Exerpt from "Liberty!" The American Revolution by Thomas Fleming, Pengquin,
1997
p.239
"Unlucky Major General Arthur St. Clair, surrendered Fort Ticonderoga to save
his
Continentals from capture - "He toyed with the possibility of replicating
Bunker Hill in
the northern woods etc."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The principal characters involved in this military drama on the American side
were Colonel Seth Warner, commander of the entire rear guard at Hubbardton as
well as his own Green Mountain Boy Continental regiment and some Vermont
militia; Colonel Ebenezer Francis, commander of the rear guard during its
march from Mount Independence to Hubbardton, as well as his own 11th
Massachusetts Continental regiment; and Colonel Nathan Hale, commander of the
2nd New Hampshire Continental regiment, who was also in command of a large
group of invalids, walking sick, and stragglers. The total number of rear
guard troops is estimated to have been nearly 1200.
http://www.cet.middlebury.edu/mcgill/battle/intro.html
Subject: Seth Warner, Colonel in the American Army
Source: Source: American Military Biography of the Officers of the
Revolution, pub. 1823
COLONEL SETH WARNER
p.183
Among the persons who have performed important services to the State of
Vermont, Colonel
Seth Warner deserves to be remembered with respect. He was born at Woodbury,
in the colony
of Connecticut about the year 1744, of honest and respectable parents.
Without any other
advantages for an education than what were to be found in the common schools
of the town,
he was early distinguished by the solidity and extent of his understanding.
About the year 1763, his parents purchased a tract of land in Bennington, and
soon after re-
moved to that town with their family. In the uncultivated state of the
country, in the fish, with which the rivers and ponds were furnished and in
the game, with which the woods
abounded, young Warner found a variety of objects suited to his favorite
inclinations and
pursuits; and he soon became distinguished as a fortunate and indefatigable
hunter.
His father, Captain Benjamin Warner, had a strong inclination to medicinal
inquiries and
pursuits; and agreebly to the state of things in new settlements, had to look
for many
of his medicines in the natural virtues of the plants and roots, that were
indigenous to
the country. His son Seth frequently attended him in these botanical
excursions, contracted something of his father's taste for the business, and
acquired more information
of the nature and properties of the indigenous plants and vegetables, than
any other man in
the country.
By this kind of knowledge he became useful to the families in the new
settlements, and ad-
ministered relief in many cases, where no other medical assistance could at
that time be
procured. By such visits and practice, he became known to most of the
families of the west
side of the Green Mountains; and was generally esteemed by them a man highly
useful, both on
account of his information and humanity.
p.184
About the year 1763, a scene began to open, which gave a new turn to his
active and enter-
prising spirit. The lands on which the settlements were made had been
granted by the gov-
ernors of New Hampshire. The government of New York claimed jurisdiction to
the eastward
as far as the Connecticut River; and announced to the inhabitants that they
were within the
territory of New York, and had no legal title to the lands on which they had
settled.
The controversy became very serious between the two governments and after
some years spent
in altercation, New York procured a decision of King George, in their favor.
This order was
dated July 20, 1764 and declared that "the western banks of the river
Connecticut, from
where it enters the province of Massachusetts Bay, as far north as the 45th
degree of north-
ern latitude, to be the boundary line between the said two provinces of New
Hampshire and
New York."
No soon was this decree procured, than the governor of New York proceeded to
make new grants
of lands, which the settlers had before fairly bought of the crown, and which
had been
chartered to them in the king's name and authority by the royal governor of
New Hampshire.
All became a scene of disorder and danger. The new patentees under New York,
brought actions of ejection against the settlers. The decisions of the
courts at Albany were always
in favor of the New York patentees; and nothing remained for the inhabitants
but to buy their lands over again, or to give up the labors and earnings of
their whole lives to the
new claimers under the titles from New York.
