Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-07-30
.TnE BATTLE ON nrRRARnTON

Inc clSnty-sccOnu anniversary Of the battle
of IIubbardton was celebrated on the eth of
July by completing with interesting ccremo-
mics, handsome marble monument, commcm-
orative of our patriot soldiers who were in the
battle, which was erected by the IIubbardton
Battle Monument Association. The Monipe-
licr Waterman concludes n narrative of the
proceedings at the celebration with the follow
ing account Of the battle:
And now few words as to the battle. We
have n suspicion that its Importance is not suf-
fciently estimated at this day,-that even Yer
montcrs do not justly appreciate the honor that
Is due, nor fully measure the glory that is due,
to Warner and his Green Mountain BOYS We
often think OF and speak of, and often gloriy,
the audaCiOus capture of liconderoga by Allen,
aud Crown Point by Warner and the brilliant
victory of Bcnnington-for these are far more
agreeable incidents in our history and have
given us name to live wherever and as long
as history shall be read. Let us then refresh
the memory of the reader with an account of
the battle of llubhardton. On the early nlurii-
ing of July 6, l777, Gen. st. Clair evacuated
Forts 1iconderoga and Independence, and he
marched to llubbardton on that day. Here he
placed Warner in command of the rear guard,
with instructions to wait for those who were
lIgging behind, and TO encamp u mile and
half in the rear of the army. st. Clair then
marched on, but instead of haltinB mile and
half in advance of Warmers post at Hubbard
ton, or aSccrtaining whether the remnant Of the
army had come up, so that Warner could adj
vance the General never halted until he reach
cd Castcton, six miles ahead of Warner. The
latter encamped at Hubbardton with thousand
men; many of them doubtless diseased or dis
a.. .l..l L. Ill al.
the army, the laggers,) and many of them but
poorly armed. On the Sd of the month pre-
cedimg, we find Col. Francis writing thus "Sol-
ders unclothed by day, and no blankets to
shield them from this cold clay soil by night"
Several officers have lately been up for
innoculation for the small pox, of course, in
camp, and are now on trial" "With
respect to the arms, it may with truth be assert
ed, that not more than half arc fit for service"
Francis was of Warmers party, and his descrip-
ton is doubtless true of all the continental
troops Indeed, probably the very best men
for service, and the best armed, were the Green
Mountain volunteers and militia, of whom the
President tBowker) of the Vermont Conven-
ton, then in session at Windsor, wrote this,
four DAYS before the battle "rhe militia from
this State principally with the officer com
manding the continental amy at Ticonderoga !;
the reminder on their march for the relief of
that distressed post" and many Of whom, we
learn 10y letter from him, Warner had ordered
to lluhJalton few day before the battle
At five O'Clock the next morning, Gen. Frazier
came up with Warmers cncampmcni leading.
says Ethan Allen, two thousand British troops,
from the most srlenlidly equipped army ever
sent to America by Great Britain,-of whom
''it was said NY the British" (says Williams
"thit a more complete body of officers and men
b,1
numerous than this" And Williams adds :
"lhis army in every respect was in the best
condition that could be expected or desired !;
the troops, in the style of the army, were in
high spirits, admirably sciplinod and uncom-
monty he,lthy." This was especially true pre-
ceding the morning of IIubbardton, for they
had just driven out the American army from
Canada, swept Lake Champlain, and recovered
Ticonderosa and Fort Independence. When
therefore, the respective forces were arraycd in
order Of battle at liubhmdtcn, at sixty wards
distance, in the early morning Of July I, III,
there were two of these splendidly equipped
and thoroughly disciplined British soldiers to
one halt-clad and badly armed American. And
thus Tor two hours the parties STOOD for the at
tack was not made until seven O'Clock. These
two Lours decided the fate of the day. Frazier
WAS waiting for Gen. lieilesel and his Bruns-
wick troops, to whom he had sent to support
him-and Rcdese was close to Frazier's rear,
aud ready to reinforce him. On the other hand
Hale rctreatcd with his men without firing
gun, leaving Warner with but seven or eight
hundred men. The force against him was
therefore nearly three to one before shot had
been exchanged. St. Clair had retreated TO
safe distance-lIale had rctreated, only to be
captured speedily-and Warner and Francis
were left alone as leaders. with five or six hun
dred Nermonters, and perhaps two hundred
Massachusetts men. The battle began at seven.
and " llhams, Daniel Chapman, and Ethan AL
len all concur in saying that Warner was well
supported by officers and men, and so impetu-
Gus was his attack, that the British troops
broke and gave way. The British again form
ed and charged, when, says Chapman, they
"wcre again brought to a stand" At this crit
ical moment, the brave Col. Francis fell, and
his men rctreated, while on the other side, Gen
Reidesel appeared to reinforce the British with
his advanced column, consisting of the chas-
Seur company, and eighty grenadiers and light
infantry, who were Immediately led into action"
At this moment, Warner and his Green Noun
tain Boys were alone, and the opposing force
must have been four or five to their one. But
even then there was no panic-no indecent
haste to follow their companions of the morn
ing. Chapman says, "at this anxious and eX-
citing moment, Warner saw Francis's regiment
retreatlng, and the battle lost. This was too
much even for the nerve OF Whner. He
dropped down upon log by which he stood,
and poured out torrent of execrations upon
the flying troops; but he instantly rose, and,
in most collected manner, ordered his regi
ment to Manchester" And to Manchester
they went. The Green Mountaineers were the
boys and the only ones, who stood to the last:
aye, we think there was not one of them in
Hale's or Francis's regiments. The revolution
AIRY rolls in the State Department purport to
give the names not only of Vermonters in SER
vice. but of their commanders, and we do not
find the name Of either Hale or Francis in the
list. The NermonterS stood, then, until by the
withdrawal of others and the reinforcement of
| the enemy, there was not even chance for ac-
complishing anything by standing longer; and
then they retreated by command, and reached
their rendezvous. Every way, then, the battle
Of Hubbardton was honorable to Vermonters
1t was not victory to them in the fate of the
day, though there were certainly victories to
them in the fight; nor was it any true sense a
victory to the British. MOI not by them was
the victory won, if victory it was but rather by
the careleSsness, not to say cowardice Of st.
| Clnir and tho rafraot of tha nf IJala