Examining the Battle of Bennington through history—and music

By Connor Cyrus,

Published August 15, 2022 at 3:53 PM EDT

A stone pillar stands 308 feet tall in a field of green, with a dark autumn Vermont woodland in the background. — The Bennington Battle Monument, as seen from the northwest, stands more than 300 feet tall and commemorates the Aug. 16, 1777, Battle of Bennington, which was fought in nearby Hoosick, New York.

On Aug. 16, 1777—245 years ago—a key battle took place near the southwest Vermont town of Bennington that historians say changed the course of the American Revolution. This hour, we’ll hear about the history of the Battle of Bennington, and why Bennington Battle Day has become a Vermont state holiday.

A map of the Battle of Bennington. — This is a map depicting the positions of the opposing forces at the 1777 Battle of Bennington, which actually took place in to the west of town in New York state. (The image has been cropped to remove borders).

The actual fighting took place in nearby Hoosick, New York, but the conflict involved militiamen from Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Our guest is:

Steve Perkins, Vermont Historical Society executive director

Plus, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the battle, Vermont pianist Ernest Murray composed the Bennington Battle March. We’ll listen to a performance of that piece from Vermont Public classical hosts James Stewart and Linda Radtke.

Broadcast at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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