274 
ALBEMARLE IN REVOLUTLONARY DAYS 
m}^self seen in tliis locality pits jxartially filled up, which Avere 
used as wolf traps not half a century ago, and have talked Avith 
a man Avhose father had seen great herds of buffalo crossing the 
Roanoke river less than a hundred miles southeast of Charlottes- 
ville, at a point still called “ Buffalo ford.” 
I mention these circumstances simply to give an idea of the 
solitude and seclusion of this region at the time of the Revolution. 
It Avas because of its very remoteness that Congress decided upon 
it, in 1779, as a j)lace for the detention of the jirisoners of Avar 
at that time quartered at Cambridge, in IMassachusetts. These 
Avere the so-called “Convention troops,” the captive army of 
Burgoyne, Avhich had surrendered to Gates at Saratoga, October 
12, 1777. This is not the ])lace to discuss Avhat seems to have 
been very had faith u[)on the part of our government, Avhich 
did not keep its ])ledges, hut retained these cai>tured troops for 
four A’ears as })risoners of Avar, notAvithstanding the agreement 
made by Gates and confirmed by Congress, that theA" should at 
once be sent to England on ])arole. 
Tavo years after the Saratoga convention they were still con- 
fined in Massachusetts. They Avere marched in the dead of 
Avinter 700 miles, from Boston to Charlottesville. The nundier 
surrendered at Saratoga Avas 5,791, of Avhom 2,412 Avere Germans 
and Hessians. The number brought to Virginia Avas, of course, 
someAvhat less, hut how much there is no means of ascertaining. 
V'e knoAV, hoAvever, that a year later their numbers had been re-, 
duced by death, desertion, and partial exchanges to about 2,100. 
They arrived in January at Charlottesville, Avhere little prej>ara- 
tion had been made to receive them. 
One Avho Avas present at the time has left the folloAving descrip- 
tion : 
As to the men, the situation Avas truly horrible, after the hard shifts 
they had experienced in their march from the Potomack. They Avere, in- 
stead of comfortable barracks, conducted intoa Avood,Avhere a feAvloghuts 
Avere just begun to be built, the most part not coA'ered over, and all of 
them full of siioav ; these the men were obliged to clear out and cover OA'er, 
to secure themselves from the inclemency of the Aveather, as quick as they 
could, and in the course of t\A'o or three days rendered them a habitable, 
but by no means a comfortable retirement. What added greatly to the 
distresses of the men Avas the AA-ant of provisions, as none had as yet ar- 
rived for the troops, and for six days they subsisted on the meal of Indian 
corn made into cakes. The person Avho had the management of every- 
thing informed us that Ave Avere not expected till spring. Never Avas a 
country so destitute of every comfort ; ])rovisions Avere not to be pur- 
chased for tendaA’s; the officers subsisted upon salt pork and Indian 
