New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-14
BENNINGTON.
,TARK'S CELEBRATED VICTORY.

ACTION
The centennial anniversary approaches of one OF
the most interesting battles of the Revolution, and
circumstances will cause it TO he observed with
usua! spirit. The occasion viii be honorcd by ;he
presence of the President of the United States and
OF the Governors of several States, and the Legsla
lures of Massachusetts, New-liampshlve and Vermont
will DE also participators in the ceremonies The
battle of bennington resulted in n brilliant victory
for the American arms at a time when both its moral
and material effect excellent, and 1t has made
the name Of stark immortal in our annals.
THE PRELIMINARY SITUATION.
Bnrgoyne. arriving AZ Quebec in March 1777, had
assumed the command of the British forces. Hebore
q commission OF Lieutenant-Genera, and lmmedl-
ately began great preparations for a campaign
Vessels were constructed stores collected and on
the LIST of June he had mustered at St. Johns at the
foot of Lake Champlain, force Of 1000 men IN
Guiding British and German troops with 700
rangers, commanded by st. Leger 1000 Canadians
end seamen to man the transports on the lakes ana
the Hudson The project was that St. Leger with
his rangers should move mp the St. Lawrence and
Lake Ontario to Oswego, take Fort SCHUYLER cross
the Mohawk Valley, and join Burgoyne at Albany
All went we'll at first for the RoyalistS aud filled
the North with alarm. Burgoyne swept Champlain
from St. Johns 10 Crown Point and was ready for
bclearuering Tfconderogl by the 1st of July. On
the 9th he gained the height OF Sugar Ill., or Mount
Defiance. which commanded Ticonderoga and
Mount independence. Both posts were evacuated,
stores and ammunition being left behind The re-
treating garrisons were pursued and the battle of
Hubbardton. disastrous to the Americans, was
fought.
wRErCHrD CONDITION OF TIE AMERICANS.
The American Army under Gen. Schuyler was at
this time IN a wretched condition, lacking food,
clothing, ammunition and artillery. The Eastern
IT, o.,flr .tsto f
them had left the army and returned home Schuy-
Ter however seems to have been in wise disheart-
encd and ne determined he said IN letter to the
Albany Committee, "todispue every inch of ground
with Gen Burgoyuc. and retard his descent into the
country as long rs possible"
PROGRESS OF BURioYNF.
Gen. Schuyler evacuated Fort Edward on the "a
ofJulv and Burgoyuc with his main army reachedl II
on Tire 3Oth His forces employed until the l0th
of August in bringing forward hatteaux, provisions
and ammunition from Font George. He, too soon be-
gan TO perceive scarcity Of provisions IN his camp
when he learned, therefore of large depot of them
at Bennington, he determined to attempt their cap
ture
THE MOVEMENT CPoN BENNINGTON.
Phillips and Redsel the most experienced of Bur
goyue's Generals opposed tins measure, but he bad
GREAT confidence III his own strength. Tie conhdcd
10 Licut Col Baume a force Of about 800 IicS~ans,
Canadians and Tories, with 100 Indians. There
was company Of sharp-shooters, picked with care
nudcr Capt. Fraser; Pctci,'s corps OF LoyallsiS
few Canadian rangers, and two guns. Baunc was
good officer. Alter the body had proceeded short
distance it was Joined 10y 80 chasseurs. On the 10Th
Of August Bureoyne sent forward to join the force
n company # yagcrs and a battalion of ciasseurs
and prrnadicrs. lie then moved tho main army
down the east bank Of the Hudson, thc advanced
corps crossing the river and eucampmg at Saratoga.
Baumc lett the cncampmcut on the 18Th and i'd
little affair with a small party of Americans on the
evening Of that dav at Cambridge
TIE SITUATION At BE>SINGroN.
Ii was the opinion in the Eastern States. the from
tiers Of which were now so greatly exposed, that
Burcoyne meditated Il march upon Boston. The
Committee on Safety of the Ncw-Iamp,tire Grants
Vermont wrote 10 the Ncv-lampshIe Committee
for immediate succor and energetic measures were
at once planned by that body. The militia OF the
IN state was formed into two brgadeS the first under
N the command of Whippe. one of tine Hgners OF the
Declaration of Independence, and the second under
that of John stark. TIE last named vas then prl-
vate citizen. After good service under Washington,
ST Trenton and Princeton he had been aggrieyed by
the promotion of several junior officers over his
head. and had retired to his home. The command
Of the troops was now offered 10 him, stipuaune
however that he should not be obliged to join the
main army. The militia were rojOiccd 70 be once
moro under their faVOrite commander, and came
forward in great numbers There was trouble at
Manchester where Stark met Lincoln, who Lad peen
sent bv SCHUYLER to conduct him and his recruits 10
the Hudson. stark said most emphatcally No."
and when he said So, II usually hard to make lin
change ms mind. lie represented that he had en-
tered the service entirely upon the agreement that
he should not bo attached to the regular service.
Congress was appealed to- and Congress decided adj
yerselv 10 Gen. stark declaring his conduct " de
structive of military subordination" Stark how
ever was firm and remained at Bennington with ms
troops lie had reached there Aug. 9th His militia
force rapidly augmented, each soldier bringing his
own arms Uniforms We're almost unknown. The
"embattlcd farmers wore the livery Of the soil.
Starl, STAYED AT Bennington to some purpose. lie
WAS all activity from the first. Hearing of the
Indians AT Cambridge. and OF their attack upon the
Americans there, he sent Col. Gregg with 200 men
10 oppose the advance of the sayages Soon lntor-
nation came to him of an advance on Bennington OF
n large body of the enemy. Raying his brigade,
with all the militia collected at Bennington, sending
out an urgent call for all the militia in the neglbor-
hood summoniug Warmers regiment from Manches-
ter he so managed matters that on the morning Of
the 18th he was marching with his whole force TO
support Col. Gregg. Warmers regiment remained ut
bennington to dry themselves. Five miles olt
Stark met Gregg retrcatiug, with the enemy mile
behind him. and immediately disposed bis little
force for battle while Baume began to entrench
himself near bend in the Wallomscoik River. On
observing this Stark fell back a mile for reinforce
mcnts. Baume on his part also sent back for aid,
and Breyman was dispatched with 800 men who
did not arrive in time to render essential service.
TUR RATTLE.