REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 



369 



accomplished wonders, pestering Tryon's return march. 

 He lost some 300 soldiers before he reached his snip- 

 ping. The militia suffered considerably, Gen. Wor- 

 cester being among the slain. 



The patriot Col. Meigs about the same time suc- 

 ceeded in burning the British shipping at Sag Harbor 

 and large quantities of supplies. 



Third Campaign, 1777. 



The next project of the British was for Gen. Howe, 

 co-operating with Admiral Howe, to capture Philadel- 

 phia and clear o''t there all obstructions and hostile 

 Forces- also for Gen. Clinton. left at New York, to 

 hold that base, open up the Hudson, and finally form 

 junction with Burgoyne's army coming down from 

 Canada. The admiral took on board 18,000 men and 

 Gen. Howe in command, and set sail. As soon as Wash- 

 ington ascertained their destination to be the Chesa- 

 peake and Philadelphia he hurried forward his little 

 army and offered battle. The position was the eastern 

 bank of the Brandywine, Chadd s Ford being the centre. 

 He deployed along the creek. Sullivan commanded 

 the right wing; Wayne had Chadd'sFord; Armstrong 

 took the Pennsylvania militia, i.e., the left; while 

 Greene held one division in reserve. The British com- 

 mander on Sept. 11, 1777, masked Washington's front 

 by Knyphausen's command. From a road fork to his 

 rear, Howe sent the rest of his army under Cornwallis 

 17 miles around his enemy's right. The attack on 

 Sullivan's right rear was almost a surprise. There was 

 desperate fighting ; Sullivan was defeated, but Gen. 

 Greene got to him in time to cover his retreat. Wayne 

 held his own against Knyphausen till the other opera- 

 tions forced him to retire with the whole left. Wash- 

 ington suffered a great discomfiture, but by Howe's 

 delay he reorganized at Chester. Lafayette, of 

 Washington's staff, served by request with Sullivan 

 and was wounded. Congress left Philadelphia that 

 night for Lancaster. Washington on the 12th succeeded 

 in crossing the Schuylkill to Germantown. Wonderful 

 to tell, this defeated army recrossed the Schuylkill Sept. 

 14, and again confronted Howe for battle ; a fearful 

 storm of 24 hours' duration alone prevented a desperate 

 conflict. Witli ammunition wet, Washington disap- 

 pointed drew off. He crossed the river again at Par- 

 ker's Ford, but sent bark Wayne and Smallwood with 

 about 1500 men to strike Howe's trains. The effort 

 brought on the affair of Paoli, Sept. 20, 1777, where 

 the over-confident Wayne allowed himself to be sur- 

 prised and defeated. Gen. Howe next, on Sept. 21, 

 pushed un the right bank of the Schuylkill. Wash- 

 ington followed the movement abreast on the other 

 bank to Pott's Grove. Suddenly, on the night of the 

 22d, Howe inarched back, crossed the Ford and 

 entered Germantown. This time Washington was 

 out-inaiireuvrud. On the 26th Howe sent Cornwallis 

 to Philadelphia, who with much pomp took possession 

 of the capital city. Meanwhile Gen. Washington 

 remained in position, drawing in detachments and 

 giving his army a much needed repose. 



Burffni/ne Operation. Gen. Burgoyne left Can- 

 ada the middle of June, 1777, with 10,000 men in- 

 cluding Indian*. The American Gen. Schuyler, at 

 Fort Edward, X. Y., opposed him, and under Schuy- 

 ler, Gen. St. Clair with 3.000 men garrisoned Fort 

 Ticonderoga. Burgoyne drawing near seized Mount 

 Defiance and planted batteries completely dominating 

 the fort. St. Clair, too late apprised, retreated^ 

 aiming for Fort Edward. Burgoyne pursued and 

 struck his rear division at Hubbardton and routed it 

 and secured a large quantity of provisions. Schuyler, 

 always wary, retired as Burgoyne advanced, obstructing 

 his way and defeating his detachments. Burgoyne sent 

 St. Leger with regulars and Indian allies to besiege 

 Fort bchuyler. The patriot Gen. Herkimer, coming 

 with relief for the parrison, was mortally wounded and 

 his men repulsed, but Arnold's approach dispersed the 

 Indian allies and St. Leger abandoned his effort. 



