respective parties; and about four o'clock Arnold, with nine Both armies lay some time in sight of each other, each forti- 1777. tion near In this exigency, general Burgoyne resolved to examine the Oct. 7. possibility of dislodging the Americans from their posts on the Second acleft, by which means he would be enabled to retreat to the lakes. Stillwater. For this purpose he drew out 1500 men, which he headed himself, attended by generals Phillips, Reidesel, and Frazer. This detachment had scarcely formed, within less than half a mile of the American intrenchmments, when a furious attack was made on its left; but major Ackland, at the head of the British grenadiers, sustained it with great firmness. The Americans soon extended their attack along the whole front of the German troops, which were posted on the right of the grenadiers; and marched a body round their flank, to prevent their retreat. On this movement, the British light infantry with a part of the 24th regiment instantly formed, to cover the retreat of the troops into the camp. Their left wing in the mean time, overpowered with numbers, was obliged to retreat, and would inevitably have been cut to pieces, but for the intervention of the same troops, which 1 Stedman. 2 Idem. Bradford says, "The loss of the British was reported to be about 1000, in killed, wounded, and taken;" and the loss of "the Americans did not exceed 320." 1777. had just been covering the retreat on the right. The whole detachment was now under the necessity of retiring; but scarcely had the British troops entered the lines, when the Americans, led by general Arnold, pressed forward, and, under a tremendous fire of grapeshot and musketry, assaulted the works throughout their whole extent from right to left. Toward the close of the day, a part of the left of the Americans forced the intrenchments, and Arnold with a few men actually entered the works; but his horse being killed, and he himself badly wounded in the leg, they were forced out of them, and it being now nearly dark, they desisted from the attack. On the left of Arnold's detachment, Jackson's regiment of Massachusetts, then led by lieutenant colonel Brooks, was still more successful. It turned the right of the encampment, and carried by storm the works, occupied by the German reserve. Lieutenant colonel Breyman was killed; and Brooks maintained the ground he had gained. Darkness put an end to the action. The advantage of the Americans was decisive. They killed a great number of the enemy; made upward of 200 prisoners, among whom were several officers of distinction; took nine pieces of brass artillery, and the encampment of a German brigade, with all their equipage. Among the slain of the enemy was general Frazer, an officer of distinguished merit, whose loss was particularly regretted. The loss of the Americans was inconsiderable. treat. Gates posted 1400 men on the heights opposite the ford of Burgoyne retires to Saratoga; 2000 in the rear, to prevent a retreat to Fort EdSaratoga. ward; and 1500 at a ford higher up. Burgoyne, apprehensive of being hemmed in, retired immediately to Saratoga. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort George. ArtifiAttempts in vain to re-cers were accordingly despatched under a strong escort, to repair the bridges, and open the road to Fort Edward; but they were compelled to make a precipitate retreat. The situation of general Burgoyne becoming every hour more hazardous, he resolved to attempt a retreat by night to Fort Edward; but even this retrograde movement was rendered impracticable. While the army was preparing to march, intelligence was received, that the Americans had already possessed themselves of Fort Edward, and that they were well provided with artillery. No avenue to escape now appeared. Incessant toil had worn down the whole British army; which did not now contain more than 3500 fighting men. Provisions were almost exhausted, and there were no possible means of procuring a supply. The American army, which was daily increasing, was already much greater than the British in point of numbers, and almost encircled them. In this extremity, the British general called a council of war; and it was unanimously resolved to enter into a convention with general Gates. Preliminaries were soon settled, and the royal 1777. army surrendered prisoners of war.1 The capture of an entire army was justly viewed as an event, that must essentially affect the contest between Great Britain and America; and while it excited the highest joy among the people, it could not but have a most auspicious influence in the cabinet and in the field. The thanks of congress were voted to general Gates and his army; and a medal of gold, in commemoration of this splendid achievement, was ordered to be struck, to be presented to him by the president, in the name of the United States. tempts to While general Burgoyne was urging his preparations for ad- Gen. Linvancing toward Albany, general Lincoln attempted to recover coln atTiconderoga, and the other posts in the rear of the royal army. recover TiColonel Brown, whom he detached on the 13th of September conderoga; with 500 men to the landing at Lake George, surprised all the outposts between the landing at the north end of that lake and the body of the fortress at Ticonderoga; took Mount Defiance and Mount Hope, the old French lines, a block house, 200 batteaux, several gun boats, and an armed sloop, together with 290 prisoners; and released 100 Americans. On examination it was found, that the reduction of either Mount Independence or Ticonderoga was impracticable; but soon after the convention which is at Saratoga, the British, who had been left in the rear of the abandoned royal army, destroyed their cannon, and, abandoning Ticonde- ish. roga, retreated to Canada. by the Brit wounded. General Lincoln, while reconnoitring, the day after the battle General near Stillwater, received a dangerous wound; but the life of that Lincoln excellent officer and estimable man was providentially saved for future and important services to his country. Remembrancer for 1777, p. 477. The whole army of general Gates consisted of 9093 continental troops. The number of the militia fluctuated; but, when the convention was signed, it amounted to 4129. The sick exceeded 2500. At the same time there were taken 39 brass cannon complete, royals and mortars included; 5000 stand of arms; 400 sets of harness, a number of ammunition waggons, &c. The troops under general Burgoyne were to march out of their camp with the honours of war; and a free passage was to be granted them to Great Britain, on condition of not serving again in North America during the present contest. 