John Stark: 'Enduring' Patriot

Busy week ahead will carry us quickly to our second

July 4th serving here in New England. 

A nasty threat may make us feel bound. Not a bad time to

remember the valiant men and women who felt strongly

and withstood their challenges, as we endeavor to endure.

Certainly there are many

patriots to learn about, salute and commemorate from

among the states that were colonies in 1776.

For New Hampshire, the most notable is General John Stark

whose independent American spirit was a force in 

the revolutionary events from START to FINISH.

As this post reports his legacy (prompted by our late-March

visit to Manchester's Stark Park where the family burial plot is),

consider the lessons that might be learned from him.

One online source claims he is virtually "unknown" today.

An intentionally-humorous mini article published "in these parts"

suggests that Gen. Stark is perhaps even less renown

than his wife Molly Stark!

* * * * *

But before that report, a nod to three young men who are filling

our lamps with oil as they work hard to perform mission

office functions (instead of the finding and teaching they

would more normally be doing), and who share office space

with us. Once we established a pact of trust that THEY

and WE are taking care to minimize our individual exposures,

we are working at our jobs in community association.

 Here they are, above, (Elders T. Smith, Allison and Wells)

allowing us to buy them Friday Dominoes pizza for lunch, 

helping us "catch up" on our "feeding the Elders and Sisters" 

quota that has slacked off since mid March restrictions began.

 Below, Vince plus the three Elders are sharing an exercise 

hour-plus on P-Day at Greenview Apts. tennis courts.

And one more humorous strike against

feeling trapped and unempowered: young Elder's Sears

effort to "sock it to 'em" as we pass 100 days of isolation.

Now I return to John Stark, a patriot who is worth remembering,

for the pivotal role he played in the American revolution,

and also because he embodied the spirit of American independence.

He was born "at just the right time"

in Londonderry, New Hampshire in 1728 to Scottish and English

parents. When 8 years old, his family moved to Derryfield

(now Manchester) where he lived the rest of his life,

apart from his many military and other excursions.

This is the home commemorated as the place he and Molly

raised their family, located in a lovely and historic part of the city

with beautiful, large and well kept homes. 

Currently, it houses a museum.

Early in life he mastered knowledge and skills that would allow

him to survive in the harsh conditions of frontier wilderness.

He gained confidence that he could take care of himself

in any situation or environment. The story is told of an episode

at 24 years when he was pursued by Native Americans 

while trapping, and led them away from other members of

his party, allowing his brother to escape, though he remained 

a prisoner. Later, he went on the offensive and was able to

fight off their threatening treatment with courage and ingenuity,

eventually being ransomed and released.

A few years later, he joined the militia of Rogers' Rangers.

Knowledge gained from being among the 'Indians'

became an asset. "His excellent marksmanship,

keen judgement, and composure under pressure

earned him the office of Captain."

Spurned by military politics and passed over for well-earned

promotion more than once, he tried to stay away from that intrigue.

But as the British increased controls over the American colonies,

his passion for independence overcame those feelings, and 1774

found him attending local meetings of the Committee of Safety.

When he heard about the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Stark

immediately closed his sawmill, grabbed his gun and headed for

Massachusetts -- still wearing the clothes he had worked in that day.

 With his Colonel's commission, he quickly recruited

fourteen regiments, including the surprise enlistment of 

fifteen-year-old son Caleb.

 Important action began within days. Following Paul Revere's

intelligence, colonial militias knew where and when the British

planned to move their colossal navy. Stark was ordered with 

his regiments to move downriver across a narrow neck of land

where the British had floating batteries on each side. Stark moved

his force "at a deliberate pace" and when questioned why he

didn't hurry faster to where the need was great, responded

"one fresh man in action is worth ten fatigued ones".

 The fellow officer in charge knew Stark from the French

and Indian War, and left it up to him to position himself best.

On the north side of Bunker Hill was a thinly guarded rail fence

that Stark knew would be viewed by the enemy as opportunistic.

He ordered his men to "stuff the fence with straw" to present

at least the impression of a barrier. Then he rode about 80 yards 

in front of it and planted a stick marker into the ground, warning

his troops not to fire until British infantry passed the stick.

In the battle that ensued, three-fourths of British soldiers were

struck down, "all betwixt the line and the stick".

His men obeyed his order.

 Eventually, Stark and his troops would cover a retreating

fellow American regiment. Then they -- the last to remain --

began a slow, fighting retreat. Though the effort was not

a victory, the damage inflicted over a better equipped and

trained British contingent was almost as good as one

Stark was passed over for promotion again, and most of

his protests and explanations went unheeded. But his zeal

for independence kept him involved. As the the War for

Independence dragged on late into 1776, the Continental

Army was losing heart, without a victory, on the run,

enlistments ending. Gen. George Washington called

a council of war, and asked Stark's opinion going forward.

