BATTLE // August 16, 1777
Battle of Bennington
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Source · Wikipedia
Significance
The Battle of Bennington was fought as part of the Saratoga campaign, in which British General John Burgoyne sought to drive south through New York and sever New England from the other colonies. The defeat of Baum's detachment, and then of Breymann's supporting force, cost Burgoyne a significant portion of his already-strained force and denied him the supplies and horses the expedition had been sent to seize. The engagement demonstrated that American militia, drawn primarily from New Hampshire and Massachusetts and reinforced by Vermont's Green Mountain Boys, could decisively overcome regular and auxiliary forces operating away from their main body. The cumulative damage contributed directly to British vulnerability at Saratoga, where Burgoyne's army would subsequently be compelled to surrender — a result that proved pivotal in securing French recognition of American independence.
Tactics
American forces under General John Stark, numbering around 2,000 men drawn primarily from New Hampshire and Massachusetts militia, were reinforced by Vermont militiamen under Colonel Seth Warner and members of the Green Mountain Boys. Together they defeated first the detachment led by Lieutenant-Colonel Friedrich Baum and then the supporting column under Lieutenant-Colonel Heinrich von Breymann. The overview does not describe the specific maneuvers, formations, or terrain use employed during the engagement.
Forces & casualties
Troop strength
- United States2,000–2,500medium
Casualties
- Royaume de Grande-Bretagne207–700medium
Commanders (4)
Great Britain
United States
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6 sibling battles · 6 factions