1777.

1. Of the

by St. Clair?

2. Of the of Ticonde

investment

roga?

easy conquest of that post, and afterwards to rejoin the main army on the Hudson.

32. 'On the approach of the enemy, General St. Clair, course put who commanded at Ticonderoga with a force of but little more than 3000 men, unable to defend all the outworks, withdrew to the immediate vicinity of the fort. 2The British troops, now extending their lines in front of the peninsula, invested the place on the northwest; while their German allies took post on the opposite side of the lake, in the rear of Mount Independence, which had likewise been fortified, and was then occupied by the Americans. 3St. Clair had at first contemplated the erection of fortifications on Mount Defiance, which commands the peninsula; but finding his numbers insufficient to garrison any new works, the design was abandoned.

What de

ign was St.

Clair obli-
don, and

ged to aban

why?

4. What arduous work

ish under

take and

accomplish?
a. July 5.

5. Give an account of the evacua

33. The English generals, perceiving the advandid the Brit- tage that would be gained if their artillery could be planted on the summit of Mount Defiance, immediately undertook the arduous work; and on the fifthof the month the road was completed, the artillery mounted, and ready to open its fire on the following morning. 5St. Clair, seeing no possibility of a longer resistance, immediately took the resolution to evacuate the works, while yet it remained in his power to do so. 6. Accordingly, on the night of the fifth of July, the fires were suffered to burn out, the tents were struck, and amid profound silence the troops commenced their retreat; but, unfortunately, the accidental burning of a building on Mount Independence, revealed their situation to the enemy.

tion of Ti

conderoga.

b. July 5,

6. Of the reverses of

retreat and

the Amer-
icans.

34. On the following day, the baggage, stores, and

Lake George, on a peninsula of about 500 acres, elevated 100 feet above Lake Champlain, and surrounded, on three sides, by rocks steep and difficult of access. The only approachable point to the fort was across the neck of the peninsula, a part of which was covered by a swamp, and the other part defended by a breastwork. It was, however, commanded by Mount Defiance, a hill 750 feet high, on the S. side of the outlet, and one mile distant. Mount Independence is an elevation half a mile dis tant, on the opposite side of the Lake. (See Map.)

b The rear division of the main

b. Note p.

20s, and

July 7.

Skeenesborough. body, which had retreated by way of Mount Independ- Map, p. 18L ence, was overtaken at Hubbardton,* on the morning of the 7th, and, after an obstinate action, was routed with considerable loss. At length the remnants of the several divisions arrived at Fort Edward, on the Hud- c. July 12. son, the head-quarters of General Schuyler; having lest, in the late reverses, nearly two hundred pieces of artillery, besides a large quantity of warlike stores and provisions.

1. What

course did General

35. Unable to retain Fort Edward with his small force, which then numbered but little more than four thousand men, General Schuyler soon after evacuated Schuyler that post, and gradually fell back along the river until he had retired to the islands at the mouth of the Mo

pursue?

d.d

hawk. Here, by the arrival of the New England 2. What re militia under General Lincoln, and several detach-inforce ments from the regular army, his number was in- he receive? creased, by the middle of August, to thirteen thousand men. The celebrated Polish hero, Kosciusko, was in 3.Who was the army as chief engineer.

chief engi. neer?

4. What dif

Burgoyne

ter?

5. How did

36. General Schuyler, in his retreat, had so obstructed the roads, by destroying the bridges, and fell-culties had ing immense trees in the way, that Burgoyne did not to encoun reach Fort Edward until the 30th of July. Here finding his army greatly straitened for want of provisions, and it being difficult to transport them from Ticonderoga, through the wilderness, he dispatchedd Colonel Baum, a German officer of destinction, with 500 men, to seize a quantity of stores which the Americans had collected at Bennington.†

37. This party, being met near Bennington by Colonel Stark, at the head of the New Hampshire militia, was entirely defeated; and a re nforcement which arrived the same day, after the discomfiture, was likewise defeated by Colonel Warner, who fortu

July 30. he attempt to supply d. Aug. 6.

his army?

c. Aug. 16.

6. What is defeat of his Benning

said of the

troops near

ton?

* Hubbardton is in Rutland Co., Vermont, about seventeen iniles S.E. from Ticon Jeroga.

Bennington village, in Bennington County, Vermont, is about thirty-five miles S.E from Fort Edward. The battle was fought on the western border of the town of Benaington, and partly within the town of Hoosick, in the state of New York

1777. nately arrived with a continer.tal regiment at the same time. The loss of the enemy in the two engagements was about seven hundred men,- -the greater part pris

1. What was

the effect of

ton?

a. Aug. 3. 2. Give an the siege and

account of

defence of

Fort Schuy

ler.

oners, while that of the Americans was less than one hundred.

