s, just the kind of skrimmage in
which a hundred Green Mountain Boys were worth double their number of
redcoats. About sunset, the greater part of our men were engaged, and
the enemy was beaten in every part of the field. We drove them from the
hills down towards Van Shaick's, killing, wounding, and taking prisoners
all the time. At Van Shaick's mill they made their last stand. They had
placed a small party of Tories in the building, and a party of Germans
rallied in front of it. But it was no use, the Germans were driven away
and the men in the house forced to surrender. Our men pursued the enemy
to the Hoosick, and captured the greater part of 'em. I really believe,
if night hadn't come on, we would have taken every man of 'em. But
General Stark ordered the men to return, for fear they would fire upon
each other in the gloom. Before I came back, however, I caught a Tory
lurking near the edge of the woods. Now I hated Tories worse than the
Britishers or Germans, and I had a strong notion to shoot him, and I
told him so; but he begged hard for his life, and said he never intended
to take up arms against his countrymen again: I took him back to our
troops and put him with the other prisoners."

"What was the loss of the enemy that day?" enquired Pitts.

"I heard since, that it was nine hundred and thirty-four men, including
killed, wounded, and prisoners," replied Ransom. "I recollect we buried
two hundred and seven of them. Our own loss was one hundred killed, and
about the same number wounded. Besides the prisoners, we took four
pieces of brass cannon, more than two hundred and fifty swords, several
hundred muskets, several brass drums, and four ammunition wagons. So you
see, we had plenty of plunder."

"I suppose the men were not allowed to take any thing but the swords and
muskets," said Kinnison.

"Yes, the baggage fell to us," said Ransom, "and all the fixins of the
German camp; the cannon, drums, wagons and standards were not taken
away."

"I guess that was one of the completest victories ever gained," said
Kinnison. "Only to think of militia flogging regulars in that style.
What could the enemy expect from our regulars?"

"There's as much credit due to General Stark for that victory, as was
ever given to him or as we could give to a general," said Ransom. "If he
had not taken command of the troops, there would have been very little
resistance to Baum's advance. The plan of attack was formed with great
skil