The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-04-26

sCA uP y HCActy otaiEWay w thc apHrC.
ments Of Captain De Laplace, the com.
mander. Knocking loudly on the door
with his sword hilt he commanded the
captain, in stern voice, to appear in.
stantly or the garrison would perish. At
that moment De Laplace, who had been
awakened by the commotion on the pa
radc, clad only in shirt and drawers,
sprang to the door, the frightened face
Of his pretty little wife appearing over
his shoulder.
Surrender" shouted Allen.
They we're old acquaintances.
"By what authority do you command
me to surrender this fort ~ said Dc La
place Indignantly.
"In the name Of the Great Jehova and
the Continental Congress p thundered
Allen, raising his sword over the cap.
tain's head.
De Laplace began to speak, when AL.
len shouted "Silence The command.
er obeyed and an unconditional surren-
der followed.
"You said you were drummer boy
here when Burgoyne took the fort ?"
eyes," replied the veteran; II was
then lusty lad nearly thirteen years
old. My brother was one of the garri.
son."
"And 80 you became well acquainted
with every part of the fort, l suppose.
Will you point out the principal locali-
ties? ?" asked.
"Yonder," said the guide, pointing to-
ward the best preserved line of the bar
racks, built of stone, two stories in
height and forming quadrangle, "were
the officers quarters. A wooden balcony
extended along the second story, which
was reached by fight Of stairs. The
first door on the second story to the left
was the entrance to the commandant's
apartments. Between the ruined wall
on the extreme left is seen Mount De-
fiance, on which Burgoyne erected a
battery. Come with me and will show
you the bakery"
The aged cicerone took me to the
southeast angle of the fort. Near it was
an underground room twelve feet wide
and thirty feet long arched with bricks,
with ruined fire place and chimney at
one end. On each side of the fire place
was an oven ten feet deep. On the
right was q window and door opening
toward the water.
For more than half century the walls
of the fort had been the common spoil
for all who chose to avail themselves of
such convenient quarry. These ruins
presented most attractive object to
tho tourist and the historical student.
"When Burgoyne came up the lake
you left Ticonderogs in . hurry, didn't
your" I inquired.
mot exactly" said the vereran. "Gen-
eral st. Clair felt strong enough to de.
fend the fort against an expected direct
attack, and would not listen to demand
to surrender; but when, in a course of
few days, it was found that the British
had planted battery of heavy.guns on
the mountain yonder-Mount Defiance
from which they could send plunging
shot into the fort, the general saw that
he must lose his army or evacuate the
post. He chose the latter way, and at
midnight on July Sc we left the fort as
silently as possible, the bulk of the gar
rison crossing over to Mount Independ-
ence, yonder, and marching rapidly to-
ward Skenesborough, now Whitehall.
At the same time about two hundred
batteaux, laden with baggage, ammuni-
ton and stores, guarded by armed gal.
leys, were sent up the lake to the same
place. We were pursued in Vermont
by the British, overtaken among the
hills at Hubbardton, where we were
compelled to fight and were dispersed.
The flotilla was also pursued and destroy.
cd. Many of st. Clair's men finally
joined General Schuyler at Fort Ed.
ward. My brother was slightly wound.
ed in his leg at Hubbardton, and bull
let took off one of my fingers, a. you see,
and made hole in my drumhead."
"You say you saw General Burgoyne
surrender his sword to General Gates ?"
II did, and felt very happy" said the
old man.
"Did that surrender take place when
the British army laid down their weap.
ons on the fiat at Saratoga, near the
river ?" I asked.
"No," said the guide. "when the
arms were all laid down General Bur.
goyne and his principal officers rode to-
ward General Gates headquarters.
They were met by Gates and his staff at
the head of his camp, where the officers
OF both armies were introduced to each
other. Burgoyne wore q rich coat of
scarlet and cold. Gates wore . modest
blue frock coat. The whole party then
went to headquarters and dined. After
dinner the American troops were drawn
up in two lines, between which the
British army passed, escorted by cavalry
with the American flag and q band
playing Yankee Doodle Then the two
generals came out of Gates marquee
and faced the halted procession, when
Burgoyne stepped back pace and pre-
sented his sword to Gates before the
tw0 armioa Gotoc howod tooL <ho