ark.

"Oh! yes," replied Timothy Ransom, "There was very few of the
right-side-up men in Vermont, that I didn't see and know too. See
General Stark! I guess I did; and seen a leetle of him at Bennington,
too."

"I thought General Stark belonged to New Hampshire," said Hand.

"So he did," replied Ransom. "The country that now makes the states of
Varmount and New Hampshire was then called the New Hampshire Grants, and
was governed by one assembly and one council."

"What sort of a looking man was Stark?" enquired Pitts.

"Well, he weren't much to look at," said Ransom. "He was about the
middle height, and strongly built. He had a firm look about the face,
and you might have been sure of his doing what he said he would do,
just from hearing him talk. Blunt and downright, he was--and didn't
stop to pick words. He had seen a tougher life than any of his
neighbours--fighting as a ranger and regular soldier--and you might
suppose there was no nice affectation in his dress and manners like you
find in some of our generals. He was a man made for service."

"That's the man exactly as I saw him at Saratoga," said Kinnison.

"Did you say you was with General Stark, at Bennington?" enquired Hand.

"Ay, and did my share of that day's work," replied Ransom. "That _was_ a
battle, my boys. If you had seen the way that the militia walked up to
the enemy's cannon, and fought with regulars, you'd have said at once,
there was no use of Great Britain trying to subdue such men."

"Not having had the pleasure of seeing it," replied Hand, "I should like
to hear what you saw of it. Tell us about the affair, and how you won
such a victory."

THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.

"You shall hear about the battle of Bennington," said Ransom. "At the
time Burgoyne was advancing towards the Hudson, the people of
Massachusetts and the New Hampshire Grants were alarmed, and feared that
Burgoyne would march towards Boston. The whole frontier was uncovered.
But the people began to feel the necessity of taking measures to check
the advance of the enemy. General Stark was then at home, angry with
Congress on account of his rank not being equal to his services. He had
resigned his commission in the regular army. I was then at my farm,
having gone home after serving with Colonel Allen. I expected to be
called into service again, but didn't intend to fight under any other
orders than those of John Stark; because I knew the man had been badly
treated