The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-17
THE BATTLE OF BENNING-
TON.
A Local and Historical Desc rip
ton of the Event.

A Local and Historical Desc rip
ton of the Event.
The following quite minute desc ription Of
the Battle of Bennington, of what preceded
it, the occurrence itself, and some of the
events which followed. was carefully pre-
pared by Hon. HilaDd Hall for the Benuing-
ton BANNER. aud published in our edition of
several months since. But as it will be
found of interest to the readers of our daily
paper, very many of whom have not been
readers of the weekly BANNER, we repub-
lish Gov. HALLS description, accounts of the
men, and the fight
THE BATTLR OF Observation-Disclosures 16,
1ST7.-BY HILAND HALL.
In the following account of the Battle OF
Bennington, only the leading facts are at
tempted to be gwen, numerous interesting
aud exciting incidents being necessarily
omitted.
In order to have Just appreciation of the
battle aud its consequences, 1t Is necessary
to call to mind the condition of the eoun-
try and of the State at the time OF its occur
renee.
The campaign Of 1910 in the northern de-
partment had been disastrous to the Ameri-
can arms. After suffering severe losses our
forces had been driven from Canada in great
distress, and tho enemy. by the destruction
of the American fotilla, had obtained full
command of the waters of Lake Champlain.
Great numbers of troops were arriving at
Quebec from Europe, and a fearful invasion
was expected At the opening OF the lake IN
the spring. To meet such invasion extern
sive works had been erected at Ilconderoga,
ON which great reliance was placed. But
| they were defective in arrangement and but
partially manned, and on the approach OF
Gen. BurgOyne, with powerful army, Gen.
ST. Clair found they would be wholly unten-
able, and he felt compelled to abandon them.
the command of Col. Seth Warner. was over
taken the next day. July z, 1T17, ut Hub
bardton, by large body OF tine enemy, ana,
after brave resistance, during which many
were killed aud wounded on both sides, wac
overpowered by numbers and Obliged to
give way. The greatest portion Of st. Clairs
force succeeded in forming Junction with
Gen. Schuylerat Fort Edward, while, the
remnant of Col. Warmers regiment, about
40 strong, took post at Manchester.
Burgoyne's army, numbering about 5000
men, was equipped aud furnished with
every warlike material that wealth and skill
could supply, and consisted mostly OF BRIT
ish and German veterans, with bodies OF Ca
nadians and Tories, and formidable horde
of Indians. Its commander. expected to
make q triumphal march to Albany, there to
/ be met by an army from New YORK, and thus,
| by obtaining the control Of the Hudson r1y-
or, and cutting off New England from the
other States to complete the conquest of
the country for the king, He had already
issued flaming proclamation. threatening
destruction to the lives and property OF all
who should oppose him, but promising pro-
lection and security to those who should
give him their adhesion, ana oIlerlng pay
ment Gin solid coin" for all provisions that
should be brought to his camp. On the 10th
of July, having reached SkenesborOuRh, now
whitehall he issued another proclamation
in which he directed the inhabitants OF
Castleton, Hubbardton, Rutland I1nmouth,
Pawlet, Wells, and Granville, with the
| neiRhbOring districts; also the districts Dor
dering on White Creek tSaleml, Camden,
| Cambridge ETC., etc." to send ten persons or
more from each township. to meet Colonel
Sbene at CastletOn on the 18th, who would
Communicate conditions upon which the
persons and properties of the dis0bedient
might yet be spared The proclamation
concluded with tine following barbarOus
threat This fail not under pain of military
execution"
To large proportion of the frontier in
| habitants. BurgOyne's army appeared IRE
sistable. III be should let loose his horde OF
savages upon them, which in his first prOcla-
nation he said amounted TO Thousands
there would seem to be no escape for them.
Great numbers from those towns, and some
IONHS bIlli W bup uOhhut 10
paired to Col. Skene. and taking the oath of
allegiance 70 the crown. some from choice,
and some from supposed necessity, received
written projections for their security. vi
these some took mp arms against their cOun-
try and Joined the invading army. But the
more patriotic and courageous portion Of the
inhabitants, scOrnIng submission to the in
yaders. abandoned their homes TO the mercy
of the enemy, and taking with them such of
their effects as they were able t. transport.
fed to the south, some stopping In Benntng-
ton, but most of them going on to their
| fTispds In Berksbire county and Connecti-
cut Berkshire county, in the language Of .
contemporary, was burdened with these fu-
ntives." Nearly all Of the territory between
Bennington aud the route of BurROyne
towards the Hudson and Albany was thus
made, IN effect, an euemy's country, and
Bennington became frontier town.
Prior to the revolution the territory of
Vermont was known by the name OF the New
Hampshire Grants, over which the govern
ment of New York claimed jurisdiction. aud
also the title to its lands. This claim was
disputed by its inhabitants, who, after a long
and severe controversy had, by convention
of their delegates held IN Westminster on
the 18th Of January, 1777, declared the ter
ritory 40 independent state. AZ the time OF
the evacuation Of Tlc0nderoga by st. CLAIR,
a subsequent convention of the new State
was in session at Windsor, engaged in the
work of framing its constitution OF govern
ment, and the abandonment of that post left
the families Of many of its members In i'm
mediate peril. At the news of this alarming
event the constitution was somewhat hur-
ridly adopted, and having appointed a coun-
ell of safety TO manage the affairs of the
State until the regular government could be
put in operation. the convention adjourned.
The council OF safety thus constituted met
at Manchester, but soon adjourned 70 Ben
ningtOn, whore IL continued In permanent
session throughout the year, adopting and
earring into effect the most energetic meas
ures for protecting the state against its for
eign as well as its domestic enemies. Press
ing messages having been sent to New
Hampshire and Massachusetts, for aid, such
Of the militia as could be gathered were
called out to strengthen the force Of Colonel
Warner &C Manchester, where an attack
was apprehendsd. A permanent force 10
patrol the frontiers, and to guard against
any covert outbreak Of the tories IN their
midst was indispensable, and toprOyide means
for maintaining such force, and 70 meet
the council ordered the property Of those Of
their inhabitants that had Joined the enemy
TO be sequestered and sold, A proper fund
being thus secured, regiment OF ranhers
was organized under the command uf Col. |
Samuel HSrrick, which did efficient and val |
liable service TO the State and country.
New Hampshire responded nObly to the |
call of the Vermont council. The assembly /
az once ordered a large portion Of their mill
tia 90 be organized into brigade and placed |
under the command of General John Stark /
He had served with credit and honor in the