The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-03

Inc ole having DCcn cast, fEdHeI WIN
his grenadiers set out IN pursuit Of the re-
treating st. Clair, while Burgoync with the
rect Of his forces moved on up the lake to |
Skenesborough, where he issued an address |
to the Vermonters, inviting them to return |
to their slleRlance, and to meet him at Cas- |
Teton, July 10. In the meantime Frazer |
overlook and routed st. Clair, ct Hubbard |
tor, on the 7th. ST. Clair continued his |
retreat, and after several skirmishes with |
the enemy arrived Fort Edward, having, |
as he afterwards expressed it, suffered |
temporary defeat and founded q nation"
On his retreat he caused the trees on the |
"great carrying place" to be felled pointing
with sharpened branches, and
fled the bed of Wood creek with boulders.
now Joined st. Clair at Fort Ed
ward, where on the 18th OF July he Issued |
a counter proclamation to Burgoyne's, call
ing on the Green Mountain boys to rally in
defense Of their liberties. When the Eng
lsh pressed on Schuyler retreated to his
mills at Saratoga, which he reached July
Goth.
But now Burgoyne found another foe.
The distractions placed in his way by St.
Clair rendered it impossible TO bring up pro-
visions from Skenesborough to feed his
army. And the massacre of Jane McCrea,
a beautiful tory girl, by her Indian escort,
July 23, arrayed what there was of loyal
sentiment in the surrounding colonist
against him. Burgoyno sought to punish
her murderers by court martial, but
Frazer eaid it "would ALLEVIATE the Indian
IL ~ oh at fnr1N
This declaration was adroitlY used by the
American leaders, and men recruited for the
loyal ranks marched to the rebel standard
ard assisted in giving the invaders their
coup al grace. In this strait, the anxious
Frazer planned the capture of the American
stores at Bennington, and halt of two
weeks was made to await the result of that
disastrous expedition. AS Stark and War
ner with the New England, recruits we're
hurrying to the relief Of Schuyler, they met
Baum and Breyman at uoosac. August 16,
and completely routed them. This was the
Vermonters answer to the proclamation of
Burgoyne.
The situation ofthe invaders now became
desperate. The scouts brought In the
news of the retreat of st. Leger and the re-
lief of Fort Stanwix. 1t was apparent that
a forced march must now be made for AL
bany, or retreat must be had. And the
scouts brought in the news that the Ver-
monters were again in possession of Crown
Point and Ticonderoga. Another council
of war was held. Again it was resolved to
follow Schuyler, against the protests Of
Phillips. Burgoyne then advanced, and,
crossing the Hudson at Fort Miller, arrived
n Saro MI ahAr Got, ,,rl.
having retreatcd to Saltwater Angus. 81,
and still farther to Van Schaack's island in
the mouth of the Mohawk, on the 18Th of
the same month.
These movements of Schuyler wero re-
garded as n mistake by Washington and
congress, and the latter had some days be-
fore ordered Gen. Horatio Gates to the
command of the Northern army. He ar
rived at Schuyler's camp August 10Th, and
assumed command. Writing the next day
to Washington a, Newburg, he says: 81
have sent Col, Morgan and his ri1emen to
take possession of the Loudon ferry and
passes" Years before he had been with
Amherst to Ticonderoga, and knowing that
Phillips, his former brother lieutenant, COM
ihdhNNd Oul BOInC ChBlhCCl ttdiu, LIE lllet
thought was to obtain control of the old
Loudon road. He also ordered an immedl-
ate advance up the river, and took posses
sion of the highlands in Saltwater, where
in the forest the young Polish engineer,
Kosciusko, laid out the line of battle against
which Burgoyne's veterans charged in vain
attempts to win them. Familiar with In
dian fighting from bis early manhood on the
upper Hudson, Gat9s mind intultively
grasped the correct idea that the battle
field chosen by Schuyler was faulty. in that
it placed him in danger of being flsnRcd,
or having 10 march out on the plains of
Watervliet and fight the decisive contest in
the outskirts of Albany. BY gaining the
heights of Saltwater, if defeated there he
could fall back and fight again behind the
Anthony's Kill. If again defeated, the
Mohawk afforded another vantage point
behind which he could rally his men, and
fight the final battle.
Thomas Lovelace' and his band of loyal
lists had RENDEZVOUS in deep valley in the
south part of Saltwater, and from an ad-
joining eminence (yet known on Tory hill,) }
watched these movements of Schuyler ard
Gates, and the advance of the Americans
were at once despatched by scouts to Bur-
goyne's camp. Another council was called.
Phillips again presented his maps and
showed that the Loudon road was yet easily
attainable. The plan was this time adopt
ed. The British pioneers passed down to
the Crow hill in Saltwater, and another
party made a reconnaissance to the right
by the head of Saratoga lake. The latter
route was adopted, and in the early morn
ing of September 49, the advance of the
army began their march. 1t consisted of a
corps of engineers escorted by Ackland's
grenadiers. They had proceeded but few
miles into the forest when they received a
volley from Morgan's rifemen, who held
the left of Gates line 10 guard against any
flank movement for such he anticipated
would be made. They met on hill, lit
tie TO the west Of clearing known as
Freeman's farm, and the engagement soon
became general As Gates continued 10
mass his men on the left, Notwithstanding
the attacks on his right during that san
culinary day, even Phillips saw that it was
too late to retrieve the error made at Ticon-
deroga, and that the battle must be fought
and the issue decided on tie heights Of Sar-
atoga, with the advantages every day ae-
cruing to the Americans. The result was
drawn battle.
During the interval that elapsed until
October 7, Gates improved every hour in
fortifying his camp. Phillips, too, was not
idle, and when the sun arose on what was
to be the bloody day of Bemis Heights, it
saw the opposing armies entrenched be-
hind earthworks constructed and fitted ac
cOrding to the then approved system of
European warfare. Colonial and Indian
tactics were thrown aside, and the battle
that ensued was fought according to the
regular science of war, except when the i'm
petuous Arnold and the brave Cilley led
the desperate but successful assaults upon
Lord Balcarras lines without regard to for
mulas and in defiance of orders.
The result is known, The English at
tackled the American lines and were repul-
sed and driven back into and over their