126 



^\)C iHivmci'G iHontl)lv) llisitov. 



I (le|wiicliii;; iipdii hie own uoiidiict and the be- 

 I liavioiir of his Hoops, 



At i)ii<; iiiii<; \vv. liilly imnginerl it vvns the inlen- 

 lioii 1)1' llir I'lieipiy to hiive atlackffl us, as a very 

 \ui<iv. Iioily ('()il^i:-lillf,' of si'vcMiil luiLMcli'S, (Irovv 

 li|> in hue of hailh; wiih aitillciy aiKl he^aii lo 

 I'aiiiiDii.'idi- MS. Ill iHturi), a howii/er «a.s lircd, 

 ami a.s iva^ iiiteiirlcd, the shc-ll fi-ll siioit, ii|>oii 

 wliich the t'liHiiiy setliiifj up a {.'iral shoiil, weie 

 voiy iiiiic-li encoiiraffed, and kept on ( iiiiiionadiiiii;. 

 The next lime the howitzer was so elevated that 

 the shell till into the very centre ol a lar°e col- 

 utnn, and inimcdialely linrst, which so di-smaycd 

 tlieni that lliey ti.il oft' into the woods; and 

 shewed no oilier iiileniions ol' an attack ; inileeil 

 their caulioiis condnct dnrin;; the whole day 

 Strongly marked a disinelmation to a general ac- 

 tion. 



Early this morning (Oct. 8) Gen. Fras^tr died, 

 and at his particular rerpiest, was hnricd without 

 jiarade in the great redoiilit, liy the soldiers ol' 

 Ids own corps. Ahoiit sini.sel the corpse was 

 carried up the iiill : the proces.-ion was in view 

 of liotli arniii's. As it passed liy Generals Bur- 

 goyne, Phillips and Reidescl, they were struck at 

 the plain siinpliciiy of the parade, heing only at- 

 tended liy the otiicer.s of his suite ; hnt lest the 

 army not heing acipiainted with the privacy that 

 was desired, anil ronstrne it into neglect, and 

 urged hy a n.iloral wish to pay the last iionors to 

 him, in ihe eyes of the whole army, they joined 

 the procession. 



'Ihe eniihv with an iidinmanily peculiar to 

 Amepi alls, cannonaded the procession as it 

 piisM .:, and during the service over the grave.* 

 'i'lie account given your friend Lieutenant Free- 

 in;. !i, was that there appeared an expressive 

 mixture of sensiliiliiy and iiidi;;natioii upon every 

 conntenaiice. The scene must have heen aflect- 

 ing. 



In Ihe evening intelligence was hrought that 

 the eiie:iiy were niarching to turn our right. 

 We could prevent this hy no olher means than 

 retreating towards Saralosa. A retreat is a m.U- 

 ter ot Ihe highest consequence and reipiiii^s the 

 greatest conduct in a General, as well as resolu- 

 tion in hotli (illicers and soldier-s, for the least 

 ini.-iiuanai'euirnt puts all into confusion. A good 

 reliiat is hxikc^l upon as the chef d" cenvre of a 

 comiiiander. Kvery one of the advanced corps 

 Celt severely the loss of General Fraser, as he 

 lliseil trrquently lo say thai if the army had the 

 liii.-iiiriune to retreat, he would ensure with the 

 advanced C4n))s, to hring it oil' in safjty. This 

 was a (piece of gencralsliip he was not a lilile 

 vain of; (ijr dining the war in (Jermany he made 

 good his retreat, wiih live hundred chasseurs, in 

 sight of the Fii.'iii'h army. But as covering the 

 retre.-it of the army was of the utmost conse- 

 ^(iieiice, General I'hillips took command of the 

 rear guard which consisted of the advanced 

 corps. 



At nine o'clock at ni^hl the army began lo 

 move, General Ueidesel commanding the van 

 guard. Our nilreal was made vvilhin musket 

 HJiot of the enemy, and though greatly (Miciiiii- 

 bered wiih liaggage, without a single loss. It 

 was near eleven o'clock before the rear guard 

 marched, and for near an hour, we every ino- 

 iin;nt expected lo he attacked lin- the enemy had 

 formed (ui the same spot as in the uiornin": we 

 could tlisceru ihis hy the lanlHrns that the otlicers 

 had in llieir liands, and their riding about in 

 front of thi'ir hue ; but though the Americans 

 pill their army in inolion that night, they diil not 

 puisne us in ■ retreat till late the next dav. 



[Retreat lo, niitl Coiiveiilioii of Saratoga. 



Alier a iiiaieh, in which we were liable lo he 

 attacked in from, ll,iuk and rear, 'he army on the 

 Olh, at day-break, reached an advantageous 

 ground, and look a posiilim very desirable lo have 

 received the enemy. We hidtifd to refresh the 

 troo|)s anil lo give lime for tin; batteanx to come 

 alireasi of the army. A few day.-i pronsioii was 

 delivered out, and it was apprehi.ndril it mi;;lit 

 be Ihe hist, for ilion^li the moviMiieiii of the ar- 

 my kept p: with ilie h:itte.-iu v, slill there weri^ 



iniiny parts of the riviT where they niight be at 



'lii-n. GiitcB .ipnlnuiscd l'i>r Ihis accident. The Ainr^ii- 

 c:iMS jaw ,1 crnwrl cil' piMiplc. iiihl nut kiiiiwins; Ihd iiccn- 

 Bion. Itrini'^ht a Ciehl jiiccc. nr Iwt. lit hear upciii them. 

