USA > New Hampshire > Gathered sketches from the early history of New Hampshire and Vermont, containing vivid and interesting account of a great variety of the adventures of our forefathers, and of other incidents of olden times > Part 9
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THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.
them, with two of their Indian chiefs, without any loss to themselves. The ground the Americans had taken was unfavorable for a general action, and Stark retreated about a mile, and encamped. A council of war was held, and it was agreed to send two detachments upon the enemy's rear, while the rest of the troops should make an attack upon their front. The next day the weather was rainy ; and though it prevented a general action, there were frequent skirmishings in small parties, which proved favorable and encouraging to the Americans.
On August 16, in the morning, Stark was joined by Colonel Symonds and a body of militia from Berkshire, and proceeded to attack the enemy, agreeably to the plan which had been concerted. Colonel Baum, in the mean time, had intrenched on an advantageous piece of ground near St. Koick's mills, on a branch of Hoosic River, and rendered his post as strong as his circumstances and situation would admit. Colonel Nichols was detached with two hundred men to the rear of his left; Colonel Herrick, with three hundred men, to the rear of his right ; both were to join, and then make the attack. Colonels Hubbard and Stickney, with two hundred more, were ordered on the right, and one hundred were advanced towards the front, to draw the atten- tion of the enemy that way. About three o'clock in the afternoon, the troops had taken their posi- tion, and were ready to commence the action. While Nichols and Herrick were bringing their troops to- gether, the Indians were alarmed at the prospect,
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THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.
and pushed off between the two corps, but received a fire as they were passing, by which three of them were killed, and two wounded.
Nichols then began the attack, and was followed by all the other divisions ; those in the front imme- diately advanced, and in a few minutes the action became general. It lasted about two hours, and was like one continued peal of thunder. Baum made a brave defence ; and the German dragoons, after they had expended their ammunition, led by their colonel, charged with their swords ; but they were soon overpowered. Their works were carried on all sides, their two pieces of cannon were taken, Colonel Baum himself was mortally wounded and taken prisoner, and all his men, except a few who had escaped into the woods, were either killed or taken prisoners. Having completed the business by taking the whole party, the militia began to disperse and look out for plunder. But in a few minutes Stark received information that a large reënforce- ment was on their march, and within two miles of him. Fortunately at that moment Colonel Warner came up with his regiment from Manchester. This brave and experienced officer commanded a regi- ment of continental troops, which had been raised in Vermont. Mortified that he had not been in the former engagement,* he instantly led on his men against Breyman, and began the second engage-
* This seems to be a mistake as to Warner himself. He assisted Stark in person, though his men were not there. See Anecdotes from the Life of General Stark, page 163.
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THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.
ment. Stark collected the militia as soon as possi- ble, and pushed on to his assistance. The action became general, and the battle continued obstinate on both sides till sunset, when the Germans were forced to give way, and were pursued till dark. They left their two field pieces behind, and a con- siderable number were made prisoners. They re- treated in the best manner they could, improving the advantages of the evening and night, to which alone their escape was ascribed.
In these actions the Americans took four brass field pieces, twelve brass drums, two hundred and fifty dragoon swords, four ammunition wagons, and about seven hundred prisoners, with their arms and accoutrements. Two hundred and seven men were found dead upon the spot ; the numbers of wounded were unknown. The loss of the Americans was but small ; thirty were slain, and about forty were wounded.
To this account we subjoin the following interest- ing incident from the Rev. Grant Powers's History of the Coos Country.
Colonel Charles Johnston, of Haverhill, N. H.,
- was a man possessing most excellent qualities of mind and heart. His bravery and goodness were celebrated in all the country round ; and the powers of his body were well proportioned to the greatness of his heart. The following event illustrates both his physical power and his courage. At the time when the troops of Vermont and New Hampshire
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THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.
