fight was kept up till night, when the fire of the enemy ceased and they began their retreat.

A number had been killed and there were several severely wounded who had to be taken off. This rendered their progress slow, and a large fire in the woods forced them to make a wide circuit in the night. The fire, as was found out afterwards, was kindled by a wounded member of their own party who had made his way down the lake.

Reaching a point forty miles from Fort William Henry, the wounded men were unable to go further, and Stark with two companions set out on snow-shoes for the fort, the snow being four feet deep on a level. Despite their exhaustion from the fight and retreat they reached the fort by evening, and the next day returned with a sleigh and a small party. That evening the surviving rangers-fifty-four in numberreached safety at the fort.

We give this incident as an example of the kind of work the rangers were expected to perform, and of the valor and efficiency of Lieutenant Stark. But for his resolute will the party would have lost their lives in a panic flight, and he well deserved the promotion to the rank of captain which he received.

We cannot give all the stirring incidents in which the rangers were concerned in the district around Lake George, but must mention that Stark was engaged in that hotly-contested fight in which Major Putnam, as stated in our sketch of the latter, was taken prisoner by the Indians and narrowly escaped with his life from the cruelty of the savages.

Stark took part in Abercrombie's disastrous attack on Fort Ticonderoga in 1758, and in the following year joined Amherst's army and was present at the

reduction of the French strongholds of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. The success of the Anglo-Americans in the year 1760 brought the war, in that part of the field, to an end, and Stark retired from the army, with the promise to return if his services were needed. During the fourteen years that followed he was quietly engaged as a farmer on the rocky New Hampshire soil.

The sound of the guns that shot down the patriots at Lexington fairly seemed to be heard throughout the country, so quickly did the event become known. We have told how Putnam left his plow in the furrow in his eagerness to reach Boston. His old fellowranger Stark was not less prompt. Within ten minutes after the news reached him he was on his horse and on the way to the scene of conflict, having directed the volunteers of the neighborhood to rendezvous at Medford, near Boston. Two regiments were formed, of one of which Stark was unanimously elected colonel.

On the memorable 17th of June, 1775, Colonel Stark's regiment formed the left of the American line behind the rail-fence that formed part of the lines at Bunker Hill. Here they held their ground firmly and repelled the enemy with great loss, until the fourth British charge was made and the lack of ammunition forced the Americans to retreat. In the heat of the action a soldier came to Stark with the report that his son, a youth of sixteen who was with him in the field, had been killed.

This is not the moment to talk of private affairs," was the grim reply; "go back to your post."

As it proved, the report was false, and young Stark served as a staff-officer through the war.

Stark continued in the army at Boston until its fall and then followed Washington to New York, whence

he was sent with his regiment to take part in the illstarred expedition against Canada. The retreating army reached Ticonderoga on the 7th of July. Here on the following day the Declaration of Independence reached the army and Colonel Stark had the satisfaction, on the scene of his former exploits, to hear the proclamation read to the cheering troops. The hill on which he was encamped was given the name of Mount Independence, and he was soon after ordered to clear and fortify this hill, then a wilderness.

A detachment from the northern army, including Colonel Stark's regiment, was later on sent to reinforce General Washington. It reached his camp, on the west bank of the Delaware, on December 20, increasing his army to about seven thousand men. Soon after arriving Stark had a conversation with General Washington, in which he said:

"Your men have long been accustomed to place dependence upon spades and pickaxes for safety. But if you ever mean to establish the independence of the United States, teach them to rely upon their firearms."

Washington replied: "That is what we have agreed on. We are to march to-morrow upon Trenton; you are to command the right wing of the advanced guard and General Greene the left."

"You could not give me a more acceptable station," replied Stark.

The story of the brilliant affair at Trenton does not need to be retold. Stark did his full share towards the success and subsequently fought sturdily at Princeton, but an event was soon to take place which would deprive the army of his valuable services.

He was sent in March, 1777, to recruit the ranks of his regiment, and while there the news came to him

that a new list of promotions had been made in which his name was omitted, while junior officers had been advanced in rank. The injustice, while attributed to the work of enemies, he bitterly resented, immediately resigned his commission and returned home. On his resignation the legislature of New Hampshire returned him its earnest thanks for his good service in the war. Not long after this event the whole country was thrown into dismay by a formidable invasion from Canada. So far the war on the northern frontier had been a succession of disasters, and the march southward of Burgoyne, with his powerful army, threatened to cut the States of the north into two portions. The retreat of the Americans from Ticonderoga added to the alarm, which spread widely through the Eastern States. Burgoyne was coming, with his veteran soldiers, his Canadian and Indian scouts and rangers, and the whole atmosphere was filled with gloom.

Something needed to be done for self-defence, and New Hampshire was quick to act. The militia of the State was organized into two brigades, the command of one being given to Stark. He accepted it on the condition that he would not be obliged to join the main army, but be left to hang on the wings of the enemy, and that he would be under the command of no one but the authorities of New Hampshire.

General Lincoln soon after met Stark and ordered him to lead his men to the west bank of the Hudson. Stark refused, saying that he was not under orders from Congress and that it was his duty to protect the people of Vermont. When Congress heard of this a resolution of disapproval was sent to the Council of New Hampshire, but it declined to interfere with Stark -fortunately, as it proved.

Stark was at Bennington, Vermont, when he learned that a detachment of six hundred men under Colonel Baum had been despatched by Burgoyne on a foraging expedition in that section, sending a party of Indians in advance on a scouting raid. Two hundred men, under Lieutenant-Colonel Gregg, were sent out to check the Indians, but that night General Stark was informed that a large body of the enemy, with a train of artillery, was in the rear of the Indians, marching towards Bennington.

On the morning of August 14 he advanced, with all the men he could muster. A few miles out he met Gregg retreating, with the enemy close at hand. He at once halted and drew up his men in order of battle. The enemy, seeing this, at once stopped also and intrenched themselves. Thus the armies remained for two days, contenting themselves with skirmishing, in which the Americans had much the best of the game. Baum's Indians began to desert, saying that "the woods were filled with Yankees."

On the morning of the 16th Stark prepared for an attack. Before advancing, he addressed his men with that brief but telling address which has made his name historic: There are the red-coats; we must beat them to-day or to-night Molly Stark sleeps a widow."

His dispositions were admirably made. While one party attacked the enemy in front, two others were sent to attack them on right and left in the rear. The rear attack set the Indians in flight, the Tories were driven over the small river that formed part of the lines, and Baum with his Germans, after a sharp fight of two hours' duration, were driven from their breastworks and forced from the field, leaving their artillery and baggage to their foe. They were outnumbered,