on.

two incidental movements of the campaign had seriously changed the aspect of affairs before the great conflict came The work had been so hot, that Burgoyne found his Indian and Canadian allies unreliable. They scattered to the winds. In the mean time, the courage of the Americans rose to the highest pitch. Volunteers poured in from all directions. Col. Brown with a party of Lincoln's militia had dashed into the British fort at the outlet of Lake George, taken three hundred prisoners, and a fleet of vessels and bateaux, thus destroying the communications of Burgoyne with his base of supplies.

Gates, by order of Congress, had superseded Schuyler; and on the 19th of September, 1777, the Americans with six thousand men confronted the British with about nine thousand on Behmus Heights. As the enemy came up on the left, the impetuous Morgan fell upon him with such fury as to break his ranks; and his men became temporarily confused. But heroes from New Hampshire under Cilley, Scammell, and Hale, and from New York under Van Courtlandt and Henry Livingston, and two regiments from Connecticut, moved up to the conflict. It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and the battle raged till dark. The British and Germans fought with desperate valor. The contested field was won and lost again and again. The Americans rushed upon the cannon of the enemy, and captured them several times; but they were as often recaptured. The British left, re-enforced by the Germans, advanced with intrepidity; but they were confronted by Learned with four regiments from Massachusetts and one from New York. More than five hundred British, and nearly three hundred Americans, had fallen, when night arrested the carnage. The news electrified the American people. They rushed to arms, and swarmed to the scene of conflict. The situation of Burgoyne had become critical. He would, however, in the midst of his perils, show the bravery and skill of a good commander. Early the next morning, he sent out a recon

noitring party of fifteen hundred choice men; but they were promptly and furiously assailed by Poor's New-Hampshire brigade. The gallant but perfidious Arnold, superseded for his insubordination the day before, fired by the sound of battle, appeared on the field, dashing from rank to rank on his powerful charger, throwing new courage into the bosoms of the patriot volunteers. The enemy's right fell back to prevent being cut off from the main army, and his left staggered and broke. The gallant Fraser fell, mortally wounded. Arnold forced an entrance within the enemy's works; his horse was killed under him; he was wounded, and his column hurled back. Col. Brook, with Jackson's Massachusetts regiment, assailed a German brigade, overwhelmed them, and captured their camp-equipage and artillery. Again and again the British rallied, and charged upon these brave men; but they were invulnerable. Night again came on, and the bleeding heroes slept upon the field. Burgoyne, under cover of darkness, skilfully changed his position, and, at dawn of the third day, appeared in battle array. But the great victory was already won. We catch a glimpse of the brave Lincoln, falling, dangerously wounded, in a skirmish; the burial of the heroic Fraser on the hill; the angelic tenderness of the Baroness de Reidesell amid the wounded of our foes, with her children nestling by her side; the burning buildings of Gen. Schuyler; and then of the desperate retreat of the enemy six miles to Saratoga, amid drenching rains, frightful mud, and tangled forests. But it is of no avail. The proud Burgoyne surrenders five thousand six hundred and forty-two veteran soldiers to the victorious Gates, leaving near four thousand dead and wounded on the fields of slaughter.

Let us pause to reflect. The British army, composed chiefly of regulars, brave, and ably commanded, outnumbered the American raw recruits by nearly one-third. Congress had ventured the dangerous experiment of changing commanders on the eve of a great battle. Schuyler, who, as

results showed, deserved only the gratitude of his country, had fallen under the injustice of rivalry and suspicion; and Gates, in no way his superior in command, unknown to many of the noble men who were to fight and conquer or die for their country, out of sight and danger during the slaughter of his troops; the ammunition short, and the commissariat in a revolution from a change of its head; Arnold, the best fighting general on the field, in disgrace; and the heroes of Bennington claiming and taking their discharge from the expiration of time, - amid all these adverse facts, what was the natural result to be expected? Surely nothing less than the utter defeat of the army of liberty. But the crisis of the war had come, and God was the commander of the American forces that day. The proud army of invasion from the North was destroyed, and the heroes of liberty moved on to their future conflicts, with a fresh inspiration from heaven.

