BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.
The British were of opinion that the people of the Grants were opposed
to the Revolution, and would join the standard of England the moment a
force was marched into the territory. This belief was founded on the
dissensions with New York, the unsatisfactory resolutions of Congress,
and the charges of outlawry brought against the people of the Grants by
their neighbors.
Bennington was a central place, whither the live stock had been
collected, and whence the American army derived its supplies. It was
likewise a depot of wheeled vehicles and grain deposits, and was
guarded by relieving bodies of militia. Bennington was to be surprised.
The country was to be scoured from Rockingham to Otter Creek. All
public magazines were to be sacked. All cattle belonging to royalists,
and which could be spared by their owners, were to be paid for; and all
the rebel herds and flocks were to be driven away.
Colonel Skene, the noted royalist after whom Skenesborough (now
Whitehall) was named, held a position in the expedition: indeed, it
was owing largely to his representations that it was undertaken.
Lieut.-Col. Baum was sent in charge of the detachment. He had in his
command two hundred dismounted dragoons of the regiment of Riedesel,
Captain Frazer’s British marksmen, some Canadian Tories, and Indians,
in all amounting to about five hundred men, with two pieces of cannon.
It was expected the dragoons would supply themselves with horses in the
course of the foray, and a skeleton corps of royalists would be filled
up with recruits.
Burgoyne encamped on the east side of the Hudson, so as to be near at
hand in case assistance was wanted. Baum set out from camp at break of
day on the 13th of August, 1777. The state of the roads, the excessive
heat, and want of horses and wagons, all contributed to render the
progress slow and tedious. A few horses were brought in, and some
wagons captured; but the inhabitants managed to remove most of their
effects in time. The Indians killed or drove off all that came into
their hands, unless they were paid in cash for their prizes.
Baum found the people of Bennington ready to give him a reception. The
veteran Stark was there, with eight hundred New Hampshire militia; and
Colonel Warner found himself at the head of about six hundred Green
Mountain Boys, hastily collected to repel the invaders. Thus once more
the cause of American Independence was to rest largely on the valor and
patriotism of the outlawed Warner and his band of brave followers.
Stark had, with difficulty, been prevailed on to take the command. He
had a farm among the Vermont Mountains, and his sympathies were in
harmony with her people; he, too, was smarting under a sense of the
injustice of Congress. He only took up arms, he said, in a moment of
exigency, to defend the neighborhood which otherwise would be exposed
to the ravages of the enemy.
On the 15th, Stark sent forward a detachment under Colonel Gregg, and
on the following day advanced with his own men to support them. He met
them about five miles off, in full retreat, with Baum and his force a
mile or more in the rear.
Stark now halted, and deployed his men for action. Baum drew up his
troops and formed them in a strong position on high ground at a bend
of a little river, and began to intrench. Stark fell back to await
reinforcements, and to entice Baum from his intrenchments. A skirmish
took place in which thirty of Baum’s men and two Indian Chiefs were
killed.
The incessant rain of the 15th prevented a general engagement,
but there was continual skirmishing. Baum employed the interim in
strengthening his position; and finding the opposite force much larger
than he anticipated, he had sent off in all haste to Burgoyne for
reinforcements. The latter immediately detached Col. Breyman with five
hundred Hessian Grenadiers and infantry, and two six pounders, leaving
behind him his tents, baggage and standards. So bad were the roads,
that Breyman was nearly two days getting little more than twenty miles.
Meanwhile expresses had been sent in every direction by the Americans,
and recruits were pouring in from all parts of the country:--among
them, Colonel Symonds with a body of Berkshire militia.
On the morning of the 16th, the sun was shining brightly, and Stark
prepared to attack Baum in his intrenchments, although, for the
most part, his men had only ordinary firelocks without bayonets.
He separated his force into two divisions: one was detached to the
enemy’s left under Colonel Nichols; a second, under Col. Herrick, was
sent to the rear of his right; these two were to join and attack the
British in the rear, while the third was to make a demonstration in
front.
Col. Skene and other royalists, when they saw the Americans issuing
from the woods on different sides, endeavored to persuade Baum that
these were some of the Tories flocking to his standard. The Indians
were the first to discover the error. “The woods are full of Yankees,”
they shouted; and retreated, yelling like demons, between the troops
of Nichols and Herrick. Several of them were killed as they ran the
gauntlet.
At the first sound of firearms, Stark, who had remained behind in camp,
mounted his horse and gave the word _forward_! The homely speech made
by him when in sight of the enemy is familiar to every school boy.
