By Guy Page

Best-selling author Eric Metaxas joined WVMT’s Chronicle Conversations today to describe the impact of the Battle of Bennington, Vermont’s outsized role in the American Revolution and his new book, “REVOLUTION: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World.”

The interview came on the anniversary of the Battle of Bennington, fought Aug. 14, 1777, and just before Vermont observes the official Battle of Bennington Day on Monday, Aug. 17. Click on the August 14 podcast, the interview begins about half way through.

“Yonder are the Hessians. Tonight the American flag floats from yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow!” New Hampshire Gen. John Stark famously told his troops before the battle.

Stark’s New Hampshire forces, joined by Vermont’s Green Mountain Boys and other American militia, defeated British and Hessian forces in a victory that helped cripple British Gen. John Burgoyne’s campaign. Two months later, Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga, an American triumph that helped persuade France to enter the war on the American side.

Metaxas’ new book tells the story of the Revolution from Lexington and Concord through Bennington, Saratoga, and Yorktown, emphasizing the people, ideas, faith and commitment to liberty that produced the United States.

“Once upon a time there was a REVOLUTION,” the book begins. And goes on to say “there has never been another nation like the United States of America.” “Revolution” has spent eight weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list and is available on Amazon.

Today’s conversation focused particularly on Vermont and the northern theater of the Revolution, including Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, the Battle of Bennington and the events leading to Saratoga.

Metaxas will also discuss the religious and philosophical ideas about liberty that motivated the Revolutionary generation and what those ideas may mean for Americans approaching the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Metaxas is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his million-selling biography of German theologian and Nazi opponent Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His books and other writings have been translated into more than 25 languages.

He is also founder and host of Socrates In The City, public conversations on “Life, God, and other small topics” with notable thinkers as Francis Collins, Malcolm Gladwell, John Lennox, Alice von Hildebrand, Dick Cavett, Hugh Hewitt. He hosts the popular podcast, The Eric Metaxas Show. His interviews have ranged from actors and filmmakers Ron Howard, Mel Gibson, Morgan Freeman and Dick Cavett to technology entrepreneur Peter Thiel.

He is well-remembered by many Vermonters for his 2021 visit to the Green Mountain State, accepting the invitation of Vermont Grass Roots founder Ellie Martin to speak in Montpelier and Williston. China expert Gordon Chang also spoke at those events.