TRENTON AND PRINCETON.

The distinguished military abilities of Washington began to appear as well in his retreats as his advances. In Europe, his masterly skill in tactics was at length eulogized as indicating the highest rank among the great commanders of modern times. Few generals, it was believed, could have kept so small an army together, for so long a time, in the presence of so formidable a foe. Few could have saved his men as he did when he lost New York, and his forts, and munitions of war, on the heights above the city, and especially when he lost New Jersey. The haughty tone and patronizing airs of the British commander in his famous proclamation showed that he believed, and with good reason, that the war was virtually ended.

When the Howes thought it safe to go into winter-quarters, and finish their task at their ease in the spring; just as the effects of their proclamation as king's commissioners began to appear in the abandonment of the American cause by

Tucker, president of the New-Jersey convention that formed the State constitution; by Allen and Galloway, members of Congress from Pennsylvania; and as McKean and Rawley had been recalled by the convention of Delaware for giving her votes in favor of independence, — while treachery was in the air he breathed, and every support of freedom seemed shaking to its fall, Washington was busy re-organizing his army. Not a word to Congress, or in councils of war, about surrendering his suffering men, or making terms with the enemy, but the most powerful and dignified appeals to Congress and the people to give him soldiers, — not militia who so frequently fled at the first fire, and communicated panic to the continentals; not a mass of temporary men whose term of service would expire, and leave him without fighting-men on the eve of a battle. He insisted upon having national troops, who, despite all the prejudice against a standing army, were to serve during the war; and, by the moral power which true greatness alone can inspire, he had finally brought up his forces to seven thousand men.

Before the sixty days had expired, during which the British general had graciously permitted rebel Americans to return to their allegiance and accept his Majesty's pardon, and just before the terms of service for many of his troops had expired, Washington determined to attack his antagonist amid the holiday festivities of his soldiers. Fifteen hundred Hessians were at Trenton. On the evening of Christmas, he crossed the Delaware, about nine miles above Trenton, with two thousand five hundred men and six pieces of artillery. He had ordered Cadwallader to cross with two corps of militia in front of Trenton and below at the same time; but floating ice prevented. It required the whole night and the most resolute efforts for Washington to cross with his men. Near four o'clock in the morning, he commenced his march on Trenton, amid a violent snow-storm, in two columns, led by Greene and Sullivan, with Stark's regiment of New-Hampshire troops in advance. They reached the Hes

sians at eight, A.M., and found them sleeping after their Christmas debauch. They were completely surprised. Their commander fell, mortally wounded, while attempting to form his men. Resistance was vain. The light horse and a small number of infantry escaped to Bordentown; but the expedition was completely successful. Washington recrossed the Delaware with a thousand prisoners and six cannon, leaving his proud enemy to wonder how a dying antagonist could strike a blow so sudden and decisive. While the Hessian prisoners were parading through the streets of Philadelphia, the British were prudently withdrawing from Trenton to Princeton.

Cornwallis, detained by Howe from his intended voyage to England on account of the astonishing activity of the Americans and the capture of the Hessians, assumed the command. The great Fabian general would show that he could assume the offensive whenever it was prudent to do so. Cornwallis moved his army immediately for an attack on Washington at Trenton. He encamped for the night; and Washington, sustained in his own judgment by a council of war, resolved neither to wait for an attack, nor to cross the Delaware in face of his enemy. He quietly sent away his baggage, kindled blazing camp-fires, left a detachment at work throwing up intrenchments in hearing of the enemy, and at midnight suddenly moved on Princeton in the rear of Cornwallis. Three regiments had been left there, two of which were on the march for Trenton. The first regiment met was attacked by Mercer and his militia. He fell, mortally wounded; and the regiment, getting away, moved on toward Trenton. The second regiment made a stout resist ance, but broke and fled. The regiment in town threw themselves into the college; but the cannon of Washington soon compelled them to surrender.

Cornwallis, who had anticipated an easy victory over the feeble Americans early in the morning, was astounded by the roar of cannon in his rear, and immediately comprehended