the ties of consanguinity-That age, and the helpless invalid, women, and children at the breast, are all alike subjected to the me ciless fury of barbarians. That British generals should be so regardless of the dignity of their station, and the voice of humanity, as to receive from the hands of these ferocious wretches the scalps torn from the skulls of innocent persons!"*

"General Burgoyne, having collected about thirty days' provision, and thrown a bridge of boats over the Hudson, crossed that river on the thirteenth and fourteenth of September, and encamped on the heights and plains of Saratoga. General Gates, who had recently taken the chief command of the northern department of the American army, advanced toward the enemy, and encamped three miles above Stillwater. On the night of the seventeenth, Burgoyne encamped within four miles of the American army; and about noon on the nineteenth advanced in full force against it. The right wing was commanded by General Burgoyne, and covered by General Frazer and Colonel Breyman with the grenadiers and light infrantry, who were posted along some high grounds on the right. The front and flanks were covered by Indians, Provincials, and Canadians. The left wing and artillery were commanded by the Major Generals Phillips and Reidesel, who proceeded along the great road. Colonel Morgan, who was detached to observe their motions, and to harass them as they advanced, soon fell in with their pickets in the front of their right wing, attacked them sharply, and drove them in. A strong corps was brought up to support them, and, after a severe encounter, Morgan was compelled to give way. A regiment was ordered to assist him, and the action became more general. The commanders on both sides supported and re-enforced their respective parties; and about four o'clock Arnold, with nire continental regiments and Morgan's corps, was completely engaged with the whole right wing of the British army. "For four hours they maintained a contest hand to hand." The Americans at length left the field; "not because they were conquered, but because the approach of night made a retreat to their camp necessary. Few actions have been more remarkable than this, for both vigour of attack and obstinacy of resistance." The loss on the part of the Americans, in killed and wounded, was between three and four hundred; among the former were Colonels Coburne and Adams, and several other valuable officers. The loss of the British was about six hundred.

Both armies lay some time in sight of each other, each fortifying its camp in the strongest manner possible. Meanwhile the difficulties of the British General were daily becoming increased. His auxiliary Indians deserted him soon after the battle of Stillwater. His army, reduced to little more than five thousand men, was limited to half the usual allowance of provisions. The stock of forage

*Thacher's Military Journal, page 109-15.

was entirely exhausted, and his horses were perishing in great numbers. The American army had become so augmented, as to render him diffident of making good his retreat. To aggravate his distress, no intelligence had yet been received of the approach of General Clinton, or of any diversion in his favour from New-York.

In this exigency, General Burgoyne resolved to examine the possibility of dislodging the Americans from their posts on the left, by which means he would be enabled to retreat to the lakes. For this purpose he drew out fifteen hundred men, which he headed himself, attended by Generals Phillips, Reidesel, and Frazer. This detachment had scarcely formed, within less than half a mile of the American intrenchments, when a furious attack was made on its left; but Major Ackland, at the head of the British grenadiers, sustained it with great firmness. The Americans soon extended their attack along the whole front of the German troops, which were posted on the right of the grenadiers; and marched a body around their flank, to prevent their retreat. On this movement, the British light infantry with a part of the twenty-fourth regiment instantly formed, to cover the retreat of the troops into the camp. Their left wing in the mean time, overpowered with numbers, was obliged to retreat, and would inevitably have been cut to pieces, but for the intervention of the same troops, which had just been covering the retreat on the right. The whole detachment was now under the necessity of retiring; but scarcely had the British troops entered the lines, when the Americans, led by General Arnold, pressed forward, and, under a tremendous fire of grape shot and musketry, assaulted the works throughout their whole extent from right to left. Toward the close of the day, a part of the left of the Americans forced the intrenchments, and Arnold with a few men actually entered the works; but his horse being killed, and he himself badly wounded in the leg, they were forced out of them, and it being now nearly dark, they desisted from the attack. On the left of Arnold's detachment, Jackson's regiment of Massachusetts, then led by Lieutenant Colonel Brooks, was still more successful. It turned the right of the encampment, and carried by storm the works, occupied by the German reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Breyman was killed; and Brooks maintained the ground he had gained, Darkness put an end to the action. The advantage of the Americans was decisive. They killed a great number of the enemy; made upward of two hundred prisoners, among whom were several officers of distinction; took nine pieces of brass artillery, and the encampment of a German brigade, with all their equipage. Among the slain of the enemy was General Frazer, an officer of distinguished merit, whose loss was particularly regretted. The loss of the Americans was inconsiderable.

Gates posted fourteen hundred men on the heights opposite the ford of Saratoga; two thousand in the rear, to prevent a retreat to Fort Edward; and fifteen hundred at a ford higher up. Burgoyne, apprehensive of being hemmed in, retired immediately to Saratoga,

An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort George. Artificers were accordingly dispatched under a strong escort, to repair the bridges, and open the road to Fort Edward; but they were compelled to make a precipitate retreat. The situation of General Burgoyne becoming every hour more hazardous, he resolved to attempt a retreat by night to Fort Edward; but even this retrograde movement was rendered impracticable. While the army was preparing to march, intelligence was received, that the Americans had already possessed themselves of Fort Edward, and that they were well provided with artillery. No avenue to escape now appeared. Incessant toil had worn down the whole British army; which did not now contain more than three thousand five hundred fighting men. Provisions were almost exhausted, and there were no possible means of procuring a supply. The American army, which was daily increas ing, was already much greater than the British in point of numbers, and almost encircled them. In this extremity, the British General called a council of war; and it was unanimously resolved to enter into a convention with General Gates. Preliminaries were soon settled, and the royal army surrendered prisoners of war.*

The capture of an entire army was justly viewed as an event, that must essentially affect the contest between Great Britain and America; and while it excited the highest joy among the people, it could not but have a most auspicious influence in the cabinet and in the field. The thanks of congress were voted to General Gates and his army; and a medal of gold, in commemoration of this splendid achievement, was ordered to be struck, to be presented to him by the president, in the name of the United States.

