Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-08-23
The Battle of Bennington.


! from Berkshire County, Massachusetts,,
shire, Colonel Nichols; the Eleventh
New Hampshire, Colonel Hobard i'm
correctly given Hubbard in the reports
the Twelfth New Hamshire, Colonel
Stickney; and hundred scouts, Colonel
Emerson. Vermont was represented
/ by small force of militia, Colonel
1 Williams; a regiment from Bennington
and the towns adjoining, Colonel Brush;
and the Green Mountain Rangers,
/ Colonel Herrick. The Continentals of
| Warner, 40 in number, and Emerson's
men, were vet several miles distant
These organizations were in process of
formation, few of them being half filled.
None had distinctive uniform except
/ the rangers-a body of Davy Crockett
men, dressed in frocks with green fac
ings. In the tactics of the forest these
Rangers were at home. being a good
match for the Indians, whose whoop
they nearly initiated in their night
I countersign, which was three boots of
an owl"
| The commander Of the Americans,
with the trusty Warner at his side,
moved rapidly through the camp. He
was in the prime oflife, fOrty-nine years
old, dressed as Continental brigadier,
and mounted on beautiful brown colt.
His only staff officer was Warner, six
teen years his junior; and his medical
| department numbered but one or two
surgeons The entire force was about
1850, of which New Hampshire fur
nished about 1000: Vermont, 500; and
old Berkshire, $50. A regiment from
Worcester County, Massachusetts,, al
vanced as far as old Hadley to partici-
pate in the action, but being too late for
the service, returned
Baums force comprised about 1000,
of whom $50 were Indians, 200 Tories,
100 Fraser's marksmen, 100 Canadian
Rangers, 80 chasseurs, and $40 RE
desePs dragons, or Hessians, acting as
infantry This number is nearly twice
as large as given by BuIgoyne in his
official report to German, but this
generals veracity, when he had pur-
pose to serve, was of an exceedingly
elastic order. The British prisoners and
dead numbered the next day over 500,
and Burgoyne's orderly book makes
his loss in the two engagements over
|
was well made: the Tories. or Peters
corps, with small platoon of Hessians,
held the small hill, the Canadians
were posted in the Lighthouses, a few
Hesslans were posted in the breast
works west of the bridge, the chasseurs
were at the east declivity of the large
hill, while the remainder of the Hessians
were in the redoubt surrounded by the
Indian scouts in the forest. The Ger
man commander evidently wished to
avoid battle; at half past nine he with
drew his outposts, leaving the Indians
only in the forest to guard against sur
prise.
AS midday approached, the Ameri-
cans were massed to receive orders;
the locality was large field, the en-
trance to which was by sliding bars and
tall posts peculiar to the vicinity. Stark
leaped to the topmost rail, steadied him
self by the tall post, and harangued his
troops in the well known sentences
Nov, my men, yonder are the Hes
slams; they were bought for seven
pounds ten-pence man. Are you
worth more? Prove it. Tonight the
American flag floats over yonder HILL
or Molly Stark sleeps widow" Throw
ing knapsacks, jackets, and all baggage
in heaps, and placing a guard over
them, the force started. Colonel Her
rick's Rangers, with the Bennington
militia, 800 strong were sent to make a
detour to Baum's right; Colonel Nichols,
with $50 men, was sent to the rear of
the enemy's left-the two forces, when
joined to make an attack; 200 men
under Colonel Stickney and Colonel
Hobart, including part of the Berkshire
militia, were sent against the Tory
works, with directions to keep concealed
in corn field near by and await the
opening of the action at Baum's hill.
Foreseeing that there would be close
work with the Tories, who were in citi-
zens' dress like his own force, Stark
gave directions to the attacking party
that corn husk in the hat-band should
be the badge of his own men. A guard
under sergeant was posted near the
bridge to prevent communication be-
tween the two wings of the enemy dur
ing the movements Of the thanking par
ties, and the disposal of the forces was
complete.
AS a cover to this design, Stark now
moved forward his reserve and en-
ployed the time in marching slowly
around hill in full view Of the enemy.
This seemed to perplex Baum, as his
servant, Henry Archelaus, afterward
said, "He scanned the movement with
Il field glass, and directed his artillery
men to fire on the column" This can
nonade did no great harm, and the ruse
was continued, with variety of move
ments, for nearly three hours. At
length, about three o'clock, the thanking
parties had reached their coveted po-
sition and communicated with each
other. Nichols was the first to open
| fire. The Indians retired before the
advancing line, and, panic-struck, fled
to the redoubt, reporting that the forest
was full of Yankees. Seeing the columns
close with tightening coil around the
HILL the savages dashed through the
in single file, and yelling like demons,
made their escape, leaving few of their
number dead or prisoners. As the line
pressed up to musket range, Baum
opened a fire fsmall-arms, and brought
one of the cannon forward to the
engle left exposed by the flight of his
savage allies. The action became hot
on both sides, but the assailants being
sheltered by trees and brush, received
/ little injury from the Hessian fire, de-
livered breast high without aim. New
developme nts and attacks now rapidly
ensued in every quarter; the discharge
| of musketry was rapid, continuous, and
Obstlnately maintained for nearly an
| hour, when an explosion occurred in