With strong words about relying on their courage and fire arms,

Stark proved the expectation of his leadership and devotion. 

Washington assigned Stark and his militia to cross the river 

and engage at Trenton at Christmas 1776, where 

his valor helped win the battle as hoped for. Encouraged,

Stark and Washington proposed using their own funds to

muster re-enlistments, and with momentum gained they

battled successfully for Princeton as well.

These victories together are considered a turning point

in the War for Independence.

The War continued, and once again Stark's military

prescience told him to watch out for trouble, this time

toward the Canadian border and Gen. Burgoyne who he

anticipated would set his sights on Fort Ticonderoga (1777)

The inept military figurehead leadership there crumbled and fled

as British soldiers approached, and they conquered it easily.

Vermont officials recognized the perilous threat, pleaded

with neighboring New Hampshire for aid. NH legislative leader

John Langdon pledged his own funds to mount a force to

retake the Fort, and called on John Stark to lead it.

Stark agreed, but only if he was responsible only to 

legislators, and NOT the fickle Continental Army.

(Above, view of Fort Ticonderoga)

With clever and inspired action, Brig. Gen. Stark led 

his soldiers toward the battle near Bennington, Vermont,

in divided attacks to feint, draw the enemy in,

then surround and cut off their retreat in a pincer move.

It was at this point, as he prepared to lead troops up

the center for the final blow, that he rousingly spurred his men 

with the quote: "There are the Red Coats and they are ours, 

or else this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow."

The battle commenced and the British lines were broken.

(This traditional patchwork quilt pattern, below, is titled 

"Burgoyne Surrounded" to celebrate these events.)

 Two surprising things happened next. First, a 500-man contingent

of German mercenaries appeared to resist. Then, as

Stark's men regrouped for a second attack, a regiment of

fresh Americans that Stark had sent for arrived.

The battle raged fiercely, but after five hours, these fresh recruits

who had been untrained and inexperienced had made

an improbable stand "for their homes, their families, 

and for their freedom."

This description reminds me strongly of the words of 

Captain Moroni in the Book of Alma from

Book of Mormon scriptures. ". . . he took a piece of [his torn coat]

and wrote upon it -- In memory of our God, our religion, and

freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children. (Alma 46:12)

(Artwork below by Brent Borup)

These courageous and effective actions shattered the plans

and determination of British John Burgoyne, leading to

full surrender at Saratoga, the beginning of the end of the War,

and persuasive evidence prompting France's support.

In very real ways, Gen. John Stark was on the scene

at the BEGINNING battles for Independence,

and then also AT PIVOTAL MOMENTS near the end.

Here in New Hampshire, the Stark name lives on,

in road signs, bridges and town names, as a Spanish American 
war fort, as a picturesque loop connecting historic sites, and more.

 Hopefully, the spirit of independence, self reliance,

preparation, foresight, leadership and determination

will also live on, even without attribution to this quiet hero.

 There is one more place we see Gen. John Stark's words

every day here. 

Shortly before he died, in 1809 a commemoration

of the Battle of Bennington was planned, and he was 

invited to travel there to speak.  Poor health did not allow it.

Instead, he prepared and sent a very quotable letter. Among his

strong words were an allusion to the threat of subversion from

within at the beginning of the movement for independence.

He cautioned all who then had the responsibility of

safeguarding liberty to maintain vigilance, to stay alert,

and "to look to their sentries."

He concluded with a tribute to all who would continue to stand

against erosion of liberties. He said, 

"Live free or die -- Death is not the worst of evils."

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

we believe we are following leadership of God's modern-day

prophets on the earth. I believe with my heart that they are

acting as our "sentries" and will help us keep living strong.

Happy Independence Day 2020!

"I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door"

                     --Emma Lazarus at Statue of Liberty

Allusions to Light and Ammunition

This week we have traveled north 2.5 hours into Maine

for a combined Zone Conference. The weather has begun

to catch up to the calendar, and with the change

to Standard time, we are trying to adjust to 4:30pm sunsets.

The views near Manchester look more like this image,

with vistas which previously were obscured or 

clothed in shadow. It is an interesting transformation.

Now the mornings include below-freezing temperatures,

including a couple of days this week that began 

around 13 degrees.

This shot shows what we encountered near Augusta, ME:

leaves with contrast of snow behind.

