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British camp. When about half way, a second party of Indians, hearing of the captivating offer made by Mr. Jones, determined to avail themselves of the reward. A bloody strife ensued, in which some Indians were killed, when the chief of the first party, to decide the contest, with his tomahawk knocked the lady from her horse, tore off her scalp, and bore it as a trophy to her anxious and expectant lover! This atrocious and cruel murder roused the American people, and produced one general burst of horror and indignation throughout the states, against the British and their savage allies, and probably hastened the downfall of Burgoyne.

70. Battle of Bennington and Capture of Burgoyne.

In the spring of 1777, it was determined in England that an invasion of the states should be attempted from the north, and a communication formed between Canada and the city of New York, and thus cut off the communication between the New England and more southern

states.

"The troops destined for this service were upwards of seven thousand; with a train of artillery, the finest and most efficiently supplied, that had ever been assigned to second the operations of an equal force. Arms and accoutrements were provided for the Canadians, and several nations of Indians induced to take up the hatchet under royal banners. The command was given to Gen. Burgoyne; an officer whose abilities were well known, and whose spirit of enterprise and thirst for military fame could not be excelled. The British had the exclusive navigation of Lake Champlain. Their marine force on that inland sea, with which, in the preceding campaign, they had destroyed the American flotilla, was not only entire, but unopposed.

"Having gained possession of Ticonderoga, as well as of the other defences which had served to prevent or to impede the advance of an enemy into the United

States on the side of Canada, and with a degree of alacrity and perseverance not to be excelled, reached fort Edward, on the Hudson, Burgoyne proceeded, in the beginning of August, to force his passage down towards Albany. In the mean time, every obstruction had been thrown in his way, by Schuyler, Arnold, St. Clair, and other vigilant commanders; who, at this period, owing to the evacuations of the northern forts, and the exertions of the leading patriots in New York and the contiguous provinces, had in that quarter an army of 13,000 men.

This

"In his advance to Albany, Burgoyne formed a plan to draw resources from the farms of Vermont. For this purpose, he detached 500 Hessians and 100 Indians, with two field-pieces, under the command of Col. Baum; a force deemed sufficient to seize a magazine of provisions, collected by the Americans at Bennington. But he proceeded with less caution than his perilous situation required. On the 16th of August, Col. Starke attacked him near that place, with about 800 New Hampshire militia, undisciplined, without bayonets, or a single piece of artillery; killed or captured the greater part of his detachment, and got possession of his cannon. was a brilliant service. Another achievement, scarcely less conspicuous, immediately succeeded. Col. Breyman, who had been sent by Gen. Burgoyne to support that party, arrived on the same day, not, however, until the action was decided. Instead of meeting his friends, he found himself vigorously assailed. This attack was made by Col. Warner; who, with his continental regiment, had come up, also, to support his friends, and was well assisted by Starke's militia, which had just defeated the party of Col. Baum. Breyman's troops, though fatigued with the preceding march, behaved with great resolution; but were at length obliged to abandon their artillery, and retreat. In these two actions, the Americans took four brass field-pieces, four ammunition wagons, and seven hundred prisoners.

"The overthrow of these detachments was the first, in a grand series of events, that finally involved in ruin the whole royal army. It deranged every plan for con

tinuing, or even holding, the advantages previously obtained; inspired the Americans with confidence, animated their exertions, and filled them with justly formed expectations of future victory.

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After the evacuation of Ticonderoga, the Americans had fallen back from one place to another, until they at last rested at Vanshaick's Island. Soon after this retreating system was adopted, congress removed their commanding officers, and placed Gen. Gates at the head of the northern army. His arrival on the 19th of August, gave fresh vigour to the inhabitants. Encouraged by a hope of capturing the whole British forces, a spirit of adventure burst forth from every quarter, and was carried into various directions. An enterprise was undertaken by Gen. Lincoln, to recover Ticonderoga and the other posts in the rear of the British army; and though the first object was not accomplished, yet with so much address did Col. Brown, who was despatched to the landing at Lake George, proceed, that, with five hundred men, he not only surprised all the out-posts between the landing at the north end of the lake and the body of that fortress, took Mount Defiance and Mount Hope, the old French lines, and a block-house, also two hundred batteaux, several gun-boats, besides two hundred and ninety prisoners, but at the same time released one hundred Americans.

