Few men contributed as much to the American victory in the Revolutionary War but have been as little recognized as a New Hampshire farmer and lumberman by the name of John Stark. But although his life is not well known; a few words he wrote live on: Live Free or Die. He served as a captain of rangers with Robert Rogers in the French and Indian War; and as a colonel and general in the Revolution at Bunker Hill; Trenton; Princeton; Westchester; Springfield; Saratoga; Ticonderoga and West Point. But his greatest achievement was at Hoosick; N.Y.; in what became known as the Battle of Bennington. The Battle of Saratoga and the surrender of Burgoyne on 17 October 1777 was the turning point of the American Revolution; but the Battle of Bennington on 16 August set the stage. At Bennington John Stark commanded a force of militia and Green Mountain Boys; everyday men from Vermont and New Hampshire facing professional European soldiers. In a daring and complicated attack; Stark routed an entrenched enemy and almost entirely destroyed it. It was the beginning of the end of the British invasion from Canada until then a juggernaut that could not be stopped. Stark was the quintessential citizen soldier proud; resourceful; independent. He was unschooled and rough around the edges; a New Hampshire frontiersman. Captured by Indians in 1752; he earned their respect by fighting his way out of their gauntlet. Congress and commanding officers didn t always like him; but they relied on him. Stark enlisted for the French and Indian War along with a friend; Robert Rogers. When Rogers was ordered to form a corps of rangers; one of the first he chose was John Stark; who rose to captain of rangers and fought in many of the legendary battles along Lake George and Lake Champlain; including the Battle of Ticonderoga and the First Battle on Snowshoes. Stark s ranger experience taught him tactics he would use effectively in the Revolution as he rose through the ranks to brigadier general; fighting at Bunker Hill; Trenton; Princeton; Springfield; Bennington; and Saratoga (Stark s Knob). He crossed the Delaware with Washington; covered the retreat of the army from Canada; defended Fort Ticonderoga; and sat on the Board of General Officers that convicted Major John André; Benedict Arnold s British contact. At war s end; John Stark quietly returned to his farm and lumber mill. He departed the spotlight and remains largely unheralded to this day except in New Hampshire; where he is best known for some words he penned in a letter to the Bennington Committee on 31 July 1809 in response to an invitation to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Bennington. He regretted that he could not attend; but he offered them this toast: Live free or die death is not the worst of evils.
#4336054 in Books Malia Enterprises 1996-07Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 6.50 x 1.50l; #File Name: 1877597058495 pages
Review
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Intereresting ReadBy RobThis book was recommended to me by a former Commander of Kunsan Air Base while I was there. He said it was interesting to see how far the base and country have come; but how many things are still the same (he was correct). It is written from the first person perspective by a Commander who had been there and tried to overcome the attitudes of apathy and obstructionism (covers only about a year of time--mid-1950s after the korean War). In terms of lessons on leadership; it was outstanding--the author describes many challenging scenarios; how he approached them; how he reacted; and what was the outcome.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Many Lessons In A Fast-Paced Entertaining StoryBy ChapomaticI picked up this book in Seoul about a decade ago. It's a story by a retired three star about his experience getting a Job From Hell as a colonel; and how he did what he did. There are lessons galore that don't hurt at all going down--I think he perhaps wanted to teach without letting on that was his intent.The first time I read this book; I focused on the leadership stories. The next time I picked it up; to lend to a boss who was at Kunsan; I reread it for pleasure and discovered a host of counterinsurgency lessons due to the position Moench was in--a base open to all sorts of infiltration by North Koreans; with nuclear weapons on the base...or were they?3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Excellent StoryBy A CustomerA must read for any assigned to; formerly assigned to; or about to be assigned to Kunsan Air Base. Also; a good read for fans of Air Force History.The story tells of the trials of then-Colonel Moench; a professional given the gargantuan task of shaping up outpost K-8. In two months; he put into place changes that are still evident to people assigned to the Wolf Pack nearly 4 decades later. The only drawback... how much more could then-Col Moench have accomplished if he hadn't been reassigned in two months? We'll never know.
