Battle of Hubbardton

Battle of Hubbardton
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Detail of a 1780 map showing the area around Fort Ticonderoga; "Huberton" can be seen southeast of the fort.
Date July 7, 1777 Location Hubbardton, disputed New Hampshire Grants territory; now in Rutland County, Vermont 43°41′43″N 73°08′19″W / 43.69528°N 73.13861°W / 43.69528; -73.13861 Result See aftermath
Belligerents
United States Vermont Republic	Great Britain Quebec Loyalists Brunswick Iroquois
Commanders and leaders
Ebenezer Francis † Nathan Hale  Seth Warner	Simon Fraser Freiherr Riedesel
Strength
2,000 men[1]	1,030 men[2]
Casualties and losses
41–150 killed 96–457 wounded[3] 230 captured[4][5]	49–60 killed[6][3] 141–168 wounded[6][3]

The Battle of Hubbardton was an engagement in the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought in the village of Hubbardton, Vermont. Vermont was then a disputed territory sometimes called the New Hampshire Grants, claimed by New York, New Hampshire, and the newly organized, not yet recognized, but de facto independent government of Vermont. On the morning of July 7, 1777, British forces, under General Simon Fraser, caught up with the American rear guard of the forces retreating after the withdrawal from Fort Ticonderoga. It was the only battle in Vermont during the revolution. (The Battle of Bennington was fought in what is now Walloomsac, New York.)

The American retreat from Fort Ticonderoga began late on July 5 after British cannons were seen on top of high ground, Mount Defiance (a.k.a. Rattlesnake Mountain and Sugar Loaf Hill) that commanded the fort. The bulk of General Arthur St. Clair's army retreated through Hubbardton to Castleton, while the rear guard, commanded by Seth Warner, stopped at Hubbardton to rest and pick up stragglers.

General Fraser, alerted to the American withdrawal early on July 6, immediately set out in pursuit, leaving a message for General John Burgoyne to send reinforcements as quickly as possible. That night Fraser camped a few miles short of Hubbardton, and the German General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel, leading reinforcements, camped a few miles further back. Rising early in the morning, Fraser reached Hubbardton, where he surprised some elements of the American rear, while other elements managed to form defensive lines. In a spirited battle, the Americans were driven back, but had almost succeeded in turning Fraser's left flank when Riedesel and his German reinforcements arrived, eventually scattering the American forces.

The battle took a large enough toll on the British forces that they did not further pursue the main American army. The many American prisoners were sent to Ticonderoga while most of the British troops made their way to Skenesboro to rejoin Burgoyne's army. Most of the scattered American remnants made their way to rejoin St. Clair's army on its way toward the Hudson River.