Hubbardton, VT

Overview

The Battle of Hubbardton occurred on July 7, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War. It was part of a larger campaign led by British General John Burgoyne, whose objective was to gain control of the strategic region between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. The battle took place in Hubbardton, Vermont, as the British pursued the retreating American forces under the command of General Arthur St. Clair.

In the early morning, the British forces, led by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum, engaged the American rear guard commanded by Colonel Seth Warner. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Americans put up a valiant fight, inflicting significant casualties on the British. However, the superior discipline and training of the British troops ultimately turned the tide of the battle. The American forces were forced to retreat, but they managed to delay the British advance and disrupt Burgoyne’s plans. While the Battle of Hubbardton was a tactical defeat for the Americans, it was a crucial delaying action that bought time for the Continental Army to regroup and strengthen their defenses, ultimately contributing to the eventual American victory in the Saratoga Campaign.

Diaries and Memoirs

Thomas Anburey, Travels through the Interior Parts of America, London, 1789.

While many historians have relied on Thomas Anburey’s diary as a primary source, future researchers should corroborate any of Anburey’s observations before citing him. Ennis Duling has debunked many of Anburey’s anecdotes and accounts of the battle.

A reprint version of Anburey’s travelogue is available through the Library of Congress, click.

Other Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

Duling, Ennis. “Thomas Anburey at the Battle of Hubbardton: How a Fraudulent Source Misled  Historians.” Vermont History 78, no. 1 (Winter/Spring 2010): 1–14.

For access to Duling’s article, click.

Venter, Bruce M. The Battle of Hubbardton: The Rear Guard Action That Saved America. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2015.

Williams, John. The Battle of Hubbardton: The American Rebels Stem the Tide. Montpelier: Vermont Division for Historical Preservation, 1988.

Battlefield Photos