Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-03-19

him on the west bank of the Hoosick,
near what is now known as Hoosick Cor
ners. These with most of Peters corps
of loyalists were posted on a hill east of
the stream. 40 or so rods to the south
east of the bridge. Here strong works
OF defence were erected, known as the
''Tory Breast work. and of which Col.
Phster is understood to have been placed
in command. On its right was sharp
ravine and both fanks would have the
protection of ball and grape from the
cannon at the bridge. The other can
non, in charge of German grenadiers,
supported by some Tories, appears to
have been placed further to the west in
cleared field near the road. It was on
a hillside which overlooked and COM
manded the approaches to the bridge
and to the Tory encampment, and also
to the south flank of Baume's encamp.
ment. 1t may have been moved nearer
to Baume's position during the engage
ment. (The several positions of Baume's
forces are shown by the plan in Bur-
goyne's account of his expedition, of
which a copy on a reduced scale is CIV
en- in the Memorials of a Century, by
the Rev. Isaac Jennings, and another
still smaller is found in Lossing's Field
book of the Revolution. The top of the
map is west, and upon it the Tories are
designated as American Volunteers,
the British marksmen as sRanon---'' 80
A-,e-.;.--.---.-s ---DUuIes of the Enemy"
All others, except the Canadians are
Germans, the "Chassures" being Ger
man marksmen. On Burgoyne's map
the Walloomsac is called the Hoosick.)
The encampments of the two hostile bod
les. though little more than two miles
apart, were entirely hid from the sight |
of each other by heavily-wooded inter-
vening hill
The force under General Stark was
comnosad nf ~ cs---t~- P~IO Vr MS Urlg-
ade of New Hampshire militia, small |
number of Vermont militia from the east |
side of the mountain, under Col. VIM.
Williams, who had been stationed at
Manchester, Col. Herrick's corps of ran
gers then forming, the State militia from
Bennington and its vicinity under Col.
Nathaniel Brush, and on the morning of |
the 10th Stark was joined by Col. ST.
monds and some militia from Berkshire
County. His whole force might perhaps
have numbered about 1000.
On the night of the 14th, after ascer-
tanning the position of the enemy, Stark
called council, consisting of the lead
ing members of the Council of Safety,
as we'll as of Colonels Warner and Her
rick and other military officers. in which
plan for attacking the enemy was dis
cussed and adopted. and it was agreed
that the attack should be made the next
morning. But the 10Th was so excess
lively rainy as to prevent any attempt at
general action. Scouts were however
sent out, some of which were engaged in
successful skirmishes.
THE BATTLE.
The morning of the 18th was bright
and clear, and Stark prepared for the
attack in accordance with the plan pre-
viously agreed upon. Col. Nichols, with
two hundred of the New Hampshire
troops, to whom reinforcement of 100 |
was afterward added. was detached to
make a vide circuit to the north of
Baume's post and come round upon the
rear of his left, and Col. Herrick with
800 men composed of his rangers and
Col. Brush's militia was to make like
wide southern circuit to the rear of his
right, the two parties to meet and make
a joint attack upon his entertainments.
Coils. Hubbard and Stickney, with 800
men of Stark's brigade, were ordered to
the enemy's extreme right. While these
three detachments were gaining their as
signed positions, the enemy was amused
by threatened attack on their front.
About three o'clock in the afternoon fir
ing was commenced by the party under
Nichols, which was the signal for gen.
eral assault 1t was Immediately fol-
lowed by the detachment under Herrick,
and by that of Hubbard and Stickney, !
while Stark himself, with his reserve of |
New Hampshire men and the Berkshire
and some Vermont militia, in the face
of the enemy's cannon, assailed the To-
ry breast work and the pass at the bridge
in front. The engagement thus became
general and LASTED" says Stark in his
report to Gates. 1.-TWO hours, and was the
hottest [ ever saw-it represented one
continued clap Of thunder The In
dians, alarmed at the prospect of being
enclosed between the parties of Nichols
and Herrick, fled at the beginning of
the fight, but Baume. with his Germans
and all others under his command, hav- |
ing the advantage of their position be-
hind entertainments, which the rain of
the 10Th had given them ample time to
erect and make strong, fought with great
resolution and bravery, but they were
overpowered by their militia assailants
and either fed or surrendered prisoners