 Hail liu-v known it liail been a lijiieial, nn a shot wonlil 

 have been tired. 



tacked to great advantage, and where the army 

 could afliu'd lliein lilile proteclion. 



After the troops had been refreshed, and the 

 batteanx came up, the army proceeded forward, 

 in very severe wi-ather, and through exceeding 

 bad roads; and late at night arrived at Saratoga, 

 in such a stale of liiigue, that the men had not 

 strength to cut wood and make fires, but rather 

 sought sleep in their wet clothes and on the wet 

 ground, under a heavy rain which still continued, 

 and which began lo tidi when we first retreated. 



The incessant rain during our retreat, was ra- 

 ther a (iivorahle circiimstauci^, ihoiigh it impeded 

 the army in their march, and increased its difii- 

 cnlties, it served at the sa^ne time to retard, and 

 in a great measure, prevented the pursuit of the 

 enemy ; it, however, occasioned one very unhap- 

 py necessity, that of ahandoiiiiig thesvounded: 

 bill great praise is due to the liumanily of Gen. 

 Gates; liir U|ion the first intelligence of ii, he 

 sent liirward a party of light horse lo protect 

 them from insult and plunder. 



The heavy r.iiii aftoided another consolation 

 lo the men during the march, which wa.s, in case 

 the enemy attacked n.s, the tiite of the day would 

 have rested soleljj on the bai/oiul ; this idea pre- 

 vailed so strongly in Ihe uiiiids of the men, tliat 

 nonvithstandiiig they were acipiainted with the 

 superiority of the enemy, an attack seemed to 

 be the wish of every soldier. 



When the army were about lo move, after we 

 halted, the cares and anxieties with which the 

 General no doubt inii-t have been surrounded, 

 were greatly inci eased by a circumstance of pri- 

 vate distres.s, for at this time, a message was de- 

 livered to him from that amiable woman. Lady 

 Harriet Ackland, expressing :iii earnest desire, if 

 it did not militate with the General's wishes, of 

 passing to the camp of the enemy, and request- 

 ing Gen. Gates' permission to attend her hus- 

 band, at the same lime, subiiiitliug it entirely lo 

 Ihe Geiieial's opinion. 



The General, though he had been fully con- 

 vinced of Ihe patience and fortitude wiih which 

 she had already eiicouiitertMl the ui;iny trying 

 situations that liad beliilleii her, could not but 

 express his astonishment at this proposal, as it 

 appeared an eff'ort beyond human nature, that a 

 woman of such a tender and delicaie frame as 

 hers, shoidd be capable of such :m undertaking 

 as that of delivering herself to the enemy — pro- 

 bably in the night, and uncertain what hands she 

 might fill inio, — especially after so long an agi- 

 lalion of spirits, not only exh.aiisled by waul of 

 rest, but absolutely want of food, and drenched 

 in rain for twelve hours — :nul tiiis, too, at a lime 

 — when far advanced in a stale where every 

 lender care and |)recaution becomes requisite! 

 •in the harra.ssed and fatigued situation she 

 was in, it was no little chagrin lo the General, 

 ihat he could allind her no assistance to cheer 

 up her spirits for such an iiiideitaking ; he had 

 not eve'U a cup of u ine to ofler her — but from a 

 soldier's wife she obtained a lilile rum and dirty 

 water. With this poor refreshment, she set out 

 in an open boat, which was furnished by the 

 (ielier.-il, with .a law lines of rei'uniiiiendalioii to 

 (ieii. Gates for his proteclion. The chapl.iin, 

 villi) had ollici.ited at Gen. Frazer's funeral, iin- 

 derlodk to accoinp.'iny her; and wiih her wail- 

 ing maid and the l\I:ijor's valet de ehanihre, (who 

 then had a hall in his shoulder, which he receiv- 

 ed in the late acliun, while searching for the Ma- 

 jor, after he was woimdi'd,) she rowed down the 

 river lo meet the enemy.* But to return to the 

 army. 



It was not until davhght, on Ihe inoniiiig of 

 till' lOih, that lh(^ ariillery and the List of the 

 troops |iassiMl the I''ishkill.auil took posilion upon 

 the heights and in the redoubts vve- had liirmerly 

 construi'led. On our arrival al Saratoga, a corps 

 of Ihe eiieni\ ,hetween 500 .'iiid (100, were discov- 

 ered throwing up iiilriuichmiMils on the heights, 

 but upon our approach, retired over the lord of 

 the Iluilson lliver and joined a body posted to 

 oppose oiir passage there. 