In this scene of oppression and distress, the settlers discovered the firm
and vigorous
spirit of manhood. All that was left to them, was either to yield up their
whole property
to a set of unfeeling land jobbers, or to defend themselves and property by
force. They
wisely and virtuously chose the latter; and by a kind of common consent,
Ethan Allen and
Seth Warner became their leaders. No man's abilities and talents could have
been better
suited to this business than Warner's.
When the authority of New York proceeded with an armed force to attempt to
execute their
laws, Warner met them with a body of Green Mountain Boys, properly armed,
full of resolution
and so formidable in numbers and courage, that the governor of New York was
obliged to give
up this method of proceeding. When the sheriff came to extend his
executions, and eject the
settlers from their farms, Warner would not suffer him to proceed. Spies
were employed to
procure intelligence and promote division among the people; when any of them
were taken,
Warner caused them to be tried by some of the most discreet of the people;
and if declared
guilty, to be tied to a tree and whipped. An office came to take Warner by
force; he
considered it as an affair of open hostility and engaged, wounded and
disarmed the officer,
but with the honor and spirit of a soldier, spared the life of the enemy he
had subdued.
These services appeared in a very different light to the settlers and to the
government of
New York - the first considered him as an eminent patriot and to the other
he appeared
as the first of villains and rebels. To put an end to all further exertions
and to bring him to an exemplary punishment, the government of New York, on
March 9th 1774, passed an
act of outlawry against him and a proclamation was issued by W. Tryon,
governor of New York
offering a reward of fifty pounds to any person who should apprehend Warner.
These pro-
ceedings of New York were beheld by him with contempt; and they had no effect
upon the
settlers, than to unite them more firmly in their opposition to that
government and in their
attachment to their own patriotic leader thus wantonly proscribed.
In services of so dangerous and important a nature, Warner was engaged from
the year 1765
to 1775. That year a scene of the highest magnitude and consequence opened
upon the world.
On the 19th of April, the American war was begun by the British troops at
Lexington.
Happily for the country, it was commenced with such circumstances of
insolence and cruelty
as left no room for the people of America to doubt what was the course which
they ought to
pursue. The time was come in which total subjection, or the horrors of war
must take place.
All America preferred the latter; and the people of the New Hampshire Grants
immediately
undertook to secure the British forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Ethan
Allen and Seth
Warner engaged in the business. Allen took the command and Warner raised a
body of excellent troops in the vicinity of Bennington and both marched
against Ticonderoga. They
surprised and took that fortress on the morning of the tenth of May; and
Warner was sent the
same day with a detachment of the troops to secure Crown Point. He effected
the business,
and secured the garrison, with all the war-like stores, for the use of the
continent.
The same year Warner received a commission from congress to raise a regiment,
to assist in
the reduction of Canada. He engaged in the business with his usual spirit of
activity;
raised his regiment chiefly among his old acquaintance and friends, the Green
Mountain Boys
and joined the army under the command of General Montgomery. The Honorable
Samuel Safford
of Bennington was his lieutenant colonel.
Their regiment conducted with great spirit and acquired high applause in the
action at Longuiel, in which the troops designed for the relief of St. Johns
were totally defeated and
dispersed, chiefly by the troops under the command of Colonel Warner. The
campaign ended
about the 20th of November in the course of which Ticonderoga, Crown Point,
Chamblee, St.
Johns, Montreal and a fleet of eleven sail of vessels had been captured by
the American
arms.
No man in this campaign had acted with more spirit and enterprise than
Colonel Warner. The
weather was now become severe and Warner's men were too miserably clothed to
bear a winter's
campaign in the severe climate of Canada.
p.186
They were accordingly now discharged by Montgomery, with particular marks of
his respect,
and the most affectionate thanks for their meritorious services.
Warner returned with his men to the New Hampshire Grants, but his mind was
more than ever
engaged in the cause of his country. Montgomery with a part of his army,
pressed on to
Quebec, and on December 31st was slain in an attempt to carry the city by
storm. This event
gave an alarm to all the northern part of the colonies; and it became
necessary to raise
a re-enforcement to march to Quebec in the midst of winter.
