Part 2




Part 2
Stark completed his trek across Vermont to arrive in Manchester on August 9th, where Seth Warner's Green Mountain Boys had remained. Awaiting him was Major General Lincoln with orders to join the Northern Command of the Continental Army; Stark refused, presenting his stated commission that his only allegience was with New Hampshire. Stark left Vermont's militia along with a single detachment, commanded by Lt. Col Emerson, of the 11th New Hampshire Militia Regiment in Manchester while they awaited a retrieval party to return with weapons that had been abandonned near Hubbardton. Stark, himself, proceeded to Bennington, joining with local Bennington militiamen and sending out scouting parties.
On the morning of August 14, the British chased off a small force under Lt. Colonel Gregg, which fired upon them during retreat and abandoned the food stores at Sancoick's Mills but allowing the only bridge to be destroyed and slowing Baum by the rebuilding thereof. With his enemy having disappeared into the trees, Baum considered that they were either in full retreat or changing deployment as the next two days progressed. Stark sent a message to Warner and a now informed Baum, ably presuming to be outnumbered, was motivated to send a request for reinforcements while hastily setting up defense works on a hill overlooking the Walloomsac River, about 5 miles west of Bennington, in a heavy downpour. Rain continued to drench the area throughout the 15th and into the morning of the 16th, during which the 3rd Berkshire County Regiment, under command of Colonel Symonds, arrived to join Stark. Stark refrained from attacking in the rain, even under concern that more British troups might appear, against Reverend Allen's protest that he had "oft been called out but had never been allowed to fight the British." General Stark replied, "If the Lord should once more give us sunshine and I do not give you enough fighting, I will never ask you to come out again."
After dawn, the Bennington Militia of 300, commanded by Colonel Herrick, had made a long sweep around the south of the British positions while Colonel Nichols' force of 200, the 5th New Hampshire Militia Regiment, with but half the distance to cover, circled around the north. Meanwhile, Colonel Hobart, commanding the 12th New Hampshire Militia Regiment, had moved for position against the Loyalist militia on the near side of the easily fordable river, the southeast front corner of the British stations, with Colonel Stickney's 11th New Hampshire Militia Regiment to the right; Stark lie in wait behind for a full frontal attack against the main British positions.
A tradition says it was a Hoosic, New Yorker, named Jacob Onderkirke and another reports that Thomas Allen pulled the trigger and a ball of lead sped towards the British positions; within seconds, both Nichols' and Herrick's forces were attacking the British flanks. Upon hearing the gunfire, Hobart and Stickney immediately charged and the British responded with fire from their two 3-pounders. Other than about 160 veterans of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Stark's volunteers were void of military training and, with their first taste of cannon fire, Stark eased the tension by loudly quipping, "The rascals know I'm an officer; they're firing a salute in my honor!"
The forces of Hobart and Stickney had crossed the stream, and were upon their opposing positions within moments; Stark closed in behind them. The struggle was minimal; Loyalists and British defenders yielded their posts after one volley, their assailants upon them before they could reload, and Stark charged his force through to attack the main breastwork of dragoons and British sharpshooters. There had been a bit more resistance against the rear assault but there, too, the Loyalists and Natives surrendered or fled, some for parts unknown. Baum's defensive perimeters had completely broken, leaving the horseless dragoons trapped within their hilltop breastwork, wherewithin they refused to succumb.
Colonel Brehmann's force had nearly closed the distance within ninety minutes of the battle but it is said he did not hear the shooting. The gunfire was horrifically intense, later described by Stark as "one continuous clap of thunder," as the dragoons plied their valor and, to instill the fury of his troups, it is reported that General Stark screamed, "Today they are ours or Molly Stark sleeps this night a widow!"¹ Soon after the battle, Baum stated that Stark's forces, "...fought more like hell-hounds than soldiers."
It should be noted that the guns (muskets) of the time were not the most accurate but, also, created a fair amount of smoke. Being in the midst, the dragoons were at a visual disadvantage as the smoke increased. Additionally, the provincials could concenrate their fire with better effect, steadily increasing the differential in numbers. A statement, translated from the German, was later recorded from the dragoon camp:
"Our Dragoons fired at the enemy with cool deliberation and much courage but it did not last long. They loaded their carbines behind the breastworks but, as soon as they raised up to aim their weapons, a bullet went through their heads, they fell backwards and no longer moved a finger. Thus in a short time our largest and best Dragoons were sent to eternity." ²
In the fury, a British ammunition wagon exploded and the provincials rushed over the breastworks. Nearly out of powder and ammunition, Baum desperately organized his troups for a sabre charge to try to break through the encircling forces. It failed and Baum received what was to prove a fatal stomach wound. After two hours of battle, Baum's force now decimated, the Germans finally surrendered. The provincial forces had won the hill and began to gather captives and the spoils of war; the latter action could prove fatal.

I don't really disagree, yet it catches the eye here, doesn't it. However, this double engagement of the Battle of Bennington was also a Battle of Britain -- and much preceded the one that has most oft come to mind for more than 6 decades.

[edit]Had to pop back into this. By my thinking, the period of WW2 that is commonly called the Battle of Britain should more aptly be named Battle Above Britain, Battle for Britain or, to keep the initials but capitalize the 'O', Battle Over Britain. But, hey, it's been BoB for over half a century so what are we going to do...
wait a couple more centuries when there's another battle to steal the initials? It's a good thing it was less than a century or BoB would bring the Battle of Baghdad to mind.