Editing Battle of Bennington (section)

===American forces===
Unknown to Burgoyne, the citizens of the [[New Hampshire Grants]] territory (now Vermont, which was then disputed between New York and the [[Vermont Republic]]) had appealed to the states of [[New Hampshire]] and [[Massachusetts]] for protection from the invading army following the British capture of Ticonderoga.<ref name="Nickerson224">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 224</ref> New Hampshire responded on July 18 by authorizing [[John Stark]] to raise a militia for the defense of the people "or the annoyance of the enemy".<ref name="Pancake135"/><ref name="K285_7">[[#Ketchum|Ketchum (1997)]], pp. 285–287</ref>  Using funds provided by [[John Langdon (politician)|John Langdon]], Stark raised 1,500 [[New Hampshire Militia|New Hampshire militiamen]] in the space of six days, more than 10% of New Hampshire's male population over the age of sixteen.<ref name="K287">[[#Ketchum|Ketchum (1997)]], p. 287</ref> They were first marched to the [[Fort at Number 4]] (modern-day [[Charlestown, New Hampshire]]), then crossed the [[Connecticut River|Connecticut river border]] into the Grants and stopped at [[Manchester, Vermont|Manchester]], where Stark conferred with Warner.<ref name="Pancake135"/><ref name="Nickerson224"/> While in Manchester, General [[Benjamin Lincoln]], whose promotion in preference to Stark had been the cause for Stark's resignation from the [[Continental Army]], attempted to assert Army authority over Stark and his men.<ref name="Nickerson232">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 232</ref> Stark refused, stating that he was solely responsible to the New Hampshire authorities.<ref name="Pancake135"/> Stark then went on to Bennington with Warner as a guide, while Warner's men remained in Manchester.<ref name="Pancake136">[[#Pancake|Pancake (1977)]], p. 136</ref> Lincoln returned to the American camp at [[Stillwater, New York|Stillwater]], where he and General [[Philip Schuyler]] hatched a plan for Lincoln, with 500 men, to join with Stark and Warner in actions to harass Burgoyne's communications and supply lines at [[Whitehall (village), New York|Skenesboro]]. Baum's movements significantly altered these plans.<ref name="K290">[[#Ketchum|Ketchum (1997)]], p. 290</ref>