The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-28

whose spirit / have any confidence. viz
gnia. lac says. had preserved something
Of the structure and temper Of English
society. She possessed a class Of gem
t'cmen. well-qualihCd by open air lie.
by their frequent journeys on horseback.
their love Of field sport. their Keen sense
OF honor and personal dignity, ana
above an. by their daily habit OF COM
mand which belonged 10 their position
as planters personally directing the iapof
OF slaves. 20 organize. lead. and discipline
the splendid raw material or soidl'iahlp
iound among The farmers 6ra@'eis' an"
hdckwoodsmcn.'
n time would permit ~ would be IN
tcrosting TO follow tho Virginia troons
throughout the first period OF the MdF'
and SEQ how wcll they bore thcmsclt '9
amid the adVOrsitic5 and defeats lie
army encountered. This has been wen
called a campaign Of preparation ana or
ganizatiOn. We would here sec WASH
ingtOns great ability display cd. ils
army was what Frederick has Described
as ono with which a general VIII haruly
dare 10 look his enemy in the iace-Daa-
~ exercised and badly disciplined. lut
wo know what he accomplished. we
remember the crossing of tho Delaware.
and how 10 inspired the failing courage
Of hi9 troops. Trenton and Princeton, ana
tho brilliant winter march into the jcr-
scys. would like 10 tell you or inc
privations and sunrrings endured IN
that terrible winter az valley forge,
and how Washington brought the army
out infused with spirit Of order ana
discipline 20 had never possessed before.
/ would like TO tell you OF Monmouth,
and how Washington. by his personal ac-
lion. changed what was almost lleht
into q victory. lie had given Lee posi-
live orders 10 advance. and he Is de-
scribcd as standing with bis arm on
his horse g neck. impatcntly waiting 70
SEQ his orders carried out. When he
found that his orders had been dlsoboyed,
and Leo was rctrcdting, with "a burst or
INDIGNATION. he sUraug into the saddle,
spufrcd 20 the front. checked by his
presence the retreat. though almost
Hight issued his rapid orders. restored
the confidence Of men and officers. and
snatcncd victory from The eager grasp
of Dis experienced and skihri alvcr-
! have always understood that Craw-
fora IS beautiful statue. that stands IN
these grounds, was intended TO represent
him ass he appeared ON that occasion.
while rallying the troops. and directing
with bis outhstretchod arm the advance
upon the enemy.
But my time viii not permit me 10
dwell upon these Themes. ass interesting
as Thy are. I'm all OF tham Virginia
troops played their part nObly. ] must
hasten ON 10 am event that turned the
tide of war made our name respected
abroad. brought us foreign aid and for
c'en allies, and did more than anything
else That occurred curing the war TO
bring about our final success. While the
glory and honor of this signal victory
belong 10 the country at large. TO the
Virginia troops. more than amy others,
Is the success TO be attributed.
a DANGEROUS YEAR.
The year llI WAS n dangerous.
critical, "a fatcful year for the Colonies.
dad the horoscope Of this country been
cast by some old astrOlOecr. this year
would have been found fun Of dire and
ominous warning. dark with threatening
Clouds, ready 90 break in "a flood Of ruin
and destruction over the devoted land
a mastery campaign was determined
upon. crushing blow was 10 bee struck
not only I'm the North. but i'm the South
as we'll The iaetCfn were TO be served
from the Middle and Southern States. BY
sc'zins the line Of tine Hudson and open
ing communication with Carada hy the
Lake.. Bureosno, with his army Of Eng
llsh and Germans and Indians. Was com
ing down. while Howe and Clinton were
pushing mp the river with navy and
army Nsw England thus rut OF from
Che South. with her long line Of defence
Jess coast expos cd TO the enemy, their
principal city already in the hands of the
cnomy. and their second city dofonccloss,
could not long have kept up the strug-
gle. General Charles Lee. too, a prisoner
in New York, broOding over the failure
0i his own schemes of selfish aggrandize-
ucnt. was preparing for the enc my plan
II operations i'm the South. which. IF II
had been vigorously carried out as that
brilliant. but trcaChcrOus, officer intended
would have been no less disastrous I'm It's
consequences. All this was AT n time
when the army was I'm q weakened con-
ditiOn and was held together with the
greatest difficulty, and General Washing
ton was most bcsot by personal enemies
and defractOrs.
Burgovmo assembled HIS troops and In
dams ON the west side of Lake Champ
lain, and after giving his red allies a
war feast. june q. 1Nl. published pomp-
GUS manifesto 10 the Americans In which
he threatened the refractory with all the
horrors of war, Indian ass well as Euro
pcau. He had under him some OF the
best troops and most skilful officers in
the British service. lie captured crown
Point an important fertilization. Ticon-
dorOcl, which commanded the passage
along The Lakes. and was considered the
kew 10 the route which he wished 10
follow. was supposed 20 be the critical
Part OF his expedition. IL had been sue
ccssfully held 10y the French In los,
with great odds against them But Bur
Coyne invested 10 with great skill. and 10
10 was evacuated on the 9Th of July. He
was uniformly successful with triing
loss 10 himself and severe losses 20 the
Americans. BY the Both of july inc had
reached the Hudson. with his army in
eulonGfd condition. Europe thought the
war would soon Doe ended. Burke. in the
Annual Register for lt,f says AT home
the joy and eXultatiOn was extreme, not
only at Court. but with an those who
hoped or wished the unqualified subiuga-
ton and unconditional submission Of the
Colonies. The loss I'm reputation was
greater to the Americans, and capable
OF more fatal consequences, than even
that of ground of posts. OF artillery, or
of men. All the contemptuous ana most
DEGRADING charges which had been made
hv their enemies. Of their wanting The
resolution and abilities OF men. even IN
their defence or what was dear TO thtin,
were now repeated and believed. IL was
not difficult % olMu-e ala opinion thdl
Tho war iu effect was over. and that amy
further resistance could serve only 10
render the terms Of their submission the
worse. such were some OF the lnlnc.lilc
,cnccts of the loss of the grand keys
OF North America IicOndcroea and the
lakes BurgOyuc used his Indians so as
80 h8rrass and territy the Aihc, ,.ai,7'
General Gates himself wrote 10 WASH
inetOn that the army had been pane
stricken bv the fcrOcity and cruelty or
the Indians. and Washington sent MN
that famous old Indian fighter, 'ahei
Morgan. with corps or crack virginia
riNnuen from the Valley ANA the upper
lanes Bv special order these Nlreinians
wore DESIGNATED as the advance OF inc
American army. Well ala they perform
their duty They were all expert rlucmCn
and accustomed 10 Indian warfare. III
81 short limo they so iu.D.rcd tue saw
arcs with terror and dismay mat "a gem
oral desertiOn of Burfoyne army TOOK
place both 10y Indians ana Ianauldis s.
me rifles of these soldiers, they said.
rim suneretitlous awe. were more terri
hle than the lchmings Of the Great
Snirit The Americans began TO re
irt Tho British BEGAN 10 suffer defeat,
and for the first time, Hurgoyne pesan
no realize ne was tn danger. ana Sent
messengers 10 hasten the advance or
Howe and Clinton up the hudson On ne
14fh of Scptcmhcr he cncamped on ne
HEIGHTS of Saratoga. and on the l'th' the
bloody battle of Freemans tarm was