The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-11


posed by Stark before he had fairly enter
ed New England, for his enircnched camp
was in New York, Baum sent back to
Burgoyne for reinforcements. On the MORN
ing of the 10th, these reinforcements, con.
sisting Of two German battalons and two
pieces of cannon, under the command Of
Col. Breyman, left Burgoyne's army, only
twenty-five miles from Bennington, and
marched, as he supposed, to join In Baum's
victory.
In the meantime Stark had tried in vain
to draw Baum and his men from their in-
trenchments, so that they might fight on
fair terms with the alarmed militia under
his command. Finding this impossible, he
had been delayed by pouring rain on the
10Th OF August from making the attack up
on which he had determined. This delay
1t was that brought the men of Berkshire
into the fight, which otherwise might have
been won or lost without them. They reach
ed Bennington from the southwark on the
| night of the 18th, the soldiers marching on
| foot and Parson Allen driving through the
muddy roads in his parochial chaise,-go-
| ing to war in his chariot, like one of the
Old Testament kings. He reported himself
for duty at once TO the gray-haired CON-
mander of the American forces, asking on
ly to be allowed to fight this time, since his
parishoners had been 30 often called out
without firing gun. "Among the rein
forcements from Berkshire" says Edward
Everett in his life of Stark, ''came cler-
gyman with portion of his flock, resolved
to make bare the arm Of flesh against the
enemies of his country. Before daylight
on the morning of the 10th, he addressed
the commander as follows "We, the peo-
pie of Berkshire, have been frequently call
ed upon to fight, but have never been led
against the enemy. We now resolved, if
you will not let US fight, never to turn out
again. Gen. Stark asked If he wished to
march then, when it was dark and rainy?'
No. was the answer, mot just this minute
Then, continued Stark, 'if the Lord should
once more give us sunshine. and do not
give you fighting enough, will never ask
yeu to come again."
Stark was as good as his word. When
the sun rose on the morning Of Saturday,
the 16.h of August, the clouds broke away,
and everything gave promise of fine day.
The American commander had already
formed his plan of battle. Sending Col.
Moses Nichols, New Hampshire physi-
clan, commanding the sixth regiment of
militia In that state, and Col. Herrick OF
Vermont, with about $50 men each, TO out
flank the British intrenchments and attack
them in the rear, Stark himself, with his
main body of 500 men, prepared to attack
Baum in front. This small force he again
divided, tending Col. David Hobart of the
New Hampshire 10Th regiment, and Col.
Thomas Stickney of the 1lth, to attack the
right wing of Baum with 200 men, when
Nichols and Herrick should be heard at
tacking his rear. TIE Massachusetts SOL
ders. being portions of Col. Symonds and
Col. John Browns regiments, and some
volunteers from Southern Berkshire (the
two last named bodies commanded by Lieut.
Col. David Rossiter of Richmond were
"Boys, there's the enemy; we must whip
them before sundown,or Molly Stark will
be widow tonight" Parson Allen ad-
dressed his companions in more scriptural
phrase, and offered prayer in their name to
the God of battles. Then going forward
with them, he was one of the first to fire
his musket at the Tory outworks of Baum's |
fortified camp (provoked by shots from his |
false countrymen, whom he was warning |
of their sin in fighting against the United |
States) Tradition reports him as mount
ing upon the temporary pulpit of fallen |
tree, in full view of the Royal Rangers, as |
the Tories called themselves, and there de- |
claiming and exhorting. The Tories paid |
little heed TO his words, but they recog- |
nized his slender, youthful figure, clad in
black, and shouting, "There's Paison Al |
len-let's pop him!" they let fly hailstorm |
of bullets. He stepped down unharmed,
reserving the rest of his discourse for a
more quiet opportunity, and turning to his
brother, Lieut.. Joseph Allen, who had fol- |
me my musket you load and I'll fire"
Little harm was probably done by bis shots
at this time but later in the fight, observ-
ing flash and shot often repeated from
certain bush, at which one of Sharks men |
usually fell, Parson Allen, as he used te say |
afterwards, ''fired that way and put the
fash out
"Preoisely at three o'clock In the after
noon,' writes Gen. Stark in his official de- |
spatch, "Col. Nichols commenced the at |
tack, which was followed by all the rest.
/ pushed forward the remainder with all |
speed; our people behaved with the great |
est spirit and courage imaginable. Had |
they been Alexander's or Charles's of |
Sweden they could not have behaved bet. |
ter" The farmers of Berkshire, the mill |
tia men from New Hampshire. the hardy |
Green Mountain boys, fresh from the |
scythes and hay field, and stripped to their |
shirt because OF the hot day, advanced like |
veterans through fire ana smoke. and
amounted breastworks that were we'll for |
titled and offended with cannon" at was |
the hottest fight" Stark said, ''that he had |
ever seen; it was like one continual clap Of |
thunder" The men behind the fortifica- |
tions were German artillerists and dis |
mounted dragons, English grenadiers, |
Tory volunteers, and Indian warriors. The |
latter, numbering hundred and moro, fled |
early in tho engagement, finding themselves |
caught in trap by their old antagonist, |
Stark, whom some of them had met In the |
French war. The cannon were well served |
and the regular troops fought calamity, |
but the Americans rushed up almost to the |
cannon's mouth. and shot down the gun
ners, with little loss to themselves. Baum |
at last attempted a sally, but was himself |
mortally wounded in leading il. Then" |
says Stark, 1--WE forced their breastworks
at the muzzles OF their guns" and tho first |
encounter was over.
The victorious yeomanry, at five o'clock
in the afternoon, now began to pursue and
to plunder, with the pardonable license Of
conquerers. While thus occupied, Brey-
man, with his reinfercements, was report
ed within two miles of the battle field.
Stark began TO collect his men for second
encounter, and. while doing so, Brcyman
(rallying the British fugitives and threaten
ing to turn the defeat into q victory ad-
vanced half way to Baum's captured in
trenchments. Col Rossiter of Berkshire
now DISTINGUISHED himaelf and Stack turn-