CHAPTER X.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. Thecountry 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 assistancewas 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 theVermont 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 ageneral 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’sleft 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 wordforward! 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 thepatriot 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-twoofficers 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, awilderness 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 commissionsbefore 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.