The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-11
BENNINGTON. WI, OCT. IL, 1911
VERMONT HISTORY

ter from Hon. Horace w. Bailey of
Rutland, United States marshal for
the district of Vermont. This letter
which eplains itself is as follows:
Editor of The Banner:-Permit me
to call attention to three notable his
torical addresses made by Hon.
James X Batchelder of Arlington.
First, at the dedication of the
Stark monument at Peru on August
7, 1900.
Second, at the dedication OF the
new depot in Arlington, July T. 1911.
Third, at the dedication of the Seth
Warner monument on the Benning-
ton battle monument grounds August
l6, 1911, the two last being publish
ed in full in the Evening Banner.
The Peru monument marks the
camping place of Gen. John Stark,
enroute with his troops from Charles
town, N. H., cold No. Az over the
Green mountains to take part in the
Battle of Bennington. This monu-
ment is a granite obelisk % feet
high, located on the north road lead
ing from Peru village, about so rods
north of the Bromley house
and within few rods of
the actual camping place
of the Stark troops. A tablet on
the monument bears this inscription:
'Encampment of General John Stark.
August G. 1777, while on the march
with one thousand men from Charles
town, N. H., through the woods to
the battle of Bennington. Erected
August Z, 1899 by the Sons and
Daughters of Vermont" The corner
stone was laid on the date above
mentioned with appropriate exercises
which were published in pamphlet
The dedication occurred one year la
| ter august Z, 1900 at which time
Mr.. Batchelder delivered a historical
| address with John Stark as his text
Hon. d. X Simonds delivered a po-
EN-. Senator Dillingham;, Governor
Mccullough and others took part So
| far as the writer is able to ascertain
these proceedings were never pub
lished in pamphlet. the only account
of this great historical event Is mea-
| ger newspaper writeups The enter.
prise OF The Evening Banner has
| given us the other addresses Of Mr.
Batchelder in full. but why stop
| here?
| Patriots of Peru, OF Arlington, of
| Bennington, citizens of Bennington
county, until you gather these his
torical matters. and put them in
shape for preservation for the bene-
fit of future generations, you are re-
miss in your duty.
John Stark Thomas Chittendenl
Seth Warner! a trio of patriot her
oes, makers OF Vermont history, H.
lustrious in the annals OF general his
tory Who can measure the time de-
voted to the study of these historic
characters or estimate the energy
expended in research by Mr.. Bat
chelder. in bringing into panoramic
view the men who laid the foundat
ion of our statehood and the events
which have made our history unique
No one has told the story OF Warner
and Chittenden more plainly. direct
ly or comprehensively and II may be
assumed that the story OF General
Stark is in the same class.
These addresses should be pres
erved and placed In every Vermont
schoolroom for supplemental read
ing.
II is wrong and unpatriotic TO le
the well directed labor and conceded
ability OF such men as Mr.. Batchel
der ooze out at the finger tips or al
historically slothful community.
Men of Bennington county, hat
your ancestors been as listless abou
preserving and saving the historical
labor OF Hiland Hall, Isaac Jennings
Maria Hemenway and others, as yol
now seem to be. much OF the luste
OF your annals and the truth OF you
history would have passed beyond re
call
There has been written the histor,
and story OF Stark and Chittendel
and Warner, but II was written 8,
long ago that the books that contain
IL are rare, very scarce and costly
hence not available. Therefore tn,
argument is, that when any person
has the historical spell, the impuls,
and ability to search and research
to read all the authors. Gull all sour
ces OF information, to seek In nooAi
and corners OF creation for legen,
lore and history, to slft. compile, ar
range and deliver. (as Mr.. Batchel
der has done) for the entertainment
and enlightenment OF the populace
IL is the duty Of the town or com
munity to preserve by the printing
press, for the future
Vermont is remiss In It's duty Il
the present and future until II es
tablishes a department of history I,
gather, compile, publish and pres
erve, precious heritage for the ~
ture. Newspapers are, as they al
ways have been, the great public blu
letin board OF education, and ar
now, with rare exceptions. the sol
publishers OF history, but they car
not do ell that ,ne exigency OF III
present, or the welfare OF the futur
requires TO be done.