signalized themselves at the battle of Bennington, under General Stark, Colonel Johnston was there, and sustained a part in the brilliant achievements of that ever-memorable day. After Colonel Baum had surrendered to the American troops, and the battle was renewed by the arrival of Colonel Brey- man, Colonel Johnston, in obedience to orders from General Stark, was necessitated to pass through a narrow strip of woods on foot and alone, to bear some orders to the other division of the American army. He had no weapon of defence but a stout staff, which he had cut in the woods that day, as he was passing on to Bennington from New Hampshire. Thus equipped, he came suddenly upon a British scout in ambush, placed there to intercept communi- cations between the different divisions of the Amer- icans. The party in ambush was commanded by a Hessian lieutenant. As Johnston came up, this officer stepped forth, sword in hand, and claimed him as his prisoner. The word was no more than uttered before the sword was struck from the hand of the officer by Johnston's staff, and as soon did Johnston have possession of that sword, and point- ing it at the breast of the Hessian, declared to him that he was that moment a dead man if he and his party did not throw down their arms. The officer turned to his men and said, "We are prisoners of war." The soldiers threw down their arms, and Johnston marched them before him to the American lines, where they were received by our troops.
The colonel returned with the sword to his fam-
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ily, and, presenting it to his only son, Captain Michael Johnston, said, "This sword was won by valor ; let it never be retaken through cowardice." The sword was a splendid article of the kind. There was a good deal of writing upon it, formed by etching, and the officer's name. This sword was brought forth and exhibited for the mournful grati- fication of spectators on the day of the colonel's funeral solemnities. Before his death it was his ex- pressed wish that this sword might descend from him in the line of the oldest male heir ; and it is now in the possession of the Rev. Charles Johns- ton, of the town of Locke, Cayuga county, N. Y. 14
ANECDOTES FROM THE LIFE OF GEN- ERAL STARK.
GENERAL JOHN STARK, the hero of the battle of Bennington, was a native of Londonderry, in New Hampshire, and was born August 17, 1728. His life was throughout one of great hardship and ad- venture. When at the age of twenty-one year's, he was captured by the Indians, while on a fishing and hunting excursion. This happened in the following manner : -
John Stark, his brother William, and two others were camping out near the Connecticut River. In the excitement of the chase, John had wandered quite a distance from his companions, when sud- denly he was surprised and seized by a party of ten savages. Of course resistance was vain, and he quietly gave himself up into their hands. On their demanding information about his companions, he directed them to a point opposite to their real posi- tion, and thus succeeded in leading the savages two miles out of the way. His associates, not knowing the cause of his absence, and thinking that he had wandered so far from them that he could not readily find his way back, unfortunately fired a number of guns as a signal. This of course made their posi-
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ANECDOTES FROM THE LIFE OF GENERAL STARK. 159
tion known to the Indians. They immediately retraced their course, and stealthily approached the unsuspecting hunters. But their plans were disar- ranged by the boldness and intrepidity of Stark. As soon as they approached within hailing distance, he shouted to his comrades to run for their lives ; and they lost no time in commencing a rapid retreat. Instantly four of his captors levelled their pieces at the three Yankees ; but as quick as thought Stark struck up the guns of two of them, and by this means his brother William, who was one of the party, was able to make his escape. For this bold action John received a severe beating.
When the Indians arrived at the village of St. Francis, the spirit and deportment of Stark gained him the admiration of all the warriors. The cap- tives were compelled to run the gantlet. The one or two who preceded Stark received very cruel treat- ment ; but this intrepid youth, wrenching a tomahawk from the Indian who stood first in the line, fell with such fury upon every one who attempted to strike him, that he arrived at the end of his race completely untouched.
On another occasion they set Stark at work hoe- ing corn. Well knowing that they considered this an occupation unfit for brave men, he endeavored to show his ignorance of such work by leaving the weeds and hoeing up the corn. Finding them dis- pleased at this, he flung the hoe into the river, ex- claiming that "hoeing corn was work for squaws, and not for brave warriors." At this they broke
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ANECDOTES FROM THE LIFE
out in undisguised applause. He was styled "young chief," and was honored with an adoption into the tribe. He remained among them but four months.
