Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1894-05-31
Published Every rhursaA, oy--
Due TO A ooPYIsr's sLUNppR
The Result Of the War of Independence
influenced by Carclessness.

DUE TO A coPYIST's BLUNpEF
Tho Result Of the War of independence
Influenced by Carciessncss.
A clerk in the state departmen
narrowly escaped dismissal in cor
sequence of his negligence in maxim
blurred and Inaccurate copy OF a
important diplomatic paper hi
superior, when it was laid upon Tn
desk for signature, was very angry
says the Youths Companion,
The government does not pay
YOU" he exclaimed, for dom 4
slovenly work You must make {
clean copy, without erasure or inter
lineation. Even blacksmith could
DO better work. was the parting
Ihot as the Inundated clerk disap'
peared at the door, rcd in the face
and trembling for the retention OF
his position.
The Official was undoubtedly right
There was no excuse for carelessness,
lnattentive copying and botchworh
In a state paper If he had been ia
miliar with the diplomaVic history OF
the war of independence he might
have enforced the moral with line
effect
The crisis of the military struggle
between Great Britain and the re-.
Voting colonies was reached whep
General Burgoyne's campaign wa.
planned in London.
The object was to strike tremen.
dous blow at the center of confedera.
cy. The British forces were to take
possession of the Mohawk and Hud.
son valleys by coneentric march
from lake Champlain, Oswego, and
New York on converging lines to.
ward Albany.
The ascent of the Hudson by Sir
William Howe's army was essential
to the success of a scheme by which
New England was to be cut off, as
by wedge, from the Southern colo.
MES.
Orders were sent out from London
for the advance of Burgoynes and
st. Leger's forces from Canada At
first Sir William Howe was merely
informed OF the plan and was armed
nth discretionary powers, but final
ly dispatch was drafted positively
ordering him to cooperate in the
movement from New York.
A clerk made haety and very
careless copy of the dispatch. which
the minister, Lord George Germaine,
found difficulty in reading. Like
the state department Official above
referred to, he angrily repremanded
the culprit, and ordered fresh
copy to be made without flaw or
erasure. Being pressed for time and
anxious for holiday, Lord George
posted off for his country seat with.
out waiting for the fresh copy.
The military order was laboriously
copied in the clerks best hand, but
when it was finished the minister
was not there to sign it. 1t was
pigeonholed and overlooked when he
returned and was not sent TO Ameri.
ca until long afterward.
Sir William Howe, being left with
full discretion, allowed himself %
be drawn into military operations
against Washington's army near
Philadelphia Bprgoyne's army was
entrapped, cut off from retreat, and
!orceu 20 surrender at Saratoga. The
fortunes of the revolutionary wal
turned upon the carelessness OF an
English copyist.
Inc minister was more culpable
Than cne clerk Evidently he thought
so for he suppressed tho facts The
secret history of the dispatch has
only recently been revealed and Sir
William Howe's lack of cooperation
been explained, but the first blundeI
was the copyist's, and very costly it
proved