The difficulty of the business suited the genius and ardor of Warner's mind.
He was at
Woodbury in Connecticut when he heard the news of Montgomery's defeat and
death; he instantly repaired to Bennington, raised a body of men and marched
in the midst of the
winter to join the American troops at Quebec. The campaign during the winter
proved ex-
tremely distressing to the Americans: in want of confortable clothing,
barracks and provi-
sions, most of them were taken by the smallpox and several died. At the
opening of the spring in May 1776, a large body of British troops arrived at
Quebec to relieve the garrison. The American troops were forced to abandon
the blockade, with circumstances of
great distress and confusion.
Warner chose the most difficult part of the business, remaining always with
the rear, picking up the lame and diseased, assisting and encouraging those
who were the most unable
to take care of themselves, and generally kept but a few miles in advance of
the British,
who were rapidly pursuing the retreating Americans from post to post. By
steadily pur-
suing this conduct, he brought off most of the invalids; and with this corps
of the infirm
and diseased, he arrived at Ticonderoga, a few days after the body of the
army had taken
possession of that post.
p.186 cont'd
Highly approving his extra-ordinary exertions, the American Congress on July
5, 1776, the
day after they had declared independence, resolved to raise a regiment out of
the troops
which had served with reputation in Canada. Warner was appointed colonel,
Safford, as
a lieutenant colonel of this regiment; and most of the other officers were
persons who had
been distinguished by their opposition to the claims and proceedings of New
York. By this
appointment he was again placed in a situation perfectly agreeable to his
inclination and
genius; and in conformity to his orders he repaired to Ticonderoga, where he
remained till
the close of the campaign.
On January 16, 1777, the convention of the New Hampshire Grants declared the
whole district
to be a sovereign and independent state, to be known and distinguished ever
after by the
name of Vermont. The committee of safety in New York were then sitting and
on January 20th
they announced the transaction to congress, complaining in high terms of the
conduct of
Vermont, censuring it as a dangerous revolt and opposition to lawful
authority; and at the
same time remonstrating against the proceedings of congress in appointing
Warner to the
p.187
command of a regiment independent of the legislature, and within the bounds
of that state;
"especially, said they, as this Colonel Warner hath been constantly and
invariably opposed
to the legislature of this state, and hath been, on that account, proclaimed
an outlaw by
the late government thereof. It is absolutely necessary to recall the
commissions given to
Colonel Warner and the officers under him, as othing else will do us justice."
No measures were taken by congress at that time, either to interfere in the
civil contest
between the two states or to remove the colonel from his command. Anxious to
effect this
purpose, the convention of New York wrote further on the subject, on March
1st, and among
other things declared, "that there was not the least probability that Colonel
Warner could
raise such a number of men as would be an object of public concern."
Congress still declined to dismiss so valuable an officer from their service.
On June 23rd
congress was obliged to take up the controversy between New York and Vermont;
but instead of
proceeding to disband Colonel Warner's regiment, on June 30th, they resolved:
"that the
reason which induced congress to form that corps, was, that many officers of
the different states who had served in Canada and alledged that they could
soon raise a regiment, but were
then unprovided for, might be reinstated in the service of the United States."
Nothing can give us a more just idea of the sentiments which the American
congress entertained of the patriotic and military virtues of Colonel Warner,
than their refusing
to give him up to the repeated solicitations and demand of so respectable and
powerful a
state as that of New York.
The American army stationed at Ticonderoga were forced to abandon that
fortress, on July
6, 1777, in a very precipitate and irregular manner. Colonel Warner with his
regiment re-
treated along the western part of Vermont, through the towns of Orwell,
Sudbury and Hubbardton. At the last of these towns, the advanced corps of
the British army overtook
the rear of the American troops on the morning of July 7th. The American
army, all but
part of three regiments, were gone forward; these were part of Hale's,
Francis' and Warner's
regiments. The enemy attacked them with superior numbers and the highest
prospect of
success.
Warner and Francis opposed them with great spirit and vigor; and no officers
or troops could
have discovered more courage and firmness than they displayed through the
whole action.
