Battle+of+Bennington

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**Commanders & Armies:**

**Americans**
 * General John Stark
 * Colonel Seth Warner
 * 2,000 men

**British & Hessian**
 * Lt. Colonel Friedrich Baum
 * Lt. Colonel Heinrich von Breymann
 * 1,250 men

The Battle of Bennington was one of the battles of the American Revolutionary and it took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, which is 10 miles from Bennington, Vermont. British Major General John Burgoyne had gone down the Hudson River valley from Canada determined to split up the American colonies in two. He had won victories at Fort Ticonderoga, Hubbardton, and Fort Ann and he was ready to take on anything. Since he was running low on supplies, so he ordered Lt. Colonel Friedrich Baum to take 800 men to raid the American supply at Bennington, VT. Baum believed there were only 400 militia guarding Bennington. On the way there though, Baum had found out that the garrison had added 1,500 New Hampshire militiamen under the command of General John Stark. Baum had stopped his men at Walloomsac River and asked for additional troops from Fort Miller. His Hessian troops built a small redoubt on the heights overlooking the river. But Stark had seen that he outnumbered Baum, he began to observe the Hessian position on August 14th and 15th. On August 16th, Stark got his men ready for attack

 Stark realized Baum's men were spread thin, so he ordered his men to envelop the enemy's line, while he fearfully looked through the fort from the front. Moving to the attack, Stark's men were quickly able to rout Baum's Loyalist and Native American troops, leaving only the Hessians in the redoubt. Fighting bravely, the Hessians were able to hold their position until they ran low on powder. Desperate, they threw a sword in an attempt to break out. This was defeated with Baum mortally wounded in the process. Trapped by Stark's men, the remaining Hessians surrendered.



As Stark's men were looking over their Hessian men held captive, Baum's other men arrived. Lt. Colonel Heinrich von Breymann saw that them Americans were very vulnerable, so they immediately attacked. Stark quickly improved his lines to face the new threat. His situation was strengthened by the arrival of Colonel Seth Warner's Vermont militia. This helped in driving back von Breymann's attack. This blunted the Hessian attack and helped Stark and Warner counterattack and drive Breymann's men from the field. In the Battle of Bennington, 207 British & Hessians were killed and 700 were captured. Only 40 men of the Americans were killed and 30 wounded. This victory at Bennington followed the victory at Saratoga for the Americans and deprived Burgoyne's army of supplies and provided a much needed morale boost for the American troops on the northern frontier.

** General John Stark **

General John Stark is one of New Hampshire's most famous soldiers. He was the hero of battles Bunker Hill and Bennington, he was the right man always in the right place. He had a lot of training in lumbering operations and farm work with his father. He later practiced hunting and trapping and his capture by the Indians had helped him understand their language and customs, which had all led to his success in French & Indian wars. This showed the quality of leadership that was so strong in the Revolution. He developed an ability to see what the enemy would do beforehand and to forestall them from doing that. His life surrounded the whole revolutionary period and he was a part of the cataclysmic events that produced a free and independent nation.

** General John Burgoyne **

General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, a dramatist and politician. He entered the army at a very early age and he first participated in the Seven Years War, seeing much action. In 1758 he had become the captain and lieutenant-colonel in foot guards. But he is best known for his role in American War of Independence. In 1777, he was the head of the British reinforcements for the invasion of the colonies from Canada. In this great disastrous expedition Burgoyne gained possession of Ticonderoga and Fort Edward, which made him a lieutenant general. He was detached from communication with Canada, and hemmed in by a superior force at Saratoga.On October 17th, his 3,500 troops laid down their arms. The success was the best the colonists ever had and it proved the turning point in the war. The anger and annoyance against Burgoyne was great but unfair.



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