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CHAP. fifths of whom were regulars, British and Hessian; the remainder Canadians and Indians. It was furnished with 1777. one of the finest parks of field-artillery, under the command of General Phillips, who had acquired his great reputation as an artillery officer in the wars of Germany. He was also ably supported by the second in command, General Fraser, an officer of great merit, and who was characterized as the soul of the army. The Hessians were under Baron Reidesel.

Near Crown Point, Burgoyne met the chiefs of the Six Nations in council, and induced four hundred of their June. warriors to join him. A few days later he issued a bombastic proclamation, in which he threatened to punish the patriots who would not immediately submit, and to let loose upon them the Indians.

St. Clair, who had but three thousand men, wrote to General Schuyler at Albany, that he could not defend Ticonderoga unless he had reinforcements, ending his letter by saying: "Every thing will be done that is practicable to frustrate the enemy's designs; but what can be expected from troops ill-armed, naked, and unaccoutred?" Still unaware of the force of the enemy, he trusted in his position, and that he could hold out for some time.

There was an abrupt hill on the edge of the narrow channel which connects Lakes Champlain and George. This hill commanded Fort Ticonderoga, and also Fort Independence, on the east side of Champlain. It was thought by St. Clair, and others, to be absolutely inaccessible for artillery. But the "wily Phillips," acting on the principle that "where a goat can go, a man may go; and where a man can go, artillery may be drawn up,' suddenly appeared on this hill-top. For three days he had been at work taking his cannon up the height, and in twenty-four hours he would be ready to "rain iron hail" on both the forts, from his Fort Defiance.

The Americans must now evacuate the forts, or be

BURGOYNE'S ADVANCE-ST. CLAIR'S RETREAT.

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made prisoners. St. Clair chose the former. He could CHAP. only escape in the night, and his preparations must be made in the face of the enemy. The two hundred bateaux 1777. were to be laden with stores, the women, the sick and wounded, and sent up South River. St. Clair, with the main body, was to pass to Fort Independence, and with its garrison march through the woods to Skeenesborough, now Whitehall. With the greatest secrecy and speed, the arrangements were made; the boats, concealed by the July deep shadows of the mountains, were under way; the main body had passed over the drawbridge to Independence, and was on its march, and the rear division was just leaving Ticonderoga, when suddenly, about four o'clock in the morning, the whole heavens were lighted up; a house on mount Independence was on fire, and its light revealed the Americans in full retreat. Alarm guns and beating of drums aroused the British. General Fraser was soon in motion with his division, the abandoned forts were taken possession of, and by daylight measures concerted to pursue the fugitives both by land and water. Fraser was to pursue St. Clair with his division, and General Reidesel to follow with his Hessians, while Burgoyne himself sailed in his ships to overtake the American flotilla. On the afternoon of the next day, the flotilla reached Whitehall; but scarcely were they landed, when the roaring of artillery told that the British gunboats had overtaken the rear-guard of galleys. Presently, fugitives from these brought intelligence that the British frigates had landed Indians, who were coming to cut off their retreat. Every thing was abandoned, and set on fire; all took to flight toward Fort Anne, at which place, after a most harassing night-march, they arrived. The enemy appeared the same day, but were held in check by sharp skirmishing. The Americans thought this the vanguard of Burgoyne's army, and they set Fort Anne on fire, and retreated

XXXII.

CHAP. sixteen miles further to Fort Edward, where Genera. Schuyler had just arrived with reinforcements. 1777. General St. Clair continued his retreat, and at night arrived at Castleton; his rear-guard, contrary to his express orders, stopped six miles short of that place. The next morning, the guard was startled by an attack from Fraser's division, which had marched nearly all night. At the first onset a regiment of militia fled, but the regiments of Warner and Francis made a spirited resistance; yet they were compelled to yield to superior numbers, and make the best retreat they could. St. Clair, in the mean time, pushed on through the woods; after seven days, he appeared at Fort Edward, with his soldiers wearied and haggard from toil and exposure.