“Now, my men! there are the red-coats! Before night they are ours, or
Molly Stark will be a widow!”
Baum found himself assaulted on every side, but he fought with a dogged
stubbornness and determination. He planted his cannon advantageously,
and his fire was effective. Stark, who was in the battle of Bunker
Hill, and in engagements in the French war, says it was the hottest
fight he ever saw. He inspired his men with his own impetuosity. They
drove the royalists upon the Hessians, and pressing after them, mounted
the works with incredible fury. A Hessian eyewitness declared the
rebels fought with desperation, advancing to within eight paces of the
loaded cannon to take surer aim at the artillerists. The latter were
slain and the cannon captured. The royalists and Canadians took to
flight and escaped to the woods. The Hessians maintained their ground
until the last cartridge was expended; then taking their broadswords,
Baum and his men attempted to cut their way to a road in the woods.
Many were killed in the attempt, and the survivors were taken
prisoners. Baum was among the wounded.
The victors now dispersed; some to collect the booty, or seek
refreshments, and others to care for the wounded or look after the
prisoners. At this juncture Breyman’s tardy reinforcement came up,
making its slow and toilsome way to the scene of action, with numbers
augmented by many of the enemy that had fled. Stark made superhuman
efforts to rally his men, but all were in hopeless confusion. Just as
the day seemed lost to the Americans, the standard of Colonel Warner
came in sight, borne by his six hundred Green Mountain Boys, fresh from
repose, and eager for the fray; for were not the safety of their homes,
and the fate of their wives and children, dependent on the issues of
their arms?
The shock and tumult of battle broke out anew as these newly arrived
reinforcements joined in deadly strife, and the ground was to be fought
over once more. It was four in the afternoon when this second action
commenced. Stark’s men rallied, and entered again into the fight; Col.
Breyman’s command was driven before the patriot forces from wood to
wood, and from hill to hill, until sunset. The last stand of the enemy
was at Van Shaick’s mill, where, having expended all their ammunition,
the enemy retreated under cover of night, leaving two field pieces and
all their baggage in the hands of the Americans.
Burgoyne was awakened in the night with the intelligence that Baum
had met and surrendered to the enemy. Next came word that Breyman
was engaged in severe and doubtful conflict. Drums beat to arms. The
whole camp was roused, and Burgoyne was preparing to march his whole
army to Breyman’s assistance, when word came in that he was on his way
back in safety. The main army remained in camp at the Batten Kiln, but
Burgoyne forded that stream and pushed forward until he met Breyman
and his troops, haggard and fatigued from hard fighting and incessant
marching in the hot weather. Four brass field pieces, nine hundred
dragoon swords, one thousand stand of arms, and four ammunition wagons
were the fruits of the victory. Thirty-two officers and four hundred
and sixty-four privates were taken prisoners. The Americans lost
one hundred in killed and wounded. The British killed could not be
ascertained, as many had fallen in the woods. Stark remarked, that had
there been another hour of daylight, the whole British force would have
fallen into their hands.
Tidings of the affair at Bennington reached Washington just before he
moved his camp from the neighborhood of Philadelphia, and it relieved
his mind of a load of anxiety. In a letter to Putnam he wrote: “As
there is not now the least danger of General Howe’s going to New
England, I hope the whole force of the country will turn out, and by
following the great stroke struck by General Stark near Bennington,
entirely crush Burgoyne, who seems to be in want of almost everything.”
The compliment paid to the troops of Vermont by General Burgoyne,
was to this effect: “The district of the New Hampshire Grants, a
wilderness little known in the last war, now abounds with the most
active, rebellious and hardy race of men on the continent, who hang
like a gathering storm, ready to burst on my left.” This was written
shortly previous to his capitulation. This brilliant double victory at
Bennington, by relieving New England from apprehensions, and enabling
the patriots to concentrate their forces against Burgoyne, resulted in
forcing that General to surrender, on the plains of Saratoga, as noble
an army as was ever sent to subdue a country. The news spread through
America and Europe, sealed the alliance between France and the United
States, and so secured their independence.
In the next chapter we will relate how this timely service of the
Green Mountain Boys was requited by Congress. It is not within the
range of human wisdom to say what would have been the effect on the
American cause, had the demand of New York been complied with, and
Stark and Warner been stripped of their commissions before the battle
of Bennington. The enemy would have been left to devastate the country
at their pleasure, and by diverting the patriot stores in and around
Bennington to the use of Burgoyne’s army, thereby rendered his position
well-nigh impregnable.