Large re-enforcements of the enemy arriving, it became impossible to make any
effectual
opposition. Francis fell in a most honorable discharge of his duty. Hale
surrendered with
his regiment. Surrounded on every side by the enemy, but calm and undaunted,
Colonel Warner
fought his way through all opposition, brought off the troops that refused to
capitulate
along with Hale, checked the enemy in their pursuit, and contrary to all
expectation,
arrived safe with his troops at Manchester.
p. 158
To the northward of that town the whole country was deserted. The colonel
determined to
make a stand at that place; encouraged by his example and firmness, a body of
the militia
joined him; and he was once more, in a situation to protect the inhabitants,
harrass the
enemy and break up the advanced parties.
On the 16th of August the vicinity of Bennington became the seat of a
memorable battle.
Colonel Baum had been despatched by General Burgoyne to attack the American
Troops and
destroy the magazines at Bennington. General Stark who commanded at that
place, had
intelligence of the approach of the enemy; and sent orders on the morning of
the 16th to
Colonel Warner at Manchester, to march immediately to his assistance. In the
mean time
Stark with the troops which were assembled at Bennington, had attacked the
enemy under
Col. Baum, and after a severe action had captured the whole body. Just as
the action
was finished, intelligence was received that a large re-enforcement of the
enemy had
arrived.
Fatigued and exhausted by so long and severe an action, Stark was doubtful
whether it
was possible for his troops to enter immediately upon another battle with a
fresh body
of the enemy. At that critical moment, Warner arrived with his troops from
Manchester.
Mortified that he had not been in the action he urged Stark immediately to
commence another action. Stark consented and the colonel instantly led on
his men to battle. The Americans
rallied from every part of the field, and the second action became as fierce
and decisive
as the first. The enemy gave way in every direction; great numbers of them
were slain, and
the rest saved themselves altogether by the darkness of the night.
Stark ascribed the last victory mery much to Colonels Warner and Herrick; and
spoke in the
highest terms of their superior information and activity, as that to which he
principally
owed his success. The success at Bennington gave a decisive turn to the
affairs of that
campaign. Stark, Warner and the other officers, with their troops, joined
the army under
Gen. Gates. Victory everywhere followed the attempts of the northern army;
and the campaign
terminated in the surrender of Burgoyne and his whole army, at Saratoga, on
October 17, 1777.
The contest in the northern department being in a great measure decided by
the capture of
Burgoyne, Warner had no further opportunity to discover his prowess of
defence of his
beloved state; but served occasionally at different places on Hudson's River,
as the
circumstances of the war required. Depairing of success in the northern
parts, the enemy
carried the war into the southern states; and neither New York or Vermont any
longer re-
mained the places of distinguished enterprise. But such had been the
fatigues and exertions
of the colonel, that when he returned to his family in Bennington, his
constitution, naturally firm and vigorous, appeared to be worn down; and
nature declined under a complication of disorders, occasioned by excessive
labors and sufferings he had passed
through.
Most of the men who have been engaged with uncommon ardor in the cause of
their country,
have been so swallowed up with the patriotic passion, as to neglect that
attention to their
private interests which other men pursue as the ruling passion. Thus it
proved with Colonel
Warner; intent at first upon saving the state, and afterwards upon saving a
country, his
mind was so entirely engaged in those pursuits, that he had not made that
provision for his
family, which to most of the politicians and land-jobbers was the ultimate
end of all their
measures and exertions. With a view the better to support his family he
removed to Wood-
bury; where in the year 1785 he ended an active and useful life, in high
estimation among
his friends and countrymen.
His family had derived little or no estate from his services. After his
death they applied
to the general assembly of Vermont for a grant of land. The assembly, with a
spirit of
justice and generosity, remembered the services of Colonerl Warner, took up
the petition
and granted a valuable tract of land to his widow and family. A measure
highly honorable
to the memory of Colonel Warner and of that assembly (see also Williams'
Vermont.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth