Monument Hill And The Morning Charge

Monument Hill And The Morning Charge. Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site. , American Colonel Ebenezer Francis, his 11th Massachusetts Regiment, and selected units from other regiments encamped along this hilltop the night of July 6. Colonel Seth Warner and his Green Mountain Boys made camp to the left, down the hill toward the Selleck cabin. Part of Colonel Nathan Hale's 2nd New Hampshire Regiment camped to the right., On the morning of July 7, British troops pursuing the American forces climbed the steep western slope to the top of Monument Hill. The Americans had formed in a long column along the road behind you, ready to move south to Castleton. They quickly turned, scrambling up the hill to meet the British Advance Corps led by Brigadier General Simon Fraser. British Lieutenant William Digby recorded that the British found, " the enemy strongly posted on the top of a high hill, with breast works before them, and great trees cut across to prevent our approach.” In his account he continued, "With the greatest steadiness and resolution, [the British] mounted the hill amidst showers of balls mixed with buck shot, which [the enemy] plentifully bestowed amongst us.", American Captain Moses Greenleaf wrote, "we fac'd to the right when the firing began, which lasted until 3/4 past eight a.m. without Cessation." The Americans tenaciously held the crest of Monument Hill for a time, finally withdrawing to another rise somewhat downslope., British commander Brigadier General Simon Fraser noted, "the light Infantry beat the Enemy from the first hill and drove them to a hill of less eminence, which was their original post.”, The Monument Hill action was a pivotal time in the battle, as the American rear guard fought to stall the British advance and allow the main American army more time to continue their withdrawal southward. "We no sooner gained the ascent, than there was such a fire sent amongst them as not easily conceived." , Lieutenant William Digby, , British 53rd Regiment, (drawing captions) , LEFT: An American Officer (Friedrich Konstantin von German artist; Corner House Historical Publications), RIGHT: The American troops at the top of Monument Hill, meeting the British in a successful rear guard action (Roy H. Heinrich, artist, 1938; National Life Group), [Far Right:] The British attack on Monument Hill (Edward Epstein, artist, 1988), EXPLORE THE BATTLEFIELD LANDMARKS , Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site , 2 Beginnings of the Battle , 3 Monument Hill and the Morning Charge , 4 British Flank the Americans , 5 The Selleck Cabin , 6 Germans Arrive, Americans Retreat