The shock and tumult of battle broke out anew as these newly arrived reinforcements joined in deadly strife, and the ground was to be fought over once more. It was four in the afternoon when this second action commenced. Stark’s men rallied, and entered again into the fight; Col. Breyman’s command was driven before the patriot forces from wood to wood, and from hill to hill, until sunset. The last stand of the enemy was at Van Shaick’s mill, where, having expended all their ammunition, the enemy retreated under cover of night, leaving two field pieces and all their baggage in the hands of the Americans. Burgoyne was awakened in the night with the intelligence that Baum had met and surrendered to the enemy. Next came word that Breyman was engaged in severe and doubtful conflict. Drums beat to arms. The whole camp was roused, and Burgoyne was preparing to march his whole army to Breyman’s assistance, when word came in that he was on his way back in safety. The main army remained in camp at the Batten Kiln, but Burgoyne forded that stream and pushed forward until he met Breyman and his troops, haggard and fatigued from hard fighting and incessant marching in the hot weather. Four brass field pieces, nine hundred dragoon swords, one thousand stand of arms, and four ammunition wagons were the fruits of the victory. Thirty-two officers and four hundred and sixty-four privates were taken prisoners. The Americans lost one hundred in killed and wounded. The British killed could not be ascertained, as many had fallen in the woods. Stark remarked, that had there been another hour of daylight, the whole British force would have fallen into their hands. Tidings of the affair at Bennington reached Washington just before he moved his camp from the neighborhood of Philadelphia, and it relieved his mind of a load of anxiety. In a letter to Putnam he wrote: “As there is not now the least danger of General Howe’s going to New England, I hope the whole force of the country will turn out, and by following the great stroke struck by General Stark near Bennington, entirely crush Burgoyne, who seems to be in want of almost everything.” The compliment paid to the troops of Vermont by General Burgoyne, was to this effect: “The district of the New Hampshire Grants, a wilderness little known in the last war, now abounds with the most active, rebellious and hardy race of men on the continent, who hang like a gathering storm, ready to burst on my left.” This was written shortly previous to his capitulation. This brilliant double victory at Bennington, by relieving New England from apprehensions, and enabling the patriots to concentrate their forces against Burgoyne, resulted in forcing that General to surrender, on the plains of Saratoga, as noble an army as was ever sent to subdue a country. The news spread through America and Europe, sealed the alliance between France and the United States, and so secured their independence.