Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-09-18

NiiNNo III Nilut frequently uIt lut turning
points of the whole. 1t was indispensable tc
the royal cause that junction should be imme.
diately effected between the two armies the one
coming down from Canada, the other up from
New York. And when once the British forces
should be united at Albany, having possession
of the Lakes above and the River below they
could turn to the East and West at their will
and the whole country lay at their mercy. The
English Commander sought to divert attention
from his true object of moving up the Hudson
by every kind of fent of attacks, now in one di-
rection, now in another The only course for
Washington was to hold his own firmly and
keep quite on the alert, until some signal blow
should be struck at the North. "lf ! can keep
Gen. Howe below the Highlands" wrote he, 81
think their schemes will be entirely baifled.-
But this sort of warfare prolonged and crratc,
however important it may be, has like the di-
plomacy of politicians, little attraction to the
common people. And popular feeling was a
most essential matter of consideration during
all the war of the Revolution. The importance
OF preventing encouragement and diSrust from
making way among the towns and villages, was
felt by all the patriot leaders. Even Congress
admitted it, by removing Gen. Schuyler from
the Northern command, and placing the less un-
popular Gen. Gates in his stead.
Now just at this most inauspicious time came
the news that ST. Clair had evacuated ficonder-
oga without firing gun of resistance. And on
his retreat he had struck into the woods so deep
ly that no information of his whereabouts. and
norxplanation of his course, reached the Com
mander-in-Chicf for several days. "An affair
OF SO much mystery" slil Washington, ''as to
battle even conjecture" Panic and consterna-
ton ran all through the country, and among
the royalists there was corresponding ciaticn
and JOY. Even in England, the news filed all
with eXultation, for now the way seemed clear
for an ultimate subjugation cf the rebels. "'rhe
loss IN reputation said an English writer of
the time 'was greater to the Americans, and
capable of more fatal consequences than that
OF ground, posts, artillery or men" All the
contemptuous and degrading charges which had
been made by their enemies of their want of the
resolution and abilities of men even in defence
OF what was dear to them, were repeated and
believed. The opinion was that the war in ef-
feet was over.
Still it was needful that the two armies of
Howe and Burgoyne should effect the junction
at Albany. 1t seemed now all the more desira-
ble for the enemy held tine strong KEYS of the
country on the North. As late as the middle
of July, the Commander in Chief of our forces.
when explaining an apparently imprudent move
ment which he had ordered, wrote II look up
on It as the only means of preventing junction
OF llowes and Burgoyne's armies, which if eff
iected may have the most fatal consequences
Could we be so happy as ocut one ofthcr par
ties off, supposing it did not exceed four or FIVE
or SIX hundred men, it would inSpirit the peo-
pie, and do away with much of the present anx-
iety.' Just at this time, however, the fleet un-
der Gen. Howe put out to sea. What this
meant, Washington could not understand.
Whittier they were bound was nexplcable.
But keeping vigilant eye in person upon their
moN ements, he urged his Generals at the North
to redoublcd energy and zeal The British
General Clinton remained at New York, and
was as watchful Howe had been for an oppor-
tunity to push his way up to Albany
In the meantime, Burgoyne was far from in
active. Flushed with success, he evidently be-
heved that six hundred men could march clear
ut tvuSh I'VE" fa"Sioua rt.i---. ---:---
yenience. He had probably never heard the
name of Stark. Col Warner was the only man
he feared and he was not much alarmed about
him. And indeed so many things had concur
red TO his advantage, that not only he himself
was in high spirits, but even Washington was
apprehensive. Only nine days before the great
battle, he wrote, "as matters are going on, Gen
Burgoyne will find little difficulty in penetrating
to Albany"
In this confident spirit of self-reliance, al
though for time pressed by need, the English
commander sent forth Colonel Baum-a gallant
German officer-to pass through Vermont
The State was, of course, unorganized. All this
district of country was called the "Hampshire
Grants" The letter of instructions given Col.
Baum reveals the particular wants OF Burgoynes
army. "The objects of our expedition, so it
ran,-"are to try the affections of the country,
to disconcert the councils of the enemy, and to
obtain large supplies of cattle, horses and car
riages." 1t may. perhaps, be stated in passing,
that somebody did get one horse in the course
of their travels, for from an advertisement in
Connecticut paper, published in September fol-
lowing, We learn that was stolen, in the midst
of the action. from Gen. Stark himself. But
that "brown mare, five years old with star in
her forehead" was all tn plunder they got in
Vermont. Ills great mistake in the matter was
in insanely believing that among the settled re-
gions of New England there were many who
were only waiting for an overture to Join him
and give their aid to the royalist cause If he
had succeeded in his purpose, then the junction
with Clinton could easily have been effected
the enemy would have become masters If the
Hudson, and our land would have lifted the wall
of defeat instead of the jjubilant song which ere
long arose from the plains of Saratoga. need
not recount tediously the events of history
You know how he failed in every particular.
iOu hioN ioN ilht lHuliutI tluD DulSL lnc
news on his ear that one John Stark had met
and routed his trained bands, sung his brass
drums around the Green Mountain Bows necks,
fired his field guns at the backs of the retreating
platoons, and piously taken home some hun
dreds OF his Hessans to Bennington to church
1t is to be hoped he had as edifying Sabbath
as they did.
or cosse, there was great rejoicing all over
the land. Three days after the battle Gen.
Schuyler wrote to Stark-"The signal victory
you have gained cannot fail of producing the
most salutary results Washington wrote to
Putnam that he hoped "the great stroke struck
by Gen. Stark near Bennington would crush
Gen. Burgoyne." And it is not saving too
much to assert that the Bennington battle broke
the Northern army, turned the tide of war, and
with Trenton battle further south, decided the
contest which eventually made America free.
"One more such stroke" said Washington him
self, "and we shall have no great cause for anx-
iety as to the further designs of Britain" Ev-
en-. that other stroke he found he did not need.
The after struggle Of the Northern army was
only the erratic wandering of the pierced deer,
in whose side is already infxed the arrow by
which he must die.
Surely, these are reasons enough to warrant
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