Battle of Bennington (First Engagement) - Walloomsac, NY
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 42° 56.310 W 073° 18.320
18T E 638268 N 4755378
The Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site, which encompasses a round hill with a modest arrangement of monument, was where an important victory for the rebellious Americans, setting up the defeat at Saratoga.
Waymark Code: WMT6R9
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 10/04/2016
Views: 2
In Walloomsac, near the Vermont border, is the Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site that is the site of the Battle of Bennington, First Engagement.
The entrance is located on the north side of New York Route 67, about a mile west of the New York-Vermont line. The gate has two stone pillars flanking the driveway. After passing through, drive up to the end where there there are a couple parking lots. At the lower one are restroom facilities and a small history room explaining the battle. The area is a grassy hill where, on the top is a modest arrangement of monuments. At the center is a flagpole and a 3-D map of the area showing important battle event locations. Several granite markers are located here from area states honoring those units from that state.
The Battle of Bennington, which was fought on August 14 and 16, 1777, was an important victory for the American rebel side at the time and helped bring about the American victory at Saratoga in October 1777.
British General John Burgoyne was executing a plan to gain control of the area between New York and Montreal (both occupied by the British at that time), and, thus, isolate New England from the rest of the colonies by land. Burgoyne captured and held several forts along the Lake Champlain area through the mid-summer. However, by August, Burgoyne realized he was running out of supplies. He sent an expedition to Bennington, Vermont to find supplies, led by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum. The detachment had about 700 men, mostly German Brunswick and Hessians, Canadians, Loyalists, and Native Americans. Burgoyne thought that Bennington was lightly guarded. But in fact, there were about 1,500 Massachusetts and New Hampshire units led by John Stark. After a standoff in the rain, Star was able to surround Baum's unit and collected many prisoners. As Stark was conducting this, reinforcements arrive from both sides and the battle restarted nearby. With heavy casualties, the American side was able to repel the British side.
The battle was important in many respects. It reduced Burgoyne's army through casualties and captures. It denied Burgoyne of supplies. It delayed Burgoyne in his drive south. And it was a needed victory that helped commit the French to our aid.
Source:
National Park Service (The Battle of Bennington):
(
visit link)
New York State Parks (Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site):
(
visit link)
Wikipedia (Battle of Bennington):
(
visit link)