The state herald., 1893-09-29
MONUMENT 70 THE AgssiANs.



Proposal TO Erect ! iieKorin, III BsI.
81, nlngton Center, VT.
Tho story comes from Buffalo that
nm imposing memorial is likely to DO
erected in the old cemetery AZ Beh-
ningtop Center, VT, to those Hossians
who fought and fell ut tho battle of
bennington IN 1777. considerable
number OF the descendants of the
Hessians are scattered through tho
Mohawk valley and also in Pennsyl
vania, and. according to the Troy
Times, 1t is these persons, many Of
whom are wcll-to-do, that eontom-
plate the erection of u suitable mon
ument to their ancestors. At tho
6losc Of tho battle the British loss
was 207, the great minority OF which
was Hessians, and the burial took
place on and near the field of action.
The prisoners numbered about 700.
OF whom about two thirds were Hes
slams, and were marched to Benning-
ton, whore they were kept under
guard several months. A consider
abs humber of tho prisoners wcre
wounded and many died In n log hos
pital improviscd for tho decision.
Those who died of injuries or oth6r
causes subsequent to the battle were
buried in rude way, uncoiilned
and without ceremony. in the church.
yard ut bennington Center. How
many were buried there Is not known.
but tho humber has generally been
stated to be thirty-three though
some authorities have placed the
number at fifty. The whole matter
is SO lost in mist Of traditions that
much discrepancy exists among local
historians. A small space. still VA
cant In the burying grounds, shows
where the Hessiaus were sepulchrcd
ll5 years ago.
On this spot, three or four rods
long and two or three wide, 1t is pro
posed to build the monument All
around is sanctiiied ground On
every hand rise messy slabs, land
marks of finished life-journeys of men
eminent in local, state or national mis-
tory. OF the two patriot companies
Of local militia that helped to win
the victoty ~ Bennington nearly
every soldier sleeps close TO the Hes
SLAMS. 10 the south aud partly
bounding one side q the cemetery
is the old First church, where long
generations have worshipcd, ana u
third Of mile or more to the north,
with the American flag streaming rs
from the huge main royal masthead
OF monstrous ship, the battle monu-
ment rises grinly into cloudland
In tommemoratlon oi the signal de-
feat of the British army aud Of an
important event in American history.
In early times it would have been
considered n paradox that many of
the dead OF both armies should be
buried side by side and both hs hon
orod with u monument--the one for
preserving American institutions and
the other for trying to pull them
down. The idea of erecting 4 monu-
ment TO the Ilcs,ians appears to have
originated with Adolphc Osdler of
Buffalo fifteen years ago or more,
The late Colonel Jerome Il, l'armetor
of Pennington not only held CORE.
spond nee but personally interviewed
n humber of the residents OF tho Mo
hawk valley who were Interested in
the matter. and he became quite
familiar with The views of many OF
the descendants OF the Hes ians.
Nothing definite Is known nt Fen
nington about the design OF the pro-
UOscd monument IL was rumorod
some Tins ago that n lofty and massive
glanite pedestal, surmouniod by a
bronze figure OF heroic size Of Ger
man grenadicr in full uniform was
favored by tho promoters Of the en-
terprlsc. just what the figure is in.
tend d TO symbolic or what the ms
eruption. II any. will be Is not known.