The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-11
THE CAMPAIGN OF l777.

rights under the British crown, but 1or 1te'
and separate life. The passionate outbursu
I 1775 had discharged their thunder ans
lightning. The guns of Lexington had echoed
round the world. The brilliant truths of th'
declaration had for year blazed over th'
battle-helds of the infant nation. They haS
been hallOwed by defeat; for Montgomery
had fallen at Quebec, Sullivan had met will
disaster at Flatbush, the British occupied
New York, and Washington had retreated
through the Jerseys. abandoning Long Island
and the lower Hudson. Sir Guy Carleton bad
swept over Lake Champlain. fortunately mol
holding his conquest, and BurgOyne had eap'
tured the noted stronghold Ticonderago. But
the nation had also tasted victory. In ths
dread December days of 1776, Washington
had checked the tide Of despair by his gal,
liant assault at Trenton, md Gen. Howe bad
been forced to concentrate his army ut Phila'
delphia. Boston had seen it's last of tbsso
dliefs Of George III. Better than all, the
States were everywhere asserting their vital
ity. Far off Tennessee, indignant at the use
Of Indians inwar. had taken sides against the
British King. Georgia promised if Britain
destroyed her towns, that her people would
retire into the forests. The splendid defense
of Fort Moultrie had saved Charleston and
proved South Carolina's zeal for theTepublic
which it was afterwards to assail. Virginia
had furnished many of the civil leaders and
the ommander-iu-chief to the republic, and
had formally struck the British flag which
had floated over ITS State House. If Mary
land hesitated, New Jersey joined hands with
Pennsylvania aud New York. and all New
England had pledged itself to the contest
which it had begun. IN New York as well as
in other States, State constitution bad been
adopted, and George Clinton had been inaugs
urated as Governor at the close of that disas-
trous July. The tide of battle surged widest
in that critical summer in northern New
York. So in trying hours, the blood courses
most swiftly at the heart. Great results
were expected. The British feet first sailed
on the Hudson. A British general, favorite
of the muses.. and in after years notably for
tunate, came down Lake Champlain to meet
it at Albany. A column formidable in its
elements and led by commander chosen by
the King for the purpose. was to come from
the North and West to complete the irresisti-
BILE triad. Tory bands were Tavaging the
country southward in Schoharie and towards
Kingston. Cause of alarm there was to the
patriots; ground Of confidence to the invad-
ers. The war hung on events in this field;
and the scales Of destiny inclined to the side
Of the King.
The cOmbatants had learned to understand
each other rhe burning words of Junius
had long ranked in the British mind.
Burke's magnificent pleafor cOnciliation had
borne no fruit Chatham had two years be-
fore 'rejoiced that America had resisted,
and told the ministers that they could not
conquer America, and cripple as he was be
cried out; "Imight as soon think of driving
the colonies before me with this crutchi" but
in the next spring he yet chung to the hope
that Britain would yet prevent separation.
The insolence of Lord North had shattered
the unanimity which King George boasted
the declaration had produced. and Fox had
said IL the dilemma were between oonqueripR
aud abandoning Arncricn. he was tor ahast
doning America. The citizens of London had
appealed to the King to stop the "unnatnral
written to his brother, April 2, 1777,) any
hopes of terminating the war this yeir a1e
vanished" In Britain wise men had learned
that the war would be desperate. In Amer
lea the magnitude of the contest was felt
The alliance Of France had been diliaeptly
sought. and Lafayette had arrived and been
appointed Major General, while De Kalbs
nffa had Ot A.
general had been tried aud found wanting in
capacity, and the iealouAes of the camp were
working mischief. The financial burdens
weighed heavily, and paper money had be-
gun its downward career. Criticism of
Washington's slOwness was heard, aud spec
ulators were making profit Of the country's
necessities. BOnnties had been offered and
the draft employed for raising troops. The
loyalists were making most of the hardships.
The land was rocking in times that tried
mems souls" The earlier part of the military
campaign of 1777 had not been propitious to
the patriots. The darkness rested especially
on New York. Burgoyne had penetrated
from Canada to the Hudson with the loss of
only 200 men. Clinton from the bay threat
ened to advance up the river, as he finally
did, but fortunately not at the critical mo-
ment. The success of the corps moving in
land from 0swego would shatter the centre
of the American position.
THE OBJECT OF THE CAMPAIGN OF I'M.
The fight was for the continent. The STRAIT
egy embraced the lines from Boston to the
mouth Of the Chesapeake from Montreal
even to Charleston. Montgomery's invasion
of Canada. although st. Johns and Mon
treal were taken, failed before Quebec
aud the retreat of the American forces
gave Burgoyne q basis for his compre-
hensive campaign. Howe had beed oompell-
ed to give up New England, which contained
nearly one-third of the population and
strength of the colonies. The center of at
tack and Of defense was the line Of New
York and Philadelphia From their foot
hold at New York. on the one hand, and
Montreal on the other, the British command
ers aimed to grind the patriots of the Mo-
hawk Valley between the upper and neither
millstones The design was to cut New
England of from the other States, and to
seize the country between the Hudson and
Lake Ontario as the vantage ground for
sweeping and decisive operations. This was
the purpose Of the wedge which Burgoyne
sought to drive through the heart of the
Union, In the beginning of that fatal Aug
ust, Howe held all the country about New
York, including the islands, aud the Hudson
up to Peekskill; the British forces also COM
manded the st. Lawrence and Lake Ontario
and their southern shores, finding no oppOsi-
ton north of the Mohawk and Saratoga
Lake, The junction of Howe aud BurEoyne
would have rendered their armies masters Of
the key to the military situation. This strip
of country, from the highlands of the Hud-
son to the head of the Mohawk, was the sole
shield against such concentration Of British
power, Once lost it would become sword
to oht the patriots into fragments, They
possessed II by no certain tenure. Two
months later Gov. Clinton and Gen. Putnam
lost their positions on the Hudson. Thusfar
BmRoyne's march had been one of conquest.
His capture of Ticonderoga had startled the
land