The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1777-12-17 00:00:00, page 1

#Tbe following Messages, &c. parted between Mfor
General Gates and Lieutenant General Bur
goyne, previous to Lu Convene.n of b/j^of.
From General Burgoyne to General Gates, Gerber
^ '777- .
LIEUTENANT Genera . Burgoyne is dehrous
of Ending a field officer wah a message to Ma
jor Gen. Gates, upon a matter of high moment to
both armies. The Lieut Gen. requests to be in
formed at what hour Gen. Gates will receive him
to-morrow morning.
Major General Gates,
General Gates's Reply.
MAJOR Gen. Gates will receive a field officer
from Lieut. Gen. Burgoyne, at the advanced p u of
the army of the United States, at ten o'c ck to
morrow morning, from whence he will be comlufr
ed to head quarters.
Cam, at Saratoga, Nine o'clock,P.M.Odder ifo T 7'77-
Lieutenant General Burgoyne.
Memorandum of a message delivered ^ Major Ringflon,
from General Burgoyne to General hates.
TH E General, from a great dea; of bufiuefs, did
not yesterday answer your letter about toe offices,
but intended it.
In regard to the reproaches made upon this army,
of burning the country, they were unjust. General
Schuyler's house, and adjacent buildings, remained
prote&ed till Gen.Ga f es's noops approached the Ford.
Gen. Burgoyne avows the order for letting fire at that
tone to every thing that v ,^ed
The barracks particularly took fire by mere acct
dent; and measures were taken, though inefic&ual,
to save them. If there has been any vindictive spirit
in burning other buildings on the march, it has pro
bably been employed by <ome secret well withers to
the American cause, as Gen. Burgoyne has been in
formed some of the buildings belonged to ruppoied
friends of the King. The Gen. does not think that
Gen. Gates has a right, from any thing that has ap
peared in his conduct or reasoning, to make vie of
the term " tsifing," and he Bill perfihs that be can
not interfere with the prisoners in Gen Howe s army,
and more especially in a case that pas been under ne
gociation between Gen Howe and Gen. Washington.
Mefoge delivered so Major Kingfon, from General
Burgoyne to General Gates, October 14^ 1777°
IAM directed to represent to you from Gen. Bu
rgoyne that, after having fought you twice, he has
waited some days in his prefect portion, determined
to try a third conflict agaioft any force you could
bring to attack him.
He is apprised of the superiority of your cumbers,
and the disposition of your troops, to impede bis
supplies and render his retreat a feene of carnage on
both tides. In this fituatirn he is impelled by huma
nity, and thinks himfeL justified by eftablimed prin
ciples and precedents of fate and of war, to ipare
the lives of brave men, upon honourable terms.
Should Major Gen. Gates be inclined to treat upon
that idea, Gen. Burgoyne would propose a cc (Tation
of arms, during the time necessary to communicate
the preliminary terms, by which in any extremity he
and his army mean to abide.
General Gates's proportions, with General Burgoyne's
reply, ^Cober 14, 1777.
1. GEN ERAL Burgoyne's army being ex
ceedingly reduced by repeated defeats, by desertion,
sickness, &c. their provisions exhausted, their min
tary stores, tents and baggage taken or destroyed,
their retreat cut off, and their camp inverted, they
can on'y be allowed to firrend :r prisoners of war.
Lieutenant Gen. Burgoyne's army, however reduced,
will never admit that their retreat is cut of, while
tty have arms in their hands.
2. The officers and soldiers may keep the baggage
belonging to them ; the Generals of the United States
never permit individuals to be pillaged.
w^y^
OR
general
WE DN ESD AY, DECEMBER 17, 1777.
4. The troops under his Excellency Gen. Bur
goyne, will be conduced >y the mod convenient
rox-tc to New England, mathfog by edy marches,
and fufficie^tly provided fc'hy the way.
Jias am - emsuffered m Gen. Burgoyne's frf pro
posal, which is here annexed. .
4. The officers will he admitted on parole, may
weartheir fide arms and will be treated with thelibe
rality customary in Europe, 10 long as they, by proper
behaviour, continue to deferte it ; but thole who are
apprehended having broketheir parole (as some British
officers have done) must ex -cl to be clole c< rifined.
7 here being no officer in the army under, or capable
of being under the aeferuption of breaking parole, this
article neeh no answer.
5. All public stores, arthlery, arms, ammunition,
carriages, Lories, &c, &c. mart be delivered to Com
mifLrus appointed to receix e them.
Ai public stores may be deivered, arms excepted.
6. These terms being agted to and Signed, the
troops under his Excellence Gen. Burgoyne's com
mand may be drawn up in their encampment, when
they will be ordered to ground their arms, and may
thereupon be matched to th? Ever fide, to be parted
over in their way towards Bennington.
This article is inadmissible in an, extremity. Sooner
than this army will consent to ground their arms in their
encampment, they will rujh on the enemy, determined
to take no quarter.
7. A certation of arms to continue until fun set, to
receive Gen. Burgoyne's am iver,
HORA NO GATES.
Gamp at Saratoga, OCi. 14, 17,7.
Menage from General Burgoyne to General Gates, de
livered by Major Kingston to Colonel ILBkinfn.
IF Gene r al Gates does not mean to recede from
the firft and sixth articles ofhis proposals, the treaty
to end, and hostilities immediately to commence.
General Burgoyne's proposals.
TH E annexed anfweis being given to M jor Gen.
