HISTORY OF VERMONT. 15^ 



two thousand and five hundred were sick, or 

 absent on furlough ; sa that the number of ef- 

 fective men in his army, amounted to about ten 

 thousand and five hundred. The number of 

 militia however was constandy varying ; some 

 arriving, and others returning.* 



The convention troops having marched on 

 to Boston, the New England militia returned to 

 their respective homes ; but general Gates 

 pushed forward his continental troops with the 

 utmost expedition, to stop the British in their 

 desolatory career on Hudson's river ; among 

 these, was the Vermont regiment under colonel 

 Warner-t On their approach, the British com- 

 manders, Vaughan and VVallis, found it unsafe 

 to continue their desolating and burning plan ; 

 and returned with their troops to New York ; 

 having made their ov/n cause extremely odious 

 to the Americans, by the cruelty, inhumanity, 

 and vindictive spirit, that had mai'ked all their 

 proceedings. 



The northern expedition having terminated 

 thus favorably to the Americans, Saratoga and 

 the adjacent country, soon became a quiet habi- 

 tation. The armies were all moved off, and the 

 inhabitants began to return to their former places 

 of abode. The towns in the western parts of 

 Vermont, which had^ been deserted, began again 

 to be inhabited. Where the crops of grain had 

 not been entirely destroyed, the inhabitants soon 

 collected, and were seen gathering their corn 

 and hay in the months of November and De- 

 cember. Their first business was to collect 



• Gordon, Vol. II, p. 268. Murray, Vol. 11, p. 35,5, 

 t AppcHdis, No. VIT. 



