HtSTORY Of VERMONT. 129 



tvere his endeavors to influence and intoxicate 

 them with rum. They understood their busi- 

 ness better than to be couvinced ; part of them 

 decamped, and the- remainder let him know m 

 the phlegmatic Indian tone, that they would 

 abandon him to the American nrierciesif he did 

 not instantly retreat. Mortified, irritated, but 

 disarmed by the Indian policy, St Ledger found 

 it impossible any longer to contend with the In- 

 dian genius and duplicity ; and oil August the. 

 twenty second, the British colonel \'5^as forced to 

 make a precipitate retreat, or rather a shameful 

 flight ; leaving his artillery, tents, stores and 

 other implements of war, to fall into the hands 

 of the Americans. From his own account it 

 appears, that St. Ledger was more apprehensive 

 of danger from the fury of the savages, than 

 from any thing that he expected from his Anieri- 

 Gan enemies. Nor were his fears without suf- 

 ficient foundation, for some of the boats which 

 belonged to his army were plundered by the 

 Indians ; officers were robbed of their baggage, 

 and some of them who could not keep up 

 with the rest,' were murdered.. And nothing 

 less was to be expected, considering the losses 

 the Indians had sustained, and the ill success 

 that had attended St. Ledger's attemj>ts to take 

 the fort. 



. sThe misfortunes that had attended the British 

 affairs at Bennington, and at fort Stanwix, had 

 not only retarded the advance of the royal army, 

 but produced a depression in their spirits, to 

 which they had not as yet been accustomed ; 

 and they afforded time to Gates, to strengthen 

 and fortify his camp^ encourage the militia, and 



VOL. II. Q 



