Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-03-23

/
pieces up the road, with wings of infantry
on each side of it,, occasionally firing his
cannon TO clear the way, the Americans
slowly retiring before him. When a con-
siderable body Of the militia had been col
lected stand was made (about 40 or so
rods east 0! tie present Walloomsac depot
| and Breyman's force brought to a halt.
Here lie was attacked in front and flanks,
a most deadly fire being poured into his
ranks from a wooded hill on his left The
action was very severe and continued till
afler sunset, when many of Breyman's
men being killed and wounded, and his
artillery horses shot down, he abandoned
his cannon and fed. Gen. Stark pursued
his flying forces till The approaching dark
ness rendered it necessary TO draw Off his
men 10 prevent their firing upon each 9TH
er. "With one hour more Of daylight"
says Stark in his official report, 1--WE should
have captured the whole body"
EFFECTS OF THE BATTLE.
Among the trophies of this days victor
les were brass field pieces, IL brass drums,
$50 sabers, ammunition wagons, several
hundred stand of arms and 65s prisoners,
and 207 were left dead on the field. The
whole loss of the enemy could not have
been much less than 900 men. Some of the
contemporGneous accounts make the num-
ber still larger. OF the prisoners, 80 of them
were officers, 81 British soldiers, 39s Hes
sans, 3S Canadians and 155 Tories. Col.
Baume was NOR tally wounded and taken
prisoner, as was also Col. Pfster, the conf
mandcr of the tory inlrenchment. Both
were taken about mile 10 house in the
town Of SALISBURY, which few years ago
was still standing opposite the present pa
per mill OF Charles T.. yelling, known as
the "Baume house." in which they both
died within day or two afterwards. The
loss OF the Americans in both engagements
was about 80 killed and 40 wounded.
This victory, in which undisciplined
husbandmen with their bunting guns with
out bayonets, bravely stormed entrench-
me nts manned with regular troops and de-
Tended by cannon, is justly styled by Ban
croft as lone Of The most brilliant and
eyentful Of the war" The loss OF the enc.
my in men and material was severely felt.
But the consequences were otherwise still
more important. BY inspiring confidence
on the one side and depressing the spirits
of the other, the current of success was at
once turned from the British 10 the Ameri-
can arms. The fate of Burgoyne and his
army was, in effect, sealed at Bennington,
and his final capture well assured. Gen.
Washington, on being informed of the
event, considered it as deciding the fate of
Burgoyue, and dismissed his an xiety about
his invasion. lis effect upon the enemy
was most disheartening. Madame Riedesel,
wife Of the commanding general of the Ger
man troops, who accompanied her husband
through the campaign, says in her me-
moirs, that by Baume's failure "the army
was prevented from advarcing, while the
enemy, recovering suddenly from depres-
sion, increased their numbers daily" Bur-
goyne himself, though he struggled on for
few weeks longer, was evidently dis
hea rtened. Four days sfer Baume's de-
feat. alter preparing dispatch 10 the Brit
ish minister for the public ear, he wrote
him another letter marked (Private) dated
Camp near Saratoga, Aug. 90 l777," in
which he gave quite gloomy account Of
his affairs, treating the failure of the expe-
dition 10 Bennington as his great misfor-
tune, in which he says of it, that, "Had 1
succeeded, should have formed a junction
with ST. Leger and been now before AL
bany." After speaking disparingly ofthe
tories, he says, 1.-The great bulk of the
country is undoubtedly with the Congress-"
and of the Vermonters he bitterly adds,
1.-THE Hampshire Grants in particular, a
country unpeopled and almost unknown
in the last war, now abounds with the most
rebellion race on the continent, and hangs
like gathering storm on my left."
To Gen. Stark should be assigned the
highest need of praise for the victory. But
he was nobly aided by the skill and valor
Of both his officers and men, and they are
all with him entitled TO the lasting graft
tude of their country. OF his officers Col.
Warner is undoubtedly entitled to special
credit. Warner was a colonel in the Con-
tinental army, had acquired high reputa-
tion as a military leader by his services in
Canada and at Hubbardton, and he had
long been a resident of Bennington and
was familiarly acquainted with the ground
NNNNPANN ~ wv PSSeS " suO ohN
their approaches. He was Stark's chief
adviser in planning the attack on the enc
my, he went into the action by his side and
was his active associate in the first engage
ment, as well as in repelling the attack of
Breyman's reinforcement. DIR. Thatcher
in his contemporary Military Journal says,
"Stark, assisted by Warner, matured his
plans for the battle" and Stark himself,
in his letter TO Gates, afler speaking in the
highest terms Of the daring bravery of the
officers and soldiers under his command,
says, "Col. Warmers superior skill in the
action was of extraordinary service to me-"
Gordon in his history also speaks highly of
the services of Col. Warner, and also of
those of Col. Herrck of the Vermont Ran
gers. Other officers and men deserve no.
tice for their meritorious exertioDs in gain
ing the victory, but the space allowed for
this article will not permit it. There are
also numerous interesting incidents con-
nected with the battle that must for the like
reason be omitted. II has been only possi-
BILE to give the leading facts.
Gen. Stark from his arrival in Manches-
ter acted in concert with the Vermont
Council ofSalety and received their earnest
cOuntenance and support In his move