The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-27

clans, the strong minded women and temperance
men, determined on devotiog one day to plea
sure. Various ways of amusing ourselves (for
there were two Of us,) were suggested, but no
sooner was the proposition made to visit Bemis
Heights, than it was agreed to unanimously.
Ny friend acted as chairman, and called the meet
ing to order, while your humble servant ofaciated
- recording and corresponding secretary. The
meeting had not been in session over ten minutes
before our destination was fixed and the plan
Of action determined. Our first care was to
procure the means of transportation, which we
obtained with little difficulty; for Saratoga
abounds with every facility for travelling, from
The aristocratic turnout with four horses to the
miniature CAL rage drawn by dogs. l had an
opportunity, by the way, Of seeing one Of those
vehicles, and was not a little astonished at the
admirable training Of which dogs are capable
and how well they travel in harness. They
were of the mastiff breed, and the owner told
me that they accomplished journey Of forty
Ave miles in one day. He had offered TO sell
both dogs and the carriage for FIVE hundred
dollars, but was unable to find purchaser who
was willing to give more than three haodred
But to return to my subject. We engaged q
carriage and horses, and having succeeded in
inaucIng three of our lady friends TO accom-
pauy US, we started for the far famed battle
Held of Bemis Heights. Eutrusting the reins to
the hands Of one of our fair companions we
bid adieu, for the time being to Saratoga, and
In few minutes lost sight of the church
spires of the little town. As we passed
BY the Congress Springs, however, we stopped
10 fortify ourselves with few glasses Of its
health giving waters. Now some of the read
ers Of the HERALD will no doubt be little
a.tonithed to hear of q lady driving team of
horses, but why should they be surprised at
this when they are told that they all walk
through the town with their heads uncovered.
Besides, it Is quite common here to see ladies
driving and riding on horseback. When they
come to Saratoga they cast aside the restraint
Of city life, and give themselves up to the full
enjoy ment Of all the healthful exercise which
the country affords. tt
So long as our fair driver held the reins we
travelled along without accident, but we were
not 90 fortunate after they came into the pos
session of my friend-and / say this with no
desire to ieparage his qualifications in this
respect. He controlled our team with an ex-
peIienoed hand, until in an unlucky moment
one Of our horses took fright, and making
desperate plunge In his efforts to get out of
the traces, broke the whifaetree Of the
from our hotel, while the shades Of evening
were rapidly closing around US; and, to add to
our distress, we had not eaten particle since
morning We supposed that we could dine at
Bemis's Heights; but we found on our arrival
that there were no hotels within long distance
Of the place. I merely state this fact for the
benefit of those who may desire to visit the
battlefield, for all travellers and pleasure seek
ers are liable to break downs. 1t may be
called egotistism for me to speak here Of the
ingenuity which we exhibited in making new
whffetree for our carriage, but we think
ourselves deserving of some praise when it Is
considered that our only instrument was q
small penknife, with blade not more than two
inches in length, and our only material thick
limb of hickory tree. On our return 70 Sara
toga, we made up, however, for all our mis-
haps, by partaking of good substantial supper.
Aud now. having described our excursion to
Bemis Heights, will endeavor to give you .
brief account of the place ITSELF and OF the event
which has rendered 1t so celebrated. The hill
which is known by that name commands an
extensive view of the surrounding country, and
overlooks the fertile and beautiful valley Of the
Hudson. On its summit stands the farm house
Of Mr.. Charles Nelson, which was used, before
and after the memorable battle, by the Ameri-
can commanders, Gates, Poor, Morgan, Arnold
and Learned, as their headquarters A few
rods from this house stood an old barn which
was made to do good service during the terri
BILE struggle A double tier Of logs was thrown
mp around it, port holes cut through the walls,
and elk cannon, mounted in these embrasures,
dealt destruction on the daring enemy that
ventured within range of their shot. The
American lines extended along the banks Of
the river for over half q mile, and then formed
Q semicircle, which embraced the farm house
and stretched about three-quarters Of q
mile to Ne right of that building.
Their CO.. was protected on the
river by ste9ng redoubts, and on the hill by
well constructed breastwork. "The rebels as
they were then called, numbered between seven
and eight thousand men, while the British
army, under the command of Burgoyne,
amounted to ten thousand of the best soldiers
which England could at that time bring into
the field. These were well equipped, and were
accompanied by . powerful force OF artillery.
Burgoyne set out from Quebec with the in
tention OF penetrating as far as Albany, where
be was to unite with Sir Henry Clinton, who,
posal in New York. In the early part of Sep
TENDER he crossed the Hudson, about four miles
from Bemis Heights where the Americans, as
has been already stated, were encamped. Upon
the approach of the royal army the American
forces sailed forth from their camp, and met
the British about mile to, the north Of their
own lines. A terrible conflict ensued, In which
six hundred of the English forces were
killed and about half that number Of the
Americans. Victory was claimed by neither
party, but the royalists left the field
and their slain in possession Of the patriots.
It became evident from the results Of this en-
gagement that the royal army could not force
fheir way through to Albany without encoun-
tering the most determined opposition, and the
British general accordingly decided on fortify-
ing their camp, and in making preparations for
. desperate effort TO cut their way through the
American lines. This engagement took place
Der, about 10 o'clock in the morning, the royal
army marched out of their Entertainments and
formed their line of battle on the left of the
Americans. near Bemis Heights. A desperate
encounter occurred between the English and
the patriots at the breastwork Of the American