89Joseph was a babe about four months old, at the time of the Battle of Bennington. His father was at work in the field with his team, when the call came for help to repel the enemy. He immediately turned out, took one of the horses and rode to the scene of the conflict, while his wife took the other horse, and with the babe in her arm and two other children behind her, and Selinda “forced to run on foot,” made her way to Williamstown, in the state of Massachusetts, 15 miles away. She had to stop many times to rest, and the weather was extremely hot.

She went to a tavern, as night was coming on, but as the house was crowded, the landlord told her he could not take her in, but one of the guests very kindly gave up his own room to her saying, “That woman cannot go another step.” After her terrible journey she was very sick for several days.

He had the powder horn used by his father in the Battle of Bennington. His son passed it on to Smith Rudd, who died 14 Sep 1906, at Malden, IL

There was a fort at Williamstown and Colonel Simonds led 500 men to Bennington. From Pittsfield, came in his ancient chaise, Rev. Thomas Allen, the “fighting person, with the Berkshire company.”

New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire claimed the Vermont Territory and the settlers had given armed resistance to those who were sent to evict them. Vermont was refused admission to the Union by the delegates in Congress from New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. When Ethan Allen threatened the loss of the state to the union, if not recognized, then help was sent, but it was after the war, in 1791, that Vermont was admitted to the United States.

This may be the reason that we can find no record of all the names of the Vermonters or Green Mountain Boys, that were engaged in the Battle of Bennington.