CHAP. XV. 1777. of three hours, were fo totally repulfed, and with fuch lofs, that after fetting fire to Fort Anne, they fled with the utmost precipitation towards Fort Edward, upon the Hudson's river. of the The lofs of the royal army, in all this fervice, and in fo many different engagements, fome of which were warm, and feemed liable to lofs, was very fmall. The whole in killed and wounded, not much exceeding two hundred men. Such was the rapid torrent of fuccefs, which swept every thing away before the northern army in its outfet. It is not to be wondered at, if both officers Succefs and private men were highly elated with their forMorthern tune, and deemed that and their prowefs to be irrefiftible; if they regarded their enemy with the der Gen. greatest contempt, and confidered their own toils to be nearly at an end. Albany to be already in their hands; and the reduction of the northern provinces to be rather a matter of fome time, than an arduous tafk full of difficulty and danger. army un. Burgoyne. At home, the joy and exultation was extreme; not only at court, but with all thofe who hoped or wifhed the unqualified fubjugation, and unconditional fubmiffion of the colonies. The lofs in reputation was greater to the Americans, and capable of more fatal confequences, than even that of ground, of pofts, of artillery, or of men. All the contemptuous and moft degrading charges which had been made by their enemies, of their wanting the refolution and abilities of men, even in the defence of what. eyer was dear to them, were now repeated and be. lieved. Thofe who fill regarded them as men, and who had not yet loft all affection to them as brethren; who alfo retained hopes that a happy reconciliation upon conftitutional principles, without facrificing the dignity or the juft authority of government on the one fide, or a derele tion of the rights of freemen on the other, was not even now impoffible, notwithstanding their favourable difpo- 17. fitions in general, could not help feeling upon this occafion, that the Americans funk not a little "in their estimation. It was not difficult to diffuse an opinion, that the war in effect was over; and that any further refiftance, would ferve only to render the terms of their fubmiffion the worie. Such were fome of the immediate effects of the lofs of those grand keys of North America, Ticonderoga and the lakes. General Burgoyne continued for fome days, with the army partly at Skenefborough, and partly fpread in the adjoining country. They were under the neceffity of waiting for the arrival of tents, baggage, and provifions. In the mean time, no labour was fpared in opening roads by the way of Fort Anne, for advancing against the enemy. Equal industry was used in clearing the Wood Creek from the ob ftacles of fallen trees, funken ftones, and other impediments, which had been laid in the way by the enemy, in order to open a paffage for batteaux, for the conveyance of artillery, ftores, provifions, and camp equipage. Nor was lefs diligence ufed at Ticonderoga, in the carrying of gun-boats, provifion veffels, and batteaux, over land into Lake George. Thefe were all laborious works, but the fpirit of the army was at that time fuperior to toil or danger. General Schuyler was at Fort Edward upon the Hudson's river, where he was endeavouring to col lect the militia, and had been joined by St. Clair, with the wretched remains of his army, who had: taken a round about march of feven days through the woods, in which, from the exceeding badness of the weather, with the want of covering, provifions, and all manner of neceffaries, they had fuffered the moft extreme mifery. Many others of the fugi tives had also arrived; but fo totally broken down, that they were nearly as deftitute of arms, ammu. 1777. nition, and all the materials of war, as they were of vigour, hope, fpirit, to use them with effect. Although the direct distance from Fort Anne, where the batteaux navigation on Wood Creek determined, or even from Skenesborough to Fort Edward, was no greater, than what in England would be confidered as a moderate ride of exercife, yet fuch is the favage face and impracticable nature of the country, and fuch were the artificial difficulties which the industry of the enemy had thrown in the way, that the progrefs of the army thither, was a work of much preparation, time, and labour. It will fcarcely be believed in after times, and may now be received with difficulty in any other part of the world, that it coft an active and fpirited army, without any enemy in force to impede its progrefs, not many fewer days in paffing from one part to another of a country, than the distance, in a direct line, would have meafured miles. Yet fuch, however extraordinary, is the fact. Befides that the country was a wilderness in almoft every part of the paffage, the enemy had cut large timber trees in fuch a manner, on both fides of the road, as to fall acrofs and lengthways, with their branches interwoven; fo that the troops had feveral layers of thefe frequently to remove, in places where they could not poffibly take any other direction. The