Schuyler sent at once a strong force to put obstructions in Wood Creek; to fell trees and break down the bridges on the road from Fort Anne to Fort Edward. This being the only road across that rough and thickly wooded country, it took Burgoyne three weeks to remove these obstructions and arrive at Fort Edward. The British hailed with shouts of exultation the Hudson; the object of their toil. It would be easy, they thought, to force their way July to Albany, in which place Burgoyne boasted he would eat his Christmas dinner.

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Schuyler now retreated to Saratoga. In these reverses the loss of military stores, artillery, and ammunition was immense, and the intelligence spread consternation through the country. The American army under Schuyler consisted of only about five thousand men, the majority of whom were militia; many were without arms, while there was a deficiency of ammunition and provisions.

Just at this time, a daring and successful adventure mortified the enemy, and afforded no little triumph to American enterprise. The commanding officer at Newport, General Prescott, famous for the arbitrary and con

A BRITISH FLEET PUTS TO SEA.

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temptuous manner in which he treated the "rebels," CHAP offered a reward for the capture of Arnold, who replied to the insult by offering half the sum for the capture of 1777. Prescott. It was ascertained, by means of spies, that the latter was lodging at a certain house in the outskirts of the town. On a dark night a company of select men, with Colonel Barton at their head, crossed Narraganset July Bay, in whale-boats, threading their way through the British fleet. They secured the sentinel at the door, burst into the house, and seized Prescott, who was in bed. The astonished General only asked if he might put on his clothes. "Very few and very quick," replied Barton. He returned with his prisoner across the bay without being discovered. This was a counterpart to the capture of Lee, for whom Prescott was afterward exchanged.

The uncertainty as to the designs of the enemy was perplexing. Washington learned from spies in New York that Howe was preparing for an expedition by water, but its destination was a profound secret. Burgoyne was evidently pressing on toward the South, to obtain possession of the Hudson. Did Howe intend to move up that river to co-operate with him, and thus cut off the communication between New England and the other States; to make an attack on Boston, and thus employ the militia of those Statęs at home, and prevent their joining Schuyler, or to endeavor to reach Philadelphia by water? were questions difficult to answer. In the midst of these speculations as to its destination, the British fleet, on board of which were about eighteen thousand men, under the command of Howe, passed out through the Narrows, and bore away. Intelligence came in the course of ten days that it was seen off Cape May, and Washington moved the army across the July Delaware to Germantown, a few miles from Philadelphia.

Presently it was ascertained that the fleet had sailed to the eastward. Was it to return to New York, or had

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CHAP. it sailed for Boston? Till the designs of the enemy were more definitely known, the army was held in readiness to 1777. march at a moment's notice.

While waiting for time to unravel these mysterious movements of Sir William, Washington visited Philadelphia to consult with Congress, and to give directions for the further construction of fortifications on the Delaware, to prevent the enemy from ascending to the city. Some months before, Arnold, after refusing the command in the Highlands, offered him by Washington to soothe his wounded feelings, had accepted that in Philadelphia, and with the aid of General Mifflin, had already partially constructed defences.

The Duke of Gloucester, the brother of the king of England, at a dinner given him by French officers in the town of Mentz, had told the story, and the cause of the rebellion then going on in America. A youth of nineteen belonging to one of the noble families of France was a listener. For the first time, he heard of the Declaration of Independence, and the full particulars of the struggle for liberty then in progress in the colonies beyond the Atlantic. His generous sympathies were enlisted; he could appreciate the nobleness of their cause, and his soul was fired with the desire to fly to their aid. Though happily married, and blest with wealth, high social position, and domestic joys, he was willing to leave them all, and risk his life in the cause of freedom. This young man was the Marquis De Lafayette.

Though the French government was not prepared to take a decided stand, while the issue seemed doubtful, yet this consideration, instead of checking, inflamed his ardor. "Now I see a chance for usefulness, which I had not anticipated. I have money; I will purchase a ship, which will convey to America myself, my companions, and the freight for Congress." Such were his words; and he se