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

constitution or government and the aban-
donment of that post, left the families
of many of its members in Immediate
peril. At the news of this alarming
event the constitution was somewhat
hurriedly adopted, and having appoint
ed Council 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 constitut-
ed, met first.at Manchester, but soon ad-
journed to Bennington, where it contin.
ued in permanent session throughout the
year, adopting and carrying into effect
the most energetic measures for protect
ing the State against its foreign, as we'll
as its domestic enemies. Pressing mes
sages having been sent to New Hamp-
shire and Massachusetts, for aid, such of
the militia as could be gathered were
called out to strengthen the force of Col.
Warner at Manchester, where an attack
was apprehended. A permanent force
to patrol the frontiers and to guard
against any covert outbreak of the To-
ries in their midst, was indispensable,
and to provide means for maintaining
such a force and to meet their other ex-
penses in defending the State, the Coun-
Gil 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
hangers was organized under the com
mand of Col. Samuel Horrick, which did
efficient and valuable service to the State
and country.
New Hampshire responded nobly to
the call of the Vermont Council. The
Assembly at once ordered a large por-
tion of their militia to be organized into
a brigade and placed under the command
of General John Stark. He had served
with credit and honor IN the previous
French war, and as Colonel at Bunker
Hill, and in Canada, and under Wash
lngton at Trenton OIL rIrnceUon, but
Congress had promoted junior officers
over him, and he had resigned his COM
mission and retired from the service,
though he retained the same patriotic
ardor as before. He was reluctant to be
placed under officers he had formerly
and there was also at the
time very general distrust in New
of Gen. Schuyler, who was in
of northern department; for
which reasons Gen. Stark's written in
structions were of discretionary char
acter. He was directed "to repair to
Charlestown, No. f." and when the
troops were collected there, "to take the
command of them and march into the
State of Vermont, and there act in con-
junction with the troops of that State,
or any other of the States, or of the
United States. or separately, as it should
appear expedient to him, for the protec-
tion of the people or the annoyance of
the enemy"
Crossing the Green Mountain from
Charlestown with the greater part of his
command, Stark reached Manchester on
the 9TH of August, where he met Gen.
Lincoln, who had been sent from Still
water by Gen. Schuyler to conduct his
militia to the west bank of the Hudson.
Stark communicated his instructions and
declined obedience on the ground of the
dangerous condition in which it would
leave the people of Vermont. and be-
cause he believed Burgoyne would be
more embarrassed in his operations by
his remaining on his left than by join
ing the army in front But for this re-
fusal of Stark, which was founded on
the soundest military view of the state
of affairs, Bennington would have been
in measure defenceless, and would,
doubtless, have fallen a prey to the ene-
my.
At Manchester, Stark found that a
considerably large body of the enemy,
which for some time had been at Castle
ton, threatening Manchester and to cross
over to Connecticut river, had marched
to the Hudson, he, with his force, pass
ed on to Bennington, where he arrived
on the 9th. He was accompanied by
Col. Warner, whose continental regiment
was left at Manchester under the COM
mand of Lieut.. Col. Samuel Stafford. At
Bennington. Gen. Stark encamped for a
lew days, collecting information IN re-
gard to the position and designs of the
enemy. and consulting with the Council
of Safety, and with Col. Warner relative
to future operations.
The progress of Burgoyne towards Al
bany had been SO retarded by the natu-
raj difficulties of the route, and the OBJ
structions thrown in his way by the
Americans. that it was nearly month
after his departure from Ticonderoga,
before he reached the Hudson river.
Here he found himself so deficient in
provisions, and also in cattle and car
riages for transportation, that he was
much embarrassed about the means for
advancing further Learning that the
articles he most needed had been collect