The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-13

others went down on the side lllll
north of the road, when We came in
sight Of the enemy, they were march
ing up the road tbs side Of the brick
factory, their cannon in front clearing
the way. Our men kept collecting in
front and ON the left The party ] was
with took post with others on the side
hill above the road, within from thirty
rods of the enemy, and kept mp con-
slant fire generally from behind trees.
The road appealed full of men, and
it was like firing into flock of sheep.
The enemy kept firing upon us, but we
were greatlylprotected by the trees.
The battle continued till about dark,
when the enemy retreated and were
not pursued far.
Thomas Millen says Stark and War
fnei rodegup nealithe enemy tn recon-
Inoitre were fired at with the cannon,
and came galloping back. Stark rode
with shoulders bent forward, and cried
out to his men These rascals know
that l am an officer; don't you see
they honor me with big guulas q ysa-
luten We were marched round and
round circle or hill till we were tired.
Stark said it was to amuse the Ger
mans. All the while a cahnonade was
kept up upon us from their breast
works. 1t hurt nobody, and it, lessen
ed our fear of the great guns After a
while was sent, with twelve Others,
to lie in ambush ON knoll a little
north, and watch for Tories on their
way to Join Baume. Presently we saw
six coming toward us, who, installing
us for Tories, came to near too escape.
We disarmed them, and sent them un-
der guard of three to Stark. While
was on the hillock, l espied one In
dian whom / thought / could kill, and
more than once cooked my gun, but
the orders were not to fire. He was
cooking his dinner, and now and then
shot at some of our people.
Before l had time to fire many
rounds, our men rushed over the
breastworks, but and many others
chased Struggling Hessians into the
woods. We pursued till we met
Breyman with eight hundred fresh
troops and larger cannon, which open
ed fire of grape shot. Some Of the
grape shot riddled a Virginia fence
near me one struck a small white oak
tree behind which l stood. Though it
hit higher then my head, | fled from
the tree, thinking it might be aimed al
again. We skirmishers ran back till
we. met large body ofJStark's men,
then faced about. | soon started for
brook saw q few rods behind, for i
had drank nothing all day, and should
have died with thirst had | not chewed
bullet all the time. had not gone
a rod, when l was stopped by an Off
Ger, sword in hand, and ready to cut
me down as a runaway. On my COM
planning of thirst, he handed me his
canteen; which was full of rum. !
drank and forgot my thirst. But the
enemy outfianked us, and | said to a
comrade, We must run or they will
have u.s. He said, l will have one
more fire first At that moment a
Major on a black horse rode along be-
hind us, shouting, Fight on, boys, re-
Inducements close by #L u
While he was speaking, a grape
shot went through his horses's head
and knocked out two teeth. 1t bled
good deal, but the Major kept his
seat, and sped on to encourage others.
In FIVE minutes, we saw Warmers men
hurrying to help us. They opened
right and left of us, and half of them
attaked each flank of the enemy, and
beat back those who were Just clos
ing around us. Stark's men now took
heart, and stood their ground. My
gun barrel was by this time too hot to
hold, so seized the musket of dead
Hessians, in which my bullets went cas-
Ter than in my own. Right in front
were the cannon, and, seeking an Off
Ger on horseback, waving his sword to
the Artillery meHS i fired at him
twice; bis horse felL He cut thetraces
of an artillery horse, mounted him, and
rode Off ] afterward heard that Off
Ger was Major Skeene. Soon the Ger
mans ran and we followed. aro3b}l
= Jacob Stafford, after Bennington bat
tie, was an ensign in Colonel Warmers
regiment, as appears by vote of Com
gress, accepting his resignation, No,
vember 18th, 1779-3d Vol. Jour.
Cong, 395. He was a worthy man,
and died in Bennington, in May, 1888.
Jacob Stafford says that, previous to
Bennington battle, he belonged to
Warmers regiment, and acted as or
derby in Captain IS company.
"After the battle of Hubbardton, byl
which our regiment was reduced to
less than one hundred and fifty men, we
were stationed at Manchester On the
18th of August, l should think, infor-
nation agRs lreceived that we were
wanted at Beiihhigton, but, owing to
the absence of q largo scout, under
Capt. John Chapman, and perhaps from
some other. causes, we did not march
till the morning of the 18th. The day
was rainy, but, by marching till nearly
we arrived within about
mile of Bennington village, and en-
campedE p We were Edrenched with
rain, and our arms and equipments, hay
ing been all day exposed to the wealth
err, it took a considerable part of the
forenoon of the. Dext day to fit our
seBes for almarah We were also
short of ammunition, which occasioned
some delay, and so much time was en-
ployed in making the necessary prepar-
atoms for battle, thatit was about noon.
Or perhaps a little past, when the regi-
ment marched from. Bennington village
While going down the Henderson hill, 4
two miles from Bennington,) a scatter
ed fire of musketry was commenced inl
she direction of THE battle ground. Wei
Matted 0 short time at Stafk's encamp
nent -four miles from Bennington 81
eft our coats and knspsaeks, and 0 gill
IF rum was dealt out to each man, TheH