In the French war, Stark was lieutenant in Major Rogers's company of rangers. In the month of Jan- uary, 1757, Major Rogers with his men were ordered to proceed from Fort William Henry, where they were then stationed, on a scout towards Fort Ticon- deroga, on Lake Champlain. Proceeding down Lake George on the ice, they came on the third day to Lake Champlain. There they captured some provision sleds out of a train belonging to the enemy, and took a few prisoners. Fearing that the large garrison at Ticonderoga would be apprised of his proximity by those who escaped, the rangers immediately began to retrace their steps towards Fort William Henry. As they were marching in single file, on account of the deep snow, across the neck of land which divides Lake George from Lake Champlain, the advance came unexpectedly upon two hundred of the enemy's troops, drawn up in battle array. In an instant a tremendous volley was poured upon them by the French. Stunned by this sudden and unlooked-for attack, they turned and rushed back to the rear. Stark, with his usual promptness, instantly formed his men upon a ridge, ten or fifteen rods distant from the enemy's posi- tion. Early in the action Major Rogers was disa- bled by a wound from exercising the command, and the responsibility devolved upon Stark. He was equal to the emergency. Where the balls flew
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OF GENERAL STARK.
thickest, there he stood, encouraging and cheering on his men to their duty. The battle began at three o'clock in the afternoon, and for four hours they stood their ground, in snow four feet in depth, upon one of the coldest of winter's chilly days. Although they were apprehensive that the keen evening air would be as fearful an enemy as the troops in their front, yet, animated by the unflinching spirit of their leader, they stirred not from their places until night had thrown her sable mantle over the wild forest, and the enemy had abandoned the field. The blood of half the French troops crimsoned the trampled snow. The bodies of the slain lay where they fell, and stiffened in the cold blasts of the north wind. Forty-eight of the rangers remained unhurt, and these, with the wounded, dragged them- selves through the snow to the shore of Lake George. They arrived here at dawn, in a state of utter exhaustion. Stark, with two other brave men, volunteered to go to Fort William Henry, at the southern end of the lake, and procure sleds, on which to transport the wounded. The lake is thirty-six miles in length, and they travelled this distance upon the ice, reaching the fort about dark. They immediately started on their return with the sleds, travelled all night, and brought back the wounded to the fort at the close of the next day. Stark himself assisted to draw the sleds. Truly immense must Stark's power of endurance have been, thus to enable him to pass three days and two nights in the most violent and unremitted exertion. 14 *
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ANECDOTES FROM THE LIFE
Had it not been for his indomitable resolution and perseverance, it is probable that not one of his com- pany would have returned to the fort to communi- cate the melancholy news of his comrades' destruc- tion. At the close of this war he retired with the reputation of a brave and vigilant officer.
When the revolutionary war broke out, Stark was carrying on a saw mill. Fired by the news of the battle of Lexington, he abandoned his work, and proceeded at once to the continental army, near Boston. The morning after his arrival he received a colonel's commission ; and so great was his popu- larity, and the enthusiasm of the day, that in two hours he succeeded in enlisting eight hundred men. On the memorable 17th of June, Stark, with his New Hampshire backwoodsmen, was engaged in the terrible battle of Bunker Hill ; and the deadly fire of these sure marksmen, and the invincible courage of their leader, did much towards securing a favor- able termination to that bloody conflict. He occu- pied an important place in several other battles ; but he reached the climax of his fame, when, in one of the darkest and most desponding periods of the American war, he achieved a glorious victory over the enemy at Bennington.
As a full description of this engagement will be found in another place, it is not our intention now to give any lengthened sketch of it, but merely to relate some incidents in which our hero was partic- ularly concerned.
On the morning of the battle, Stark, who was
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OF GENERAL STARK.
encamped about two miles distant from the enemy, rode forward with Warner, colonel of the Vermont regiment, to reconnoitre the position of his oppo- nents. As they stopped to make observations, the report of a cannon was heard, and a heavy ball plunged past, ploughing the earth as it went. Stark looked at it coolly, and then exclaimed, "Those rascals know I am an officer ; don't you see they honor me with a salute from a big gun ?"
Nothing could be more characteristic of Stark than his speech to his men on leading them in sight of the enemy's troops. " Boys," cried he, as he pointed with his sword to the bayonets which gleamed from the high ground opposite, "boys, those are your enemies - the red coats and tories ! We must conquer them, or to-night Molly Stark is a widow !" Victory or death was the only sentiment which possessed his intrepid heart ; and this feeling indeed was not confined to him, but pervaded the breasts of all those who came to fight at his side for the liberty of their homes and their country. Such was the spirit that carried them through one of the hardest and most fiercely contested battles that occurred during the war of the revolution. They not only defeated the disciplined force that pre- sented itself at first, but also an equally large reën- forcement which arrived while the American troops were scattered in pursuit of their defeated foe, thus taking them at a disadvantage. In his official report, Stark thus speaks of the first portion of the engagement : "It lasted two hours, and was the
164 ANECDOTES FROM THE LIFE OF GENERAL STARK.
hottest I ever saw. It was like one continued clap of thunder."
