Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-08-20
BATTLE OF
BENNINGTON
DR.. Beach Tells Some History
That is History.
THE SHAME OF HOOSICK
Why the Claim Recently Advanced is Prepos
terous-Old Home Week Concert
Splendid Success
THE SHAME OF Ho0SICK

The Old Home week concert ~, the
Old First church last sunday @,ning
was a splendid success as usua The
church was crowded and the e., relses
more than fulfilled all expectatiu ..
The Rev David N. Beach, . d..
president Of Bangor Theologica Sem
mary, and formerly a BENIN ton
schoolboy, gave the main address, en-
titled, Meanings OF the Battle of
Bennington, He spoke of certain
rudeness and absence of pomp and
circumstance in the battle, strangely
in contrast with its effect on human
history. He described the battlefield,
the strength of the enemy's position,
and of its fortifcations.
He condensed into few words the
then state of the American Revolution,
and what was thus at stake in the bat
tie. He sketched the religious and in
tellectual forces which had founded
and developed Bennington, and,
through the boundary controversy,
had created here a singulary alive and
militant passion for the best things in
economic and civic life. He indicated
the strategy of the battle, its relation
to Bennington's men and temper, and
its extraordinary achievement in
crushing or capturing the enemy in
his forti6cations. He then raised the
following question, the answer to
which, and his concluding remarks,
are given in full:
whose Battle Was Itt
The village OF Hoodck Falls was placarded
last week.with announcements OF q function Ia
celebration OF the Battle OF Walloomsac."
was there any village OF Waloomsac when
the battle was fought.
what was Baum lighting for but TO get Ben
ningtous
what was Stark fighting for but TO defend
Bennington.
Would it have been battle OF Ben.
nington beyond even and removed from
Hoosick's challenge, II Stark had been willing
to ngbt a defensive nights Did It not get upon
Hoosick's soil only because Stark went out to
meet the enemy Did not Stark. too, on Aug
ust fourteenth, orer battle before Baum estab-
lished himself upon his Hoosick faSmess and
did not Baum decline it; Should such aggres-
siveness forfeit Its name because It was thus
aggressives
You learn that your house is to be burglar
lied. You watch. You do not permit the
thief TO reach your doorstep. You encounter
him In the middle OF the street before your
house. You ofer him fight then and there.
He declines IT, He fails back into your neigh
bors back yard. You follow. You fight. At
ter a hard struggle you capture him, AMI turn
him over to the police. Whose is that fight
with burglar Is II your neighbor's back
yards because the burglar insisted that the
dght should be there: Is IL your neighbOr'S
because the back yard is owned by him. Is It
not, the rather, your houses because that WAS
the house which was to have been burglarizeds
Nay, is II not yours, because it was you, whose
watchfulness enterprise, courage and Prov
ess faced the burglar chased him, fought him.
overcome him and took him to prison.
1t is pitiful to behold such blindness TO the
plainest facts, such grudgmg OF an honor
bonght with blood such willingness to impose
on the Informed and prediudiced. and above
al NuNA ikuul1l0N VI luN fAOAVhAA i4toAiAE Va
events among the most impressive in the
whole history OF America. out OF which 1t
came to pass that there was ever any Battle
| OF Bennington at ALL
There is one conclusive consideration that
should hinder our neighbor town-it certainly
would hinder most towns-from ever making
! such a claim, Col PAster, who is believed to
| have commanded the Tory breastwork, whose
| thus getting nearest tho enemy aud whose
| yielding up his life for his convictions along
with Baum, have already received their need
of praise In this address, was a Hooslck man.
His Tory company was In part recruited from
Hoosick citizens. Hoosck thus had indeed a
| part, and a conspicuous part in the battle, and
| was beaten, But 1t is not the custom OF the
| vanqulshed 10 celebrate the anniversary OF
/ their defeat
what Came Ofthe Battle,
AS a result Of the Battle of Bennington not
only did Burgoyne fail to seize supplies and
means OF transportation Indispensable to the
success of his campaign. The campaign itself
intended to cut OF New England from the
other states, received It's death blow 1t was
| with that campaign after that, only a question
OF time.
Such force, as Baum led, so carefully Sc
lected, making so well planned and 50 well
supported movement. being intrenched on
such a hill, and being so strongly intrenched.
having excellent artillery and gunners and
never for one moment wanting in courage, its
leader yielding up his life and commanding the
admiration OF his conquerors-bg force not
superior In numbers without artillery almost
without bayonets, in open daylight, and after
nine hours warming OF some impending move
ment. however inexpcabe, had been su.
rounded, assailed, and, with rnconsiderable eX-
ceptions, killed, wounded or taken prisoners.
What then, might be expected when an ade-
quate army, composed Of just such m n should
concentrate upon Burgone himself? He saw
a great light. His head suddenly diminished to
its wonted judicous size. He stopped writing
bombastc proclamations, He perceived that