"Burgoyne, after crossing the Hudson, advanced along its banks, and encamped about two miles from Gen. Gates, a short distance above Stillwater. The Americans thought no more of retreating; and on the 19th of September, engaged him with firmness and resolution. The conflict, though severe, was only partial for the first hour and a half; but after a short pause, it became general, and continued for three hours without intermission. A constant blaze of fire streamed forth, and both sides seemed determined on victory or death. The Americans and British were alternately driven by each other, until night ended the effusion of blood. The enemy lost five hundred men, including killed, wounded, and prisoners; the Americans, three hundred.

"Every moment made the situation of the British army more critical. Their provisions were lessening, and their Indian and provincial allies deserting; whilst the animation and numbers of the Americans increased. From the uncertainty of receiving farther supplies, Burgoyne curtailed the soldiers' rations. His opponents pressed him on every side. Much hard fighting ensued. The British were again defeated. One of Burgoyne's generals, together with his aid-de-camp, was killed, and he himself narrowly escaped; as a ball passed through his hat, and another through his waistcoat. The American generals, Arnold and Lincoln, were wounded. To avoid being surrounded, Gen. Burgoyne left his hospital to the humanity of Gates, and retreated to Saratoga. He was still followed and harassed; driven on one side and straitened on another. The situation of his army was truly distressing: abandoned by their allies, unsupported by their fellow soldiers in New York, worn down by a series of incessant efforts, and greatly reduced in number; without a possibility of retreat, or of replenishing their exhausted stock of provisions, a continual cannonade pervaded their camp, and grapeshot fell in many parts of their lines.

"The 12th of October arrived; the day until which hope had bidden the afflicted general wait for the promised assistance from New York. But expectation vanished with the departing sun. He took an account of his provisions. There was only a scanty subsistence for three days. A council of war declared that their present situation justified a capitulation on honourable terms; and a negotiation was commenced. After various messages passed between the hostile armies, it was stipulated, that on the 17th, the British were to march out of their camp with the customary honours of war; the arms to be piled by word of command from their own officers; and an undisturbed passage allowed them to Great Britain, on condition of their not serving again in North America during the war.

"By this convention, were surrendered five thousand seven hundred and ninety, of all ranks; which number

added to the killed, wounded, and prisoners, lost by the royal army during the preceding part of the expedition, made altogether, upwards of ten thousand men; an advantage rendered still more important to the captors, by the acquisition of thirty-five brass field pieces, and nearly five thousand muskets. The regular troops in General Gates' army were nine thousand; the militia four thousand; but, of the former, two thousand were sick or on furlough; and of the latter, five hundred.

"The celebrated Polish patriot, Kosciusko, was chief engineer in the army of Gen. Gates.

"On learning the fate of Burgoyne, the British on the North river retired to New York. Those who had been left in his rear, destroyed their cannon, and, abandoning Ticonderoga, retreated to Canada; so that this whole country, after experiencing for several months the devastations of war, was now restored to perfect tranquillity."

71. Treaty with France.

On the 16th of March, 1778, Lord North intimated to the house of commons, that a paper had been laid before the king, by the French ambassador, intimating the conclusion of an alliance between the court of France and the United States of America. The preliminaries of this treaty had been concluded in the end of the year 1777, and a copy of them sent to congress, in order to counteract any proposals that might be made in the mean time by the British ministry. On the 6th of February, 1778, the articles were formally signed, to the great satisfaction of the French nation. They were in substance as follows:

1. If Great Britain should, in consequence of this treaty, proceed to hostilities against France, the two nations should mutually assist each other.

2. The main end of the treaty was, in an effectual manner, to maintain the independence of America.

Grimshaw's Hist. United States.

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