"Did you and the rest march up to the cannon's mouth?" enquired Seth.

"Yes; raw militia, without a single field-piece, and very few bagonets marched up to the breastwork as steadily as veterans, and in a heavy fire, too," replied Hadley.

"I give up; it was more than a skirmish, then," said Seth, generously.

"I'm glad to hear you say so," returned Hadley. "you knew very little about the affair, i suppose, when you made the remark. But, to go on with my account. General Stark soon drove the tories over the river, and they were thus thrown in confusion on the Germans, who were forced from their breastwork. The German commander was a really brave man, and he made his men stand up to receive us. His dragoons preserved their order unbroken; and when all their ammunition was gone, their colonel led them to the charge with the sword. You see, these were Reidesel's dragoons, who were without horses, but were to be supplied with them, in case Baum should be successful. Well, we pushed them so hard, that they had to give way at last, leaving their artillery and baggage on the field. We all knew how much depended on our beating the enemy in that battle. We were fighting for our homes; and most of us would rather have died, than we should have been defeated. Besides, just before the battle, General Stark promised the militia all the plunder that might be taken. This served as an additional incentive to action, and the men went at the foe as if they were certain of victory, and had no idea of being defeated."

"Did you pursue the inemy?" asked Looney.

"No," replied Hadley. "They had no sooner been driven from the field, than we dispersed to collect the plunder. Guns, drums, bayonets, broadswords, and other things, belonging to the Hessians, were scattered all over the field, and we secured them in a hurry, i tell you. I've got a splendid gun and bagonet at home, that I took for my share of the spoils. I had an ugly, heavy, grenadier's hat, that made me wonder how the Hessians managed to walk under them, but I gave it away. It was about five o'clock, when we dispersed in the way I told you. Suddenly the news was brought that a large reinforcement of Hessians was on the march towards the battlefield, and that Baum's flying troops had rallied. The reinforcement was under the command of Colonel Breyman, the brave German officer that was killed here at Stillwater, the other day. They had been detained by the rain and the badness of the roads, and just happened to arrive as their friends were defeated. I suppose they must have very much worn with marching; and that, together with the disappointment of finding Baum defeated, helped, no doubt, to put them in low spirits. General Stark tried all he could to collect the militia; but if colonel Warner's regiment had not arrived on the field just as Breyman appeared, the day would have been turned against us. Warner's regiment numbered less than two hundred. They were not many, but they were fresh; and they fell upon the enemy with great vigor. I was among those who were rallied by General Stark, and we pushed forward to the assistance of Warner. Then followed an obstinate and bloody contest. The Germans stood their ground bravely. Baum was wounded and made prisoner. General Stark's horse was shot under him, as he was in the thickest of the fight, cheering the men. The day was very warm, it being in august; and it was a wonder to me, how those Hessiuans could fight when they were fully equipped. About sunset, the enemy were forced to give way; and then, feeling sure of victory, we pursued them, as they fled in every direction, till dark, when General Stark was obliged to draw off the men, for fear they might shoot each other, in mistake. The whole force sent against us, was either killed, captured, or dispersed."

"What was their actual loss?" asked Seth. "No exaggeration, now."

"I can prove what I'm going to tell you, if you doubt it, replied Hadley. "There was two hundred and seven killed on the spot, and about seven hundred prisoners taken. The wounded were not estimated. It is said that Burgoyne lately acknowledged a loss of 1220 men by that day's battle, though I cannot vouch for the truth of the statement. Our loss was only thirty killed and forty wounded."

"That was a splendid victory for raw troops to achieve, --- there's no mistake about it," said Ephram, taking a long puff of his pipe before he spoke. "I suppose the credit is due almost entirely to General Stark."

"Yes, he was at the spirit that brought it all about," replied Hadley. "He infused an ardor into the men, that n o other leader could have inspired them with. They knew what sort of a man their leader was, and what he expected of them; and they came up to expectation. I shall never forget his appearance when he was trying to rally the dispersed militia. His face was flushed, even at the thought of the day's turning against us. 'Come, men,' said he, 'throw down your spoils and make the day sure. You can whip them, and you must!' How he dashed to Warner's assistance, as soon as he had rallied a little band around him! He, no doubt, remembered his determination to win the day, or die in the attempt."

