XVIII. 1777. BOOK general Burgoyne, who dispatched colonel Breyman with about an equal force to his assistance. The provincial general, Starke, who commanded the militia of the district, determined however to lose no time in attacking the first party before any reinforcement should arrive; and the provincials surrounding on every side the small corps of colonel Baum, forced their entrenchments, made themselves masters of their cannon; and after a brave resistance, in which many were killed or wounded, the rest surrendered themselves prisoners. Colonel Breyman, who had no suspicion of this event, arrived nearly at the same spot on the evening of the same day: he was attacked with the same resolution, and with much difficulty effected a retreat, with the loss of his artillery, and with ranks dreadfully diminished. This was a heavy and unlookedfor stroke. In the mean time colonel St. Leger, who commanded a separate corps on the Mohawk River, and had, in conjunction with colonel Johnson and a great body of Indians who committed their accustomed horrid ravages, invested Fort Stanwix, was compelled by the governor, colonel Gansevort, to raise the siege, leaving behind him his artillery and stores. At this period general Gates was appointed to supersede general Schuyler in the command of the northern army; and the spirits of the XVIII. North River, by a detachment under colonel BOOK Bird; and another at Danbury, by another corps conducted by general Tryon, late governor of 1777. New York, who was attacked on his return by a large body of provincials, led by colonel now general Arnold, and suffered great loss in his retreat. Arnold on this as on all occasions distinguished himself by acts of extraordinary personal valor. His horse being shot under him, he with difficulty disengaged himself; and seeing a soldier at the same moment with a fixed bayonet advancing towards him, he drew out a pistol and shot him dead on the spot. The Americans on their part retaliated by an attack on the English post and magazine at Saggs Harbour, in Long Island, where they destroyed a large quantity of stores, and burnt a number of sloops and other vessels lying in the harbour, with inconsiderable loss; colonel Meigs, who commanded the detachment on this service, returning to his former station at Guilford in Connecticut, after traversing an extent of ninety miles by land and water in the space of twentyfive hours. Lord Cornwallis continued in his station at Amboy, watched and straitened in a manner which exposed the troops to the hardships of a most severe and unremitting duty, though lately strengthened by a brigade of British, and some companies of grenadiers and light XVIII. 1777. BOOK looked-for disasters, it was actually and irretrievably devoted; nor is there just ground for the assertion, that it was meant to be hazarded in any peculiar or unusual sense. So sanguine in fact were the ideas of the court of St. James's, that the possibility of a failure was scarcely within the compass of their contemplation. As the army advanced along the western bank of the river, towards the enemy, they found the country very impracticable, being covered with thick woods, and intersected with creeks, which made a continual repair of bridges necessary. At length, on the 19th of September, they were attacked near Still Water with unexpected vigor by the Americans; the action lasted from noon till sun-set, when the royal army were left in possession of the field. This was the sole advantage they could boast, nor could any difference be discerned in the behaviour of the provincial militia and the veteran troops of Britain on this hard and well-fought day. The royal army lay all night on their arms in the field of battle, and in the morning they took a position in front of the enemy's camp, fortifying their right wing, and extending their left to the banks of the river. At this crisis general Burgoyne received a letter in cypher from general Clinton, informing him of his design to make a diversion. in his favour, by an expedition up the North XVIII. River, which, though far short of the aid he BOOK had once expected, he in reply urged general Clinton to the immediate performance of: de- 1777. claring his intention, in hope of favourable events, to remain in his present position till the 12th of October. Early in the month, general Clinton, at the head of about 4000 troops, proceeded up the North River to Forts Montgomery and Constitution, which they reduced. They afterwards broke an immense boom and chain extending from shore to shore, and burnt several ships and armed vessels lying in the river; without any apparent provocation or necessity, also destroying many delightful and elegant mansions on its banks, with the whole of the beautiful village of Esopus. This dreadful work of devastation, according to the striking description of a writer who was himself an actor in the scene, exhibited a most splendid and majestic spectacle. "The flames from the frigates and galleys suddenly bursting forth, as every sail was set, the vessels soon became magnificent pyramids of fire. The reflection on the steep face of the opposite mountain, and the long train of ruddy light that shone upon the water for a prodigious distance, had a wonderful effect; whilst the ear was awfully filled with the continued echoes from the rocky shores as the flames gradually XVIII BOOK reached the cannon. The whole was sublimely terminated by the explosions, which again left 1777. all to darkness." It was now unquestionably in their power to have proceeded without interruption to Albany; but the loss they had sustained in the midst of their successes, and the apprehension that their communication with New York would be in the end cut off, probably induced general Clinton to return, and the northern army was left to its fate. A considerable provincial force had now formed in the rear of general Burgoyne, and, making themselves masters of the posts on Lake George, effectually obstructed any supplies of provision or stores from that quarter. In the beginning of October the English general thought it necessary to lessen the rations of the soldiers. On the 7th of that month, a detachment of 1500 men, conducted by the general in person, made a movement to the right, in order to discover if there were any possible means of forcing a passage. No impression however could be made in this quarter. On the contrary, the detachment was itself vigorously assailed, and compelled to retreat with great loss back to the camp, the gallant general Frazer being killed in the action. In the mean * Vide Stedman's History of the American War. |