The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21
THE BENNINGTON BANNER, FRIDAY AUG: 81, 1s94saaz

a house in the town OF Shaftsburys which few
years ago was still standing opposite the present
paper mill Of Charles E. yelling. known as the
Baum House" id which they both died within
cans in both engagem ents was about thirty
killed and forty wounded.-
The victory, in which undisciplined husband
men with their hunting guns without bayonets
bravely st0rmed entertainments manned with
regular troops and defended by cannon. is justly
styled by Bancroft as zone of the most brilliant
and eventful of the war The loss of the enemy
in men and material WAS severely felt But the
consequences were otherwise still more impor-
tant. BY inspiring confidence on the one side
and depressing the spirits of the other, the cur
Eent of success was at once turned from the
British TO the American arms. The fate of Bur
goyne and his army was, in effect, sealed at Ben
nington, and his final capture well assured. Gen
Washington on being informed of the event.
considered it as deciding The fate of Bnrgoyne,
and dismissed his anxiety about his invasion. Its
effect upon the enemy was most disheartening.
Madam Riedsel, wife of the commander of the
German troops, who accompanied her husband
through the campaign, says in her memoirs, that
by Baums failure "the army was prevented
from advancing. while the enemy-recovering
suddenly from depression-increased their num-
bers daily" Burgoyne himself, though he strug
gled on for a few weeks longer was evidently
disheartened Four days after Baum's defeat,
after preparing dispatch to the British minister
for the pu bic ear, he wrote him another letter
marked (private) dated Camp near Saratoga,
gloomy account of his affairs, treating the fail
ure of the expedition to Bennington as his great
misfortune in which he says of it, that "Had
succeeded, | should have formed juncture with
st. Leger, and been now before Albany" After
speaking disparagingy of the Tories, he says,
"Phe great bulk Of the country is undoubtedly
with the Congress- " and of the Eermonters he bit
terly adds "'rhe Hampshire Grants in particu
lar, country unpeoped and almost unknown in
the last war, now abounds with the most re-
belliouS race on the Continent, and hangs like a
gathering storm on nv Left"
To Gen. stark should be assigned the highest
need of praise for ne victory. But he was
nobly aided by the skill and valor of both his
officers and men, and they are all with him en-
titled TO the lasting gratitude OF their country
titled to special credit Warner was a colonel in
the Continental army, had acquired high repu
tation as q military leader by his services in
Canada and at HubbardtOn, and he had long been
a resident of Bennington, and was familiarly
acquainted with the ground occupied by the
posts of the enemy and their approaches, He
was Starks chief adviser in planning the attack
on the enemy, he went into the action by his side
and was his active associate in the first engage
ment, as well rs in repelng the attack of Brey
mans reinforcement. DR.. Thatcher III his con
temporary military journal says: STARK assisted
by Warner, matured his plans for the battle,
and Stark himself in his letter To Gates, afteI
speaking in the highest terms of the daring
bravery of the officers and soldiers under his
command, says: Col. Warmers superior skill II
the action was of extraordinary service to me
Gordon in his history, also speaks highly of the
services of Col. Warner, and also those OF Col
Herrick OF the Vermont rangers Other officers
and men deserve notice for their meritorious eX
ertons in gaining the victory, but the space
allowed for this article will not permit it. There
dents connected with the battle that must for thu
| like reason be omitted 1t has been only possible