Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-24
NUMBER 9.
The Battle Of Bennington

past year, 1t may not he amiss to recall then
' once NOR" - u time, when the citizens o.
Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachu
sets are gathering by thousands to commem
crate the events which were taking place g
hundred years ago.
Ihe object of Burgoyne's campaign wa:
to separate New England from the Middle
and Southern States, and on its success rest
ed the best hopes for subjugatiDg the revolt
ed colonies. About the middle of June
HI, Burgoyne took the field and began hi,
march from Canada toward the Hudson
with force of about 900 British regulars,
llessians, and Tories, supported by large
body Of Indian auxiliaries. Sweeping unop-
posed up Lake Champlain, at Crown Point he
issued very foolish and pompous prOclama,
ton, In which "the temperate part Of the pub
lie, and "the suffering thousands in the pro-
vinces" were invited to consider "whether the
present unnatural rebellion has not beer
made foundation for the completest system
OF tyranny that ever God, in his displeasure
suffered for time to be exercised over a
iroward and stubborn generation" Bur
goyne assured them that he was sat the
head of troops in the full powers of health
discipline aud yalor; determined to strike
where necessary. and anxious to spare where
possible" and he then proceeded.-'I. by
these presents, invite and exhort all persons,
IN all places where the progress Of this army
may point,-and by the blessing Of God l
Will extend it far,-to maintain such con-
duct as may justify me in protecting their
lands. habitatiOns and families" lie added
the threat: Let not people be led to dis
regard it. by considering their distance from
the immediate situation of my camp. have
but to give stretch to the Indian forces under
my direction, and they amount to thousands,
to oyertake the hardened enemies Of Great
Britain and America consider them the
same wherever they may lurk."
How formidable the invasion was, WASH
ington seems not to have understood. lie
doubted, up to two days before the evacua-
ton of Ticonderoga, whether Burgoyne was
making serious attack" or movement
- to amuse and draw our attention." and at
any rate he relied on Fort Tieonderogs to
stop his progress. But Gen. St. Clair, who
held Ticonderoga, though reinforced by Seth
| Warner with 900 Vermont militia, abandon
ed the fort, July 9th, with all its guns and
military stores, without blow. This event
struck dismay throughout New England,
and public fasts were proclaimed, over the
loss of " the hey of North America" 1t
left the road open to the Hudson for Bour-
goyne. and had he moved with promptness,
he would have marched to Albany, united
forces with Sir William Howe and
effectually cut off New England from
New York and the rest of the
country. He followed and struck st.
Clair's retreating army at Hubbardton;
and leaving garrisons at TicOnderogs and
Fort George. and posting strong detach-
ment at Castleton. he took his time to ac-
cumulate means of transportation and
provisions, before pushing on. The middle
of August found him at Fort Edward, but
halfway from the lake to Albany. Here he
learned that the Americans had large stores
of provisions and cattle at Bennington, pro-
vidcd for vietualling Tieonderosa. defended
only by militia, and he was assured by the
Tories that the proportion Of loyalists in the
neighborhoOd was so large that little resis-
tance need be feared lie accordingly sent
Col Baum, with force of 1000 men and
two field pieces and 100 Indians. Baum )
orders from Burgoyne, still preserved ty
the Massachusetts Historical Society, di-
rected him to seize and bring in all the
horses fit to mount the dragons and to serve
as bat-horses. to the number of at least
thirteen hundred, and the larger the
number the better,-all the wagons and
other convenient carriages, with sufficient
number of oxen to draw them, and all the
cattle fit for slaughter except mileh-cows.
the country believe that the troops under
your command are the advance corps OF the
Connecticut on the way to Boston, and
also To ''insinuate that the main army from
Albany is to he joined at Springfield by
corps of troops from Rhode Island
Meanwhile, the militia Of New llainI-
shire, Massachusetts and Vermont had
rallied under the authority of the Legisa-
tures of New Hampshire and Massachusetts
and the Vermont Council Of safety, and
Stark, who had distinguished himself at
Bunker Hill and Trenton. but who had
thrown up his commission in the continen-
tai army because Congress had promoted
juuiOr tihcers over him, WAS placed in cum-
mand, with authority 81 act with Gen.
Schuyler (who commanded the continental.
forces at Saratosa) or independent of bin.
lie naturally chose to act independently,
for Schuyler had refused to give a man II
musket for the protection Of Bennington
and had ordered the Vermont militia To come
to his camp, leaving the State unprotected,
an order which they did not obey. The
New Enganders distrusted and disliked
Schuyler, and Vermonters had a special
grudge against him, for he was Yorker
and he had refused to recognize Vermont as
Il State or to answer letter from Ira Allen.
Secretary of the new State, insisting on
treating him as private citizen. Stark
was equal to the emergency. Five days
after he was invested with the command, he
was mastering the New Hampshire militia
at Charlestown, on the Connecticut. Five
days later he sent reinforcement to Colonel
Warner, at Manchester. Thirteen days later
he had fought and won the battle of Ben
nington.
Stark's force numbered about ,600,-to
his 200 New Hampshire militia, being added
Col. Herrick's Vermont Rangers, 800 men
in green frocks, Bennington company of
Il, and some 800 Massachusetts men, rallied
in Berkshire county by Parson Allen, Of
Pittsfcld, who accompanied them. and he
prclaced the contest with solemn prayer that
the God of battles would ttnch their fingers
to fight.
Baum, marching from near Saltwater,
| proceeded without difficulty until he was
within four miles OF Remington, when he
found that he was to be opposed, and throw
ing up some intrenchments on hill, he sent
back for rciniorccments. Colonel Brcyman
was despatched to his support with force
of about ,0O0 regulars and two more field
pieces.