HISTORY OF VERMONT. lit 



Jendering the rOads impassable to the British 

 army. 



Fortunately for the Americans, the royal 

 army was intoxicated with their success. Sa 

 rapid had been the torrent with which it had 

 swept every thing away, that both officers and 

 men,. elevated with their fortune, deemed their 

 wisdom and prowess to be irresistible. They 

 regarded the Americans, and the rebellion,, with 

 contempt ; considered their own toils as nearly 

 at an end, Albany as already in their hands, and 

 the northern provinces in the state in which the 

 British minister declared he would have them 

 all, at his feet. Like Hannibal at Capua, Bur- 

 goyne was deliberating with himself, v/hat fate- 

 he should assign to the conquered country ; and 

 even the private soldiers,- in the certain view of 

 conquest, began to feel the comforts of royal 

 insolence, plunder, and revenge. 



Sttri of conquest, Burgoyne continued with 

 his army for several days at Skeensborough, and 

 the adjacent parts of the country ; waiting for 

 the submission of the inhabitants, and the arri- 

 val of their own tents, baggage and provisions. 

 The loss of tlie British army, in all the engage- 

 ments that had as yet taken place, ■wa^ but small, 

 and did not amount to more than three hundred 

 men ; and nothing appeared to prevent their 

 success as soon as their artillery and baggage 

 should arrive, and their march commence. 

 Their first business v/as to open the roads by 

 the way of fort Anne, and advance on that route 

 to fort Edward. On these labors their army 

 entered with a slow, but steady diligence. 

 Equal industry was used in clearing Wood 



