The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-11-25


was so great in Congress that nothing
came OF this. The settlers were ad-
vised to submit TO New York and
help in the war To avoid the ap-
pearance of submitting, the petition
was withdrawn. Instead Of helping
the people of the New Hampshire
grants the Declaration of Independ
ence seemed to make their situation
worse. New Hampshire had renoun-
ced all connection with them and in
August, 1776, the convention OF New
York declared that all quit rents for
merly due the king were now due to
that state. To oppose this claim
would probably cause a contest with
New York and one with Congress. II
was impossible to act without some
form of government. Accordingly 81
delegates met at Dorset on July "a,
1776, and entered into an association
for the defense of the liberties OF
their country. It met again on Sep
tember rs. and resolved to take mea-
sures as soon as may be TO declare
hut the unsettled state of the country
the New Hampshire grants a free ana
separate district. The convention
met at Westminster on OCTOBER 81,
made action seem unwise. II met at
Westminster again in January, l7I1
and on the 18th day of that month de-
clared the New Hampshire grants a
| free and independent state, to be call
| ed New Connecticut.
The convention took measures TO
| inform Congress of this action, renew
ed their declarations that they were
willing to help carry on the war
against Great Britain, and asked Tor
recognition as member OF the Union
of states The people of New Hamp-
| shire approved the action OF the CON
yention. Massachusetts and Connec-
ticut were passive, but New York felt
differently The matter caused
good deal of discussion in Congress.
because New York continued to urge
its claims. And finally number OF
resolutions were adopted unfavorable
to the new government But the Yer
monters themselves cherished no illu-
sions on the subject. They fully un-
derstood what liberty was and they
made preparations TO resist the
claims of New York as they had pre-
viously, and to continue to urge their
right of admission to the Union on
the same footing as the other states.
1t was during this controversy that
the name Vermont was first applied
| to the territory. This was by Tho
mas Young, in his paper published in
Philadelphia, in which he urged the
right of the settlers TO form their own
government, even as the other states
had done,
A new convention met at Windsor
July 2, 1777 and finished the work the
others had begun by adopting a con-
stitution. 1t was during the session
of this convention that the news OF
| Burgoyne's invasion reached Windsor.
Some we're for adjourning at once,
but a thunder storm arose and be-
fore II ended cooler counsels pre-
vailed and the business OF the meet
ing was finished Col. Seth Warner
sent the express rider with the infor-
nation, and asked the convention to
provide for the raising of as many
men as possible Col. Warner UNI
dertook to retreat, but was forced to
| fight at Hubbardston on July Z, and
while he was victorious at first, re-
Inducements strengthened the Brit
ish, so that he was Obliged to retreat.
His command to his men was to dis
band, take TO the woods and meet at
J Manchester. This was done, and
most OF them escaped The loss
was heavy, however,-more than 300
out of less than 900. in killed, wound
| ed and prisoners. When next the
British met the Green mountain boys
at Bennington, August l6, following,
the result was different. and Bur
goyne's advance was checked The
council of safety, which was appoint
ed at Windsor, took vigorous meas
ures TO protect the inhabitants of the
west side OF the state, who by the
defeat OF Warner we're left to suffer
all the depredations which accom-
pany an invading army They met
at Manchester on July Is and order
ed the raising Of a band OF rangers
to include all the men possible. They
also asked New Hampshire and Mas
sachusetts for aid. New Hampshire
Immediately ordered a brigade into
service under Gen. John Stark and
these men met Warmers men at Man
chester as rapidly as they could be
mustered in and sent forward
Burgoyne, finding his advance on
Albany much slower than he had an
ticipated, and learning that consid-
cradle quantity OF stores had been
collected at Bennington. resolved to
seize them. From this resulted the
battle OF Bennington. which compel
ent military critics have declared was
the real turning point OF the Reyolu
ton. Had the British been success
full there. so that they could have
moved forward to Albany. there is
little doubt that the whole eastern
part OF the country would have fallen
into their hands and perhaps the Rev
olutlon would never have been won
II was there that Burgoyne's surren
der was made certain. The rest was
only a matter OF following up the
success already achieved. Ever
though kept out Of the Union by
New York's claims II was the hand
full OF men at Bennington most oil
them Vermonters, who saved New
York from the British and probably