Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-09-01
BELLOWS FALLS NEWS
Strife for the Possession of an
Old Cannon
minister Boys, But Was Taken Away In
a Spirited Attack.

a Spirited Attack.
The search in all available receptacles
for information regarding the early days
of this town and vicinity for the History
of the Town of Rockingham" which is in
preparation, brings to light many facts
and stories of early times.
Early in the last century there was each
year a strife between different localities
and towns for the possession of the few
large cannons with which to celebrate the
Fourth of July. The strife in this town
was usually between the citizens of Bel
lows Falls and those of the village of
Rockingham and much cunning and in
ventive genius were exhibited for a few
days between these villages to see which
should have the one cannon to use at day
break on the coming national holiday
Many good stories are told of the tricks
and subterfuges resorted to.
There also was strife between the viii
lagos of Walpole and Westminster, upon
opposite sides of the Connecticut, at such
times, and one year the Westminster boys
surreptitiously found out the hiding place
of the old piece that had done duty since
the early settlement of Walpole, when it
had been sent to Col Benjamin Bellows
for protection of the settlement against
the incurslons of the Indians and French.
There were in those days more old"
young boys than at the present time,
The year referred to the Walpole boys
had the old field piece, as they thought,
securely hidden in the store cellar of a
prominent merchant. One dark and
rainy night the Westminster boys went
over the river, broke into the cellar and
in the darkness and mud safely stole the
cannon and got it secreted on the Vermont
side of the river.
Early on the morning of the 4th the old
piece was believing forth it's thunders
from the Westminster plains, located east
of the Kings Highway" just south of
where H. F. Bond now resides. At that
time the plain between there and the
river was covered with dense growth of
sapling pines and to this day is designated
by other residents as the Brush Lot"
Until early noon it continued to belch
forth it's thunders eXultingly towards the
Walpole citizens. Then at one discharge
Eleazer May, a prominent merchant Of
the village who was acting as gunner of
the occasion, jumped astride the old can
non and swinging his swab exultantly ex-
claimed Take that we Walpolians."
That's what we propose to do was
shouted back by party Of men from
Walpole rushing from their ambush in
the contiguous brush They had stealthily
crossed the river in skiffs opposite the
brush lot and hidden until a propitious
time for the capture. The swab was
instantly wrested from the hands Of Mr..
May, and, as the boys from Walpoe for
the moment outnumbered those upon the
Vermont side, after a short and sharp
conflict the old gun changed masters and
was started with all speed for Walpole
closely followed by the chagrined and
worsted defenders. At the foot of Court
House hill the abductors had fleet team
in waiting and soon the old cannon was
safely across the river belching forth
its satisfaction and defiance from the
Walpole plain to it's late possessors in the
town of Westminster.
Such contests occurred nearly every
year, with varying results, always taxing
the ingenuity and prowess of the side of
the river which did not happen to have
possession, and causing much food for
ry-telling in after years.