Stark was acting at this time under the authority of the State of New Hampshire; but after this brilliant victory, Congress hastened to show its ap- preciation of his distinguished services. They be- stowed upon him without delay the rank of briga- dier general in the army of the United States. Thus ever ready was Congress to recognize and reward service done in the cause of liberty, though not in lines marked out by itself.
General Stark after this volunteered his services under General Gates at Saratoga, and assisted in the council which stipulated for the surrender of Burgoyne ; nor did he cease his valuable services till he could greet his native country as an inde- pendent nation.
General Stark was of middle stature, not formed by nature to exhibit an erect soldierly mien. His manners were frank and unassuming ; but he mani- fested a peculiar sort of eccentricity and negligence, which precluded all display of personal dignity, and seemed to place him among those of ordinary rank in life. But as a courageous and heroic soldier, he is entitled to high rank among those who have been crowned with unfading laurels, and to whom a large share of glory is justly due. His character as a private citizen was unblemished, and he was ever held in respect. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years, eight months, and twenty-four days, and died May 8, 1822.
AN ACT OF COURAGE.
FROM REV. G. POWERS'S "HISTORY OF THE COOS COUNTRY."
1777.
IT will be recollected by those who are acquaint- ed with the history of the war of the revolution, that as soon as the battle was fought at Bennington, and the Americans began to hope that Burgoyne's army would fall into their hands, they set about retaking the forts of Ticonderoga and Mount Inde- pendence, on the shores of Lake Champlain, which forts Burgoyne had left in his rear, supplied with troops for their defence. Ticonderoga was taken, and Mount Independence was straitly besieged for some time. There was a good deal of hard fight- ing, and it was confidently expected that Mount Inde- pendence would surrender ; but it did not.
The British shipping had full possession of the lake. Ticonderoga was upon the west side of the lake, and Mount Independence on the east. Our troops on the west side could hold no communica- tion with those who had invested Mount Independ- ence, and of course they could have no concert in action. It was at this time, when the greatest solicitude was felt by the two American command-
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AN ACT OF COURAGE.
ers to know each other's minds, that the following expedient was adopted by the commander at Ticon- deroga. He called on his men to know if there were any two of them who would volunteer to swim the lake in the evening, and carry despatches to General Lincoln, near Mount Independence. For a time none offered to undertake the hazardous enter- prise ; but when informed how much was probably depending upon it, Wallace, of Thetford, Vt., stepped forward and said he would attempt it ; and then followed him Ephraim Webster, of Newbury, who originated in New Chester, N. H.
The documents were made out, and about sundown an officer took these two men upon an eminence which overlooked the lake, and pointed out to them the course they must take to avoid discovery by the British shipping, and then where they would prob- ably find the American camp. At dusk of evening the same officer attended them to the margin of the lake, assisted them to prepare for the voyage, and saw them set sail, little expecting ever to hear from them again ; for as they had to swim up and down the lake, in a zigzag course, to avoid the enemy, they must swim more than two miles before they could make terra firma ; and it was so late in the season, the water was quite cold. They rolled their despatches in their clothes, and bound them upon the back part of their neck by cords passing round their foreheads. As soon as they entered the water, Wallace said to Webster, "We shall never reach
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AN ACT OF COURAGE.
shore, it is so cold ; " but this he said without any thought of relinquishing the enterprise.
