The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-11-01
Meeting Of Burgoyne and Gates After
the Surrender.

the lIth the royal army left their fortIheC
camp, and formed in line on the meadow
just north of Fish Greek, at its junction
with the Hudson. Here they left theil
cannon and small arms. With long
ing eye the artilleryman looked for the
Last time upon his faithful gun, parting
with it as from his bride, and that for
ever. With tears trickling down hii
bronzed cheeks, the bearded grenadiel
stacked his musket to 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
biyouacked the first night at their old
encampment at the foot of the hill
where Fraser was buried. As they de.
bouched from the meadow, having de.
posted their arms, they passed between
the Continentals, who were drawn up in
parallel lines. But on no face did they
see exultation. Gas we passed the
American army" writes Lieutenant
Anbury, one of the captured officers
and bitterly prejudiced against his con.
querors, al did not observe the least
disrespect. or even taunting look, but
all was mute astonishment and pity, and
it gave us no little comfort to notice
this civil department to a captured
enemy, unsullied with the exulting all
of victors"
The English General having expressed
a desire to be formally introduced to
Gates, Wilkinson arranged an interview
a few moments after the capitulation.
In anticipation of this meeting, Bur
goyne had bestowed the greatest care
upon his whole toilet. He had attired
himself in full court dress, and wore
costly regimentals and a richly decorated
hat with streaming plumes. Gates, on
the contrary, was dressed merely in q
plain blue overcoat, which had upon it
scarcely anything indicative of his rank.
Upon the two Generals first catching a
glimpse of each other, they stepped for
ward simultaneously, and advanced un-
til they were only 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" I"
The American General, in reply, simply
returned his greeting, and said, 81 shall
always be ready to testify that it has not
been through any fault of your Excel
lency." AS soon as the introduction
was over, the other captive Generals re-
paired to the tent of Gates, where they
were received with the utmost courtesy,
and with the consideration due to brave
but unfortunate men.
After Riedesel had been presented to
Gates, he sent for his wife and children.
1t is to this circumstance that we owe
the portraits of lovely trait in General
character. "In the passage
through the American camp" the baron
ess writes, 81 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
at seeing mother with
her little children in such situation.
| confess l feared to come into the
enemy's camp, as the thing was so en-
tirely 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 l
found Generals Burgoyne and Phillips,
who were upon an extremely friendly
footing with him. Presently the man
who had received 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 l will give you, it is true, a
frugal meal, but one that will be accom-
panied by the best of wishes You are
answered I, "a husband and
q father, since you show me so much
kindness [ then learned that he was
the American General Schuyler"
The English and German Generals
dined with the American commander in
his tent on boards laid across barrels.
The dinner, which was served up in four
dishes, consisted only of ordinary viands,
the Americans at this period being ac-
customed to plain and frugal meals.
The drink on this occasion was cider
and rum mixed with water. Burgoyne
in excellent humor. He talked
a great deal, and spoke very aatteringly
of the Americans, remarking, among
other things, that he admired the num-
Der, dress, and discipline of their army,
and, above all, the decorum and regu-
larity that were observed. "Your fund
of men," he said to Gates, "is mex
like the Hydra's head, when
cut of, seven more spring up in its
stead" He also proposed toast to
General Washington-an attention that
Gates returned by drinking the health
of the King of England. The converse
ton on both sides was unrestrained,
affable, and free. Indeed, the conduct
of Gates throughout, after the terms of
the surrender had been adjusted, was
marked with equal delicacy and mag
as Burgoyne himself admitted
in a letter to the Earl of Derby. In that
letter the captive General particularly
mentioned one circumstance, which, he
said. exceeded all he had ever seen or
read of on like occasion. 1t was that
when the British soldiers had marched
out of their camp to the places 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 no one of them
should be spectator of the humiliation
of the British troops. This was re-
finement of delicacy and military gener-
osity and politeness rejecting the high
est credit upon the conqueror.
As the company rose from the table,
the royal army filed past on their march
to the seaboard. Thereupon, by pre-
concerted arrangement, the two Gen
erals stepped out, and Burgoyne, draw
ing his sword, presented it, in the pres.
ence of the two armies, to General
Gates. The latter received it with a
courteous bow, and Immediately re.
turned it to the vanquished General.
ACTORS have their superstitions.
TonysPastor stated few of them to a
reporter of the Albany Express recently
in this way: "Well, now, there's no show.
man on the road who would think OF
letting a lady be first to pass through
the doors when opening them for per.
formance. There's sort of feeling that
it brings ill-luck. Then there are cross
eyed people; many a veteran ticket