Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-11-15

packed their movable effects and with
their cattle and horses moved to the east
side of the mountain or TO Massachusetts,
the men returning to look after the crops
and guard their property as best they
could.
The council of safety sent the most ur.
gent appeals to New Hampshire, Massa
chusetts and Connecticut for aid in pro.
tecting the frontier, and in response the
New Hampshire authorities called Oh
Gen. John Stark, who lives at Manches-
ter. n. H., and who had gained distinc.
ton as a commanding officer at Bunker
Hill and with Gen Washington in New
Jersey and placing him in command of
such militia forces as could be promptly
assembled, made up small brigade OF
three regiments commanded respectively
by Coils. Nichols, Hubbard and Stickney,
the whole force numbering little less
than thousand men, who left New
Hampshire and crossed the Connecticut
river at CharlestOwn, town on the east
side OF the Connecticut river just above
Bellows Falls, Vt. Gen. Stark reached
Manchester, Vt, on the 7th OF August,
where he found Col. Warner with such
part of his regiment as had escaped from
the Hubbardton battle.
On the Sth, Stark moved toward Ben
nington with his troops, accompanied by
Seth Warner and reached Bennington on
the 9th, leaving Warmers regiment at
Manchester under command OF Lit. Col.
Stafford.
When Stark, with his men, arrived at
Manchester, he found a messenger from
,hn nt in from I
of Burgoyne, who had orders to conduct
him at once to join Gates, but Stark had
been given full discretion to use his
forces as TO him seemed best and he de-
cided to stay in Vermont.
At this time nothing was known of the
expedition from Burgoyne's army to
Bennington but Stark suspected the force
of the enemy that had been in the Huh
bardton attack might move on Benning-
ton where was a considerable amount of
military stores of beef and flour, which
fact was well known and Gen. Burgoyne
was in great need of such provisions.
Gen. Stark encamped at Bennington
two miles west of the Battle Monument,
where he was joined by Colonel Herrick
commanding the Vermont militia, called
Herrick's Rangers, and also by Colonel
Simmons with part of regiment from
Berkshire County, Massachusetts, a
small body of militia from the east side
of the mountain under Colonel William
Williams, and two companies of militia
from Bennington commanded respec-
lively by Captains Samuel Robinson and
Elijah Dewey, the whole force being
about eighteen hundred men.
On the 18th of August, General Stark
having received definite information of
Baum's movements, moved his little
army some five miles, and on the l4th
sent forward some skirmishing parties
to feel the enemy, who killed and
wounded thirty of them, after which
Stark marched back toward Bennington
some two miles and encamped.
Baum's force did not start until after
Stark reached Bennington. He was at
Saratoga the 1lth of August, reached
Battenkill the 18th and Cambridge on
the 18th, where they captured some cat.
tie, horses, carts and wagons, when
Baum learned the extent of Stark force
and sent back to BurgOyne for reinforce
ments. The enemy's force consisted OF
about five hundred German regulars,
some Canadians, corps of provlncials
(Tories), 80 Chasseurs and over 100 In
dians with two light pieces of artillery,
all under command of Colonel Baum, a
veteran German officer.
The entire force moved some six miles
towards Bennington on the 14th, and
concluded to encamp, entrench them
selves and await re-inforcements, while
the same day General Stark mad sent to
Manchester for Warmers regiment.
On the 18th, which was Friday, the
rain poured all day, so only some scout
ing was done by Stark, while Baum i'm
proved the time in strengthening his
breast works.
Colonel Seth Warner had been with
Stark since leaving Manchester on the
Sth INST, and during that rainy day he,
with Colonel Herrick, assisted General
Stalk to plan the battle for the next day.
have here before you a fac-simile of
the map of the BATTLEFIELD, which was
made by Lieutenant Durnford, an Eng
lish engineer with the enemy, and which
is on file in the British War Department,
showing Baum's position.
On the morning of the 10th at daylight,
Stark began movements in preparation
for an attack on the enemy, which had
been agreed to by the several command
ers the day before.
Stark ordered Colonel Nichols with
200 men to proceed northward through
the woods as cautiously as possible,
and without being observed, to the left
and rear of the principal breast work on
the hill. After Nichols started he was
reinforced by 100 more men.
Col. Herrick with 300 men was ordered
to proceed in like cautious manneraround
Baum's right flank and gain the right