Gates's proposals, it remains for Lieut. Gen. Bur
goyne, and the army under his command, to Rate
the following preliminary articles on their part.
1. The troos to march out of their camp with
the honours of war, and the artillery of the intrench
ments,which (hall be left as hereafter may be regulated.
1. The troops to march out of their camp with the
honours of war, and the artillery of the intrenebments
to tbe verge of the river, where the old jort flood,
where their arms and artillery must be heft.
2. A free partage to be granted to this army to
Great Britain, upon condition of not serving again
in North America during the present contest; and a
proper port to be assigned for the entry of traniports
to receive the troops, whenever Gen. Howe Ihall so
order. 2. Agreed to, for tbe port of Boson.
3. Should any cartel take place, by which this
army, or any part of it, may be exchange I, the
foregoing article to be void as far as such exchange
shall be made. 3. Agreed.
4. Ah officers to retain tfeir carriages, batt horses
and other cattle, and no baggage to be molested or
searched, the Lieut. Gen. giving his honour that there
are no public stores secreted therein : Major Gen.
Gates will of course take the necessary measures for
the security of this article. 4. Agreed.
5. Upon the march the officers are not to be se
parated from their men, and in quarters the officers
are to be lodged according to rank, and are not to
be hindered from affemblingtheir men for roll callings
and other necessary purposes of regularity.
5. Agreed to, as far as circumfances will admit.
6. 1 here are various corps in this army, composed
of sailors, batteau men, artificers, drivers, independ
ent companies and followers of the army; and it is
expected that those persons, of whatever country,
shall be included in theTulleft sense and utmost ex
tent of the above articles, and comprehended in every
refped as British fubjeds.
THE
s^^^^^ ^mm^^-rc^^
" . .
l^wwi^l
T H E
ADVERTISER.
(. Agreed to in tbe fulleft extent.
7. EH Canadians, and persons be! nging to the
ertabofament in Carada, to be pen; i ted to return
tnere. 7. Agreed.
S. Passports to be immediately granted for three
Officers, not exceeding ^he rank of Captain, who fhaif
be. appointed by Gen. Burgoyne to carry dilpate'es
to Sir Wiliiam Howe, Sir Guy Carleton, and to
Great-Bib in by the way of New-York, and the
public faith to be engaged that these dispatches are
n^t to be opened. 8. greed.
9. The loregoing articles are to be considered on
ly as preliminaries for framing a treaty, in the criurfe
of which, others may ante to be confidereH by both
parUCT for which mirpo'e it is propped that two
officers of each army ihah rn^et and report their de
liberations to their refpedive Generals.
9. This capitu^tion to be dni/hed by two o'clock this
day, and the treats march from their encam; meats at
jive, and be tn readings to move towards Bojton to
morrow m&rninu.
10. Lieut Gen. Burgoyne will fend his Deputy
Adjutant Gen. t^receive Major Gen. Gates's answer
to-morrow morning at ten o'clock.
10. Compied witb. J. BURGOYNE.
Saratoga, October 14, 1777.
Message from Lieutenant General Burgoyne to Major
General Gates.
rHE eight fifripreliminary articles of Lieute
nant Genera) Burgyne's proposals, and the 2d, fl
and 4th of those of Major General Cates of veflcr
rim ;•.Ern„o4 orA fro frfr,fc£",.o t .!r,^;rq rC ,A- - el
treaty is out of difou'e, but the fev^ral fuburdinate
articles and regulations, nec farily springing from
these preliminaries, and requiring explanation and
precision between the parties, before a definitive
treaty can be fafely executed, a longer time than that
mentioned by Genera! Gates io bis antwer to the
9th article, becomes indilpenfibly neceflary. Lieut.
General Burgoyne is wiiling to appoint two officers
immediately to meet two orders from Major General
Gates, to propound, dtfeufs, and fettle the e subor
dinate articles, in order that the treaty in due form
may be executed as soon as possible.
Gamp at Caretoga, J. BURGOYNE.
iyb October, 1777.
Major Kingston his authority to fettle the place
for the meeeing of the officers proposed.
Letter from Captain Craig to Colonel Wiikinfon.
S IR,
UPON reporting the proceedings of this Even
ing to Lieut. Gen. Burgoyne, I was happy to receive
his approbation of, and ready concurrence in every
article that has been ag eed on between us. It how
ever appears, upon a retrofpe& of the treaty, that
our zeal to complete it expeditiously has led us into
the admission of a term in the title, very different
from his meaning, and that of the principal officers
of this army, who have been consulted 00 this im
portant occiifion. We have, Sir, unguardedly called
that a treaty of Capitulation, which the army means
only as a treaty of Convention; with the single alter
ation of this word, Lieut. Col. Sutherland and my
felf will meet you at the stipulated time to morrow
morning,with the fair copy signed by Gen. Burgoyne.
I hope, Sir, you will excuse my troubling you so
late; but I thought it better than by any delay to
prevent the speedy conclusion of a treaty, which
seems to be the wish of both parties, and which may
prevent the further effufibn of blood between us;
I beg your immediate answer, and am, Sir,
Your obedient humblef ervant,
Camp at Saratoga, James Henry Craig.
iflhOG. halfpaf ten o'clock. Capt. 47th Reg.
Reply. " Col. Wi'kinfon's compliments to Capt.
Craig; Major General Gates will admit the altera
tion required."
OClober i^tb at night.
( Concluded in tbe Fourth Page. )