Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-09-03


down beneath the shots of our marks
men. For two hours, from three to five
o'clock, the fire was one continuous roar.
Those death-dealing columns closed in
nearer and nearer. At eight pacess dis
tance they picked off the cannoneers
from their guns. Still nearer they came
till the flashes met. The ammunition
cart exploded within the intrenchments.
and at the sound our men rushed up,
scaled the breastworks and leaped down
within. Then came the terrible clashine
of sword and gun-stock and bayonet.
Gigantic John Mcneil strikes down four
Hessians with the butt of his. gum In
five minutes twenty men broke through
to the forest. The rest were all prison
ers or dead or dying. They fought gal
lantly, and their leader died soldiers
death.
The work was done, and the soldiers
dispersed for rest and the promised plum
der. John Culess was hunting up his
kettle and saddle, Samuel Small his
horse, and Parson Allen his surgeons
paniers with the bottles. Stark rallied
his men to secure the victory. A hogs
head of rum was ordered up. Before it
could be served out word came that a
British reinforcement was but two miles
away. The wearied troops lett the rum
untasted, and marched to the new con-
fict, through bottomless roads, with i'll
fed horses and upsetting wagons. Brey-
mann had crawled along scarce half
mile an hour, but in season to meet his
doom from Sancock MILL The tory Col
Skene hurried him up, but never hint
did he give that Baum's fate was seal
cd. Half mile this side of the mill
he saw through the woods armed men
in jackets and shirt-sleeves, for the day
was intolerably warm, climbing the hill
side on his left. A call to them by Skene
was answered by volley of musketry
form the birches, and the second battle
began. A battalion of chasseurs moved
up the nights, and the cannon poured
grape shot along the road, but the shot
struck the tree-tops, and our men from
behind the treetrunks fired down into
the full ranks with deadly aim. But at
length, wearied and oppressed with
heat, some of them chewing on their
bullets for thirst, outnumbered and out
fanked, our troops were slowly falling
L~0h, When maJvI vn d UlaCk horse
rode up, shouting eight on, reinforce
ments close by"
With the word a grape-shot struck
out two teeth from the black horses
mouth, but the rider spurred on. Be-
hind him, up came Warmers fresh
troops. They opened right and left,
and the tide of battle turned. Tory
Skene, sword in hand, still waved on
the artillery, but Thomas Mellin drop
ped his musket, too hot to hold, seized
a dead Hessian's gun, and down came
the tory's horse. Skene cut the traces
of an artillery horse and disappeared.
The fight was long and obstinate.
Many of the Germans on their knees
called for quarter. The main body was
driven back and their cannon captured.
The pursuit continued till eight o'clock,
and darkness alone saved the remnant
of Burgoyne's force. Our troops slept
that night under the open sky, some of
them with corn-hill for pillow. In
the morning they woke so stiff that they
could scarcely move.
The forces of Stark and Capt. Web
ster are said to have been as black as
Indians after the battle, but those
swarthy faces beamed with honest Joy
and patriotic pride, and, as the news
rolled away to Lincoln and Schuyler
and Washington, to the council of SAFE
ty in New Hampshire and Vermont,
and to congress in session, it came like
a fash of bright sunlight, after the
gloom of an arctic winter. Stark
thought he had paid the enemy proper
compliment for the affair at Hubbard.
ton. Lincoln called it q capital blow
A. great stroke, said Washington. A
signal exploit, said Massachusetts and
Congress. Yes, it was greater, more
signal. more capital than any of then
then knew. The numbers engaged were
not great, though larger than they are
commonly given. The whole force oi
Baum and Breymann appeared to have
been not far from fifteen hundred. o.
the American forces there are no com
plete accounts. We only know from
the roll in the Office of the adjutant-gen
eral of New Hampshire, that STARK
brigade consisted of exactly 1923 officer
and privates, of whom one company wa
probably at Charlestown. The diary
of Capt. Peter Kimball of Boscawen ais,
informs US that the spoil was divided
among 2250 men. Of these not les
than 2l50 must have been present a
but it was great thing for raw militi;
to meet the best trained soldiers 0
Europe, greater yet to storm their in
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