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Happy Birthday!
General John Stark
was born 8/28/1728 (dMay 8,1822)
Stark led attacks
that cost the British nearly 1,000 men and contributed to the surrender of
the British general John Burgoyne at Saratoga by blocking his retreat line
across the Hudson River (1777).(EB)
He led The Battle of Bennington on 8/16/1777 and I "sing" this song at the
club each year about this time. People usually help with the rifle (clap)
sounds. It's a good rousing patriotic song & there are few enough of
those sung these days.
Ye ride a goodly steed,
Ye may serve a foreign master;
Ye forward come with speed,
But ye'll learn to back much faster
When ye meet our mountain boys
And their leader, Johnny Stark;
Lads who make but little noise,
Lads who always hit the mark!
"The Riflemen of Bennington" (or "The Riflemen's Song at
Bennington")
The Amer. Revolution; Folkways FH5277
I mentioned that the invention of the rifle & placing it in the hands of
farmer/hunters (as against smooth-bores in the hands of non-marksmen) as
well as firing from concelement was a devastating invention of war that
surprised & decimated the redcoats. This was a real progression in the
art.
I was roundly rebuked at the notion of "progress" in connection with
greater efficiency in killing people. Still, I thought, considering the
UK, US & world population in 1777 and 1996, we're really falling behind
regardless of all our "progress."
© Abby Sale - all rights reserved
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