River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-01
Battle of Saratoga.
Meeting OF Burgos ne ana Gates After the
SURRENDER.

OF ana GATES After the
Surrender.
At eleven o'clock ON the morning of the
18th the royal army left their fortified
camp, and formed in line on the meadow
just north of Fish Creek, at its junction
with the Hudson. Here they left their
cannon and small arms. With a longing
eye theartillery-ma looked for the last
time upon his faithful gun, parting with
it as from his bride, and that forever.
With tears trickling down his bronzed
cheeks, the bearded grenadier stacked
his musket 20 resume it no more. Others,
| in their rage, knocked off the butts of
their arms, and the drummers stamped
their drums to pieces.
Immediately after the surrender the
British took up their march for Boston,
whence they expected to embark, and
bivouacked the first night at their old en-
campment at the foot of the hill where
Fraser was buried. AS they debouched
| from the meadow, having deposited their
arms, they passed between the Continent
tails, who were drawn up in parallel lines
| But on no face did they see exultation
GAS we PISSED the American army"
writes Lieutenant Aubury, one of the
captured officers, and bitterly preiudiced
against his conquerors, Il did not OBJ
serve the least disrespect, or even a
taunting look, but all was mute astonish-
ment and pity; and it gave us no little
comfort to notice this civil department to
a captured enemy, unsullied with the ex-
ulting air of victors.n
The English General having expressed
a desire to be formally introduced to Gates
I yNrsII-.rro,, e.
minutes after the capitulation. In
anticipation of this meeting Burgoyne
had bestowed the greatest care upon his
whole toilet. He had attired himself in
| full court dress, and wore costly regiment
ais, and a richly decorated hat with
streaming plumes. Gates, on the contra
ry, was dressed merely in plain blue
I overcoat, which had upon it scarcely any
thing Indicative of his rank. Upon the
two Generals first catching sight of each
other, they stepped forward simultaneous
ly, and advanced until they were only a
few steps apart when they halted. The
English general took off his hat, and,
making polite bow said, "The fortune
of war, General Gates, has made me your
| prisoner The American general in re-
ply, simply returned his greeting, and
said, ~ shall always be ready to testify
that it was through no fault of your excel
lency." As soon as the introduction was
over the other captive generals repaired
to the tent of Gates, where they were re-
ceived with the utmost courtesy, and with
the consideration due to brave but unfor-
tunate men.
! After Riedesel had been presented to
Gates, he sent for his wife and children.
1t is to this circumstance that we owe
! the portraiture of lovely trait in Gen.
4 Schuyler's character. SIN the passage
through the American camp" the baron
ess writes, ~ observed with great salts
faction, that no one cast at us scornful
glances; on the contrary, they all greeted
me, even showing compassion on their
countenances at seeing mother with her
little children in such situation. con-
fess | feared to come into the enemy's
camp, as the whole thing was SO entirely
new to me. When / approached the
tents, noble-looking man came toward
me, took the children out of the wagon,
embraced and kissed them, and then,
with tears in his eyes, helped me also to
alight. He then led me to the tent of
General Gates, with whom | found Gen
erals Burgoyne and Phillips, who were
upon an extremely friendly footing with
him. Presently the man who had re-
ceived me so kindly came up, and said
to me, 1T may be embarrassing to you to
dine with all these gentlemen; come now
with your children into my tent, where |
will give you, it is true, a frugal meal,
but one that will be accompanied by the
| best wishes You are certainly, ans
wered /, "a husband and a father, since
you show me so much kindness | then
learned that he was the American Gener-
al Schuyler"
The English and German generals
dined with the American commander in
4 his tent, on boards laid across barrels.
The dinner, which was served up in four
dishes, consisted only of ordinary vlands,
the Americans at this period being accus-
toned to plain and frugal meals. The
drink on this occasion was cider, and rum
mixed with water. Burgoyne appeared
in excellent humor. He talked a great
deal, and spoke very fiatteringly of the
! Americans, remarking, among other
\ things, that he admired the number,
! dress and discipline of their army, and
above all, the decorum and regularity that
were observed "Your fund of men," he
said to Gates, ~ is inexhaustible; like the
| hydra's head, when cut off seven more
spring up in its stead" He also proposed
toast to General Washington-an atten-
| ton that Gates returned by drinking the
health of the King of England. The con-
versation on both sides was unrestrained,
affable aud free. Indeed, the conduct OF
Gates throughout, after the terms of sur
render had been adjusted, was marked
/ with equal delicacy and magnanimity, as
Burgoyne himself admitted in letter to
the Earl of Derby.
In that letter the captive general par
| ticularly mentioned one circumstance,
which. he said, exceeded all he had ever
seen or read of on a like occasion. 1t
was that, when the British soldiers had
marched out Of their camp to the place
where they were to pile their arms, not
man of the American troops was TO be
seen, General Gates having ordered his
whole army out of sight, that not one OF
them should be spectator of the hunlili- |
alton of the British troops This was a
refinement of delicacy and of military |
generosity and politeness rejecting the |
highest credit upon the conqueror.
As the company rose from the table,
the royal army filed past ON their march |
to the seaboard. Thereupon, by precon- |
certed arrangement, the two generals !
stepped out, aud Burgoyne, drawing his
sword, presented it, in the presence o.
two armies, to General Gates. The lat |
ter received il with courteous bow, and |
Immediately returned it to the vanquish- |
ed general.
Little Isaac.
Tho troa froer cannot bo called an insect i