HISTORY OF VERMONT. lis 



he had the command of one of the New Hamp- 

 shire regiments ; and no officer had displayed 

 more knowledge or bravery in the battle of 

 Bunker hill. Viewing himself as neglected and 

 dishonored by Congress, in not being promoted 

 to the rank of brigadier general, he had left the 

 continental service. When he was urged by 

 the government of New Hampshire to take the 

 command of their militia, he refused, unless he 

 should be left at liberty to serve or not, under a 

 continental officer, as he should judge proper. 

 It was not a time for debate, and it was known 

 that the militia would follow wherever Stark 

 would lead. The assembly therefore invested 

 him with a separate command, and gave him. 

 orders to " repair to Charlestown on Connecti-r 



* cut river ; there to consult with a committee 



* of the New Hampshire grants, respecting his 



* future operations and the supply of his meil 



* with provisions ; to take the command of the 



* militia and march into the grants ; to act in 



* conjunction with the troops of that new State, 

 ' or any other of the States, or of the United 



* States, or separately, as it should appear ex- 



* pedient to him ; for the protection of the peo- 



* pie and the annoyance of the enemy."* 



Agreeably to his orders. Stark proceeded 

 in a few days to Charlestown ; his men very 

 readily followed^ and as fast as they arrived, he 

 sent them forwiird to join the troops of Vermont 

 under colo»el Warner, who had taken his situ- 

 ation at Manchester. At that place he joined 

 Warner with about eight hundred men from 

 New Hampshire, and found another body of 



* Be^nap's Hist. New Hiunpsbirc, Vol. II, p. 413. 



