Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-17

brothers and a sisters husband. Nv great
grandfather, one of them, died of his
wounds. So in Vermont five sons OF Jonas
Fay were there, one of them slain. Mass
achusetts sent lawyers. physicians, Judge
and fighting parson. 1t was the best blood
of these States.
While this commotion was fermentlng In
the States, Burgoyne was happy and easy
lie ordered teu-de ,joie in honor OF his VIC
tory on the very day on which SCHUYLER was
declining to furnish soldier or mnsket to
defend Vermont Instead of pushing on by
Lake George and the old road, he halted at
Whitehall, while his troops cut their way
through the dense forest, made 40 bridges
in the Ii miles and two miles OF log-work
| over one morass Ii may have been, as he
claimed, his best course, but his need oil
supplies became carly apparent, and, about
the first OF August the troops were all de-
signated for Baum's expedition. They did
not march until the 10th. Those ten or
twelve days of delay lost his only chance
Of success, for the other John never loiter-
cd fveldsys after he was notified OF his ap-
pointment. lie appeared in Charlestown
| in advance of his instructions. lie was for
warding troops to Vermont, waiting the
enemy and looking up his supplies. 1t
would be amusing, were it not distressing,
to read of his difficulties-detained for want
| of bullet-moulds, as there is but one PAIR IN
| town, yainly endeavOring to get four cannon
| mounted, finding third of the powder IN
store worthless, in want OF kettles, pals,
| spirits and even sealing wax and paper, but
he makes no apologies or complaints.
utters no doubts or Tears. As fast as his
men come in by squads. he sends them
| along Just as soon as the bullets were
run, Stark and his men went of at tho enc
| my. lie comes in sight at Manchester. re
| ceiving orders to join Schuyler. and hatly
refusing to abandon Vermont. BY two ielic-
itous mistakes, one when Congress sup
ported him and one when New Hampshire
gave him an independent commando he was
free to follow his own sagacity. lie chose
course for which Washington had hoped the
enemy would give the opportunity, and he
fulfilled his own prophecy of former years,
that powerful army would come from the
north, which he, with the Green Mountain
boys. would cut off wing by wing.
When all this stir around Connecticut
had reached its height, things began to move
on the Hudson, like the opening OF some
tragic romance. The British general bad
bored his way doggedly through forest. and
swamp, and creek. He looked anxiously
down the river for some trace OF Howe,
but no tidings came. Ten messengers had
gone through. Even the despatch sent him
by Clinton in a silver bullet from Saltwater
though swallowed by the bearer, was recov-
cred by an emetic, and the messenger was
hanged as a spy. Only one message from
Howe found its way to Bureoyne, packed
in quilt, but it came to late and brought
no hope. On the very day DULY 3O) when
he was writing, 81 am in total Ignorance
of the situation or intention of Gen. Howe,
Washington was writing, "Howe's in
manner abandoning Burgoyne is so unac-
countable matter that, while | am fully
assured of it, cannot help casting my eyes
continually behind me. Why 1t was, re-
manned a standing puzzle in America and
Great Britain. but Charles Lee knew why
When Burgoyne sailed for England, Lee
was by his own folly prisoner, clustering
and cowardly, ill-mannered and profane,
boastiul. ambitious and disappointed. On
March %, he left Howe An elaborate plan
whereby he could stake his life the rebel
lion could be crushed in two months. 1t
was to be a grand movement on Pennsylya-
MIA and the South, accompanied by proc
iamation of amnesty. Fortunately for the
country, it was followed but partially and
tardily. While the southern expedition was
a failure, it abandoned the northern to its
fate 1t would seem from Burgoyn's pre-
cautious delay that he sbrunk from the ex-
petition to Bennington. but he was nearly
out of provisions. lie knew here was a
great deposit of corn. flour and cattle.
guarded only by militia. Necessity knows
no law, so he choose "the best" of his Ger
man troops and ''the select light corps OF
the British army" and sent them on their
perilous venture, and with a strangely
gratuitious folly be added to the seizures of
supplies long circuit by Rockingham and
Brattleboro round to Albany. lt is suppOs-
ed, however. by some that his written or
ders were greatly modified by oral instruc
tons.
