Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-04

ialled TO do this and failed 10 do that
What was necessary, he explained. II
tho cause was not TO fail. was that a
competent general should command.
The army Of the north was especially
In need Of a competent commander.
Congress, spurrcd on 10y the New
England members. appointed Gates to
command the army of the north In
canada Gates was delighted. Schuyler
had not been consulted and Washing
ton had not been consulted There was
no army NJ the north In Canada all the
American troops having rctreatcd to
Ticonderoga or gone home. but Gates
believed, and had private assurances
from his friends In Congress that what
was meant was that he would be f~ee
TO operate in the north Independent OF
Schuyler, and that II Schuyler did not
resign IN pique at tho discourtesy
shown him Gates would in due season
supplant him.
To Albany went Gates and for n time
he was the guest Of Schuyler. Not un-
III weeks after Gates had proceeded to
TiConderoga to examine that stronghold
did Schuyler discover what was design
cd Then ne went before Congress and
plainly but courteously insisted upon
having absolute command or having
the privilege OF resigning Congress
was bit ashamed and a bit alarmed.
ashamed OF having gratuitously az
commander Of the army Of the north
and afraid OF the effect It's unwarrant-
ed supplanting OF Schuyler would have
on a great and influential body Of hts
friends. Gates was recalled and Schuy-
Ter went back to Albany with assur-
ances OF the esteem and confidence Of
Congress.
BURGoYNE.
Meantime there had been develop
In nfr,r al
BODIED III for the American cause. In
the fall OF 76 Gen. Burgoyne SECOND
In command 10 Carlton had gone to
England and laid before the ministry n
plan TO end the rebellion. He would
lead an army from Quebec south Sir
William Howe could send an army up
from New York to meet the Canadian
army. A third army made up of reg
ulars, Tories and Indians, would sweep
down the Mohawk valley from Lake
Ontario. Separately or Jointly these
three forces could overcome any force
that could be mustered to oppose them.
with all New York under control of the
British the colonies would be rent
asunder Then II would be easy TO
stamp out any remnant Of the revolu-
tionary army that did not disband.
The scheme was a good one. and Bur-
goyne arrived in Quebec with an army
Of 5000 men, mostly -ogulars. st. Leger
was sent over Lake ontario to oswego
with a force Of regulars TO join the
Tories under Butler and the Indians
under Sir John johnson and the Indian
Joseph Brant. Only one thing WAS
overlooked. That was the order TO
Howe. Lord George German. the war
minister, had a weekend visit to make
TO the country, and in his hurry 10 get
away from London failed to sign the
letter TO Gen. Howe. Years later the
letter was found in one OF the pigeon
holes OF his desk.
While Congress was meddling and
while Schuyler was insisting to be re-
lieved Of responsibility or relieved OF
Gates, Burgoyne was on his way south
from Quebec. His army was the best
trained on the American continent. II
had big artillery equipment and
great quantity OF supplies. Schuyler
did not learn of its approach until IL
was near Lake Champlain. Before he
could do much Il had reached Crown
Point. Hastily he did what he could
20 strengthen Ticonderoga. where Gen.
st. Clair was stationed with $500 men.
The British moved swiftly and render
ed Ticonderoga untenable by dragging
cannon TO the top OF Mount Defiance.
Neither Gates nor Schuyler thought II
possible to get cannon up it's rugged
cliffs. st. clair had to chose between
sacrificing his army by a defense or
sacrificing his reputation by abandon
Ing the fort. He braVely chose the
latter and led his army out al night
So hurried was his flight that he could
send no message to Schuyler. To es-
cape the British he made his way to-
ward Rutland and then by a circuitous
route proceeded to Join Schuyler.
With no knowledge Of what had be-
come Of st. Clair. and with only a
small body Of mlitiamen. Schuyler
fastened 10 throw himself in the path
Of the invaders With skill approach
ing genius, he began n series OF oper-
atlons that were mastery In every de-
tail. Burgoyne had to follow one route.
Schuyler's only hope Of getting together
an army was 10 delay the progress Of
the British. The route Burgoyne had