that for which
this shaft shall henceforth stand. II was,
on our side, the peoples fight. No
government directed or supplied 1t, no reg
utar force was concerned; it was part of
no organized campaign. New Hampshire
sent her hastily embodied militia, not the
less volunteers. In Vermont and MaSsa-
chuSetts it was the spontaneous uprising OF
q rural and peace-lOYing population to re-
Sst invasion, to defend their homes, to vim
dictate the right of self-government. Lex
ingt0n and Bunker Hill were III this re-
Spect it's only parallels in the rev0lutlonary
war. The march Of BurgOyne fTom Can
ada to the Hudson had been till then a
continuous victory. He was a brave and
Sllilltul soldier, leading a Well-appolnted,
and powerful army Ticonderoga, the
key and stronghold Of the northern front
Ter, had fallen unexpectedly without a
blow. The Vermonters retreating thence
had been overtaken and utterly defeated
at Hubbardton. The advance of the Brit
lSh to saltwater had been almost unop
posed, and there was as yet no promise OF
efectual resistance. Even Washington
Steel-proof against despair, wrote that he
saw not how Burgoynes march to
Albany could be checked. The stua
ton Of the inhabitants OF the Hampshire
grants was most critical. The whole front
Ter was open to incursions Of al enemy
whose allies were S@YagoS. The people
had been totally neglected By Congress;
not step had been taken for their relief.
Scattered sparse!y through the country on
their farms, without any organized state
government, almost destitute Of the ma
terlal OF war, except the firearms in their
houses, they still had no thought Of flight
or submission They called upon God
first in q day OF fasting and prayer, APP
pointed by their convention, and not only
appointed but stlemnly kept And then
they called upon New Hampshire and
with patriotic feeling, ISSUED in
slant orders for her militia to
march. Stark's reply was brief for
he was not man Of words. 81 am on
the way" said he. with all the men | can
muster" With the eye of born soldier
he saw that the VermOnterS were right
when they declared that there could be no
frontier but frontier Of armed men; that
the Hampshire grants must be held, be-
cause no enemy could be resisted to whom
the gates Of the country were thus thrown
open; and that the etfectual blow against
BurGoyne must be struck on his flank.
full justice has been done In history and
tradition to the bravery and the patriotism
of John Stark. But his great qualities as
a general have not been set forth as they
deserve No better piece of military work
be- S did Is in that br e and sudden c an
paign. He concentrated the scattered
militia at Charleston with a rapidity that
was marvellous. He was lmpe1ed by the
want OF the most necessary and ordinary
supplies. Detained" he wrote, for
lack of bullet-moulds, and but one
PAIR in town" for they had their own
bullets to cast; destitute" he wrote
again, ''even of camp kettles" striv-
ing in VAN to get three or four field
pieces mounted; the powder he had de-
pended upon half spoiled. Yet receiving
his orders Oh the 22d OF July, while the
militia were all at their homes, ne marched
with the last OF them from Charls-
ton on the Sd OF August On the
7th he was at Manchester, through
the wilderness and across the
Green Mountains, by incapable roads and
without any adequate transportation. On
the 9th he was at Bennington with his own
forces and the Massachusetts and Vermont
men organized and IN hand. On the 18th
he engaged the enemy: on the 10th the bat |
tie was fought If there had been no bat
tie at all such celebrity and precision of
movement with an Irregular force in the
face OF such difficulties, would alone have
been generalship of the highest order.
Continuing, the speaker gave de-
tailed account of the movements of |
both commands and their aims, story
familiar to all who have read American
colonial history.
PRESIDENT HARR1soN's SPEECH.
The Grafton was received In the most |
appreeiative manner, and applause
greeted the finish as the beginning,
which was renewed with increased in
tensity as President Harrison WAS in
troduced and spoke Of his qualification
at being present. 1t was late In the |
afternoon when the President finished,
and the literary exercises, long TO be
remembered in the annals of the.Green
Mountain State, We're brought to O. close
with music and the benediction.
The divisions them reformed in prop
ef order, with the carriages of each di-
vision in it's rear, and marched through
Monument Avenue, Maine and North
streets to Camp Vermont, where the
troops and other organizations were dis
missed. The escorts and carriages pro-
ceeded to the large tent near the Sol
dlers' Home, wheye the banques was
served, over 5000 people sitting down
to the table. The celebration Will be
wound up tonight with a great display
of fireworks.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT.
For nearly fifty years there mas been
more or less preparation for the build
ing of the monument. The first organ
lied effort was in 1853 The cost of the
monument and site has been, in
round numbers, 100000. Massa-
chusetts contributed $4,000, New
Hampshire 81 800, the national gov
eminent $4,000 and Vermont lis, 900.
The balance has been raised by private
subscriptions. The monument stands
on a commanding site, 283 feet above
the Waltoonsack River. The founda-
ton Of the monument is the solid rock
of the mountain, on the top of which
was Situatod the Ranninuton of the rev.