Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-12
VERMONT'S MILITARY HISTORY.
First Instalment by @. @. Benedict In
March Vermontsr.
(rrom the st. Adams MessengerO

(From the st. Adams Messenger)
The March number OF the Vermonter
contains the first instalment of THE Mill
tary History of Vermont from the pen
Of G. G. Benedict, of Burlington. If only
the subject were announced, the name Of
Mr.. Benedict would suggest itself at once
to the average reader as pre-eminently
the best equipped man in the State for
such task. Mr.. Benedict brings to the
work a mind trained by long years of
patient and painstaking research; and
style remarkable alike for it's clearness.
its forcefulness and its eioQuence. He Is
not only president Of the Vermont His
torical society. but, without doubt, is the
highest authority on all matters pertain
ing to Vermont history. His vermont
in the Civil War" published in two vol
umes. is. and will always remain, the
standard of authority for all matters re-
lating to the part taken by the troops
of this State in that great conflict.
II is fitting that the author Of this
work dealing with the Civil War should
prepare Il sketch covering the whole mill
tary history of the State. 1t is doubt
full If any Vermonter living or dead, has
ever been so thoroughly convcrsant with
the record of the Vermont soldiery from
tho days when the bennington mob
carried terror to the hearts Of tho York
! crs' to this present year Of grace, 1903. as
| is Mr.. Benedict
! Condensed in the limits of single num-
her of the The Vermontcr is found the
military record Of the State from the
| beginning of its history to the opening
| of the Civil War. Such history, brief
| and accurate, fills very real need All
the important facts regarding the part
Vermont soldiers have taken In the vari-
Gus conflicts in which they have been en-
gagged are set forth in an interesting man.
| n iDnn
| gested of an attempt to crowd great deal
| of history into a limited space, and yet
| the sketch is compact and no words are
wasted.
The narrative begins with the organiza
ton OF military company in Benning
ton in 1164. refers briefly to the border
warfare with the colony of New York
and takes upthe part played by the Greer
Mountain Boys in the Revolutionary War
One fact we'll nigh forgotten. alluded
to in this article, is that Vermont furnish
cd a company each for Generals st. Clail
and Wayne in the early expeditions
against the Indians. The part taken BY
Vermont troops in the War OF 1872 Is
graphically related. particular attention
being given to the battle Of Plattsburgh
Few Vermonters were engaged in thu
Mexican War but two men from thi!
State, Captain Kimball and Sergeant
Major Fairbanks. were the first to reaci
and haul down the Mexican colorS OF
the Bishops Palace in the assault on thu
capital.
The record is brought down to 1s6
and will be concluded in the April mum
her of Tho Eermonter. OF the period in
Guiding the Civil War Mr. Benedict will
he able to speak from personal eXperienc
as he served with honor through that con
fict He was a member of General Stan
nard's staff and was one Of the two ON
GERS into whose arms General Hancocl
fell when he was wounded at the battl
Of Gettyburg.
It would be a good thing If this recor
could be put into every school in tn
State. 1t is a history of heroic deeds wei
told in which Nermonters everywhere ma
take Just pride, and a valuable addition
to the annals of our brave little com
monwealth.
The article is handsomely illustrate
with pictures of the capture Of Ticonder
oga, the cannon taken at that battle.
statue of Ethan Allen, a portrait of Gov
ernor Chittenden, and maps Of the battle
. field of Bennington and the route of Bur
} goyne's army to Hubbarton and Benning
ton.