08/20/2026
In August 1777, British General John Burgoyne was marching his army south through upstate New York, toward an appointment with destiny at Saratoga. On August 9, hoping to acquire much-needed supplies and reinforcements, Burgoyne detached a force of about 800 men and sent them toward the New Hampshire Grants (now Vermont), an area he believed to be lightly defended if defended at all.
The detachment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum, a Hessian who spoke no English. Most of the men in the detachment were dismounted Hessian dragoons, but it also included Indians, Loyalist militia, and a company of British sharpshooters. Their mission was to try to commandeer food, horses, and supplies in the region, and to gather up new Loyalist recruits. It was to be Baum’s final assignment.
Burgoyne was mistaken about the region being undefended. In fact, over the previous month Patriot Major General John Stark had raised a command of about 1,500 New Hampshire militiamen and had marched them to the defense of the area, where he was joined by another 500 or so men—Green Mountain Boys, a company of Massachusetts militia, and a contingent of Stockbridge Indians. Stark’s men, still smarting over not having made it to Fort Ticonderoga in time to help defend it, were eager for a fight.
When the two forces collided on August 16 near Bennington (now Bennington, Vermont), Baum was not only outnumbered, but he was over his head, lacking the experience and skill of Stark. Stark ordered his men to attack, exclaiming, “They are your enemies! They are ours or this night Molly Stark will sleep a widow!”
Stark drove his men at Baum’s center, while sending out flanking parties to envelope him. Seeing themselves being surrounded, Baum’s Loyalist militia and Indian allies soon fled or surrendered. Baum and his Hessian dragoons tried to fight their way out of the trap, but their situation was hopeless, and they too were overwhelmed. Those who weren’t killed in the fighting surrendered.
Baum was shot in the stomach during the breakout attempt. He was taken prisoner and carried to Bennington, where he died two days later, on August 18, 1777 (two hundred forty-nine years ago today).
The destruction of Baum’s detachment had a significant impact on the rest of the campaign. The victory boosted Patriot morale, denied Burgoyne much-needed provisions, dampened Loyalist enthusiasm in the area, and caused nearly all of his Indian allies (many of whom were essential and valuable scouts) to abandon him. Burgoyne’s surrender two months later encouraged France to recognize the United States and enter the war as its ally.
The painting is by Don Troiani and depicts Lt. Colonel Baum ordering his dragoons to draw their swords and attempt to cut their way out. Baum would be mortally wounded shortly after this.
