teen thousand men, and made sail, in the month of July, withcut any intimation of his destination having transpired. In Canada, Burgoyne, who had received the chief command of the army of the north, commenced preparations in May. He was enabled to marshal a fine army of seven thousand regulars, British and Germans, an artillery corps of five hundred, and seven hundred Canadians, destined for the various duties of rangers, woodmen, &c. In addition to this, a grand meeting of the Iroquois Indians was called, and their services were secured by additional promises of reward and protection. A flaming proclamation was next issued, for the encouragement of the New England loyalists, and the intimidation of the rebels. He promised protection to those who should "quietly pursue their occupations," and full pay for all that should be furnished for the army; the contumacious were threatened with the "thousands of Indians that were under his direction," and whose fury was to be let loose upon those who should take part against the king. Passing the lake, Burgoyne laid siege to Ticonderoga, at the com mencement of the month of July. The garrison, under St. Clair, was entirely insufficient for the protection of the fort. It numbered, including militia, about three thousand men, but the works were very extensive, and the troops were ill provided with arms. Α retreat was effected on the night of the 5th, but the Americans were unable to gain sufficient time upon the enemy. The baggage and stores were dispatched up Wood Creek, towards Skeenesborough, now Whitehall, which place was appointed for general rendezvous. A bridge and other obstructions were soon removed by the British, and free passage was opened to the creek. The boats containing the stores were pursued and captured. The army, retreating in the same direction by land, was hotly pursued by a detachment of the enemy, under General Fraser. The rear division was overtaken, on the 7th of July, and completely routed. The main body, led by St. Clair, reached General Schuy ler's head-quarters, at Fort Edward, on the Hudson river, after a toilsome march over rough roads through the wilderness. Notwithstanding every effort made to delay and obstruct the advance of the enemy, by blocking up the forest-roads, and choking the channel of the narrow creek which connects with the southern extremity of Lake Champlain, Burgoyne penetrated to the Hudson, before the close of the month. Evacuating Fort Edward, on the approach of the British, General Schuyler retreated to Saratoga, thence to Stillwater, and, the enemy continuing to press onward, he finally encamped near the mouth of the Mohawk. These disasters, at the north, were popularly attributed to incompetency on the part of the commanding officers, who were accordingly superseded by Generals Gates, Arnold, and Lincoln. Reinforcements, including the body of riflemen, under the redoubted Morgan, were also ordered, in all haste, to the seat of war at the north. Before proceeding down the river, Burgoyne was desirous of collecting stores and provisions at his camp on the Hudson, by the route laid open from the head of Lake Champlain. Meanwhile, two excursions were planned and attempted at the west and east. General Barry St. Leger, with several companies of regulars, and a large body of Indians, under command of Joseph Brant, early in August, besieged Fort Schuyler, an important military post, situated near the head-waters of the Mohawk. General Herkimer, with nearly a thousand of the provincial militia, endeavoured to relieve the fort, but fell into an ambuscade prepared by Brant with his followers and an English detachment. A bloody but indecisive engagement ensued, known as the "battle of Oriskany." Herkimer was killed, together with several hundred of his followers. The enemy's loss was probably about the same; and, although no communication was opened with the fort, the commandant, Willett, was enabled to make a sally, and to plunder the British encampment of stores and provisions. A detachment, principally Hessians, under Colonel Baum, was also dispatched by Burgoyne, to procure cattle and other plunder in the eastern settlements. The seizure of stores accumulated at Bennington, was the special object of the expedition. Colonel Stark, having command of the militia in that quarter, learning the approach of the enemy, made every effort to prepare for resistance. Baum, finding himself opposed by a superior force, halted near the town, and commenced throwing up intrenchments. On the 16th of August, he was attacked, and utterly defeated by the provincials. Reinforcements arrived simultaneously on either sideColonel Warner making his appearance with a regiment of continental troops, from Manchester, at the same time that a strong force, under Colonel Breyman, sent to support Baum's division, was engaged with the American militia. The Americans maintained their advantage; the British effected a retreat at nightfall, having sustained a loss of about eight hundred in killed and prisoners. A most seasonable supply of arms and artillery fell into the hands of the provincials. Of the latter, only about sixty were killed or wounded. A few days later, Arnold relieved Fort Schuyler, and seized upon the tents and stores of the besieging army, abandoned in hasty retreat. Many of the Iroquois allies of the English became disheartened at these reverses, and drew off. Generally, however, they were proof against the efforts of agents in behalf of the Americans. to secure their services, or promises of neutrality. Outrages committed by the savages on the march, their cruelty to prisoners, and their ferocious manner of warfare, excited universal indignation against Burgoyne, who was considered responsible for all the enormities committed. We are informed that he used what influence he possessed over the chiefs, to induce conformity with the rules of civilized warfare; but what would previous exhortation or threats avail, in the midst of the dangers and excitement of actual conflict? The check given to the British at Bennington and Fort Schuyler, gave great encouragement to the Americans; and it was now seen that the provincial militia, under brave and energetic commanders, was a more effective force than it had generally been considered. CHAPTER X V I. BATTLES AT BEHMUS' HEIGHTS.-BURGOYNE'S RETREAT TO SARATOGA: HIS SURRENDER. -DETENTION OF PRISONERS. -EXPEDITION FROM NEW YORK UP THE HUDSON. FORGE 'BURGOYNE, having procured provisions for a month's campaign, crossed the Hudson, and continued his progress southward. The American army, numbering about six thousand men, and commanded by General Gates, lay encamped upon Behmus' heights, on the west bank of the river. The place presented natural facilities |