CHAPTER IV.

MERICAN WAR. Progress and events of the war in the year 1777. General Burgoyne appointed to the command of the troops in Canada. State of the army under his command. Expedition to the Mohawk river. Burgoyne's arrival and speech to the Indians at Boquet river. Invests the forts at Ticonderoga, Evacuation of the works by St. Clair. Battle of Hubbardton. Destruction of the American works and vessels at Skeensborough. State of the American army at fort Edward. Exertions of the New England States to oppose Burgoyne. Victory of general Starks at Bennington. Defeat of Herkimer at fort Stanwix. St. Ledger abandons the siege. Cruelties of the Indians, and murder of Miss M'Rea, Proceedings on lake George. Burgoyne passes Hudson's river. Battle of September the nineteenth. Defeat of the British army on October the seventh. Retreat of Burgoyne. Distress and surrender of the royal army. Citizens of Vermont return to their settlements and civil occupations.

1777. THE transactions of the last campaign had served to give to the Americans, a high idea of the abilities and wisdom of sir Guy Carleton, and the general apprehension was, that the United States had more to fear from the exertions of this officer, than from any other of the British commanders. His conduct however, while it carried conquest and conciliation

*

in America, did not seem to have given full satisfaction to the British ministry. They were not pleased with his restraining the Indians, and not suffering them to carry on the war in their customary manner of plundering, burning and scalping; and they had such extravagant ideas of the force and prowess of the British troops, that they had flattered themselves that as soon as the royal armies were set in motion, the contest would be decided, and the American rebel- . lion crushed in the course of one campaign. Little acquainted with American affairs, and extremely sanguine in all their plans and expectations, they formed their arrangements for a new campaign, without so much as consulting general Carleton, by far the most able of all their generals in America. They formed their plan without any reference to his judgment, and in the execution left nothing to his opinion or discretion; but assigned the command in Canada, and on the lakes, to lieutenant general Burgoyne. This officer seems to have been a favorite with the British ministry; he had performed some gallant actions in Portugal, and was distinguished as a scholar and a courtier. His abilities in his military profession had not been called in question; and his fondness for enterprise and thirst for military glory, though it might be equalled, could not be exceeded. Nothing however, had taken place in the course of his services, that could have lead the British minister to conclude that he excelled general Carleton, either in wisdom, exertion, address, or soundness of judgment.

* Murray. Vol. II, p. 298. Smelict. Vol. V. p. 340.

THE regular force allotted to this expedition; amounted to seven thousand one hundred and thirteen men, British and Germans, exclusive of the corps of artillery; of these, the Germans, consisting mostly of the Brunswick troops, amounted to three thousand two hundred and seventeen. Large additions were expected from the Canadians and Indians; and arms and accoutrements were provided in great quantities to supply the royalists, who were expected to join the British troops in large numbers, as soon as their army should have advanced within the frontiers of the United States. An excellent and compleat train of brass artillery was furnished for the campaign; and it was said by the British, that a more compleat body of offcers and men had never been seen in any army not more numerous than this. In the execution of the proposed operations, Burgoyne was to be assisted by several of the most able and excellent officers, who were then on the stage. Among these were major general Phillips, of the artillery, who had acquired much honor, by his conduct under prince Ferdinand, in Germany.: He had the brigadier generals Frazier, Powel, and Hamilton; all of them officers who had distinguished themselves by former services; and with the Brunswick troops, major general Reidesel, and brigadier general Specht. The ariny in every respect, was in the best condition that could be expected or desired; the troops, in the style of the army, were in high spirits, admirably disciplined, and uncommonly healthy.

To favor the operations of the commander chief, an expedition was projected on the

Mohawk river, by way of Oswego; the command of which was given to colonel St. Ledger. The troops designed for this expedition, amountred to about eight hundred men. Two hundred and twenty; were drawn from the eighth and thirty fourth British regiments; a regiment raised in New York, under the command of sir John Johnson, formed chiefly from the settlers in his own vicinity on Mohawk river; some Hanauchassours, a company of Canadians, and another of newly raised rangers. These were to be joined by a large body of Indians, to be collected and conducted by sir John Johnson; the whole to be under the command of the British colonel St. Ledger. The regular force that was to be left in Canada, including the highland emigrants, consisted of three thousand seven hundred men; these were designed for the protection and defence of that province, and were under the command of sir Guy Carleton.

THE main army, under general Burgoyne, embarked at St. Johns, and proceeded up lake Champlain without any interruption; and soon arrived and encamped at the river Boquet, on the west side of the lake, and a little to the northward of Crown Point; at the place now called Willsborough. There the Indians had also assembled, and general Burgoyne in conformity to their customs, gave them a war feast. On June the twenty first, he made a speech, addressed to their chiefs and warriors, designed to excite their savage ardor in the British cause, and to give a direction to their cruelty and barbarity. He urged them to impetuosity in battle, but enjoined them not to kill any but those VOL. II. M

who were opposed to them in arms; that old men, women, children and prisoners, should be spared from the knife and hatchet, even in the midst of action.; that they should only scalp those who were killed by their fire in fair opposition; but that under no pretence whatever, should they scalp the wounded, or even dying, and much less kill any in that condition. A handsome compensation was promised, for all prisoners they should bring in; but if instead of this they brought in their scalps, they were to be called to account.* The British general could not be so unacquainted with the estabJished customs and habits of the Indians, as to expect that an elegant speech would have any considerable effect upon them; still it might be useful to their cause, as it bore the appearance of humanity, and might tend to abate the reproaches with which their conduct was loaded in every part of Europe, for calling forth the savage barbarities at all into the contest.

WITH regard to the Americans, the command in the northern department, had been assigned to major general 'Schuyler. It was foreseen that the contest would be carried on in the northern and western parts of the state of New York; and it was supposed that he was the only man, who would have influence enough to keep the inhabitants in those parts of the state, united against the enemy. Four days before Burgoyne made his speech to the Indians, Schuyler arrived at Ticonderoga, but did not find either the garrison or the works, in so respectable a condition as he expected. Most of