War of Independence and Moccasin Trails

On an earlier blog, we talked about how the Railroad across Canada was built following already established Indian Trails. Well-established Indian trade network trails also existed south of the 49th and were utilized by Americans in the War of Independence. At Bennington, Vermont, in 1777, the Green Mountain Boys beat the English in an important battle that saved Vermont from British rule. They had to pull the wagons and their battery of cannons through the mountainous state to meet and beat the British. There were no roads through the densely treed mountains. Because it would take too much time to clear a navigable road, the resourceful Americans just followed Indian trails through the mountains. Where the trails narrowed, they just chopped the trees down to about 12 inches (30cm) from the ground – low enough for the wagons and cannons to pass over. The Moccasin Trails proved instrumental in the War of Independence! If you are travelling through Vermont, make sure to stop by Bennington to visit the imposing monument to the Green Mountain Boys and their leader.