The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21

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where it turns suddenly to the south sid pursues,
half a mile then westerly for mile and a half,
that course for three quarters of mile or more Z
Here, on.the west sdesof the river, Baum halted
and made his arrangements for defense, On the
top of thickly wooded hill, which rises abruptly
three or four hundred feet fromthe west bank OF
the stream, he posted the greater part Of hts
Germans. under his own immediate command.
The position was west of the sudden bend in the
stream, and Baum's front to the east was we'll
secured against an, attack by the precpitous
ascent Of the hill on that side, which impractca4
BILE ascent extended from his camp for half mile
along the bank of the river to the bridge at the
southern foot of the Hill, over which the road
from Bennington to Sancoick and Cambridge
passed. On the top of this hill Baum prepared
Entertainments of earth and logs to resist attacks
from the west and on his TANKS, ....-.. .
For the defense of the important pass at the
bridge Baum caused strong breastwors to be
thrown up on the high bank ofthe river on which
was mounted one of his cannons. in charge of
body of German Grenadiers. Two small breast
works were also erected on opposite sides of the
road near the west end of the bridge, which were
manned by Frazer's marksmen; and the position
was still further strengthened by posting all the
Canadians in log huts which were standing near
the bridge on both sides of the river. This point
is where the river is now crossed by the covered
railroad bridge about three miles from North
Bennington, on the route to Troy.
Baum on his way from the Hudson, and at his
encampment, had been joined by considerable
number of Tories, many of them under the lead of
Colonel Francis Piister, half-pay British officer
of wealth and extensive influence, who occupied
an imposing residence erected by him on the west
bank of the Hoosick, near what is now known as
Hoosck Corners. These with most of Peters
corps of loyasts posted on hill east of the
stream, 10 or 80 rods to the southeast of the
bridge. Here strong works of defense we're
erected, known as the TORY Breastworks, " and
of which Col, Pfister is understood to have been
| placed in command On its right was sharp
ravine, and both flanks would have the protection
of ball and grape from the cannon at the bridge.
| The other cannon. in charge of German Grena
diers, supported by some Tories, appears to have
been placed further to the west in a cleared field
| near the road. 1t was on a hill side which over
! looked and commanded the approaches to the
| bridge, and to the Tory encampment. and also
| the south flank of Baums encampment. 1t may
| have been moved nearer to Baum's position dur
| ing the engagement. Crhe several positions in
| Baum's forces are shown by the plan of Bur-
| goyne's account of his expedition, in which a
| copy on reduced scale is given in the "Memcr-
| ials of Century" by the Rev. Isaac Jennings,
! and another still smaller is found in Lossing's
| Field book of the Revolution. The top of the map
| is west, and upon it the Tories are designated as
| American Volunteers" The British marksmen
| as "Rsngers,n the Americans as "Bodies of the
| Enemy" All others, except the Canadians, "
| are Germans the "Chassures." being German
marksmen. On Burgoynes map the Walloomsac
| is called the Hoosic0 The encampments Of the
two hostile bodies, though little over two miles
| other by heavily W CODED intervening hill.
The force under General Stark was composed
| of the greater part of his brigade of New Hamp.
shire militia, q small number of Vermont militia
from the east side of the mountain, under Colonel
| Williams, who had been stationed at Manchester
Col. Herrick's corps of rangers then forming, the
State militia from Bennington and its vicinity under
| Col. Nathan Bush. and on the morning of the 10th
Stark was joined by Col. SimoDds and some
militia from Berkshire county. HIS whole force