The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21


and Prof A l. Perry of Williamstown,
Mass
Congressman Rockwell of Massachu-
sets, Thomas Allen, Judge j NJ Bar
ker, Pittsfield, Mass
Hon James T Robinson, North
Adams
THE BURGOYNE CAMP KETTLE.
DEAR SIR:-I have seen the item in
your paper concerning "Gen. Baum's"
Camp Kettle so called, and wish to call
your attention to some errors contained
in the article, and correct same by giving
history of the interesting relic so far
as l am able.
The Kettle referred to was captured
with other camp equipage at the surren-
der of Gen. Burgoyne at Saratoga, Oct.
18th, 1777, and is said to have been
among the effects found at the General
headquarters. 1t is exactly the form of
a church bell inverted, and is "a inches
III diameter across top and will hold
about a barrel. 1t has three stout peg
legs about three inches in diameter and
six inches long. The bottom is conceived
about three inches. 1t has a pair of
heavy ears or handles near the top
through which are openings large
enough to put long bar on each side so
it can be carried by four
men or more as bier is carried.
The same ears are to be
used to suspend it by a chain to the
limb OF tree, or under a tripod, when
IN use. 1t wasfor many years in the pos
session. OF parties at Castleton, VT, by
whom Its history was well known and was
used for purposes incident to the re-
qulrements OF farm, and was several
times cracked and mended, and at one
time had large piece some II inches
long and six inches deep broken out of
the upper edge. 1t had also a large hole
burnt through the bottom.
The kettle bears unmistakable evil
dence of having been made in swept
mould by bell foundryman, and was a
good piece of foundry work, the orna-
mental rings or beads being smooth and
true.
The break in the rim has been mended
by the substitution of an artificial piece,
ciumsily made for the purpose and
about inches in diameter. Another
piece has also been fitted into the bot
tom. There have also been several ex-
tensive cracks, all of which had been re-
paired and the pieces secured in place
by an old process known technically as
melting joint which is done rs fol
lows: The iron founder uses the broken
piece for pattern, and mouldS it in tue
the same way as if a new piece was to be
MADE, but when the mould is opened in
stead of taking the broken piece out of
the mould it is left in, and channel or
grove is cut in the sand, along the whole
length of the crack, or along the edges
OF the pieces to be melted together, the
channel extending about half an inch on
each side of the crack or Joint.
A sprue with funnel in which to pour
melted iron is placed at one end of the
channel and an outlet at the other end,
the outlet being little the lowest, but
both sprue and outlet being sufficiently
high so the crack or channel will remain
full of melted iron after it is poured in.
The mold being thus prepared and Sc
curely closed, a considerable quantity of
melted iron perhaps 500 pounds to
mend one crack on that kettle) is poured
into the funnel and runs continuously
through the channel and on the broken
piece until the stream of melted iron
heats the edges of the broken piece so as
to melt them and make the crack larger
when the pouring is stopped
and the newly melted iron
and the broken edges are fused to-
gether in one solid mass, and when the
whole become cold the mould of sand is
removed, the iron which was poured
into the channel in the mould appears on
the surface of the mended piece in the
form of patch, several of which NAV
be seen on the Burgoyne kettle. None
OF the owners, of the present generation,
knows where, or by whom the breaking
OF mending was done.
In 1877 the old war relic was owned
by Selah ii. Langdon of Castleton. VT.
and at the suggestion of A. p Chiids, it
was brought to Bennington in care of
Mr.. Frank White, superintendent of the
Bennington d Rutland railroad but ar
rived too late to be exhibited at the Cen
tennial celebration. After remaining sew
eral months at the railway freight house,
1t was suggested by the Bennington His
torical society that the kettle be cared
tor, and a committee was named for the
purpose, of which the writer was one.
the names of the others 1 cannot now
recall. L went to the railroad station
and got the kettle and have had it since
that time, until Saturday last, when l
caused it to be suspended in the Monu-
ment and bearing the following inscrip-
ton: "GEN. BURGoYNE's CAMP KETTLE
captured October II, 1777.' The false
piece marked this is piece" and on
one of the long narrow patches "These
patches melted on to repair cracks and
to hold the piece"
Selah H. Langdon died several years
since and by the settlement of his estate
his interest in the kettle became vested
in John j. LangdOn of Castleton, VT.
Respectfully yours,