1777. Oct. 6. Although Sir Henry Clinton afforded no relief to general Burgoyne; yet he performed a service, which, if done a little sooner, might possibly have had that effect. With nearly 3000 men, convoyed by some ships of war under commodore Hotham, Montgom- he conducted an expedition up Hudson's river, early in October, Forts Clinton and ery taken by Sir H. Clinton. Nov. 15. against the forts Montgomery and Clinton. When arrived within a mile of the place of destination, the troops separated into two columns; the one, consisting of 900 men under lieutenant Campbell, was destined for the attack on Fort Montgomery; the other, under the immediate command of Sir Henry Clinton, was to storm the stronger post of Fort Clinton. The garrison, when summoned, having refused to surrender, the assault was made on both forts at the same instant. These fortresses, which were separated from each other by a creek only, were commanded by governor Clinton, a brave and intelligent officer, who made a gallant resistance from four in the afternoon, when the attack began, until dark; but, the post having been designed principally to prevent the passing of ships, the works on the land side were incomplete and untenable, and the assailants entered them with fixed bayonets. Most of the garrison effected their escape, under cover of the thick smoke and darkness. The loss, sustained by the garrison, was about 250 men; that of the enemy was stated at less than 200, in killed, wounded, and missing, though it was supposed to be much more considerable than the loss of the Americans. Lieutenant colonel Campbell, and count Grabouski, a Polish nobleman, who had entered as a volunteer into the British service, were among the slain. Fort Independence and Fort Constitution were evacuated the next day; and general Putnam, who had the command on North river, retreated to Fishkill. General Tryon the day following burned Continental Village, where considerable stores were deposited. General Vaughan, proceeding up the river with a strong detachment of land forces, attended by Sir James Wallace, with a flying squadron of light frigates, completely burned the village of Esopus; and then re-embarked for New York. Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the Confedera- States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island tion. 1 The expedition of Sir H. Clinton up Hudson's river" could not before have been attempted, without leaving the defences of New York too feebly guarded." A body of recruits arrived from Europe at New York about the last of September, and it was then undertaken; but, if Stedman be correct, the relief of Burgoyne was not primarily intended. "The object of Sir Henry Clinton was to take possession of the forts which forbad the passage of our [British] vessels up to Albany; and the ulterior view in the measure was not so much to create a diversion in favour of general Burgoyne (the necessity of which was not suspected), as to open a communication which might have been important when that commander should have fixed himself at Albany." Stedman, i. 353. pal Arti and Providence plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jer- 1777. sey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, were agreed to in congress on the 15th of November. By these articles, the style of the confederacy was to be, "The United States of America." Each state Summary of shall retain its sovereignty and independence, and every power, the princijurisdiction, and right, which is not expressly delegated by this cles. confederation to the United States in congress assembled. The states enter into a firm league of friendship with each other for their common defence, the security of their liberties and their mutual and general welfare; binding themselves to assist each other against all force offered to or attacks made upon them or any of them on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretence whatever. The free inhabitants of the different states in this union shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states; and the people of each state shall have free ingress and regress to and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively. If any person guilty of or charged with treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any state, shall flee from justice and be found in any of the United States, he shall upon demand of the governor or executive power of the state from which he fled, be delivered up and removed to the state having jurisdiction of his offence. For the more convenient management of the general interests of the United States, delegates shall be annually appointed, in such manner as the legislature of each state shall direct, to meet in congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power reserved to each state to recal its delegates or any of them, and to send others in their stead. No state shall be represented in congress by less than two nor by more than seven members; and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding any office under the United States, for which he, or any other for his benefit, receives any salary, fees, or emolument of any kind. In determining questions in congress, each state shall have one vote. No state, without the consent of the United States in congress, shall send any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance, or treaty with any king, prince, or state. The United States in congress assembled shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except in cases of actual or threatened invasion; of sending and receiving ambassadors; entering into treaties and alliances; of establishing rules for de |