A company of militia was leaving Bennington on this day in 1792.

Congress had recently authorized recruiting three new regiments and had assigned one of them to Bennington. These regiments were to provide assistance and protection on the frontiers.

Congress reassigned this regiment from Vermont to what was called the “western country.”

Captain William Eaton and his men spent much of the first year of their reassignment in training, eventually engaging in several battles with natives, losing a number of men as they went west.

Eaton ultimately attained the rank of General, and served all over the world.

At right, an historic image of Captain Eaton courtesy of Vermont Historical Society