Chap. 3. 



REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 



47 



GEN. LINCOLN. 



BATTLE AT STILLWATER. 



the Americans, or disheartening to the 

 enemy, than this splendid victory of 

 Stark, achieved principally by undisci- 

 plined militia, over veteran regular troops. 

 Since the fall of Montgomery, an uninter- 

 rupted scries of defeats had attended the 

 American arms in the northern depart- 

 ment, and many of the most ardent in the 

 cause of freedom had begun to despond. 

 Rut, by th'is event, they discovered that 

 their enemy was not invincible, — their 

 hopes and their courage were revived, 

 and volunteers from every quarter flocked 

 to the American standard. It also ena- 

 bled Stark to vindicate his attachment to 

 the cause of his bleeding country, and to 

 render that cause a service far more im- 

 portant than he could have done by join- 

 ing the main army on the Hudson. 



After their disasters at Bennington the 

 British army remained quietly at their 

 camp opposite to Saratoga for some time, 

 awaiting the approach of Col. St. Leger, 

 who had been sent round by the way of 

 lake Ontario, for the reduction of fort 

 Stanv/ix on the upper part of the Mohawk 

 river. But they waited in vain. That 

 officer, after encountering many difficul- 

 ties, was obliged, through the defection 

 of the Indians belonging to his corps, to 

 retreat without accomplishing the object 

 of the expedition. These events had not 

 only retarded the advance of Burgoyne, 

 but they served to depress the spirits of 

 the royal army, while they at the same 

 time encouraged the Americans, and af- 

 forded Gen. Gates, who had now super- 

 ceded Gen. Schuyler, time to strengthen 

 and fortify his camp. 



In the mean time. Gen. Lincoln, who 

 commanded a body of New England mili- 

 tia, determined to make a diversion in 

 the rear of the enemy. He accordingly 

 proceeded from Manchester to Pawlet, 

 and from thence on the 13th of Septem- 

 ber, despatched Colonel Brown with 500 

 men to destroy the Britisli stores and re- 

 lease the American prisoners, which were 

 collected at lake George. At the same 

 time he ordered Colonel Johnson with an 

 equal number of men to proceed towards 

 Ticonderoga to divert the attention of the 

 enemy, while Brown was accomplishing 

 his object. In addition to these, he de- 

 tached Col. Woodbridge with 500 men 

 by the way of Skenesborough and fort 

 Ann to fort Edward. The design of these 

 expeditions was to alarm and divide the 

 British forces, and to cut off their supplies. 



Brown proceeded with such secrecy 

 and celerity, that by the 18th of Septem- 

 ber he had surprised all the out posts be- 

 tween the landing place at the north end 

 of lake George and the main fortress at 



Ticonderoga. The Americans had like- 

 wise recovered Mount Hope, Mount De- 

 fiance, 200 batteau.x, one armed sloop and 

 a number of gun boats ; and they had 

 taken 203 prisoners, and had liberated 

 more than 100 Americans. Encouraged 

 by this success, they summoned General 

 Powel, the British commander of Ticon- 

 deroga, to surrender that fortress, but not 

 being in a condition to make any effectual 

 attempt against it, they returned in safe- 

 ty, and with scarcely any 'ioss, to Lin- 

 coln's camp. 



General Burgoyne crossed the Hudson 

 on the 13th and 14th of September, and 

 advanced towards the American army, 

 which was posted at Stillwater. On the 

 18th, 3000 Americans marched out with a 

 view of attacking the enemy, but finding 

 that the attempt would be too hazardous, 

 they remained during the day in full view 

 of the royal army, without commencing 

 the attack. On the 19th, Gen. Burgoyne 

 put himself at the head of the right wing 

 of the British army, and advanced towards 

 the left of the Americans. Gens. Phil- 

 ips and Riedesel at the same time ad- 

 vanced along the river towards the right. 

 About one o'clock, some of the American 

 scouts fell in with those of the British, 

 and attacked them with great boldness. 



The firing was no sooner heard than 

 the advanced parties of both armies press- 

 ed forward to battle. Re-enforcements 

 were continually sent on upon both sides 

 and the contest soon became obstinate 

 and general. The first attempt of the 

 Americans was to turn the right wing of 

 the British army and flank their line. 

 Failing in this, they moved in regular or- 

 der to the left, and there made a furious 

 assault. Both armies were determined to 

 conquer, and the battle raged without in- 

 termission for three hours. Any advan- 

 tage on one side was soon counterbalanced 

 by an equal advantage on the other. Can- 

 non and favorable positions were taken, 

 lost and re-taken in quick succession ; and 

 the two armies might be compared to the 

 two scales of a mighty balance, trembling 

 with equal burdens in doubtful oscillation, 

 and, had not night put an end to the 

 struggle, it is extremely doubtful wliich 

 would have preponderated. 



This engagement, though undecisive, 

 was advantageous to the Americans. The 

 British lost in killed, wounded and pris- 

 oners, more than 500 men, while the loss 

 of the Americans amounted to 64 killed, 

 217 wounded and 38 missing. But the 

 principal advantage arose from the new 

 impressions which were made upon the 

 minds of the royal army. They had hith- 

 erto regarded the American army as an 



