The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-06-27

| As the skirmish at Bunker Hill be-
comes a great battle of history in that
it decided the American colonlsts TO
fight the War Of the Revolution, so the
victory over Burgoyne at Saratoga
takes similar rank, because for all
practical purposes it decided that con-
test and determined the establishment
of the American republic. Its conse-
Quences were strikingly direct quite as
much for the inspiration they gave the
American party in the British parlia-
ment as for the effect they produced
in determining the French to join with
US.
The Americans having suffered de-
feat at White Plains, Long island,
Forts Washington and Lee, Brandy
wine and Germantown, reverses which
outweighed the successes at Trenton,
Bennington and Princeton, the British
ministry determined to strike the de-
cislve blow by splitting New England
from the rest of the country. To this
end command of the Hudson river was
to be gained by the simultaneous adj
vances of an army from Canada and
one from New York, the two to meet
at Albany. The British authorities
were still Of the belief that no raw
troops could or would stand against
trained British regulars in the open.
The plan was ably formed. Had it sue
ceeded there is every human prob
ability that the submission Of the colo
MES must have ensued.
Strong re-enforcements were sent
to Canada, while in command Of the
invading army was assigned General
Burgoyne. This able and interesting
officer is the individual who appears
in Bernard Shaw's play, "The Devils
Disciple" as "Gentlemanly johnny
OF regular troops, exclusive Of artil-
lery, he had 1900, half of them Ger
mans. He had also an auxiliary force
of some $500 Canadians. Incidentally
he summoned to his aid the Indians Of
the lake region, by reason Of which he
was excoriated in America and con-
demned in England, where Burke pic
tured him as addressing "My gentle ny
enas; my tender-hearted wolves"
Advancing down Lake George, he
forced st. Clair to evacuate Crown
Point and its Notifications on July 5,
1777. Driving opposition before him,
he reached the left bank of the Hud-
son on July 80. To oppose him con-
gress hurried up its pet, General
Gates, while as an assistant Washing
ton sent Arnold, one of the most fiery
and valOrous of leaders. To their
standards flocked the provincial mi
litia Of the northern states, while Bur-
goyne made further preparations ut
Fort Edward.
Now, however, there befell the Brit
ish two severe disasters. st. Leger
had been sent from Canada across
Lake Ontario to take Fort StanwiX,
after which he was to join BurgOyne
on the Hudson. Instead of accom-
plishlng his mission, st. Leger ran into
a disastrous beating and scurried back
home. Almost simultaneously a large
force of Germans, under Colonel Baum,
sallying forth to capture American sup
plies at Bennington, were attacked and
utterly routed. Lieutenant Colonel
Breyman, hurrying up with 500 more
Germans to support Baum, was also
attacked and driven back. In these
two actions the British lost more than
six hundred able soldiers.
Yet because he could no longer keep
open his line of communication Bur-
gOyne was forced to push forward. He
crossed the river, advancing then to
Saratoga, which the Americans had
evacuated. Here he waited for the aid
of Sir Henry Clinton, who embarked
at New York with 5000 crack troops,
but who didn't embark soon enough
because somebody in the British war
office mislaid letter, in consequence
Of which Clinton's re-enforcements did
not reach him until September.
Burgoyne, becoming impatient, mean
while took out his right wing under
his personal command, encountering
| Gates and Arnold about four miles
from Saratoga. At nightfall he was
master Of the field, but he had lost 600
more men and the Americans had
cheered themselves by demonstrating
again their ability to stand against his
regulars.
While Gates force was continually
growing, Burgoyne was suffering from
assertions on the part of his Indians
and Canadians. He was now reduced
TO less than six thousand men. Incl
dentally all of these were hungry. 1t
was this, as much as anything, which
determined Burgoyne to attack even
In the face of a much superior enemy.
The American right, resting upon the
river, he recognized as too strong for
him. The left he believed he could
force. And against this he headed
once again in person column of 1900
with six guns and Generals Phillips,
Reidesel and Frazer as his seconds.
This was on October z. On the pre-
ceding day Clinton had forced the
American forts on the Hudson and had
destroyed the American fleet. He was
now only 1856 miles from Burgoyne,
who, had he known of this approaching
assistance. never would have risked
encounter. AS 1t was, he presumed
himself compelled to go on.