The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-10-21
THE MONUMENT AT BENNINGTON.

THE MONUMENT AT BENNINGTON.
G. A. Ingraham, in the Troy Press
has an interesting article under this
heading, which will interest our readers
as follows: Before me as / write is 9
white stone inscribed bennington
picked up in a recent visit to the battle
field" 1t well typities the hard quality
of courage and the worthy sentiment OF
patriotism. The scene of Stark's vic
tory is quite commonplace in appear
ance, being stump field, but its high
position is redeeming feature. The
spot where Baum's little band of about
100 men tried to resist the impetuosity
of the colonists is unadorned with any
memorial, but the monument at Ben
nington, seven miles away, looms up in
the distance. 1t merely marks the sites
of the storehouses that Baum wanted to
get into. The battlefield is very high
ly elevated point, and from it a very at
tractive view of the country eastward
and the Green Mountains is obtained.
In approaching the battlefield from
estiDg point is Van Schaick's bridge,
which spans the White creek near the
estuary in the Walloomsac river. On
was burned by Eleanzer Edgerton, as
fire of the British. 1t was bold vent
gerton's grave is in the burying ground
nington and upon his tombstone is the
following: HE was man of unblem-
ished reputation, exemplary and of
rrOAA To lob
plain and unassuming man whose char
acter needs no eulogy." Van Schaick's
bridge crosses a narrow ravine about
thirty feet deep and the destruction of
it embarrassed the advance of the
enemy. Leaving the battlefield and 60
ing towards Bennington, at the foot of
the hill this inscription is read: Brit
ish breastworks each side of this road
Aug. 10, 1777." A mile further east an
other tablet records:
''Gen. Stark's encampment, Aug. 18th,
18th, 10th, 1777."
This is on high ground where the
general was wise to post his little army.
Midway between these two points is
the celebrated house which stands one
half in New York and one-half in Yer
mont. A marble tablet in front of the
building says on its west side, New
York, 1873" and on the east face, "Ver-
mont, 1873" The structure is located
on rising ground and in bend of the
road. 1t is large and three stroies high,
presenting quite an imposing front. 1t
has, however, no connection with the
revolution, having been built a number
of years after the war closed. in
quired of the proprietor as to the legend
of the occupant moving from one side of
the house to the other for the purpose
of avoiding the payment of taxes, and
he said with disappointed air, that he
had to pay in both states.
The monument is huge and lofty
mass of undressed stone. Unlike the
Schuylerville monument, which is elabo-
rately ornamented with Gothic work for
a considerable distance above its base,
the Bennington memorial is unadorned
throughout its whole altitude. This
plainness, however, COMFORTS well with
the rugged virtue of those whose hero
ism it commentaries. Inside, the only
thing which the monument contains be-
side the registering desk is the large
camp kettle of Burgoyne. This hangs
by chain attached to the ball and at
height of about twelve or fifteen feet in
the middle of the space. The utensil is
shaped exactly like an ordinary stove
kettle, and is big enough for the dough-
ty Burgoyne to have taken a bath in
when it was not being used for cooking
purposes. 1t came into the hands of the
Americans after the last battle of Still
water. An iron stairway ascends the
AS one mounts the gloomy
interior, sounds of voices from above
reverbrate with strange and unearthly
cadences through the stony vault, and
the wind as it surges up and down de-
livers melancholy requiem. With a
load conclusion the heavy oaken door
below was blown shut, leaving me in al
most total darkness. 1t was an awe in
spring place. The outlook from the
affords good view of the
country.
The three places of historic interest in
Bennington, the Monument, the site of
the Catamount tavern and the Congre-
gational church and burying ground,
are all located in the old village on the
hill. 1t is hamlet of twenty or thirty
dwellings and is traversed by broad
and imposing avenue, at the head of
which stands the monument. A huge
square block of granite standing at the
side of this street marks the spot where
once stood the Catamount tavern, under
which roof distinguished revolutionary
patriots schemed for the deliverance Of
liberty. In the burying ground referred
to are number of stones bearing early
dates. The Congregational church Of
Bennington, by the way, was the first
religious society organized in the state
of Vermont, / copied this inscription.
''In memory of Capt. Samuel Robin
son, pioneer settler Of Bennington. He
was born in Cambridge, Mass, 1705,
married to Mary Leonard and removed
to Hardwick, Mass in 1928. Became a
Captain in the kings forces and served
as such in the vicinity of Lake George
during the French war that resulted in
the conquest of Canada by the English.
On his return from Lake George, mis-
taking the Walloomsac for the Hoosic
river, he came to this place and en-
camped with his soldiers. Pleased with
the country, which he called the Prom
Used Land, he applied to Gov. Went
worth, secured the township right for
settlers, and commenced the settlement
in 1851. y - Died in London in 1857
and buried in the churchyard of Rev.
Mr.. whitfield"
On the memorial of Judediah Dewey,
first pastor of the church in Benning-
ton, this melancholy epitaph is chiseled:
Lets talk of graves, and worms, and
epitaphs, make dust our paper and
with rainy eyes write sorrow in the
bosom of the EARTH"
AS we repassed the battlefield, our
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