The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-09-01
4,snirersnry of the Battle of Bon
ningtOn.

From the Boston Post.
After Burgoync'> disastrous campaign
in Canada terminated. his next movement
of Importance was to get possession of the
then obscure town Of Bennington, lying in
the " New Hampshire Grants" among
the Green Mountains; and at that time
made the depot Of large quantities of cat
tie, provisions and other necessaries for
the use of the American army. For the
purpose of capturing these, as well as to
intimidatc the people in that quarter, he
detached party of lIessians, with a few
Indians, to the number of about fifteen
hundred, and gave the command to Col.
Baum, a German officer If successful
here. he intended to march on to Boston,
and give out word that the main body Of
the British army was in motion for the
same purpose, and that by this irresistible
power they intended to bring the "rebel-
lious Americans :" to submission, or to ov-
crrlln the whole country. How the con-
ceited British officer was thwarted in his
purposes. the historian tells us. These
bombastic orders and threats were far from
spreading the panic they intended to in
cite The adjoining country was imme-
iiately in motion and I'LL seemed animated
with a resolution to defend the rights Of
nature and the peaceful possession Of life
and property. When Baum had arrived
within a few miles of Bennington, ap-
pearances gave him reason to apprehend
that he was not sufficiently strong to make
an attack on that place SO he fell back
to post on the branch of the Hoosa(
river, and sent messenger to his superior
representing the apparent difficulty of ex.
eruting his orders with the force under hi:
command. In consequence of this infor
nation party Of Waldeckers were sent
but before they reached the camp of hi:
friends, body Of militia, commanded by
Gen. Stark, had pressed forward, attack
ed, routed, and totally defeated Col. Baum
This victory Of the Green Mountain boy
contributed in no small degree to the sub
>equent surrender of Burgoyne's army.
Bennington, the scene of this heroi
action, was the first settlement in the thel
territory of Vermont, which was as re
cent As l7Gl. This was made by tn
possession of the tracts known as TIN
New Hampshire Grants" having 70
bust and hardy set of men, gathered il
from the provinces Of New Hampshire
Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
York, and who are known and generall
:; denowinated "Green Mountain Boys" -
" brave and active; and by their vaior an
intrepldity they won an honorable name
which to this day is suggestive of all tina
is heroic. They We're in fact the terror {
;. Gen. Burgoyne, who, in a letter to tn
T. British government, said that the ''Grants
!. (or Green Mountain Bcys) were the mos
active and rebellious men on the continep,
. THE VICTOR OF BENNINGTON.
[. Gen. Stark, the hero of Bennington.
his early youth had been accustomed
the alarm of war. His birthplace W;
, on the borders of New Hampshire, whic
E. had long been subject to incursions of II
savages. When child hewas captured
~ them. 1t was eighty-seven years ago th
a band of savages traversed an unbrokt
wilderness for hundreds of miles to ca
ture few white men, among them Il
- future hero of Bennington, who learn'
4 from them their arts of war. He w
,N IS. soon released and fought the savage ca
tors in seven years of war to wrest th