On August 16, 1777, a battle was fought that was about much more than a pile of supplies in a frontier town. The British, deep in their Saratoga campaign, thought they had found an easy target at Bennington.

What they found instead was John Stark, Seth Warner, and hundreds of determined militia from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Facing some of Europe’s best soldiers, these farmers and tradesmen fought with the kind of grit that changes the course of wars.

The victory at Bennington crippled Burgoyne’s army, shook his Native allies’ faith, and set the stage for the surrender at Saratoga two months later. It also boosted American morale and caught the attention of France, a future ally.

Today, Vermont marks the day with its own holiday. In this episode, we tell the story of how a backwoods fight became a turning point in the Revolution.

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