On August 16, 1777, a motley militia won a resounding victory near Bennington, Vermont, against combined German, British and Loyalist forces. This laid the foundation for the American victory at Saratoga two months later.
Historian Michael P. Gabriel has collected over fifty firsthand accounts from the people who experienced this engagement, including veterans from both sides and civilians—women and children who witnessed the horrors of the battle.
Gabriel has detailed a virtually unknown skirmish between Americans and Loyalists. These accounts, along with Gabriel’s overviews of the battle, bring to life the terror, fear and uncertainty that caused thousands to flee the British army as loved ones departed to fight for the fledgling United States.
VPR, Vermont’s NPR news source, sat down with Michael on the anniversary of this pivotal Revolutionary battle:
“Sarah Rudd lived in Bennington in 1777. Her husband fought in the Battle of Bennington, and she escaped carrying her four young children on horseback. Hers is one of the stories that historian Michael Gabriel researched for his book Battle of Bennington: Soldiers and Civilians. We talk with Gabriel about the history of that Revolutionary War battle, how it changed the momentum of the war, and the impact it had on the people who lived through it.”
Listen to the story at http://bit.ly/MCsefI.
Meet the Author: Bennington Museum (with Bennington Historical Society) Sunday, August 19 @ 2 p.m.
