Revolutionary War General John Stark is subject of free talk at NYS Military Museum on Saturday, March 19

SARATOGA SPRINGS , NY (03/09/2016)(readMedia)-- John Stark, the man who led American forces to victory at the Battle of Bennington-which was actually fought in Hoosick, New York-will be the subject of a free talk at the New York State Military Museum on Saturday, March 19 at 2 p.m.

John and Richard Polhemus, the authors of "The Life and Wars of John Stark", will talk about the New Hampshire Militia leader and farmer, and his impact on the American Revolution.

Stark commanded a force of New Hampshire militiamen and Vermont Green Mountain Boys at the Battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777. The battle was one of several fought during General John Burgoyne's campaign to capture Albany, which ended in his defeat at Saratoga.

Stark was veteran of the French and Indian War who fought with Rogers Rangers in the battles that raged in the Lake George region during the war.

At the Battle of Bennington, Starks force of 2,000 citizen soldiers cornered a 700-man British force comprised of Hessian infantrymen, Canadian and Loyalist soldiers and Indians on a hilltop. The force had been sent by Burgoyne to capture American supplies at Bennington. The location is now marked by the Battle of Bennington Monument.

Stark, who had marched his New Hampshire soldiers across the Green Mountains to reach Hoosick, organized his men and successfully attacked uphill against an entrenched enemy.

Before the battle he supposedly promised his men a victory ..." or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow!"

The talk will focus on the skills Stark learned as a French and Indian War Soldier and how that inspired his leadership during the American Revolution.

The New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center is housed in the historic New York State Armory in Saratoga Springs. The mission of the museum and research center is to preserve, interpret and disseminate the story, history and records of New York State's military forces and veterans. The collection is divided into the museum and the library/archives holdings.