Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-09

; ana the NIrglnla sharp-shoOters were thrown
ont beyond the British right. Poor, with
the New York and New Hampshire men,
moved steadily through the woods toward
the British lett. which began the battle with
; vigorous cannonade. The Americans dash
ed forward, opened to the right and left,
ilanked the eIemy, struck him with blast
ing fire, then closed and graphing hand to
hand, the mad mass of comhatants swayed
and staggered for half an hour, five times
taking and retaking single gun. AT the
first fire upon the left. the Virginia sharp
shooters, shouting and blazing with deadly
ann, rushed forward with such fury that the
appalled, British right wavered and recoiled.
While 1t Yet staggered under the blow of
Virginia, New England swept up, and with
Its flaming muskets broke the English line,
which wildly fled 1t reformed and again
advanced while the whole American force
dashed against the British center. held by
the Germans, whose right and left had been
uncovered. The Germans bravely Stood
and the British General Fraser hurried to
their aid. lie seemed upon the British side
the inspiring genius of the day With fatal
arm, an American sharp-shooter fired and
Fraser fell. With him sank the British
heart. Three thousand New Workers, led by
Ten Brock, came freshly up, and the whole
| American line. jubilant with certain victory,
advancing, Burgoyne abandoned his guns
and ordered n retreat to his camp. II was
| but hity-two mimi. since the action began.
The British dismayed, bewildered, over
whelmed, were scarcely within tl,eir redoubts,
| when Benedict Arnold, to whom the Jealous
! Gates, who did not come upon the field dur
ing the day, had refused command, out
riding an aid whom Gates had sent to recall
him, came squirting up Benedict Arnold.
whose name America does not love, whose
a H.. 4
| dian expedition through the starving wilder
ness of Maine who volunteering to relieve
Fort Stanwix had, by the mere terror Of his
coming, blown st. Leger away, and who, on
| the 18th OF September had saved the Ameri-
can leit-Benedict Arnold, whom battle
stung to fury, now whirled from end TO end
: of the American line, hurled it against the
great redoubt, driving the enemy at the point
of the bayonet then fiinging himself to the
extreme right. and finding there the Massa-
chusetts brigade, swept 1t with him to the
assault, and streaming over the breastworks,
scattered the Brunswickers who defended
them killed their colonel, gained and held
the point which commanded the entire Brit
ish position, while at the same moment his
horse WAS shot under him, and he sank to
the ground wounded in the leg that had been
wounded at Quebec. Here, upon the Hud-
son, where he tried to betray his country,
here upon the spot where, in the crucial hour
of the revolution, he illustrated and led the
American yalor that made us free and great
knowing well that no earlier service can
atone for a later crime, let us recall Tor one
hrlei instant of infinite pity, the name that
has been justly execruted for a century.
Night fell. and the weary fighters slept.
Before day dawned, Burgoyne, exhausted |
and overwhelmed, drew of the remainder OF |
L. Ill
camp. All day the lines exchanged u sharp |
fire. At evening, in a desolate autumn rain, |
having buried solemnly, amid the flash and |
rattle of bombs and artillery. his gallant |
friend, Fraser leaving his sick and wound
ed to the mercies of the foe. Burgoyne, who
IN the splendid hour of his first advance had
SO proudly proclaimed ''this army must not
retreat" turned to fly. He moved until
nearly ay-break, then rested from the slow
and toilsome march until toward sunset, and
on the evening of the 9th crossed Fish creek
and blvouacked IN the open air. A more
vigorous march-but it was impracticable
would have given the heights of Saratoga,
and secured the passage OF the river. but
everywhere he was too late. The American
sharp. shooters hovered around him, cutting
of supplies and preventing him from laying
roads. There was, indeed, one short hour
OF hope that Gates, mistaking the whole
British amy for its flying rear guard, would
expose himself to a destructive ambush and
assault. When the snare was discovered,
the last hope OF Burgoyne vanished, and.
unable to STIR, he sat down grimly north of
the creek, where his army, wasted to thirty
four hundred effective men, was swiftly and
completely encircled by the Americans, who
commanded II at every point and harrassed
1t with shot and shell. Gates, with the conf
dence of overpDwerinG numbers, purposely
avoided battle. Burgoyhe, deserted by his
allies, his army half gone, with less than five
days food, with no word from Clinton, with
no chance OF escape, prepared honorably to
surrender.
