Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-08-20

ing uOuao VI sAHls DhFiN AASAiyi -
field near the boundary line Of Ben
ningtOn and Hoosick -
sThe toAsts given at the repast,
give something of an idea Of the feel
ing of satisfaction in the name which
had been given the conflict, as enter
tained by the then living veterans,
and those who came out on that con-
spicuous day. Gen David Robinson Of
Bennington, who was in the battle and
was now equipped with the broad
sword taken from Col Baum on the
blIody field, was the marshal of the
day, Rev Daniel Marsh of Bennington
offered the prayer and among the
toasts were:-"Gen John Stark, the
Leonidas of America, 4" another, ''the
surviving heroes Of Bennington battle,
though their locks are whitened with
many winters. yet their hearts are
still warm 10 their couutry's cause, "
and the beading Of another "the
heroes OF liberty who fell in Benniug
ton battle
The first anniversary of the battle
was held in Bennington August TO-
ITS, with an Grafton by Noah Smith
Esq, of Bennington in which he
spoke of the fight as "tbe battle Of
Bennington, " and yearly the eventual
day was celebrated here until in 1902
there was a gathering Oh the battle
ground and a shsm-fight was had by
the soldiers, participated in by men
Of Vermont.
Until 1894, all patriotic celebrations
except possibly three or four on or
near the battle ground, have been held
in Bennington or the state of Vermont,
making nearly one hundred in the
town of Bennington, and the first
twentv or thirty years, with process
sion from the old court house near the
site of the battle monument to the old
meeting house, which was located near
the present first church, in their march
passing the famous "Catamount Tay-
ernn and the vermont Council of
Safety oom.'
TIE one held in 1884 fifty-seven
years after the great event on the bat
tie ground, was addressed by the Rev
Israel Reach, who eloquently uttered
the following beautiful admonition -
"But forget not, / solemDly charge
you, forget not the events OF Benning
ton battle. Enjoin it on posterity to
commemorate the 10th of August,
| l777, -" and tho heading of the paper
from which the above is copied very
appropriately styles the occasion,
"The anniversary of the Bennington
battle observed at Waloomsac in that
year.
The poem so finely read by the
speaker, breathing so much Of patrio-
tism and purpose, was written by a
young man Of Bennington before he
had chosen his life work, but after
wards became the eloquent and
charming divine, Rev Edwin u.
Chaplin of New York OF world wide
celebrity. The intimation that, 'at
the critical moment at the last fight
Col John Williams with his'New York
troops arrived and aided il bringing
| victory" is a claim based upon a re-
mark made by BENZ H, Hall in his
history of Rensselaer, county, n. Y,
in 1880 and expressed in problematical
language, and was taken up by S. d.
Locke of Hoosick a dozen Jears after
wards and a futile effort was made to
make it appear tremendous reality.
Possibly" probable, doubtless, F"
'probably," " beyond doubt, "it ap.
pears to be true" and undoubtedly,
are gratifying terms used to make up
the case. The attempt to hoist this
myth for the qualification of Hoosick
patriots failed and the vindication as
then made by one of our citizens and
placed in the possession of Mr. Locke,
was not and since has not been con-
| tut6d.
How eloquent in feeling and lofty in
thought were the closing remarks OF
tbe speaker as among them be said -
''No matter what the battle is called
va all as Americans can be grateful
for it; we can rejoice that it was
fought on American soil, and that it
was the harbinger of good tid'ngs
from the North to the wearied patriots
throughout the colonies, bat was it
not mistake that he did not advise
many of his deluded bearers to be
content with the name which our an
cestors and history contemporaneous
with the event gave 1t, "The Battle
OF Bennington.
Henry D. Hall.
Mrs Robert Guiltinan and daughter
90 Gobarooto1 1v arn In toUp