Why repeat the off-told story of the mes
sage to Stalk, that the Indians were at
Cambridge, and to Baum that the rebels
were at Bennington of The lost letter of
the Hessian to his general, written on the
head of barrel, promising to TALL on the
enemy early in the morning; OF Gregg slow
ly falling back as Baum advanced, and
breaking down the bridge at Sancock; of
Stark advancing to his support and in vain
Offering battle; of Baum and bis boldest
men thoroughly startled at last by the cool
ness and confidence OF his foes: of that 18th
of August storm with hurricane of wind |
and torrent of rain, and Baum's men toll |
ing all day long in the merciless tempest at
the intrenchment. as men who fought for |
their lives. There was little sleep that |
night at the British camp. Through the |
pouring rain also came the Berkshire men, |
drenched by rain. but with powder dry and |
hearts all hot. They had dropped the sickle |
for the musket. In the procession rode
Rev. Thomas Allen in ibis old sulky, now
being chariot of war. Warmers troops |
and 100 New Hampshire men were hasten
ing up under the immersion to complete |
the victory, with Warner himself with |
Stark, his counsellor and rlght-hand man.
The morning of the 10th opened in absO-
lutte beauty. Not a cloud, not a stirring |
leaf The rain drops glittered like diamonds
in the trees. The river rolled along swollen
and tumultuous. The German officers near
ly forgot that beautiful scene. For hours
not an enemy had been seen or even heard
Of. but it was the hush of the crouching |
catamount. Scarcely were the haversacks
slung and puskets piled, when the men
were recalled in all haste to the ranks. The
same officer, Click, looking out from the
zig gag breastworks on the hill, saw the
outposts retiring and the pickets withdraw
ing, and a strange body of men hurrying
from the thicket behind. As they marched
and counter marched conspicuously in sight.
two of their officers rode forth TO reconnoi-
ter, and, as the British csnnOnier fired his
harmless shots, he did not know that he
aimed at Warner and Stark. Suddenly
Click heard trampling behind in the for
est on the right. 1t was Herrick and his
rangers in their uniform of green. Then
came a shout and rafting fire in the rear
on the left. Ii was Nichols of Amherst Civ
ing the signal to begin. From before sun
rise they have wound in single-fle through
the forest. and now with green twig in
l.. - L.,
had the sound Of the first fire died out when
tine Indians broke and fled. column
pushes forward on q long breastwork this
side the river. 1t is Stickney and Hobart.
and for a badge every man has a corn-husk
in his hat At signal the main body
moved up in front, and the battle ragged on
every side. The tories fled. and as they
climbed the slippery steep behind them
went rolling down beneath the shots of our
marksmen. For two hours. from 3 to 5 |
O'Clock, the fire was one continuous roar.
Those death dealing columns closed in nearer
and nearer. At eight PAGES distance they |
picked off the cannOnlers from their guns. |
Still nearer they came, until the flashes met. |
The ammunition cart exploded, within the |
intrenchmcnts, and at the sound our men |
rushed up. scaled the breastwOrks and leap |
ed Gown within. Then came the terrible |
net. Gigantic John Mcneil strikes down
four Hessians with the butt of his gun. la
i've minutes twenty men broke through to
the iurest- The rest were all prisoners or
dead or dying. They fought calamity, and
their leader died soldiers death.
The work was done, and the soldiers dis
persed for rest and the promised plumber.
John Culess was hunting up his kettle and
saddle. Samuel Small his horse, and Parson
Allen his surgeon paniers with the bottles.
Stark rallied his men to secure the victory.
A hogshead Of rum was ordered M. Before
1t could be served out word came that
British reinforcement was but two miles
away. The wearied troops left the rum I'M
tasted, and marched To the new conflict
through bOttomless roads. with ill-ied
horses and up-setting wagons. Breymann
had crawled along scarce hall mile an
hour, but in season to meet his doom from
Sancock mill The tory Cal Skene hurried