Again Burgoyne detached Col. Baum with a few 

 hundred men to gather supplies accumulated at Ben- 

 nington. Gen. Stark, a New Hampshire brigadier, 

 quickly gathered his brigade and volunteers 2000 

 strong. He gave battle near Bennington Aug. 16. 

 Baum was defeated, as was also a reinforcement 

 hastening to his support. 1500 in all. Stark's ef- 

 fort cost nim 50 men, while Baum's dead alone were 

 207. 



Battle of Bemis' Heights. Gen. Schuyler had ef- 

 fected his purpose. _ Having depleted his enemy and 

 organized against him more than 6000 men, he took 

 position near the mouth of the Mohawk. Just then 

 Gen. Gates, sent by Congress, replaced Schuyler. 

 Arnold chose for him a good position at Bemis' 

 Heights. Kosciusko, the engineer, fortified it and the 

 army'took possession. Gates kept command of his 

 centre and nght near the Hudson River ; the left was 

 given to Arnold. Burgoyne still had about 7000 men ; 

 he assaulted with the usual three columns. The right 

 one under Gen. Frazer sought a ravine on Arnold's 

 left. Gen. Riedesel led a column on the other flank, 

 while Burgoyne himself pushed forward the centre. 

 Early on Sept. 19, 1777, the battle began, and raged 

 for four hours. Gage had effectually stopped nis 

 enemy's advance, but yjelded the field of battle, re- 

 tiring a short distance without disorder. The British 

 lost 600, Gates 321. Burgoyne waited for help from 

 New York as long as he could, but receiving none he 

 began, on Oct. 7, a tentative movement to cover a 

 forage train, but so near Gates' camp that it brought 

 on another battle, though not very decisive. The 

 patriots lost 150, with Arnold among the wounded. 

 The British lost between 500 and 600. Gen. Frazer 

 was fatally injured. This is usually called the Battle 

 of Saratoga. Retiring to Saratoga proper, Oct. 17, 

 1777, Burgoyne surrendered after his losses an aggre- 

 gate of 5000 men. Gen. Clinton had sought to 

 co-operate. He had attacked and captured Forts 

 Montgomery and Clinton, and had foraged freely upon 

 the country. AfterBurgoyne's discomfiture he burned 

 Kingston and returned to New York. Ticonderoga 

 and other Northern forts were at once abandoned by 

 the British. 



Battle of Germantoim. Gen. Washington left 

 Pott's Grove and moved to Skippack Creek, 14 miles 

 from Germantown. Gen. Howe had detached from 

 this place quite a force to operate against the forts 

 below Philadelphia, and another for supplies. Taking 

 advantage of this. Washington decided to attack the 

 remainder. A sharp engagement took place Oct. 4, 

 but Howe, reinforced by Cornwallis, repulsed the 

 attack. A heavy fog contused a well-planned effort, 

 causing the loss of 1000 men. The British suffered a 

 depletion of about half that number. Forts Mercer 

 and Mifflin, on the Delaware, held by the patriots, 

 were an annoyance to British transports. They were 

 both attacked the same day, Oct. 22, 1777. Fort 

 Mercer, on east bank, was assailed by 2000 men, 

 Count Donop commanding, and Fort Mifflin, on an 

 island, by the British vessels. Donop was mortally 

 wounded, 500 soldiers disabled, and British ships dis- 

 mantled. Another combined attempt began Nov. 10, 

 using shore battery and war ships for five days. _ The 

 garrison, driven out, fled to Fort Mercer, which itself 

 was abandoned on approach of greatly increased British 

 forces. Col. Samuel Smith lea the heroic defence of 

 Mifflin, Maj. Thayer replacing him when disabled by 

 wounds. Col. Christopher Green, with 400 men, 

 aided by Col. Hazelwood with two or three galleys, 

 conducted the defence of Mercer. 



Washington kept his army at Perkiomen Creek up 

 to Oct. 30, when, reinforced by Varnum's Rhode 

 Island brigade and perhaps 1000 besides, he again 

 decided to give battle, advancing to White Marsh. 

 Howe brought his army from Philadelphia to meet 

 him, and after skirmishing for position from Nov. 5 to 

 8, made a precipitate retreat to Philadelphia. Pooti 



