and completely stopping the roads. The fame day, gen. 1777 Schuyler took out of a canteen with a falfe bottom, a letter written by Mr. Levius to gen. Sullivan. Schuyler prepared an answer, defignedly, worded fo as to deceive and perplex Burgoyne; which he figned Canteen, communicated to several gentlemen, and then forwarded. The British general when it was received, could not tell what to make of it. He was puzzled for two or three days, and at a lofs whether to proceed or retreat; the letter was fo completely enigmatical *. Happily for the Americans, the British general con→ tinued for several days, with the army partly at Skeenfborough, and partly fpread in the adjoining country, waiting the arrival of tents, baggage and provifion. In which time no labor was fpared in opening roads for advancing toward Schuyler, and in clearing Wood Creek of all impediments laid in the way, in order to open a paffage for the batteaus.. Like exertions were used at Ty, in carrying gun boats, provifion veffels and batteaus over land into Lake George. By reafon of the route which the general took, he did not arrive at Hudson's River, and fix his head quarters near Fort Edward, till the 30th of July. Fort Edward is no more than the 30. ruins of a former fort, and of no confequence to any party. It could afford no cover to gen. Schuyler, and only gave a name to the place where it was fituated. The general left it several days before Burgoyne gained its neighbourhood. He gave this state of his army on the 27th, at Mofes' Creek, in an official letter" It * When the general was prifoner, he made this acknowledgment to one of Schuyler's suite, whom he asked whether he knew any thing of it, and who pretended ignorance. 1777, the motions. of the Americans. The next morning at July 8, half past ten, they attacked him in front, with a heavy and well-directed fire, A large body paffed the creek on the left, and fired from a thick wood across the creek on the left flank of the regiment; they then began to recrofs the creek, and attack it in the rear, It took poft on the top of a hill on the right to prevent being furrounded. No fooner had it taken poft, than they made a vigorous attack, which continued for upward of two hours, and would certainly have carried their point, had it not been for fome Indians, who arrived and gave the Indian war whoop, which was anfwered by the regiment with three cheers, after which the Americans soon gave way. They then fired the fort, and retreated to Fort Edward, The artillery loft by the evacuation of the northern pofts, and taken or destroyed in the armed veffels at Skeenfborough, was prodigious, amounting to no less than 128 pieces ferviceable and unferviceable, The lofs of flour, bifcuit, pork and beef, was also very confiderable. General St. Clair joined gen. Schuyler at Fort Edward on the twelfth, after a fatiguing march, in which the army fuffered much from bad weather and want of provifions. Three days after, their whole strength did not exceed 4400 men, including militia. The day following the affair at Fort Anne, Schuyler ordered a brigade of militia to begin, as near the fort as poffible, to fell trees; to take up the bridges, and burn the covering and timber; and to make the utmost obstructions. A 16. continental brigade was directed to affift in destroying. Major Forbes's account to the houfe of commons, from Burgoyne's State, and completely stopping the roads. The fame day, gen. 1777 Happily for the Americans, the British general con * When the general was prifoner, he made this acknowledgment to one of Schuyler's fuite, whom he asked whether he knew any thing of it, and who pretended ignorance. 動 1777. confifts of about 2700 continental troops :-of militia from the state of Connecticut-one major-one captain -two lieutenants-two enfigns-one adjutant-one quarter mafter-fix fergeants-one drummer-fix fick, and three rank and file fit for duty-the rest after remaining three or four days deferted us:Of those from the county of Berkshire (in the Maffachusetts) who confifted of upward of 1200, half of which were to have remained, fomewhat more than 200 are left, the remainder having alfo deferted:-Of col. Mofeley's regiment from the county of Hampshire (Massachusetts) about ten or twelve are left, the reft having deserted. Of col. Porter's regiment of the county of Hampshire, about 200 left:-Of the militia of the county of Albany, 1050 are left, being forty-fix more than half of what were upon the ground, when it was refolved to let half return to their habitations." He added, "That torpor, criminal indifference, and want of fpirit which fo generally prevails, is more dangerous than all the efforts of the enemy. Nor is that jealousy and spirit of detraction, which fo unhappily prevails, of fmall detriment to our caufe." The next day he wrote from Saratoga, twenty miles below Fort Edward, and thirty-feven above Albany, "Every effort of the enemy would be in vain, if our exertions equalled our abilities, if our virtue was not finking under that infamous venality, which pervades throughout and threatens us with ruin." The desertions above mentioned were not to the enemy, but to their own homes: Schuyler was for fome reafons. a very unacceptable commander to the New England militia. They were in general disgusted with, and would not ferve under him. There were no defer tions to the royal army worth noticing, which argues ₹777there were no lurking feeds of difaffection to the American cause. Had the British commander returned immediately to Ty, and advanced from thence in the moft expeditious manner, with a few light field pieces, instead of suffering any delay, in order to his dragging along with him a heavy train of artillery, he might have been at Albany by the time he got to Hudfon's River*. Your correfpondent, the fifth of October the last year, breakfasted with gen. Gates at Ty; failed in company up Lake George (about 35 miles long) with their horfes in batteaus; landed, ftayed awhile, and reached Fort Edward (about 9 miles from Fort George) at night a little after eight. From Ty to Lake George is rather more than two miles. The two fmall fchooners on the lake, could have made no long refiftance against a brigade of gunboats. Fort George was well adapted to keep off Indians and fmall parties: but not to ftop the royal army. The Americans there, instead of defending the fort, or oppofing the landing of the army, would undoubtedly have retreated to gen. Schuyler at Fort Edward. The latter felt himself fo weak, that by the 1ft of Auguft he drew back from Saratoga to Stillwater (25 miles north of Albany) from whence he wrote on the 4th, "We have not above 4000 continental troops; if men, one third of which are negroes, boys, and men too aged for field or indeed any other fervice, can be called troops. The ftates from whence these troops came, can determine why fuch boys, negroes and aged men were sent. A great part of the army took the field in a manner naked, General Gates has repeatedly faid as much in my hearing. |