face of the country was likewife so broken with creeks and marthes, that in that fhort fpace, they had no less than forty bridges to conftruct, befides others to repair; and one of thefe was of log work, over a morafs two miles in extent. All thefe toils and difficulties were encountered and overcome by the troops with their ufual spirit and alacrity. The enemy were too weak, too much difpirited, and probably too much afraid of the Indians, to add very materially to thefe difficulties. Some fkirmifhing and firing there was, however on every day's march, in which, as ufual, they conftantly came off lofers. It is true, that General Burgoyne might have 1777. adopted another route to Hudfon's river, by which most of these particular difficulties would have been avoided. By returning down the South river to Ticonderoga, he might again have embarked the army on Lake George, and proceeded to the fort which takes its name, and lies at its head, from whence there is a waggon road to Fort Edward. To this it was objected, and probably with reafon, that a retrogade motion in the height of victory, would tend greatly to abate that panic with which the enemy were confounded and overwhelmed; that it would even cool the ardour, and check the animation of the troops, to call them off from the profecution of their fuccefs, to a cold and fpiritlefs voyage; and that their expedition would undoubtedly be checked by the refiftance and delay which they must expect at Fort George; whereas when the garrifon perceived that the army was marching in a direction, which was likely to cut off their retreat, they would undoubtedly confult their fafety in time, by abandoning the poft. The enemy abandoned Fort Edward, and retired to Saratoga, at the approach of the royal army, which, from the impediments we have seen in the march, was not until the end of July. The enthusiasm of the army, as well as of the General, upon their arrival on the Hudfon's river, which had been fo long the object of their hopes and wishes, may be better conceived than defcribed. As the enemy, by previously abandoning Fort George, and burning their. veffels had left the lake entirely open, a great embarkation of provifions, ftores, and neceffaries was already arrived at that poft from Ticonderoga. The army was accordingly fully and immediately employed, in transporting these articles, with artillery, batteaux, and fuch other matters as they judged neceffary for the profecution of their future meafures, from Fort George to Hudfon's river. CHAP. 1777. CHAP. XVI. General terror excited by the lofs of Ticonderoga, and the expected progrefs of the favages. New England governments notwithStanding few no appearance of fubmiffion. Arnold fent with a reinforcement to the northern army. Ill effects produced by the cruelties of the Indians. Difficulties experienced by the royal army in the neighbourhood of Fort Edward, and in the conveyance of provisions and flores from Lake George. Movement made down the North River, and a bridge of rafts thrown over near Saratoga, in order to facilitate the operations of Colonel St. Leger. Expedition to furprize the Magazines at Bennington, under the conduct of Colonel Baum. Colonel Breyman ordered forward to fupport the expedition. Baum defeated and taken prisoner; Breyman alfo defeated. Ill confe quences. Fort Stanwix obftinately defended against Colonel St Leger. General Harkimer attempts to relieve the fort with a body of militia, who are moftly cut to pieces. Cruelty, and ill conduct of the favages; grow fullen and intractable; oblige Colonel St. Leger to raise the fiege with precipitation and lofs. Villainy of their behaviour on the retreat. Seige raifed before the arrival of Arnold and his detachment to the relief of the fort. General Gates takes the command of the American army. General Burgoyne with the royal army pass the North River at Saratoga, and advance to attack the enemy near Still Water. Difference of opinion upon that measure, as well as the motives which led to its being adopted. Severe and heavy action on the nineteenth of September. Both armies fortify their camps. Unfortunate action on he feventh of October. Camp ftormed. Death of General Frazer, Colonel Breyman, and Sir James Clarke. Diftreffed fituation of the royal army. Mafterly movement made, and an entire new pofition taken in the night. New engagement eagerly fought, but refufed on the next day by the enemy. Retreat to Saratoga. Previous defertion of the Indians and others. Royal army reduced to the utmoft freights. Nearly furrounded on all fides. Cut off from all means of fubfiftence, and poffibility of retreat. Councils of war. Convention concluded with General Gates. Terms of the convention. State of the army. Successful expedition by Sir Henry Clinton and General Vaughan up the North River. Several forts taken; Efopus and other places deftroyed. Colonel Campbell, with the Majors Still and Grant, and Count Graboufkie, a Polish nobleman, killed in this expedition. Some obfervations on the campaign. NOTH OTHING could exceed the astonishment and terror, which the lofs of Ticonderoga and its |