When about midway of the lake, the cord which fastened Wallace's clothes to his neck slipped down from his forehead to his throat, and cut him so hard as almost to strangle him. He made several attempts to replace the string upon his forehead, but failed, and was on the point of giving up all for lost. The thought, however, of the importance of his undertaking seemed to inspire him with new life and vigor, and he succeeded in replacing the string, and passed on without saying a word to dis- hearten Webster. They passed so near the British shipping as to hear the oft-repeated cry, " All's well !" They took no care to contradict that report, but buffeted the waves with stout hearts and sinewy limbs. They kept in company until they came near the eastern shore of the lake, when Webster seemed to fall into the rear, a few rods at the north of Wallace ; and just as Wallace struck the twigs of a tree which lay extended into the lake, he heard Webster say, "Help, Wallace ; I am drowning !" Wallace sprang to the shore, caught a stick, rushed into the water, and extended it to Webster in the act of sinking, and drew him ashore. Webster could not stand ; but Wallace rubbed him briskly, and put on his clothes, and he soon recovered so as to walk. Webster was so full of expressions of gratitude to Wallace for the pres- ervation of his life, that Wallace had to caution
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AN ACT OF COURAGE.
him not to speak so loud, for the enemy would hear them.
But new difficulties now presented themselves. It was dark, and they were in a strange place. The enemy was near, and had their sentinels on shore, as well as the Americans ; and what was worst of all, they knew not the countersign of the Americans on that side of the lake. They started, however, in quest of the American camp, and after travelling about nearly one hour, they were hailed by a Brit- ish sentinel, and did but just make their escape. They then took a different direction, and Wallace gave both despatches into Webster's hands, and told him to keep in the rear, and he would go for- ward; and if he should happen to fall into the hands of the enemy, Webster might have opportu- nity to escape with the despatches. But they had not proceeded a great way before Wallace was hailed by a sentinel -" Who comes there ?" " A friend," says Wallace. " A friend to whom ?" says the sentinel. "Advance, and give the countersign." This was a fearful moment. Wallace hesitated for an instant, and then replied, by way of question, " Whose friend are you ?" The sentinel responded, " A friend to America." "So am I," said Wallace, "and have important despatches for your general." They were immediately conducted to the general's quarters, the despatches were delivered, and Wal- lace and Webster were received with every mark of surprise and gratitude, and every thing was done to render them comfortable and happy. But Wal-
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AN ACT OF COURAGE.
lace never enjoyed the degree of health afterwards that he did prior to that chill and almost incredi- ble effort. Wallace departed this life February 7, 1833, aged eighty. Mrs. Wallace died May, 1831, aged eighty-one.
Webster's subsequent history is worthy of a pass- ing notice. At the time he visited Newbury last, he was residing among the Oneida Indians, New York. They had adopted him as their brother, promoted him to be chief in their tribe, and, to ren- der the tie indissoluble, they had given him for a wife one of the black-haired maidens of the forest. Webster's health was not permanently injured by his dangerous adventure.
15
THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN.
FROM AN ADMIRABLE POEM BY "H.," ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE DEMOCRATIC REVIEW OF APRIL, 1839. SEE FRONTIS- PIECE.
WHERE a tall post beside the road displays Its lettered arm, pointing the traveller's eye Through the small opening 'mid the green birch trees,
Towards yonder mountain summit towering nigh, There pause ; what doth thy anxious gaze espy ? An abrupt crag hung from the mountain's brow ! Look closer ; scan that bare sharp cliff on high ; Aha ! the wondrous shape bursts on thee now - A perfect human face-neck, chin, mouth, nose, and brow !
And full and plain those features are displayed, Thus profiled forth against the clear blue sky, As though some sculptor's chisel here had made This fragment of colossal imagery, The compass of his plastic art to try. From the curved neck up to the shaggy hair That shoots in pine trees from the head on high, All, all is perfect ; no illusions there,
To cheat the expecting eye with fancied forms of air. (170)
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THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN.
Most wondrous vision ! the broad earth hath not Through all her bounds an object like to thee, That travellers e'er recorded, nor a spot More fit to stir the poet's phantasy ; Gray OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN, awfully There from thy wreath of clouds thou dost uprear Those features grand - the same eternally ; Lone dweller 'mid the hills, with gaze austere, Thou lookest down, methinks, on all below thee here.
And curious travellers have descried the trace Of the sage FRANKLIN's physiognomy In that most grave and philosophic face : If it be true, Old Man, that here we see Sage Franklin's countenance, thou indeed must be A learned philosopher, most wise and staid, From all that thou hast had a chance to see, Since earth began ; here thou, too, oft hast played With lightnings glancing frequent round thy rugged head.
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