The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-05-06
MOLLY STARK GUN
CAP TUREO. At
BENNINGTON
Ordnance Now Owned by Town
of New Boston
SOME INTERESTING HISTORY
Cast In Paris In 1743 and Was Cap
tured by British in the Taking
of Quebec

Editor Morning Journal:-In a
former communication in which !
gave some historical items in rela-
ton to the cannon in the corridor of
the State House, said it would be
interesting to know something about
the history of the other guns taken at
the Battle of Bennington. This item
came to the attention OF Frederick +.
Wells, the historian of Newbury and
Ryegate, VT, who sent me souve-
mir picture post card of the cannon
Molly Stark" captured from the
British by General Stark at Benning-
ton, owned by the town of New Bos-
ton, N. H., advising me to write to
Charles f. Marden, town clerk of
New Boston, for further particulars.
/ wrote Mr. Marden as suggested and
received the following reply;
Yours at hand and contents not
ed. / enclose clipping from the Man
chester Union of May -, 1909 which
gives the best story of Molly
have ever seen. Nothing in it l can
dispute.
II also enclose best picture of the
gun / have. Frost American Gener-
ais. in a sketch of General John
Stark is interesting in regard to the
gun. There are many other sketches
in regard to the matter, but none that
is better than the one enclosed.
Very respectfully yours,
Charles F. Marden,
Town Clerk"
Every word of the Manchester I'm
ion article referred to is of great his
trical value and a portion is given
herewith. ] assume it will be news
to the most OF your readers as 1t was
TO the writer.
Dated at Manchester. ~ H., May
10. 1909, F. w Lamb of the Board OF
Managers of the New Hampshire
Sons of the American Revolution
wrote to the Manchester Union:
Il wonder how many of your read
ers thought of the fact that last Sat
urday. the 8th of May, was the S1th
anniversary of the death of the last
survivor of the general officers of the
American Revolution, our own hero,
John Stark. who died May s, 1922 at
the age of "a years.
s'In connection with this fact | wish
to give little history of the Molly
Stark gun now owned by New Boston
which has been something of bone
of contention in your column. This
gun is brass and was cast at Paris,
France in 1743. 1t was brought to Am
erica as a part of the armament OF
the French army in Canada, comman-
ded nv General Montcalm and 1t was
captured at the Battle OF the Plalhs
of Abraham at Quebec by the Engilsh
General Burgoyne invaded the colon
les from the north in 11l1 the ola gun
was part of the field artillery Win
his army, together with its mate an
other similar gun. When Burgoyhe
sent Colonel Breyman to the ald oil
Colonel Baum at Bennington these
two guns were taken with MN anu
they were surrendered to Gen. John
Stark. August 16, 1777, at the sun
set battle, the two smaller guns
which Baum had with him, also OF
brass. having been previously captur.
ed by Stark during the day The MO-
ly Stark and it's mate were sent to
New Hampshire.
''In the War of 1912 the Molly
Stark was sent to Detroit Mich, and
formed part of the defences OF thai
mort. until it was disgracefully sur
rendered by General Hull to the BTU
ish when he gave up the fort August
15. 1912. The British took the guI
with them down through Canada anc
1t was again recaptured by the Am
orleans, at the Battle OF Fort George
Finally it was returned to New Hamp
shire and then given to the New Bos
ton Artillery company, then attached
IN the old Ninth Regiment, New
Hampshire militia After the dis
bandment of this company the town.
of Goffstown and New Boston alter
uately struggled for years for IT
Dossession but New Boston finally es
tablished her claim and for goo
many years she has retained possess
ion of the old gun. 1t is toul
nounder and is three and one-fourt
inch bore.
"The mate of this gun, also OF bras
was placed on a New Hampshire pr
vateer during the War of 1872 an
was lost at sea. The two smalie
Guns came into possession OF Col
eress They presented them man
yaars ago to the state of Vernon
and they are now preserved in u
etate capitol at Montpelier. Tht
the old Molly Stark has had mo- me,
glorious history, serving under II
French flag once, the British twic
and the American twice under whiC
aaq we hope 1t will always stay al
receive the respect which is It's due
This seems to very satisfactori
dispose of the four cannon taken
the BATTLE of Bennington. II won
be equally interesting to locate q
other trophies taken at this oat'
CONTINUED on fourth pagel