Dr. Michael P. Gabriel, author of The Battle of Bennington: Soldiers & Civilians, will be giving a short presentation as part of the Road to the Battle of Bennington Inaugural Event to be held at Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site on Saturday June 7 from 2- 4 p.m.
The Path Through History Weekend event celebrates the inauguration of an interpretive driving route that follows the ill-fated excursion of German Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum to Bennington Battlefield in 1777, during the American Revolutionary War.
Drawing from pension records, town histories, personal correspondence, newspaper accounts, first-person narratives and oral histories, Dr. Gabriel’s book focuses on the “human element” of the oft-forgotten story of the Battle of Bennington. His book was among the many resources used to tell the story of Baum’s march, which extends from Fort Miller, NY to Bennington Battlefield in Walloomsac, NY. Dr. Gabriel will be on hand to accompany the bus tour to Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site, where he will share stories that will offer a unique insight into the perspectives of the men and women who witnessed the conflict.
The event begins at the Fort Miller Parking Area on U.S. Route 4 in the hamlet of Fort Miller (Town of Fort Edward) at 11 a.m. with opening ceremonies and a ribbon cutting. The ribbon cutting will be followed by a bus tour of the interpretive route to Bennington Battlefield. There is limited space on the bus tour, which costs $25. Reservations and payment can be made out to the Washington County Historical Society, c/o Kay Tomasi, P.O. Box 573, Salem NY 12865. Lunch at the battlefield is included in the bus tour, or attendees may purchase lunch for $10 at the event. There will also be guided tours by costumed reenactors at the Battlefield event, which lasts from 2-4PM.
Dr. Michael. P. Gabriel is a professor of history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and a member of the Society of Military History. His other works include Major General Richard Montgomery: The Making of an America Hero (2002).
Illustration: A 1780 map depicting the troop positions at the start of the battle.
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