Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-11-15
and rear of the breast works.

and rear of the breast works.
Colonels Hubbard and Stickney were
ordered to maneuver IN front of Baum TO
attract his attention while the move
ments of Nichols and Herrick were be
ing executed.
Stark was to charge Baum's entrench-
ment in front, at the proper time.
At 3 O'Clock, Nichols and Herrick had
both gained the coveted position in the
rear of Baum. and the attack began 81
multaneOusly in the rear and on both
tlanks, and without sound of warning,
and every man who. showed his head
above the breast works was shot down.
The two cannon which were in the en-
trenchment were sienced when Nichols
and HerTicks's men charged, and hand
to hand fight ensued in which our men
dubbed their musketS, they having few
bayOnets. After about twenty-five min
utes severe fighting, the Hessians were
driven out of their works and started
down the hill, only to be captured by
Stark's men before reaching the foot.
A few of the Hessians escaped but most
of them were captured. Most Of the
Tories and all the Indians escaped. The
prisoners were at once assembled and
under a strong guard started for Ben
ningtOn. The fight lasted about an hour
aud half. and the prisoners had but
just started when news was brought to
General Stark that another British force
was coming and were already at
Sancoik mill, about two miles away.
At this time many of our exhausted men
had broken ranks and thrown themselves
on the ground and We're fast asleep,
many of them having partaknn of the
contents of rum hOgshead which had
been captured in the entertainments.
Many of the men were scattered about
the field looking for whatever they
could find, all ignorant of approaching
danger. By the utmost exeItiOns, Gen
eral Stark rallied a part of those Who
had not gone as guard to the prisoners.
and moved westward to resist the new
enemy, consisting of about 500 German
and English troops under command of
the German colonel. Breyman, who had
been sent by General Burgoyne to assist
Colonel Baum, but arrived a little too
late.
A running fight was commenced near
the Sancok mill and our men were
driven inch by inch for over a mile, or
about half way. from the mill to the
scene of the fight with Baum. Just at
this time. Colonel Seth Warmers regi-
ment of about $50 men arrived from
Manchester and promptly moved to the
support OF our wOrnout men, and placing
themselves in a small ravine which was
in field on the upper side of the road
where they had full command of the
road but were themselves sheltered.
They opened on Breyman'S 5 men so ho6 n
fire that they halted and soon retrpated,
followed by Warmers men, who cap
tured his two cannon and few men, but
night came on and the most of the enc
my escaped, thus ending the Battle of
Bennington.
The reports showed that we lost thirty
men killed and forty wounded, a large
part of our loss being caused by the Tor
les who held a commanding position on
the south side of the river, under the
command of Colonel Pfster.
The enemy's loss was two hundred
and seven killed and about eight hun
dred wounded and prisoners, some seven
hundred ggns, four pieces offartillery,
lot of cavalry swords and equipments
and other property.
COlonels Baum and Pfister were both
fatally wounded and were taken to
house which stood near the State line
paper mill in SALISBURY, on the road
to Bennington, where they
ul6u WOlO nOdl Dduh VI
the WallOomsac River, their graves be-
ing now unknown. A number of wound
ed prisoners who were taken to Benning-
ton, died. and were buried in the ceme-
terry at Bennington CentrL.
The victory at Bennington created the
widest joy among the patriots of the
whole continent, as the colonies were
collectively called.
For more than year there had been
hard struggle on the part of the colonies
with no gains to their cause. General
Washington could barely keep his little
army together and was for many months
bottled up in New Jersey, either not
knowing which way to move or unable
to move at all, while the British had
large fleet Of ships lowering on our
coast, prepared to land an army of from
10000 to 10000 men at any point they
might select, and General Washington
having no means of knowing where the
next landing would be made.
The people were being impoverished
and our armies were despairing and
melting away, but the news of Benning-
ton put new life, courage and confidence
in the hearts of all, from General Wash
Ington to the private in the ranks. Our
undiscplined men had attacked the vet
Grams of Europe, behind Notifications
defended by artillery and beaten and
captured them and paralyzed the move
ments of BurgOyne's large army and iu-
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