The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-11-01


sources-the Baroness Riedesel
was a lady of enormous per-
sonal charm, rare intelligence and ire
mendOus vitality. That she must have
possessed courage of the very high
est order is proven by her own journal
OF her experiences following the first
Battle of Saratoga. This does not
mean that even indirectly she exploit
ed accounts of the bravery, shown in
her action in the face of danger and
terrific discomforts. For she did no
such thing. 1t does mean that in all
that she wrote of that disastrous with
drawal there was reflected a spirit of
fOrtitude on her part which is unmis-
taxable and at the same time admir-
able.
And how charmingly frank she was
She was a partisan, naturally, of the
side upon which her husband served,
but she did not hesitate to criticize
the conduct of the commander of the
beaten British forces nor yet to laud
the generosity and kindness Of Gen.
eral Schuyler, the gallant American
into whose hands, as prisoners-of-war,
eventually she and her children and
her servants fell. By her admissions
a comparison between the two leaders
is established in which her chivalrous
foe bears off all the hOnOrs.
A Gay General.
It is these disclosures which give es-
pecial interest to her writings. But
the memoirs have another value.
Through her eyes we get realistic
picture of wartime conditions in
America during the earlier years of
of the conditions prevalent in the
flight of the discounted Britishers
across a strip of New York state i'm
mediately following the engagement
near Saltwater on the west bank of
the Hudson river, about "a miles north
of Saratoga Springs.
l think her most significant entry in
the opening stage of her narrative ap-
peared after she had weathered the
first night of the retreat, riding over
miserable roads in carriage, with her
babies. 1t had to do with the Indians
who, under promise of spoils and
scalps, had been recruited by the Brit
ish to war upon the revolving Col
Onists. That the English government
approved the employment of the abo-
rhymes against the Americans re-
NAMED a black blot on the Crown.
But the Indians must have been most
uncertain allies; for the baroness wrote
this:
1--WE spent the whole day in pour
ing rain ready to march at a moments
warning. The savages had lost their
courage and they were seen in all d.
rectiOns going home. The slightest re-
verse of fortune discouraged them, es-
pecially if there was nothing to plum
der
81 was wet through and through by
the frequent rains, and was obliged
to remain in this condition the entire
night, as / had no place whatever
where 1 could change my linen. 1
therefore seated myself before a good
fire and undressed my children; after
which we laid ourselves down togeth-
er upon some straw. / asked General
Phillips why he did not continue our
retreat while there was yet time, as
my husband had pledged himself to
cover it, and bring the army through?
Poor woman answered he, I am
amazed at you! Completely wet
through, have you still the courage to
wish to go further in this weather!
Would that you were only our COM
handing general! He halts because
he is tired. and intends to spend the
night here and give us a supper. In
this latter achievement, especially,
General Burgoyne was very fond of
indulging. He spent half the nights
in singing and drinking and amusing
himself with the wife of a commits
sary. who was his mistress, and who,
as well as he, loved champagne.
Under Fire.
"On the tenth-General Burgoyne,
in order to cover our retreat, caused
the beautiful houses and mills at Sar-
atoga, belonging to General Schuyler,
TO be burned. The greatest
misery and the utmost disorder pre-
vailed in the army. The commissaries
had forgotten to distribute provisions
among the troops. More than thirty
officers came to me who could endure