Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-06-30

OAA-tt0t4y lGAaotta uC nu4 1ctO az NSu
York With considerable force, did
make nsraid up the river as far as
Kingston; but he accomplished moth
ing effectually in aid of the invading
force from Canada.
The grand army was composed of
some seven thousand trained sol
diers, magnificent artillery force,
and a large body of savages. It
was commanded by Burgoyne. To
cooperate with it an auxiliary army
over one thousand strong, was sent
by way Of Oswegol with orders to
attack Fort Schuyler, and, after car
rying it, to march down the Mohawk
and asSail the rear of the Americans.
To meet these invaders the patri-
OTIS had nine thousand troops collect
ed by Schuyler, and encamped few
miles above Albany. Schuyler was
superseded by Gates on the fourth
of August, by which time Burgoyne
had made successful movement on
Fort Ticonderoga, cut its garrison
to pieces, compelled the evacuation
of Fort Anne, and advanced, in the
face of indescribable difficulties,
through the forests to the banks of
the Hudson, in the vicinity of Fort
Edward. Our garrison had then
evacuated this fort, and joined our
army at Saltwater.
But Burgoyne's good fortune for
sock him as soon as he reached the
Hudson. He could then get no adj
equate supplies for his army except
by the way of the lakes, with
which it was next to impossible to
keep up open communications, and
hearing that the Americans had cat
tie and magazines at Bennington, he
sent out a strong raidIng party to
bring them off. But the gallant
Stark, at the head of his brave New
Hampshire militia, beat them back
with fearful havoc. He next learned
that St. Leger, thanks to the firm
ness of rGansevoort, the, courage of
WilIett add tlle shefoisn iof Herki-
mer, had been compelled to abandon
his attack on Fort Schuyler, and to
retreat in terribly disorganized con-
dition to Oneida lake.
Then Burgoyne, whose first sue
cess had caused him to be praised
by the British as a second Caesar,
began to feel the gloom of impend-
ing disaster. He saw that his army
must either retreat, starve, or cut
its way through the foes to Albany,
and knowing that retreat would be
destruction, he sternly resolved to
fight his way down the river.
Hence, on September 18th he un-
wisely crossed the Hudson to Scbuy-
lerville, on a bridge of boats. On
September 19th be attacked the
AmeficSR lines at Stillwater with
desperate energy. Our troops re.
PEELED him with heroic determine
tion. The battle ragged from noon
till night. 1t was characterized far
more by obstinate courage on both
sides than by the skillful tactics of
the opposing commanders. Morgan.
with his Virginia rifemen, and Scam
mel, from the bills of New Hamp-
shire, did conspicuously good SER
wee. All the regiments engaged,
whether they were Continental or
militia, fought like veterans, and if
they had been handled by skillful
general, Burgoyne's army would
have met its fate that day. But no
American major general appeared
on the scene, and when night dark
.ened the crimson field, our troops
retired within their lines. The Brit
ish returned to their camp with the
loss of six hundred men. Of the
patriots, about three hundred were
killed, wounded, or missing.
Burgoyne was almost in despair.
His communications with his rear
were cut off by our militia, which
had sprung as from the ground, like
the men of TRoderiek Dhu. His
men were worn out t5with fatigue,
growing weak from the short rations
to which they were reduced, diseour-
aged by their heavy losses, and BY
their knowledge that the army Of
Gates was being reinforced daily.
His only hope now rested on the ad-
vance of Sir Henry Clinton up the
Hudson. When he found that moth
ing was to be expected from that
quarter, he began to think of re-
treat. With this in view, he or
dered grand reconnaissance on
the seventh of October.
Gates attacked the corps sent on
this duty with superior numbers,
and with such fury that it was driv-
en- with terrible slaughter back to its
entrenched camp. Led by Arnold,
who fought as a volunteer, but with
terrible impetuosity, our men pur-
sued, assailed the strongly defended
centre of the British line, and storm
ed some redoubts, which were the
key to Burgoyne's camp. They car
ried the latter, but were unable 10
force the centre. Nevertheless, when
night ended the fearful strife, the
English commander, fearing that his
camp was no longer tenable, retired
to the heig ghts behind It.
The next night he retreated still
further. The night following he en-
camped his suffering army at Sara
togs. Here, finding his retreat cut
off by the patriots, who were swarm
ing upon his fanks and rear, he,a on
the thirteenth, finally offered to ca
pitulate. Gates, instead. of accept
ing nothing less than the uncondi
tional surrender of his army as pris
oners of war, as he ought to hays
done, consented to make terms, BY
which he and his troops were tc
take passage from Boston to Great
Britain, on condition that they wert
not to serve again in America during
the war. This point yielded, thC
British marched out of their camp
and laid down their arms.
This campaign IN the North cos
the British not less than ten thous
and men in killed, wounded aud cap
tured, besides immense quantities d
warlike material. 1t confirmed th,
conviction which had been growing
| for some time in the minds o