On the llth Of October, he proposed a ces-
sation of arms to arrange terms of capitula-
ton. His agent, Lieut. Col Kingston, was
received at the crossing of the creek by Adjt.
Gen. Wilkinson, ana was conducted by him
blindfold, to Gen. Gates. Gates's terms re-
quired an unconditional surrender of the
army as prisoners of war. Burgoyne, anxi-
ous to save his army to the king for service
elsewhere, insisted that it should be returned
to England, under engagement not to serve
again III North America during the war
Gates had no wish to prolong the negotia-
iions. He had heard from Putnam that the
English army and fleet were triumphantly
sweeping up the river, and that he must ex-
pect "the worst, and he therefore hastened
to accept the proposition of Burgoyne. But
Washington, with his Fabian policy, scorned
even by Samuel and John Adams, had made
''the worst" impossible. Hanging upon the
army of Howe, engaging it, although unsuc-
cessiully, at the Brandywine and at German
town, he had perplexed, delayed and discon-
-erted the British general, gaining the time
which was the supreme necessity Tor success
against Burgoynr. BY reason of Washing
ton : operations, Howe could not strengthen
Clinton as they both expected, and Clinton
could not move until his slow re-eniorce-
ments from over the arrived. When
hey came, he burst through the highlands
indeed with fire and pillage, and hastened TO
all upon the rear OF Gates. But before he
could reach him, while still forty miles away,
he heard the astounding news of Burgoyne's
and he dropped down the river
,ullonly, back to New York, lie, too, bafiled
by the vigilance, the wariness, the supreme
of Washington.
For moment, when Burgoync heard of
ilmton's success, he thought to avoid sur
render But it WAS too late. He could not,
lonorably, recall his word. At o'clock on
he morning of this day. hundred years
ago, hc signed the convention. At IL o'clock ,
his troops marched to this meadow. the site
Df old Fort Hardy, and with tears coursing
down bcaIded checks, with passionate sobs
and oaths of ragc and defiance, the soldiers ,
kissing their guns with the tenderness Of
lovers, or with sudden frenzy knocking off
the butts OF their muskets, and the drum
lners stamping on their drums. the kings
army land down their guns. No American
eyes, except those ol Morgan Lewis and
James williamson, aids of Gen. Gates, beheld
the surrender. As the british troops filed
between the American lines, they
SAW no sl9u of exultuiIon, but they heard
the drums and flies playing Yankee Doc
die. few minutes later. Burgoyne and his
suite rode to the headquarters OF Gates. The
English general. us II for court holiday, |
ghltcrcd IN scarlet and gold; Gates plainly
chad ~ u blue oyercoat, attended by Gen.
Schuyler IN citizens dress. who had come to
him, and by hls proud and hap
py staff received his guest with urbane cour-
tesy They exchanged the compliments of
soldiers. "1he fortune of war, Gen. Gates
has made me your prisoner Gates grace
fully replied, Il shall always be ready to tes-
hiy that 1t has not been through any iault OF ,
y our eXcellcncy." The generals entered the
tent OF G'Htcs and dined together. With the
same courtly compliment the English gene
raj toasted Gen. Washington, the American
general toasted the king Then, as the Eng
/ sh army, without artillery or arms, np-
preached on their march to the sea, the two
generals stepped out IN front OF the tent
and standing together conspicuous upon this
spot. IA full view of the Americans and of
the British army, Gen. Burgoyne drew his
sword, bowed. and presented 1t to Gen.
tiItes Gen. Gates bowed, received TIA"
sword, and returned it to ten. Burgoync.
Such WAS the simple ceremony that marked
the turning point oi the revolution. All the
defeats, indeed. all the struggles, the battles.