Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1843-03-15
Interesting Relic.

RAGChCSeREA6 hASAAN'
AT meeting in New York few evenings
since, Gen TaImadge exhibited a silver ball,
consisting of two hollow hemispheres, joined
together by slight screw al the edges, which
had once contained an Interesting and lmpoE-
tant document, addressed by Sir Henry Chm
,on to Gen. Burgoyne, which, il ii had not
been providenlially intercepted, might have
saved Burgoyne's army and produced change
in the fortunes of the war most disastrous 'o
our cOuntryInen
After General Burgoyne had reached Lake
George al the head of The forces that had been
concentrated at Quebec and Montreal, with
view TO the capture Of Albany and the occupa-
non Of the surrounding country, his progress
was extremely d!latory, To an extent, indeed,
That seems TO those who are not fully acquaIn-
ted with The exact StaIe of The country al thai
time, and the whole circumstances OF the case,
entirely irreconcIabe with the exalted military
reputation of that officer, and his fidelity TO The
ROYAL cause Between Montreal and point
nearly twenty miles This side of Saratoga, the
country was an almost pahIess Wilderness
The settlements along the Mohawk and Hnd-
son cherished deadly hostility 10 the invading
army. The support Of the British fleet, by
advancing up the Hudson, was absolutely es-
senlial for the furnishing of Burgoyne's army
with the necessary supplies, as well as deslra-
bic for military cooperation. And II was In
expectation of its advance, that The General
resolved on delay which admitted the assem-
bling of such renlorcemenls IN support oil the
American General Gates, as were fatal 10 The
enemy's plans This delay on the part oil
Burgoyne was, however, unnecessarily pro-
racted. For Sir Henry Clinton, by The cap
lure of Fort Montgomery, through the lnstTu'
mentality of a thousand men who had been de-
lached from his force, at Haverstraw Bay, and
the successful demolition OF the several obsta-
cles interposed by the Americans to the ascent
of the river,--(a heavy ship, armed with huge
timbers at The bow, advancing with all her can
Kyass spread before a strong south wind, severed,
on second Trial, the chain extended acToas ihe
Hudson al West Point)-had effected The pas
sage of the fleet up the river, and had Trans
milted, by sure and safe conveyance, as he
believed. information of this fact 10 Gen. Bur
goyne. This was contained i'll the document
! described above as enclosed in a silver bullet.
| The messenger inirusled with II, somewhere In
the Northern part Of Duchess county, fell IN
with some countrymen who were good patriots,
anu VINO luSlSicu Oll SOoINhliS ii"' 'N' 0OO-ON
correspondence They discovered on his per-
son, three musket balls in all respect alike save
That one seemed 10 weigh much lighter than
the rest, On his capors observing this, the
spv Instantly seized the ball and swallowed IT,
/ The circumstance was communicated 10 George
Clinton, by whose command cmetcs at first
and ailerw ards cathafcs, were administered
the operation of which was supervised by
file of soldiers, and resulted in the recovery o
The ball and The inIercePtion and discussion
its contents. The spy was hung at Hurley
and for want of the information which he car
ried. Burgoyne and his army were captured
f Saratoga. The following is copy oil The lei
ter incl0sed in the bullet:
"FoRT MONTGOMERY, Oct. :, lI|f.
, "Nouis uOici, and nothing between us ou
Gates, sincerely hope this little success
his may facilitate your operations. In answe
! to your letter of 2Sh September, by Z. Z.
: shall only say that cannot presume 10 order
or even advise, for reasons obvious. heartl
5 ly wish you success.
1 Faithfully yours.
:, al. CLINTON.
"To General BURGoyNE."