A highlight for us this weekend was a chance to address

our new "home" ward in Canterbury, where we find we

have been accepted as family, and feel connected

closely to a few dozen people. Our assigned topic

was "spiritual self reliance". My inspiration

as introduction to my remarks was taken from

Revolutionary War incidents that I have enjoyed reading

about from the history "American Spring" by

Walter Borneman (thanks Pamela Morgan for

the recommendation). I share that part of my talk here.

I described two incidents, and invited others to listen 

for ways that these circumstances and choices 

might relate to self reliance.

The year is 1775, early in the dark morning hours of April 19th. 

A decades-long struggle between mother country and colonies 

has come to a crisis and spilled over. 

British military leaders felt compelled to act to remove 

fighting resources, munitions and canon, if possible, 

from access or control by the rebellious Colonials 

in Boston and nearby areas. 

The search continues, 

following a deadly confrontation that broke out 

almost accidentally on Lexington green the previous day. 

Two handfuls of colonial casualties at the skirmish there 

make it impossible to turn back, even to the hostile 

but less violent intensity of what it had been before.

At the time, it appeared that British troops near Charlestown 

and Boston Neck shipyards were beginning to hunt down 

and arrest revolutionary leaders as well as preparing 

to march toward Concord to seize the arsenal there. 

For local militia, the urgent question was whether those troops 

would march around by land, or deploy more quickly by means of 

naval longboats straight across Charlestown harbor. 

Patriots had been alerted to watch for the alarm - 

a light that would be visible from what has become known 

as “Old North Church” – the highest visible place in Boston. 

That light would help them understand how the enemy 

was approaching, and therefore how to be prepared. 

 When secret intelligence came that Redcoats would deploy 

across the water, three couriers bypassed the Boston 

roadblocks to relay the information. William Dawes started 

toward Lexington via a land route, while Paul Revere 

traveled by ferry across to Charlestown then continued 

on horseback. Samuel Prescott followed somewhat later 

along a southern route.

Revere made his way secretly to communicate to his friend 

John Pulling what needed to be done to post the signal. 

Pulling enlisted church caretaker Robert Newman 

(who possessed the critical tower entrance key) 

and possibly one other man who protectively stood watch.

The author describes what happened next:

The two men entered the building . . . and in its darkened interior 

retrieved two lanterns from a closet. Using leather thongs, 

the two men draped the lanterns around their necks 

and climbed 154 creaking wooden steps up the church tower. . . 

At some point, perhaps on the platform beneath the great bells, 

[they] took out flint and steel and showered sparks onto tinder 

with which to light the candles in the lanterns. All that remained 

was the delicate climb up the narrow ladder leading past 

the bells to the uppermost perch at the base of the steeple. 

[The final climber had to] manage two lighted lanterns and 

still climb the ladder. From the highest window,

the glow of first one, and then two lights flickered out 

to the northwest, in the direction of Charlestown.

The lanterns emitted only a subtle glow, 

and to leave them visible for much more than a minute 

would have attracted the attention of patrolling British sentries. 

But -- it was enough.  

(Bunker Hill Monument showing harbor nearby)

Moving forward in time to mid-June of that same year, 

British military strategy is tightening the siege of Boston 

by taking control of the surrounding hills overlooking 

Charlestown peninsula. To counter this, colonial militiamen 

under direction of Colonel Prescott have moved onto 

Breed’s Hill near Bunker Hill where they built earthen fortifications 

to try to defend that strategic position.

As the British army advanced in columns up that hill, 

Prescott, in an effort to conserve the Americans’ 

limited supply of ammunition, reportedly told his men 

not to fire until they were within range. He stated 

this distance as waiting until they could “see the whites of 

their EYES”, or more probably, the white of their uniform leg gaitors. 

When they were close enough, the colonials let loose 

a lethal barrage of musket fire, and the British retreated 

with heavy casualties.

 Regrouping at the base of the hill, other assaults followed, 

and little by little, combined British troop movements 

began to pinch and turn and isolate the American forces. 

As the fighting became more dire, and ball and 

powder supplies dwindled, many Colonial fighters fled 

from the trenches to escape, while about 150 men stayed 

and fought on. Eventually, the attack achieved its goal, 

and the American forces there were defeated. 

In fact, they were wiped out.

Again, I quote the descriptive writing of author Borneman:

What ended the American resistance in the fortification 

was neither a lack of courage nor unstoppable 

British resolve, but rather the absence of rebel gunpowder. . . . 

Prescott directed his men to hold steady for one final fusillade, 

but . . . once their gunpowder was expended 

there was nothing they could do.

As I have been thinking about and planning these remarks,

my lamp has been filled in many ways. I appreciate

the efforts of Early American patriots who acted with resolve

and strength. I was also lifted as I looked into the accepting

faces of our Canterbury Ward members, for their own

valiant efforts to keep the faith here where they live.