hero tales from american history-第7节
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ition to the eastward。 This force consisted of about five hundred and fifty white troops； chiefly Hessians； and one hundred and fifty Indians； all under the command of Colonel Baum。 They were within four miles of Bennington on August 13； 1777； and encamped on a hill just within the boundaries of the State of New York。 The news of the advance of Burgoyne had already roused the people of New York and New Hampshire； and the legislature of the latter State had ordered General Stark with a brigade of militia to stop the progress of the enemy on the western frontier。 Stark raised his standard at Charlestown on the Connecticut River； and the militia poured into his camp。 Disregarding Schuyler's orders to join the main American army； which was falling back before Burgoyne； Stark； as soon as he heard of the expedition against Bennington； marched at once to meet Baum。 He was within a mile of the British camp on August 14； and vainly endeavored to draw Baum into action。 On the 15th it rained heavily； and the British forces occupied the time in intrenching themselves strongly upon the hill which they held。 Baum meantime had already sent to Burgoyne for reinforcements； and Burgoyne had detached Colonel Breymann with over six hundred regular troops to go to Baum's assistance。 On the 16th the weather cleared； and Stark； who had been reinforced by militia from western Massachusetts； determined to attack。
Early in the day he sent men； under Nichols and Herrick； to get into the rear of Baum's position。 The German officer； ignorant of the country and of the nature of the warfare in which he was engaged； noticed small bodies of men in their shirtsleeves； and carrying guns without bayonets； making their way to the rear of his intrenchments。 With singular stupidity he concluded that they were Tory inhabitants of the country who were coming to his assistance； and made no attempt to stop them。 In this way Stark was enabled to mass about five hundred men in the rear of the enemy's position。 Distracting the attention of the British by a feint； Stark also moved about two hundred men to the right； and having thus brought his forces into position he ordered a general assault； and the Americans proceeded to storm the British intrenchments on every side。 The fight was a very hot one； and lasted some two hours。 The Indians； at the beginning of the action； slipped away between the American detachments； but the British and German regulars stubbornly stood their ground。 It is difficult to get at the exact numbers of the American troops； but Stark seems to have had between fifteen hundred and two thousand militia。 He thus outnumbered his enemy nearly three to one； but his men were merely country militia； farmers of the New England States； very imperfectly disciplined； and armed only with muskets and fowling…pieces； without bayonets or side…arms。 On the other side Baum had the most highly disciplined troops of England and Germany under his command； well armed and equipped； and he was moreover strongly intrenched with artillery well placed behind the breastworks。 The advantage in the fight should have been clearly with Baum and his regulars； who merely had to hold an intrenched hill。
It was not a battle in which either military strategy or a scientific management of troops was displayed。 All that Stark did was to place his men so that they could attack the enemy's position on every side； and then the Americans went at it； firing as they pressed on。 The British and Germans stood their ground stubbornly； while the New England farmers rushed up to within eight yards of the cannon； and picked off the men who manned the guns。 Stark himself was in the midst of the fray； fighting with his soldiers； and came out of the conflict so blackened with powder and smoke that he could hardly be recognized。 One desperate assault succeeded another； while the firing on both sides was so incessant as to make； in Stark's own words； a 〃continuous roar。〃 At the end of two hours the Americans finally swarmed over the intrenchments； beating down the soldiers with their clubbed muskets。 Baum ordered his infantry with the bayonet and the dragoons with their sabers to force their way through； but the Americans repulsed this final charge； and Baum himself fell mortally wounded。 All was then over； and the British forces surrendered。
It was only just in time； for Breymann； who had taken thirty hours to march some twenty…four miles； came up just after Baum's men had laid down their arms。 It seemed for a moment as if all that had been gained might be lost。 The Americans； attacked by this fresh foe； wavered； but Stark rallied his line； and putting in Warner； with one hundred and fifty Vermont men who had just come on the field； stopped Breymann's advance； and finally forced him to retreat with a loss of nearly one half his men。 The Americans lost in killed and wounded some seventy men； and the Germans and British about twice as many； but the Americans took about seven hundred prisoners； and completely wrecked the forces of Baum and Breymann。
The blow was a severe one； and Burgoyne's army never recovered from it。 Not only had he lost nearly a thousand of his best troops； besides cannon； arms； and munitions of war； but the defeat affected the spirits of his army and destroyed his hold over his Indian allies； who began to desert in large numbers。 Bennington； in fact； was one of the most important fights of the Revolution； contributing as it did so largely to the final surrender of Burgoyne's whole army at Saratoga； and the utter ruin of the British invasion from the North。 It is also interesting as an extremely gallant bit of fighting。 As has been said； there was no strategy displayed； and there were no military operations of the higher kind。 There stood the enemy strongly intrenched on a hill； and Stark； calling his undisciplined levies about him； went at them。 He himself was a man of the highest courage and a reckless fighter。 It was Stark who held the railfence at Bunker Hill； and who led the van when Sullivan's division poured into Trenton from the river road。 He was admirably adapted for the precise work which was necessary at Bennington； and he and his men fought well their hand…to…hand fight on that hot August day； and carried the intrenchments filled with regular troops and defended by artillery。 It was a daring feat of arms； as well as a battle which had an important effect upon the course of history and upon the fate of the British empire in America。
KING'S MOUNTAIN
Our fortress is the good greenwood； Our tent the cypress tree； We know the forest round us As seamen know the sea。 We know its walls of thorny vines； Its glades of reedy grass； Its safe and silent islands Within the dark morass。 Bryant。
KING'S MOUNTAIN
The close of the year 1780 was； in the Southern States； the darkest time of the Revolutionary struggle。 Cornwallis had just destroyed the army of Gates at Camden； and his two formidable lieutenants； Tarlton the light horseman； and Ferguson the skilled rifleman； had destroyed or scattered all the smaller bands that had been fighting for the patriot cause。 The red dragoons rode hither and thither； and all through Georgia and South Carolina none dared lift their heads to oppose them； while North Carolina lay at the feet of Cornwallis； as he started through it with his army to march into Virginia。 There was no organized force against him； and the cause of the patriots seemed hopeless。 It was at this hour that the wild backwoodsmen of the western border gathered to strike a blow for liberty。
When Cornwallis invaded North Carolina he sent Ferguson into the western part of the State to crush out any of the patriot forces that might still be lingering among the foot…hills。 Ferguson was a very gallant and able officer； and a man of much influence with the people wherever he went； so that he was peculiarly fitted for this scrambling border warfare。 He had under him a battalion of regular troops and several other battalions of Tory militia； in all eleven or twelve hundred men。 He shattered and drove the small bands of Whigs that were yet in arms； and finally pushed to the foot of the mountain wall； till he could see in his front the high ranges of the Great Smokies。 Here he learned for the first time that beyond the mountains there lay a few hamlets of frontiersmen； whose homes were on what were then called the Western Waters； that is； the waters which flowed into the Mississippi。 To these he sent word that if they did not prove loyal to the king； he would cross their mountains； hang their leaders； and burn their villages。
Beyond the； mountains； in the valleys of the Holston and Watauga； dwelt men who were stout of heart and mighty in battle； and when they heard the threats of Ferguson they burned with a sullen flame of anger。 Hitherto the foes against whom they had warred had been not the British； but the Indian allies of the British； Creek； and Cherokee； and Shawnee。 Now that the army of the king had come to their thresholds； they turned to meet it as fiercely as they had met his Indian allies。 Among the backwoodsmen of this region there were at that time three men of special note： Sevier； who afterward became governor of Tennessee； Shelby； who afte
