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1777.

The conqueft and capture of general Bur- CHAP. X1. goyne, and the British army under his command, was undoubtedly the most fortunate circumftance for the United States, that had yet taken place. It was the moft capital and eventful military tranfaction, from the commencement to the close of the American war. The termination of this expedition, opened new views to the philosopher, the politician, and the hero, both at home and abroad. It diffeminated a fpirit, and produced effects throughout America, which had been neither anticipated or calculated, until her fons paraded in the style of the conqueror, before the humiliated bands of veteran British and German prifoners.

So many thousands of brave men and diftinguifhed officers, led captive through the wildernefs, the plains, and the cities of the United States, was a spectacle never before beheld by the inhabitants; and the impreffion it made on their minds, was in proportion to the novelty of the scene, and the magnitude of its confequences. It was viewed as a prelude to events of the highest moment, both to the arms and to the future negociations of the United States. British battalions were no longer deemed invulnerable, even by the most timid and uninformed fons of America. That formidable power which had spread difmay through the colonies, they now beheld as the object of curiosity, and

CHAP. XI.

1777.

her armies were viewed more in the light of compaffion than of terror.

Nor were the troops of the United States longer confidered as a mere undifciplined rabble, either by the parliament or the people of England. Their armies began to appear formi dable; and conciliation was preffed from very refpectable characters. From the moment of their recent victory, the United States were beheld in a still more honorable light by the other European powers. Moft of them had yet stood undecided and wavering: none of them feemed determined on which fide to declare, or whether to look coolly on, as uninterefted fpectators, until Great Britain had fufficiently chaftifed her rebellious children. It is true fome loans of money had been obtained from France previous to this period, and the fale of prizes had been permitted in the Gallic ports; but this appeared to be more in confequence of the benevolence and the enthufiafin of the people, than the refult of any governmental fyftem to aid America effectually, in her struggle for freedom and independence.

The confequences of the brilliant fuccefs of general Gates, the influence of this event on the opinion of foreign nations, its operation on the councils of Britain, its effects on the policy of feveral European courts, and its important confequences throughout America, will be re

lated concifely in the fubfequent part of these annals.

But it is proper before we conclude the prefent chapter, to detail a few other circumftances relative to general Burgoyne. After fome time had elapfed, and the agitation of parties fo far cooled, as to permit him the public defence of his character, he gave an affecting epitome of his feelings, his difficulties and embarraffments, in the northern expedition. He obferved," the remembrance of what I perfonally "underwent cannot eafily be fuppreffed: and "I am fure I fhall not outgo the indulgence of "the candid, if in delineating fituations fo af“fecting, I add feelings to juftification. The "defence of military conduct is an interesting point of profeffional honor; but to vindicate "the heart, is a duty to God and to fociety at "large."

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"Few conjunctures in the campaign I have "been defcribing, few perhaps upon military "record, can be found fo diftinguifhed by exi

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gencies, or productive of fuch critical and anx"ious calls upon public character and private "affection, as that which now took place."

"In the first place, the pofition of the army " was untenable; and yet an immediate retreat. was impoffible, not only from the fatigue of

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CHAP. XI.

1777.

CHAP. XI.

1777.

"the troops, but from the neceffity of delivering fresh ammunition and provisions."

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"The loffes in the action were uncommonly "fevere. Sir Francis Clarke, my aid-de-camp, "had originally recommended himself to my "attention, by his talents and diligence. As "fervice and intimacy opened his character "more, he became endeared to me by every quality that can create esteem. I loft in him "an useful affiftant, an amiable companion, an "attached friend: the ftate was deprived by "his death, of one of the faireft promises of an "able general."

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"The fate of colonel Ackland, taken pri"foner, and then fuppofed to be mortally "wounded, was a fecond fource of anxiety. "General Frazier was expiring."

"In the course of the action, a shot had paff"ed through my hat, and another had torn my waistcoat. I fhould be forry to be thought "at any time, infenfible to the protecting hand "of Providence: but I ever more particularly "confidered, (and I hope not fuperftitiously,) "a foldier's hair-breadth efcapes as incentives "to duty, a marked renewal of the truft of "being, for the due purposes of a public fta"tion; and under that reflection, to lofe our "fortitude by giving way to our affections, to "be diverted by any poffible felf-emotion, from

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meeting a prefent exigency with our beft fac- CHAP. XI. ulties, were at once dishonor and impiety.'

Perhaps no general officer ever experienced a greater variety of untoward circumftances, than general Burgoyne before the convention, and the furrender of his army to the victorious Americans. It requires a lively imagination, to comprehend a full view of the difficulty of marching an army, compofed of heterogeneous materials, from Quebec to Saratoga, to traverse a forlorn wilderness, pathlefs thickets and swamps, extenfive sheets of water, and navigable lakes defended by a resolute enemy, covered by strong works, that coft the wafte of many of his troops to overcome.

It is true his German allies were brave, and the ufual valor of British troops needs no encomium; but the Canadians and the loyalists could not be depended upon, and the hordes of favages that joined his train, were more the objects of terror than affistance, even to the masters under whom they had enlifted. They pillaged, plundered, threatened, and occafionally murdered their friends, and when the cause grew desperate, retreated in tribes to take fhelter in their diftant forefts.

1777.

* Burgoyne's defence.

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