"It was now necessary that vigorous efforts should be made to protect the State from the ravages of the enemy; and the council proved themselves equal to the emergency. Under their direction, the officers of the militia were ordered to raise as many men as possible to oppose the enemy. Such of the militia as could be collected were placed at Manchester under Warner to repel a body of the enemy who had been stationed at Castleton, should they choose to advance in that direction. They also made a most earnest appeal to Massachusetts and NewHampshire to forward troops to their assistance as soon as possible. 

          "On the appeal of the Council of Safety, the NewHampshire assembly at once ordered into service a brigade of militia under John Stark, and as rapidly as possible sent men from Charlestown to join Colonel Warner at Manchester. Stark himself with about 800 men marched over the military road which he had helped to open, encamping at Peru, where in the year 1900 a fitting monument was erected to mark his camping-place. The militia from the country about had been flocking to Manchester; and when Stark descended the mountains and arrived at that place the combined forces numbered 1,400 strong. Warner, leaving the remnant of his regiment, which now numbered only about 130, with Colonel Safford at Manchester, went on with Stark to Bennington.  Stark now made the most of his time organizing and drilling his forces, while scouts scoured the country about for information concerning the movements of the enemy. These measures for defense were taken none too soon. It was Burgoyne's design to attack Albany as soon as be could obtain the needed supplies. Provisions for his army were getting scarce, and fresh supplies must either be obtained from the enemy or brought from Montreal. He much preferred the former means of supplying his need; and learning that the Americans bad collected at Bennington a quantity of such stores as he needed, he resolved to send a force to seize them. 

       "Hearing of the arrival of a party of Indians at Cambridge,N.Y., Stark sent a force of 200 men to oppose them. Learning from a messenger that they were the advance guard of a much greater force that was closely following and was on its way to Bennington to seize the stores there, Stark promptly sent a messenger to Manchester to summon Warner's men and called all the militia of that vicinity to come to his assistance. On the next day, August 14, he advanced toward the enemy. At the same time a British force consisting of 500 Hessians, 100 Indians, and a number of Canadians and Tories, under the command of Colonel Baum, was advancing toward Bennington. When Colonel Baum had come within six or seven miles of Bennington, he came upon Stark, who, halting, formed in line. This brought Colonel Baum to a standstill. Finding that Bennington was guarded by a much larger force than lie had anticipated, he decided not to make an immediate attack; and halting in a commanding position, he began to throw up entrenchments, sending at the same time to notify Burgoyne of his position. 

        "Stark called a council of war by whom it was decide that an attack ought to be made before the British had time for reinforcement; and by the advice of Warner and others, Stark ordered his men to be in readiness to make the attack on the following morning. To his disappointment, the day was too rainy to admit of active military operations; but while waiting, both parties to the contest were busy, the British in strengthening their entrenchments, and Stark with his officers and the Council of Safety in planning a line of action. During the day Stark was reinforced by several hundred militia from western Massachusetts, who had come in through the drenching rain, eager for service. 

"On August 16, the day being favorable, Stark advanced toward the British. He had divided his force, now numbering 1,600, so as to attack the enemy on all sides at the same time. By three o'clock in the afternoon, the attacking columns had arrived at their allotted stations without attracting the attention of the enemy, who had kept close within their entrenchments. Directly a firing was heard in the rear of the British. This was the signal for assault, and the Americans rushed forward, Stark and Warner with the larger force attacking the front, and the remaining force, among which were Herrick and his rangers, the rear.  Baum's Indians fled at the first fire. The battle now raged for two hours; and, although the British sustained the attack with great bravery, they were at length overpowered, and nearly all taken prisoners. Among the prisoners was Colonel Baum himself, who was mortally wounded and who died a few days later. Stark had borne a part in the battles of Bunker Hill, Trenton, and Princeton, and yet be declared that this was the hottest be had ever seen, and was like one continual clap of thunder.