The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-15
BURGOYNE AND SARATOGA.
THE STORY OF THE CAMPAIGN
TOLD BIZ AN ENGLISH OFFICER.

OF the American Troops Commended.
: The celebration n few weeks AGO Of the ami
vcrsary OF tho surrender OF Burgoyne's army,
in 1877. may perhnps-Rivo y little special timo-
illness in this country to the contemporary ac-
count of II by Capt. Thomas Anburey, rs re-
called ard reviewed in the current number of
Ma, mlitdn's Magazine. Anburey, who was n
young officer Of the British Twenty-ninth Regi-
nant, wrote his experiences OF cainpaignin {
here to a relative in England. and afterwstd
published them.
A finer body of men could not be found in
England. he says, than the army which Bur-
Eoyne assembled at Montreal in the spring Of
1777. but It numbered little more than
$1,000 men, exclusive OF Indians. Canadians,
and provincials, few Of whom proved of any
value" II expected to encounter a numerical
~ superior force OF Americans, and II fully
recognized that with all the HIGH discipline
and intrepidity OF the British soldier. as n bush
fighter the American riieman could not avoid
being his superior" Hence it WAS well under
stood. writes Anburey, that the bayonet must
be used on.every possible occasion.
The plan was to cut Off, BY this march, the
New England colonies from the rest of the
country. 1t was u largo contract for such n
force to undertake, but aid was to be given by
Clinton in New York. AS is we'll known, after
Burgoyne had reached the Hudson, he met two
severe checks when Starke defeated one OF his
expeditionary parties at Bennington. with heavy
loss. and when Herkimer, Mt Oriskany. defeat
ed Col. st. Lcgcr and the Mohawk Chief Brant.
with d force OF Tories md Indians. who were
cooperating with Burgoyne. The article in
M1cmildn's Magazine says of Clinton's force,
that this, we all know, marched, when It did
march. to the south and not to the north" In
reality. .Clinton's expedition, though delayed,
went IN to the Highlands and captured Forts
Clinton and Mon ,Somery, to rsate a diversion.
aad then burned Kingston and raidcd as far as
Livingston's Manor. with intent TO draw away
n part NJ the troops of Gates. But this move
did not accomplish its purpose.
Turning back to the letters OF Anturey, we
find him writing from the camp upon the banks
of Lake Oh ,mplain. on the a3d Of June. of
almost fabulous masses OF pigeons. which darl.-
ened thosky with their flight northward. Hun
dreds of them were knocked'o off the trees where
they had a!iGhted. by the soldiers, who were
not too plentlfully supplied with rations. A
week later came this pageant Of the embarka-
ton of the army on the lake, moving majestic
ally by brigades over the smooth. sunlit waters.
AT one point the whole array appeared at a
single view, in such perfect regularity as to
form the mast complete and splendid regatta
sou can possibly conceive" The troops are
spoken OF "as in the highest spirits. admirably
disciplined. and remarkably healthy"
Ticonderoga was abandoned by the Amerl-
cans, and Gems. Fraser and Roidesel followed
hot pursuit. When they came up with
It iIe os saH%ys an a i Incident ns 81 w fhshe an 6na sG Rives
this version: "A company of America-s
came running across a clearing toward our
surrender. che English soldiers in consequence
Mithholding their fire: The Yankees. how
suddenly presented their pieces, poured il a
destructive volley. and He'd"
Americas ms3 noq rear a auard ' hsv aesoh ro, Was b over sG %P
burey was standing with a group of officers ex-
aiming Col. Francis's papers. when a shot.
verely wounded a Captain who was holding
them. The incident causes the writer to re-
last in ermany "a a. the life ,a Of an in ntdHIMid snG
Is aouKht with as much avidity as obtaining
At Skenesborough Burgoyns again drove
back the Americans. causing them to retreat
yihat tho Indians gave more trouble than aid.
found a hog trough in the river. loaded it with
their rifles. swan with it. and cut off a party
OF Americans. On the other hand. he tells
the wellknown story. which stu. after a cen
dians who ,quarrelled as to who should have
the reward Tor the escort NJ Jane Macrea.
burying his tomahawk in her head.
The difficulties. under which Burgoyne ad-
van"ed from Fort Edward are described. and rhe
inability Of ueople IN England 10 understand
them IS spoken nf. Their Ideas.' says the wri.er
o. the letters. march with a much greater ra-
piditY than ever an army did The roaGs
were fuil'ot trees which tue nlmble axes of tho
Americans had telicd. and forty bridges over
creeks and ravines had to be constructed.
Rains. too. impedei the march:
TIE soldier. burdencd as he Is with arms AMI
ammunition alone. upor a march in bad weather.
a tur>ei + pro'oEcI ny the enormous weight tnat re.
taris HIN. must lr a very patient VETERAN VINO
knlpsarE into tho mire-lnstances or which J saw
in several NJ our marcbes. and tnis when they
warn lV1IRl n-lv MI. nj % ~ sA NtG . Z
have often heard the exclamation. Damn the pro.
men. the General won't let nj. >oidlers starye.' -
However. at length the height. Of Saratoga
M"re reached. and rs tie wheat aroma the
lttie village, was Just ripe. It WAS promptly
Meanwhile, the Tying column sent to Ben
ninston to seize pr3vlslnns and artillery had
OF this disaster thar tile5Gcrn.ans were brave.
but untitled for backwoOds warfare. and their
heavy, brass -poimtel caps. enormous swords.
lOn2-sklrtel coats ana Weiyhty canteens I'M
Marching down the Hudson. the troops OF
TOO blcodthir,ty.,, killing when they might
revenge. one officer. a Zap. Van swear.
ingham.' as Anburey has it.: was taken prisoner
ened TO bang him 10 the nearest tree unless he
answered certain Questions. Eut the prisoner
refused to give any information; aid was
officer mixcd Kim some rhr and water. and tho
American was a little more open. ana chuckled
as h. drank. Hardly had the liquor been fin
ished, when the crack Of IA hundred rifles
rounded the first note of the tiercest engage
mcnt tiist had yet been fought. THE courage
and obstina y at the Americans were the as
constituent of every one, and we now are be-
come fully convincei that they are not that
army we had hitherto IMAGINED
them, hut IA rcsolute and numerous foe com
manded by Generals whose activity leaves no
advantage unimprOvcd."
Throughout this battle. Lady Harriet Ac-
land, the Baroness Reidesel. and two other
officers wives nj the Sixty-second. Mesdames
arnavc and Reyncti, were crouching in a small
sianty. which WAS soon taken for ali operating
room by the surgeons. There was no other
refuge. and the pooi ladies. within the circle
of fire where their husbands were engaged.
had Tor four hours TO be involuntary witnesses
OF the CHASTITY horrors Of the operating table.
AS n Climax 10 their woes. Major Harnage
himself was soon brought In badly wounded.
followed by tho Jews that Lieut.. Reyncil was
K He'd
One OF Anburty's duties was with a burying
party, and lie deplorcd the carelessness OF some
who left heads. arms. and legs above ground. -
sometimes fifteen o: twenty soldiers Were nut
into the, same pit. while officers We're buried
separately. But At one time he laid three sub
alterns together. and he says that not one of