While General Burgoyne was urging his preparations for advancing toward Albany, General Lincoln attempted to recover Ticonde roga, and the other posts in the rear of the royal army. Colonel Brown, whom he detached on the thirteenth of September with five hundred men to the landing at Lake George, surprised all the outposts between the landing at the north end of that lake and the body of the fortress at Ticonderoga; took Mount Defiance and Mount Hope, the old French lines, a block-house, two hundred batteaux, several gun-boats, and an armed sloop, together with two

wounded, taken, & deserted, be- 2933
tween 6th July & 16th October
Total

9213

"Remembrancer for 1777, p. 477. The whole army of General Gates consisted of 9093 continental troops. The number of the militia fluctuated; but, when the convention was signed, it amounted to 4129. The sick exceeded 2500. The troops under General Burgoyne were to march out of their camp with the honours of war; and a free passage was to be granted them to Great Britain, on condition of not serving again in North America during the present contest.

hundred and ninety prisoners; and released one hundred Americans. On examination it was found, that the reduction of either Mount Independence or Ticonderoga was impracticable; but soon after the convention at Saratoga, the British, who had been left in the rear of the royal army, destroyed their cannon; and, abandoning Ticonderoga, retreated to Canada.

General Lincoln, while reconnoitring, the day after the battle near Stillwater, received a dangerous wound; but the life of that excellent officer and estimable man was providentially saved for future and important services to his country.”*

"Articles of Convention between Lieutenant-General Burgoyne and Major-General Gates.

I.-The troops under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne, to march out of their camp with the honours of war, and the artillery of the entrenchments, to the verge of the river where the old fort stood, where the arms and artillery are to be left; the arms to be piled by word of command from their own officers.

II.-A free passage to be granted to the army under LieutenantGeneral Burgoyne to Great Britain, on condition of not serving again in North America during the present contest; and the port of Boston is assigned for the entry of transports to receive the troops, whenever General Howe shall so order.

III.-Should any cartel take place, by which the army under General Burgoyne, or any part of it, may be exchanged, the foregoing article to be void as far as such exchange shall be made.

IV.-The army under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne, to march to Massachusetts Bay, by the easiest, most expeditious, and convenient route; and to be quartered in, near, or as convenient as possible to Boston, that the march of the troops may not be delayed, when transports arrive to receive them.

V.-The troops to be supplied on their march, and during their being in quarters, with provisions, by General Gates's orders, at the same rate of rations as the troops of his own army; and if possible the officers' horses and cattle are to be supplied with forage at the usual rates.

VI.-All officers to retain their carriages, batt-horses and other cattle, and no baggage to be molested or searched; LieutenantGeneral Burgoyne giving his honour that there are no public stores: secreted therein. Major-General Gates will of course take the necessary measures for the due performance of this article. Should any carriages be wanted during the march for the transportation of officers' baggage, they are, if possible, to be supplied by the country at the usual rates.

VII.-Upon the march; and during the time the army shall remain in quarters in Massachusetts Bay, the officers are not, as far as

*Holmes' American Annals, vol. ii. p. 337-92.

circumstances will admit, to be separated from their men. The officers are to be quartered according to rank, and are not to be hindered from assembling their men for roll call, and other necessary purposes of regularity.

VIII. All corps whatever, of General Burgoyne's army, whether composed of sailors, batteaumen, artificers, drivers, independent companies, and followers of the army, of whatever country, shall be included in the fullest sense and utmost extent of the above articles, and comprehended in every respect as British subjects.

IX. All Canadians, and persons belonging to the Canadian establishment, consisting of sailors, battaumen, artificers, drivers, independent companies, and many other followers of the army, who come under no particular description, are to be permitted to return there; they are to be conducted immediately by the shortest route to the first British post on Lake George, are to be supplied with provisions in the same manner as the other troops, and are to be bound by the same condition of not serving during the present contest in North America.

X.-Passports to be immediately granted for three officers, not exceeding the rank of captains, who shall be appointed by Lieutenant-General Burgoyne, to carry despatches to Sir William Howe, Sir Guy Carleton, and to Great Britain, by the way of New-York; and Major-General Gates engages the public faith, that these despatches shall not be opened. These officers are to set out immediately after receiving their despatches, and are to travel the shortest route and in the most expeditious manner.

XI.-During the stay of the troops in Massachusetts Bay, the officers are to be admitted on parole, and are to be allowed to wear their side arms.

XII.-Should the army under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne find it necessary to send for their clothing and other baggage to Canada, they are to be permitted to do it in the most convenient manner, and the necessary passports granted for that purpose.

XIII. These articles are to be mutually signed and exchanged to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock, and the troops under LieutenantGeneral Burgoyne are to march out of their entrenchments at three o'clock in the afternoon.

(Signed)
(Signed)

Saratoga, Oct. 16th, 1777.

HORATIO GATES, Major-General.
J. BURGOYNE, Lieutenant-General.

To prevent any doubts that might arise from Lieutenant-General Burgoyne's name not being mentioned in the above treaty, MajorGeneral Gates hereby declares, that he is understood to be comprehended in it, as fully as if his name had been specifically mentioned. HORATIO GATES.

Thus terminated a negociation which prostrated the power of the enemy in the north, disconcerted a dangerous project, and distracted