A detachment of aiiillccrs under a strong es- 

 cort were sent li)r«aid to repair the bridges, and 

 open a road on the west side of the river to 



* Laily .Acldanil arrived near tlio .American camp al 

 Illiiliii.,'lil ; — Ihe b'.at was cli ijlcii'^eil l)V the sentinel, ami 

 Bhn was ciMn|>i'llod In wail mini ilayliijiil; when her nli- 

 ject I)eiii;.' a-cerlained by the olliccr oC Ihe i^naid, (.he wjs 

 periililled In land, and received the utmost attention hy 

 the American General. 



Fort Edward ; but the enemy being strongly 

 posted on Ihe hi'iglits of the Fislikill,aiid making 

 a disposition to give us bailie, ihal escort was re- 

 called. 'J'lie provincials, who were left to cover 

 the ailificer.s, upon a very slight attack, ran away, 

 leavhig them lo escape as they could, without a 

 possibility of their performing any work. 



\\'liile these difl'ereul movemenis wi'ie going 

 on, the halleanx with provisions were frequently 

 fired upon from the opposite side of the river ; 

 some of them were lost, and several men killed 

 and vM)unded in those that remained. 



On the lltli, the enemy coniinned their attacks 

 upon the balteaux. Several were taken and re- 

 taken ; but tlieii- situation being nearer lo the 

 main fi)ice of the enemy than ours, it was judged 

 necessary to land the provisions and send them 

 up the hill, as il was impossibl.' to secure tliein 

 by any olher means: ihis was efl^-cled under a 

 he.ivy fire, and with the greatest ditflcnlty. 



The intentions of the enemy now became 

 very apparent ; and no doubt Gen. Gales thought 

 he should he able; lo •.'•■lin more advantage from 

 ihe silnalioii and circumstances of our army, by 

 cutting off our provision.?, and otherwise hai'iass- 

 iiiir and distressing us, by the galling fire of the 

 riflemen, who were every where placed about in 

 the woods, than by giving us battle and running 

 the chance of vicioi'y. 



The po.ssible means of farther retreat were 

 considered in a council of war, composed of the 

 gener.'d officers; and the only one that seemed 

 expedient, or in Ihe leasl practicable, was attend- 

 ed with such danger as afforded little hope of 

 success ; but, nevertheless, the resolve was, thai 

 it shonhl be alien pled. This was by a night 

 march to reach Fort Edward, the troops carrv ing 

 their provisions on their backs, leaving artillery, 

 baggage, and other incumbrances behind, and to 

 foice a passage al the ford either above or below 

 thai fort. 



While the army were preparing for this bold 

 and resolute undertaking, some scouts returned 

 wiih intelligence tlint the enemy were strongly 

 intreuclied opposite those fords, and possessed a 

 camp on the high grounds between Fort Ed«aid 

 and Fort Goorge, with cannon ; exclusive of 

 wliicji ihey liiul parties down the whole shore, to 

 watch our movements, and soitie posts so near 

 US on onr side of ihe waler, that il was impossi- 

 ble llie army could make the leasl inolion with- 

 out being discovered. 



Notwiihsiaiiiling the number of the Americans 

 which was hourly incieasing. Gen. Gates acted 

 with as much precaution as if the superiority 

 was on onr side, as the ground where he was en- 

 camped was from its nature, and Ihe vvorks he 

 had ilirown up, imattackahle. 



Our march to Fort Edward being thus pre- 

 vented, the army was posted as well as the 

 ground would .idmit of, forlifying our camp, and 

 preparing for any attempts llial the enemy, from 

 our leduced slaie, mighl be indnceil to make. 



The slate and situation of our army was truly 

 ciilamitous! Worn down by a series of iiices- 

 saiii toils, and stubborn actions; abandoned in 

 our utmost dislres- hy the ludi.-uis ; weakened 

 by the desertion. ;iiid disappointed as lo ihe elii- 

 c.icy of ihe Canadians and Provincials by their 

 liimdily ; the regular lioops re.diiced by the late 

 heavy losses of many of our best men and dis- 

 tinguislied officers, to only JJi-'jOO etVeclive men, 

 of which noinher there were not ipiile '20UO Bri- 

 tish : — in this state of weakness, no possibility of 

 retreat, onr provisions nearly exhaiij-ted, inve.-led 

 by an army four limes our number, that almost 

 encircled us, who would not attack us from a 

 knowh'dgi^ of our situation, and whose works 

 could not he assanhed in any p.art : in this peril- 

 ous siliiatioii, ihe men lay continually upon their 

 aims; the enemy incessantly caniineadirig us; 

 ami their cannon and rifle shot reaching every 

 part of onr camp. 



True courage submits with great difficully to 

 despair, and in ihl' midst of all those dangers and 

 arduous trials, the valor and consliuicy of the 

 Brilish troops we"c astrnishing. They slill re- 

 laiiied their spirits in hopes that either the long 

 expected relief from New ^'ork would arrive, 

 which the army implicitly believed from an order 

 which had been given out iil our c.iiiip .-il Slill- 

 water, sl.-iling thai powerful armies were to act 

 in co-operalion with ours; or tliat the enemy 

 would attack u,<, which was most f'erventl_, 

 wished for, as it would liave given us an oppor- 