"that battle shows what a few determined men can do, even without the equipments of an army," remarked Seth.

"I suppose you had more spile, after the second fight, than you had before,' said Looney.

"Oh, plenty of it," returned Hadley. "We took four pieces of brass cannon. When the first one was taken, none of the men knew how to manage it; and Stark went and attended to it himself. That's what makes the thing more laughable. Men who didn't know how to manage a cannon after they had captured it, drove regular soldiers from behind breastworks defended with cannon! Then there was about three hundred stand of arms, two hundred and fifty dragoon swords, four ammunition wagons, and twelve brass drums, captured; and most of them fell to the troops."

"I wish we had something drinkable," remarked Ephraim. "I'd like to drink the General's health."

"Ah!" ejaculated Looney, smacking his lips, "whiskey would be the darlin' to do it wid. But it's of no use; we can't git any."

"Well," said Hadley, "we'll make an engagement to drink his health with the first liquore we get a chance at. Mind you --- 'the health of Brigadier General John Stark,' must be your first drink."

"Och, we'll mind it," returned Looney. "I think we'd better let the fire go out, and go in, though. I fale like slapin' a wink."

"Hold on a bit, Looney," said Seth; "Eph says he's going to sing us a song first."

"Who said so?" enquired Ephraim; anxiously waiting to be coaxed to sing.

"Oh, come, no blarney," said Looney; "sing away wid ye, mon."

"Do, Eph," added Josiah, "I want to hear a good song."

But Ephraim would wait for more coaxing; and nobody appearing anxious to humor him, Hadley said: ---

"Since Ephraim won't sing, I'll volunteer to sing you a song I learned not a great while ago. It's about the subject that has interested you to-night --- the battle of Bennington."

Ephraim looked somewhat abashed at this, but said nothing.

"I don't pretend to sing," said Hadley; "so I don't want you to find fault with my voice or manner of singing."

"Divil a bit," returned Looney. "go on wid ye;" and Hadley trolled out, in a very ordinary voice, the following song, commemorative of the battle of Bennington: ---

Remember the glories of patriots brave,

Though the days of the heroes are o'er;

Long lost to their country, and cold in their grave,

They return to their kindred no more.

The Stars of the field, which in victory pour'd

Their beams on the battle, are sete

But enough of their glory remaining on each sword

To light us to victory yet!

Wollensac! When nature embellish'd that tint

Of thy fields and thy mountains so fair,

Did she ever intend that a tyrant should print

The footsteps of slavery there?

No, Freedom, whose smiles we shall never resign,

Told those who invaded our plains,

That 'tis sweeter to bleed for an age at thy shrine,

Than to sleep for a moment in chains.

Forget not the chieftain of Hampshire, who stood

In the day of distress by our side;

Nor the heroes who nourish'd the fields with their blood,

Nor the rights they secured as they died.

The sun that now blesses our eyes with his light,

Saw the martyrs of liberty slain;

O, let him not blush when he leaves us to-night,

To find that they fell there in vain!

"Good!" exclaimed the Irishman; briefly expressing his satisfaction, when Hadley had concluded.

"the words are strongly patriotic," remarked Ephraim, "and the tune passable. Your account of the battle of Bennington has filled me with such an admiration of General Stark, that I'll have to learn that song, if it's only to glorify him."

"I'll learn it to all of you, some other time," said Hadley. "Let's go in, now; it must be about ten o'clock."

The fire had been gradually dying out, while the men were engaged in conversation, and the last few embers were paling their light by this time. The whole five went into the tent, to seek repose for the night. Most of the fires had been extinguished long before, and the deep shadow of the wood enveloped the greater part o9f the encampment in gloom. Upon the claring, near the edge of the hill --- for the descent was very steep --- three of four fires had been kept burning, by the sentinels on duty, to warm and light them in their lonely walk.

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12/24/06.