, 1877-09-28

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of the lacopic speech is established here
beyond doubt. Stark's plans proceeded
to picturesque success. The militia
men went stealing behind Baum in their
shirt-sleeves, mistaken by him. tits said,
for the loyalists of the region, seeking
the protection Of his lines. Stark was
nearing the tory hill on the front ready
to open fire, when slender, youthful Par
son Allen stepped to the front to exhort
his tory neighbors, in the name of the
Lord to desist from giving battle to the
American forces. That they replied with
bullets SO justly incensed the man Of
God that he borrowed the gun of his
brother, Lieutenant Joseph Allen and
fired the first return shot of the battle.
The attack Of the American forces in
the rear of Baum's camp quickly followed,
and General Stark officially says: 81
pushed forward the remainder with all
speed. Our people behaved with the
greatest spirit and courage imaginable
Had they been Alexanders or Charleses of
Sweden thev could not have behaved bet
ter" The Yankee farmers, stripped for
the fight, and enraged at encountering
their tory neighbors, soon made the in
trenchments too hot for the loyslists, and
the poor wretches, attempting to scale the
steep and slippery height to the main
camp, were shot down remorselessly. The
Indians fled early in the battle, and the
Americans advanced like'veterans against
the terrible fire of the Hessians, "mount-
ing the breastworks that we're well forti-
fed and defended with cannon" "It
was the hottest fight" said Stark, ~ ever
saw in my life; it represented one con-
tinuous clap of thunder, 1.-TWO hours of
it, before Colonel Baum, attempting
gallant sally, was mortally wounded, and
his forces fled and surrendered.
Parson Allen began with prayer, and
special prayers assembled at Bennington
and Williamstown during the fight, but
with the delirium of victory came also
the TEN ptation to drink copiously from
the enemy's rum barrels. The wearied
and parched farmers speedily became so
demOralized that the troops of Colonel
Breyman, over 900, with two helvy can
non, sent by Burgoyne to reinforce Baum,
would have turned the American victory
into defeat but for the opportune arrival
Of 150 of Colonel Seth Warmers men from
Manchester, who succeeded in rallying
the tired and boozy veterans of the pre-.
vious fight Stark had proposed, even
ordered retreat, but Colonel Warmers
urgency prevailed to save the day until
the coming of his fresh men. Fighting
till sunset, the Americans won their sec
ond victory, and only nightfall prevented
the capture of Breymsn's entire force.
The keenest anxiety had possessed the
friends of the local soldiery the while.
The Council of Safety continued in SOL
emn session at Catamount Tavern, and
at six o'clock bulletin was sent abroad
announcing that "the enemy were driven,
but, being reinforced, made second
stand, and still continue the conflict. But
we have taken their cannon, and prison
ers, said to number four or five hundred,
are now arriving" The real facts were
that the British had lost 1000 men, while
of the Americans less than 80 were killed
and wounded. Stark thus gives the de-
tails: 1--WE killed upward of 900 Of the
enemy on the field Of battle. have
lieutenant-colonel (since dead), major,
I captains, IA lieutenants, ensigns, 2
cornets, 1 judge-advocate, baron, Q
Canadian officers, 6 sergeants, 1 aide. de-
camp, and 700 prisoners" He adds,
with arithmetical precision, ~ almost
forgot Hessian chaplain" "Gentle-
men, he concludes, addressing his Su-
periors In New Hampshire, ~ think we
have returned the enemy a proper COM
pliment 10 the above action for the Hub
bardstown engagement"
The prisoners were filed into Benning-
ton, and the wounded of both sides ten
derly cared for. The dead enemies were
buried with no ceremony, one enterpris-
ing granger hitching his horse by rope
around the necks of the bodies and drag
ging them to great hole. Col. Baum
had been taken with Col. Pfster, noted
tory who owned magnificent house in
Hoosac, to house about mile away,
and both died within twenty-four hours.
Baum, by his self-sacrifcing bravery, in
spired a cordial liking among the Amer
leans, and was devotedly ministered to in
his death. The 150 tory prisoners were
much more roughly treated than the Hes
SLAMS. They we're marched into the vii
lage two by two, the women taking down
their bedsteads TO get ropes to string
them on, and the Council of Safety found
them a long burden. They were made
to tread down the roads in winter over to
Wilmington, we're kept guarded a. the
meeting house, put upon the limits Of
their own farms, or banished under pen
atty Of death from the town, and some
were even sent down TO the Simsbury
mines. The Hessian dead are buried in
the village cemetery. Among the tro-
phies Of the days victory were four brass
feld,pieces--two Of which are In the
State House at MOntpelier-twelve brass
drums, four ammunition wagons, several
hundred stand Of arms, and a host Of per-
sonal relics which will turn up during
a 4 4