The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-06-16

slant tall of shot. The shades of cluuded
evening were closing upon that group of
heroes, and they seemed TO be standing to-
gether in the shadow Of death; but some
good angel waved his wing around the holy
rite, and not ohc Of them was harmed.
That night the army commenced its re-
treat, leaving the hospital, with three hun.
dred sick and wounded, TO the mercy of
General Gates, who took charge Of ihem
with the greatest humanity. Lady Ack-
land demanded TO be sent to her husband :;
but BurCoyne could only offer her an open
boat in which TO descend the Hudson, and
the night was rainy. Nothing daunted
She accepted the c.!el to the astonshment
OF Burgoyne, who on a dirty wet paper.
Scrawied few words, commenting her to
General Gates, suffered her to embark -
What voyage, in the storm and darkness,
on these lone waters Of the Hudson! The
American sentinel heard the approach Of
oars, and hailed the advancing stranger
Her only watChword was--a woman! The
sentinel may be forgiven for scarce trust
ing his senses, and refusing TO let such an
appariion 20 on shore, till a superior officer
could be heard from; but it was a cheer.
less delay for a faithful wife. As soon how
ever, as it was known that Lady Ackland
was the stranger, she was welcomed to
the American camp, where, il is due to JUS
uce,' says Burgoyne. fo say tina: she was
received with all the humanity and respect
that her rank, her merits, and her fortunes
deserved
The Hudson girdled the forlorn iutrench-
mentS to which the British general now re-
tired, and its fords were all ii, possession Of
the American forces. BY means of these
iordS they had reCaned the forts on Lake
George, and the road TO Skenesborongh, and
all retreat was cut oil-even the desperate
retreat which Burgoyne had proposed Of a
hardening artillery and baggage, and ear
rying nothing away but bodies and souls. -
Yet for six days his proud soul stood firm,
unable TO endure or even face the thought
OF surrender. The American batteries
were constantly at play upon his camp
Blood was the price Of the water which
they were forced to bring from the river.
The house which contained the baroness
and her children, hiding in the cellar, was
Iiddlcd with shot. a soldier, whose leg
was under the knife Of the surgeon, had the
other carried oil by ball as he laid on the
table. After six days Burgoyne saw there
was no hope. He signed 'the articles Of
convention and the next day surrendered
on the fields OF Saratoga. From that day
says a British writer, America was a ma
tom
Af)Cr the surrender, the Baroness Reide
sci went to join her husband III the Amer
!oau camp. Seated IN a calash with hen
children, she drove through the American
lines. presented such a touching scene OF
female virtue. as awed even the common
soldiers, and moved them 10 tears as she
passed along. She was net by gentle
man who had once enjoyed the command
Of the army in which she thus became a
guest; and one whose patriotism no injury
from his country could disaiIect, aud " hose
gallantry and politenesS no severity from
his foes could disarm. Taking the children
from the calash. atlectionately kissed them.
and presented his hand to their mother said
pleasantly-'yon uemble madam! ! beg
you not to be afraid She replied-.Sir.
your manner embUldens me; am sure vou
must be husband and jdherp She
soon found that il was General SCHUYLER
and he afterwards had the happiness of en-.
PERTAINING both her and GeueTal Reidcsel.
with Lady Ackland, her husband, and Bur.
goyne himself, at his hospiiable mansion in
Albany, mot as enemies, says the baroness
but as friends While thus entertained.
Burgoyne said one day to his host, sYou
show me much kindness though | have
done you much HARM 1T was the fortune
of war; answered Schuyler, 'let MS say
no more on the subject The author OF
Hocelaga adds the following painful story,
with reference to Col. Acklaud. Ona pub
lie occasion in England, he heard a person
speaking Of the Americans as cowards.-
lie Indignantly rebuked the lbeller of his
gallant captorS; a duel ensued the mex,
morning, and the grateful soldier was car.
RED home corpse
OF poor General Burgoyue, we have par
tally anticipated the subsequent history
| His military career closed with this defeat.
and though on his return to England. he
took a seat in Parliament his Chief business
as Senator, appears to have been his OWL
defence against repeated assaults from his
enemies. Though he is said 10 have car.
red to his grave the appearance ola dis.
cOuraged and broken man, he amused him.
sell with military pursuits, and 1855 was
the popular author ola successful play, en-.
titled 'Ihe fleiress.' About six wears later
he was privately committed 10 his grave in
estminister Abby.
AT this distance of time, | see no reason
why the field OF Saratoga may not be regar-
ded by EngllShmen, as well as Americans
with emotions as near akin to pleasure as
the horrors of carnage will allow. 1t is a
field from which something of honor flows
to all parties concerned, aud in the Singu-
lar histories of which, even our holy relig-
ion, and the virtues of domestic lie, were
nobiy illustrated. On the one side was
PATRIOTISM, Oh the other loyalty; on both
sides courtesy. II the figures OF the pic.
turc are at first fierce aud repulSive-the
figures OF brethren armed against brethren,
of merccnary Germans and frantic sava.
gcs, Canadian Rangers, aud American
plouGhmen. all bristlng together with the
horrd front of war-what a charm of con-
trast is presented, when among the stern
and iorbidding groups is beheld the form OF
Christian woman moving to and fro. dis
arming every heart of every emotion but
reverence, soitening the misfoituncs of de-
feat, and checking the citation of victory :
The American may justly tread that battle
ground with veneratiou for the achieve.
ment which secured to his country place
among the nations Of the world, but no,
without holy regard for the disasters
which were as the travail-throes of Eng.
land. in ulyinu hpr lauuhtpr hir,h AL