The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-19
TET SURRENDER OF BURGOYNE
81 An EYEWITNESS.

THE SURRENDER OF BU huO1 NJ.
Bl AN EYEWITNESS.
W. recently had the pleasure Of peruslng
I,,ssy written b, the venerable Samuel Cody,
'.y.r,,o Genre. in this county, now in his
-~sr,-,rir,i year, in which he describes many
.ffne incidents connected with the surrender
~ Ru.,o4ne. on the l9tb of October, l71I, OF
,ra:,h he was an eyewitness The writing is
even and r,sulag-"piain as print and the
lines 20 compact that sixty.two are written
rn3u p page of common letter paper. Con-
-Isss E1E ordered the DEFICIENCIES in the CONT
rental regiments to be made up by drafts
s.Bar.' sass ias venerable patriot:
Nv father said he would take the place of
one, and should that OF another. This was in
,.s sp.oc OF III, and our term OF service was
10 fxolsa the lOlh OF January us. We were
raeei ia Captain Keeps company, Colonel
Siephegd's regiment. and General Glovers
lrgase. We mafched TO Claverhack, on the
Hudson. where We endured The greatest suffer
ines from q sense, want of provisions, clothing,
e. We soon learned that General Schuyler
was retreating before the British. We were
o-leraa no7,baart, and joined General Schuy
len near Saratoga. The Indians picked off
r4r seurra> al night, and great dissatisfaction
existed uu;.. General Gates took command,
when new spiriIs were Inslilled into our sol
l.sr<. oar ralions became ample and good, with
sill Of New England rum, each man, per day.
G.,rs says: "My boys we Twill now go back
and meet IheM-n0 more TetTeatIng." Amen"
said every heart.
We recrossed the S2-out (streamJ and met
t.e B.i,ish near Stili"uler-told them by our
.1stincatous they could come no further. Here
they we're strongly fortified, but must have
known thew were in a bad situation. | sup
pos they thought of Bennington, and that tie
Green Mountain boys would be at their backs.
Soon they chose to risk q battle, and attack the
-iglt wing Of our army. This wss bloody hall
day until dara at night, and our forces lay on
tie gro1ud ready for the events ofIhe morning.
The Brush returned to their quarters, rested
awhile, and then attacked again on the same
ground. Here aS in the former engagement,
Arnold had command of the fighting forces.-
lie did not luck skill or courage in this battle,
and would "sirs the d-lh has due" The
enemy fell back, and we took some prisoners
and several pieces of artillery. We lay upon
our arms that night, and were so near the
British that we could hear the Hessians
lieye their guards. A great noise was kept
up in the camp all night. At daylight we
marched for their camp, but when we got
where they were, they were not there, except
wounded sick, and doctors TO attend them,
where they wsre quarteTed in large tents.
We pursued the main body, passing dead
horses, the wrecks of wagons and other things
burned on their retreat, and came up with
them al Saratoga, upon high hill north OF
Saratoga creek, where they had planted their
artillery. They complimented US with balls
and shells tor perhaps two hours, without
beneh! to themselves or detriment to Us, except
10 one poor fellow, who was killed. We were
Under steep hill! and | saw the balls and
shells pass over Us, but we lay as easy and
quiet as chickens under hens wings. We
tofuhad hill on the opposite side OF the creek,
nearly as high as that occupied by The British,
EDd frequently went to drive parties from the
C-e-F, where they came for water as it was
sCaTC5 III their camp. As we were about 10
open cur fire, flag Of truce arrived, attended
by six very tail, richly dressed men, with very
tsll caps, the tops Of which were, | Judged,
seven feet high. An armislice of three davs,
with view 10 a surrender was asked. Six
G. the fullest men IN our army, with the best
clothes could procure, and with caps so
high We had TO look twice TO see their tops,
were selected 10 meet the flag. Terms OF sur
render were finally concluded.
Our brigade was ordered to march down the
hill, aud parade on the road leading south
with all the music Of the brigade in the GENRE
playing Yankee Doodle" We were but
just paiaded, when the British general, officers
and staff and Gen. Gates and staff, met close
by whore | 81 od in the rnnks, and so near that
could hear all that was said An American
officer said, Gen. Burgoyne-Gen. Cafes
" Cur servant, s;r-your servant, sir" passed
around. General Burgoyne said, "ThrOush
the misfortune Of wa, General Gates, | om
your prisoner " 1t is not through any mis-
conduct Of yours, General Burgoyne," replied
Gates. Then came the British troops ia col
Umns, as rchlv dressed, clean, and sIZabie
nea Us ever saw. | saw not smile on The
lace oi Americans or British.
Next came the Hessians-and how shall
describe the most miserable, filthy, ili-looking
beings ever saw in human form? But the
t.g-end was the women, suppose. Many Of
them led horses, upon the back of which were
t"rown large oblong bags sewed up at the
ends. These bags contained provisions,
blankets, clothing utensils, &c, and in many
cases were the heads of children sticking up
above the horses bucks, through holes in the
bags. Sometimes there were two smaler
Children on the other side to balance. Our
orders were 10 maintain respectful silence,
but this last was TOO much! One ventured 10
suppress laugh, his neighhOr took the disease
IN more violent form. until in few moments
the whole American lines were cOnvulsed with
the most upr2afious laughter, and all at the ex
pense OF the poor ii ss ans, their women,
childien, and equlpage.
As soon as they had all passed we marched
south lew miles and halted for the night, but
by sunrise next morning we were on our way
10 Albany, aud marching all day and nighr,
the next morning found Us upon the east of
the river opposite Albany, where the bare
ground was eusy bed for d short time The
reason Of this forced march was. that the enc .
ny were ascending the river 10 Join Bureoyne.
but hearing of his defeat they returned TO
re" j 0rk. In few days we went down the
river seyefai miles in sIOops-nnfed on th..
west side. crossed the Jerseys. Joined Wash
ingIon 10 Fenlsy lFafIa, (the British being ia