38. The battle of Bennington, so fortunate to the the battle of Americans, caused a delay of the enemy at Fort EdBenning ward nearly a month; during which time news arrived of the defeat of the expedition against Fort Schuyler.* This fortress, under the command of Colonel Gansevoort, being invested by the enemy,General Herkimer collected the militia in its vicinity, and marched to its relief; but falling into an ambuscade, he was defeated and slain. At the same time, however, a successful sortie from the fort penetrated the camp of the besiegers, killed many, and carried off a c. Aug. 22. large quantity of baggage. Soon after, on the news of 3. What was the approach of Arnold to the relief of the fort, the savage allies of the British fled, and St. Leger was forced to abandon the siege.

b. Aug. 6.

the next movement of Burgoyne?

d. Sept.

13, 14.

39. About the middle of September Burgoyne cross eda the Hudson with his whole army, and took a position on the heights and plains of Saratoga.t

General Gates do?

2. Give an account of the first bat tle of Still water.

forward from the mouth of the Mohawk, and was then encamped near Stillwater.* Burgoyne continued to advance, until, on the 18th, he had arrived within two miles of the American camp. 2On the 19th of Sep- Sept. 19. tember some skirmishing commenced between scouting parties of the two armies, which soon brought on a general battle, that continued three hours without any intermission. Night put an end to the contest. The Americans withdrew to their camp, while the enemy passed the night under arms on the field of battle. Both parties claimed the victory, but the loss of the enemy was the greatest.

41. Burgoyne now intrenched himself for the purpose of awaiting the expected co-operation of General Clinton from New York. His Canadian and Indian forces began to desert him, and, cut off in a great measure from the means of obtaining supplies of provisions, he was soon obliged to curtail his soldiers' rations. On the 7th of October, an advance of the enemy towards the American left wing, again brought on a general battle, which was fought on nearly the same ground as the former, and with the most desperate bravery on both sides; but at length the British gave way, with the loss of some of their best officers, a considerable quantity of baggage, and more than four hundred men, while the loss of the Americans did not exceed eighty.

3. What ther gone do

did Bur

and what was the situation of

his army?

Oct. 7.

4. Give an the battle of October.

account of

the 7th of

a. Oct. 7, 8.

5. What were the next movements

of the two

armies? b. Oct. 8. 9.

42. On the night after the battle the enemy fell back to a stronger position, and the Americans instantly occupied their abandoned camp. Soon after, Burg yne retired to Saratoga, and endeavored to retreat to Fort Edward; but finding himself surrounded, 6. What cirhis provisions reduced to a three days' supply, and de- cumstances spairing of relief from General Clinton, he was reduced compelled to the humiliating necessity of proposing terins of ca- surrender? pitulation; and, on the 17th of October he surrendered his army prisoners of war.

at length

Burgoyne to

Oct. 17.

* The town of Stillwater is on the W. bank of the Hudson, from eighteen to twentyix miles N. from Albany. The village of the same name adjoins the river, about wenty-one miles N. from Albany. In this town, three or four miles N from the vi aga were fought the battles of Sept. 19th and Oct. 7th. (See Map, previcus page!

e. What was the next obGates?

a What is said of the

of General

43. The Americans thereby acquired a fine train of brass artillery, nearly five thousand muskets, and an immense quantity of other ordinary implements of war. The news of this brilliant victory caused the greatest exultation throughout the country, and doubts were no longer entertained of the final independence of the American colonies.

*

44. The army of Gates was immediately put in fect of Gen. motion to stop the devastations of General Clinton, who had proceeded up the Hudson with a force of 3000 men, with the hope of making a diversion in favor of Burgoyne. Forts Clinton and Montgomery, movements after a severe assault, fell into his hands,—and the Clinton village of Kingston was wantonly burned, but on a. Oct. 6. hearing the news of Burgoyne's surrender, Clinton immediately withdrew to New York. At the same time, Ticonderoga and all the forts on the northern frontier were abandoned by the British, and occupied by the Americans. In the latter part of October, 4000 destination of the victorious troops of the north proceeded to join f the north the army of Washington; and we now return to the scene of events in the vicinity of Philadelphia.

N. p. 124.
Oct. 13.

4. Of the

northern posts?

5. of the

of the troops

d. See p. 239.

6. How did the Ameri

command of

ware?

45. A short distance below Philadelphia, the Amercans retain icans had fortified Forts Mifflint and Mercer,t on opthe Dela posite sides of the Delaware, by which they retained 7. Give an the command of the river, and thus prevented any the defence communication between the British army and their donment fleet, then moored at the head of Delaware Bay.

account of

and aban

46. Both these forts were attacked by the enemy on the 22d of October. The at

Fort Mercer, now in ruins, was a little above, at Red Bank, on the New Jersey side, and lit the more than a mile distant from Fort Millin. It was then, and is now, enshrouded by a gloomy pine forest. (Soe Map)