A March Toward Destiny: Dr. Merrick and the Wilbraham Men at the Bennington Alarm
- David Bourcier
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
In the waning days of September 1777, with the echoes of gunfire from the Battle of Bennington still rippling through the valleys of the northeast, a company of Wilbraham men rallied to the call of liberty. Among them was Dr. Samuel F. Merrick, who recorded his experience in a journal that offers a rare window into the heart of the Revolution from a local perspective.
The Battle of Bennington, fought on August 16, had been a turning point in the northern campaign. General John Stark, leading 1,500 New England militiamen, many from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, struck a crushing blow to General John Burgoyne’s forces. Burgoyne had dispatched Colonel Friedrich Baum with a detachment of about 700 men to seize supplies in the Bennington area, unaware that Stark and the Green Mountain Boys lay in wait. The British were routed, and the loss critically weakened Burgoyne’s position, paving the way for the pivotal American victory at Saratoga.
But the ripples of that battle extended far beyond the field. In Wilbraham, men like Captain James Shaw, Lieutenant Oliver King, and Dr. Samuel Merrick answered the call to reinforce the Continental Army as it prepared to take advantage of its position.
On the afternoon of September 29, Dr. Merrick set out from home. He made his way to Springfield and crossed the Connecticut River with Lieutenant King, lodging with a relative, Uncle Merrick. The next morning, the company assembled and deliberated before continuing their march. Lieutenant King remained behind to organize the rear guard while the main body pressed forward.
By October 1, Merrick rejoined the group at Peas and lodged nearby. The next day, he and several men, Sergeant Lamb, Brewer, and Solomon Warriner, pushed ahead intending to secure care for their horses. They reached Lanesborough, struggling to find shelter until a local named Powel offered them accommodations near the town’s center.
Their journey continued eastward into the Hoosac Valley, where they lodged at the home of Major Roger Rose in East Hoosuck (present-day Adams, Massachusetts). Merrick then sent his horse back and proceeded on foot toward Bennington, stopping at the home of a Colonel Plat after a grueling six-mile hike.
On October 6, the men arrived near the army’s position, only to be told to encamp until further orders. That afternoon, the distant rumble of cannon fire stirred anxiety across the camp. Word soon arrived that General Horatio Gates had launched a bold assault on several British redoubts and outer works. The next day, orders came for Merrick and his detachment to march without delay to support Gates’ army.
They covered twelve miles by sunset and met General Barlow of New Hampshire, who lodged with them. Two dispatches soon followed, and Burgoyne’s army was in retreat. The Americans were ordered to pursue and harass the fleeing redcoats.
On October 9, Merrick’s group reached Batter Hill, just three miles from Saratoga, under cold rain. An alarm swept through the camp that the enemy was upon them, but it proved false, as did a similar alarm the following night.
By October 10, the Wilbraham men attempted to join Colonel Porter, but he had already marched toward the Hudson. Instead, they were ordered to scout southward. While reconnoitering along the river, they discovered a grounded British boat and guarded it as other enemy vessels drifted downstream. They spent the next few days patrolling and maintaining a vigilant watch.
Tensions heightened on October 12, as a skirmishing fire continued along the retreat path. Gates issued a formal demand for Burgoyne’s surrender. On the 13th, General Nixon launched an attack, coordinated with General Learned, but Learned’s delayed maneuver forced Nixon to retreat under heavy fire.
On October 14, a formal ceasefire was ordered until sundown. Flags of truce passed between the lines as negotiations deepened. By nightfall, rumors swelled: General Burgoyne had agreed to surrender.
The next day, Dr. Merrick crossed to Saratoga, expecting to witness the enemy’s formal march-out. After waiting fruitlessly, he returned. The surrender, he learned, had been delayed once more.
At last, on October 17, the promise was fulfilled. Merrick recorded with reverent awe:
"A day never to be forgotten by the American States."
At around eleven in the morning, General Burgoyne, flanked by other officers, rode out under escort. South of the church, he was met by General Gates. The two exchanged courteous words, then proceeded to headquarters.
By two o’clock that afternoon, British troops began their surrender march. Dr. Merrick remained until after four, watching as the defeated army, numbering an estimated 5,000 to 6,000, filed past. The sight left a deep impression.
"The Lord be praised," he wrote, "for this wonderful token of divine favor, for which we cannot be sufficiently thankful."
Among the men of Captain James Shaw’s company who served during the “Bennington Alarm,” many names are preserved. Dr. Merrick marched alongside friends and neighbors, Calvin Stebbins, Gaius Brewer, Solomon Warriner, Josiah Cooley, and Luther Hitchcock, among others. Their service lasted from September 24 to October 18, 1777, totaling 32 days in defense of liberty.
Their journey was not one of glory in battle, but of steadfast resolve and readiness. They arrived at a moment of destiny and bore witness to one of the Revolution’s most decisive moments, the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga. That victory, seeded by the triumph at Bennington, brought France into the war as an ally and turned the tide for American independence.
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