Topic summary
Battle of Bennington
- 2,000–2,500 (Stark)
- 350 (Warner)
- 800 (Baum)
- 550–650 (Breymann)
- 30 killed
- 40 wounded
- 207 killed
- 700 captured
The Battle of Bennington was fought on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York during the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War. Taking place approximately 10 miles (16 km) from its namesake, Bennington, Vermont, the battle was fought between an American force of 2,000–2,500 men under Brigadier GeneralJohn Stark and Lieutenant ColonelSeth Warner and a mostly Hessian and Loyalist force of 1,350–1,450 men under Lieutenant-colonelFriedrich Baum and Lieutenant-colonel Heinrich von Breymann. Stark and Warner's army defeated Baum and von Breymann's force, inflicting almost 1,000 casualties while suffering less than 100.
Prior to the battle, Baum had been detached from a British-led army under Lieutenant-generalJohn Burgoyne and sent with approximately 700 men to engage in a foraging and raiding expedition to Bennington on July 22. Baum's force consisted of a mixture of Hessian, Loyalist, and British regulars along with Loyalist and French-Canadian irregulars and Haudenosaunee warriors. Both Burgoyne and Baum incorrectly believed that Bennington was lightly defended and were unaware that 1,500 American militiamen under Stark were stationed there. In the days before the battle Stark's force was reinforced by a further 1,000 militia while Baum's force was likewise reinforced by 100 Loyalist irregulars.
Following a rain-caused standoff Stark's men, comprising New Hampshire and Massachusetts militia along with Vermont Republic militiamen under Warner, enveloped Baum's position on August 16 and overran it, killing Baum along with many of his men and capturing hundreds. A force of 550–650 Hessians under von Breymann arrived to reinforce Baum as the Americans were mopping up, and the battle restarted. Von Breymann's troops immediately attacked and drove back Stark's men. However, Warner's troops arrived to reinforce Stark's and the combined American force drove away von Breymann and his troops with heavy casualties.
The battle was a major strategic success for the Americans and is considered one of the turning points of the war; it reduced Burgoyne's army in size by almost 1,000 men, led his Indians allies to largely abandon him, and deprived Burgoyne of much-needed supplies, such as mounts for his cavalry regiments, draft animals and provisions, all of which contributed to Burgoyne's eventual defeat at Saratoga. The victory galvanized support for the Patriot cause, and played a key role in bringing France into the war on the American side. The battle's anniversary is celebrated in the state of Vermont as Bennington Battle Day.