Howe, but that he (Clinton) would risk the responsibility of a diversion in his favor by attacking Forts Montgomery and Clinton, on the lower Hudson-and to which Burgoyne replied that he would remain in his present position until October 12. This was the worst mistake he had yet made. He certainly had not provisions enough to last till that date, his cattle were actually dying for want of forage, and his Indians began to desert in large numbers. The dashing Arnold now communicated to Gates a scheme for capturing Ticonderoga, Mount Independence and Fort George, and so getting upon Burgoyne's line of retreat via the lakes to Canada. Gates acquiescing, a force of irregulars under Colonel Brown was started upon this enterprise which, partially successful, alarmed Burgoyne, whose retreat would now be a question of hard fighting.

Hearing nothing further from Clinton, Burgoyne, who was no longer blind to the peril of his position, led out fifteen hundred picked men, and endeavored to break through the American line. But General Arnold proved a hard nut to crack, his marksmen picked off the gallant General Frazer with their deadly rifles, and the British were forced back to camp with the loss of their precious artillery, Colonel Brooks, too, at the head of Jackson's Massachusetts regiment, took occasion by the hand, marched around the English lines, and captured the baggage and ammunition of the German brigade. This was just what Gates needed to carry on the campaign. Burgoyne, who was reduced to thirty-five hundred men and three days' rations, fell back during the night to a fresh position on elevated ground. The next day was wasted in skirmishing, and the British general, Lincoln, was disabled whilst reconnoitring. Gates was proving himself to be a very able commander. He saw that the enemy's design was to reach Fort George, and this he determined to frustrate by carefully guarding every avenue of escape. Burgoyne's first march would be to Saratoga, only six miles distant, but it was too late. He left 300 sick and wounded behind him, whom General Gates treated most kindly and humanely. Arrived at the fords of the Fishkill, the English general, who was now in a state bordering on desperation, having heard nothing from Clinton, drove away a force of the enemy who would have barred his passage. These, however, attacked his batteaux on the river, and seized his remaining stores.

For the moment Burgoyne appears to have contemplated fighting his way across the river, whence he hoped to make Fort Edward. In fact, word was brought to Gates that he had effected a crossing, leaving only a rear-guard in camp, and believing this, the former made his dispositions for seizing the camp. At the last moment he heard from a spy or deserter

that he was mistaken in his surmise, and Burgoyne, who had thought to fall upon and crush the Americans on their reaching the opposite bank, had the mortification of seeing them retire again. His last chance was gone. The road to Fort Edward was blocked up.

There is no need to dwell upon what followed. The result of a conference with the officers was that General Burgoyne had an interview with General Gates on the morning of October 14. At first the American commander would listen to no terms but an unconditional surrender, but on Burgoyne stating that he would never acknowledge his retreat cut off while his troops had arms in their hands, Gates (who was well aware that Clinton was drawing nearer and nearer) allowed him honorable terms. Burgoyne soon became aware of the near approach of Clinton, but he could not in honor draw back, and the capitulation was ratified. Gates, who was nothing if not a polished gentleman, would neither attend the humiliating spectacle of "grounding arms" nor allow his soldiers to be present. By it 4,000 muskets, forty pieces of artillery, some stores, etc., became the property of the American Republic.

The news was followed by the resignation of General Sir William Howe, the incapable commander-in-chief of his majesty's land forces in America. His conduct had been culpable and apathetic enough, but observe the careless demeanor of Burgoyne; first, in not maintaining an unbroken connection with the fleet on the lakes; and, secondly, in advancing so far without the prospect of co-operation from Sir William. Several times during the fighting that followed he displayed high qualities as a soldier, but Sir Guy Carleton should never have been removed--at any rate, in favor of an officer fresh from Europe. And the disaster of Saratoga was a foreshadowing of the greater disaster of Yorktown. The intelligence was received with mingled feelings in England; but perhaps the witty Mrs. Inchbald, in criticising the carefully prepared description of the event forwarded to his government by General Burgoyne, summed up the popular sentiment best:

"The style charmed every reader; but he had better have beaten the enemy and misspelt every word of his despatch, for so the great Duke of Marlborough would have done!"

Percy Grots Standing

RICKMANSWORTH, HERTS, ENGLAND,

A CURIOUS AND IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN INDIANA

THE CHIEF OF THE MIAMIS

Editor Magazine of American History:

There lately came into my possession some documents of great historic interest, and which, I think, are worthy of preservation in your valuable Magazine.

John Baptiste Richardville, whose Indian name was Pe-che-wa, or "Wild Cat," was the last principal chief of the Miamis, once a powerful confederacy which held for a long period the gateway to the West; their principal village being Ke-ki-on-ga, now Fort Wayne, Indiana.

He was the son of Tah-cum-wah, daughter of Chief Aque-nosh-qua, and a sister of the famous chief Little Turtle, and was born about the year 1761.

His father was Joseph Drouet de Richardville, who was long an Indian trader at this point, and was, according to tradition, a scion of the nobility of France.

A brother was trader at " Post St. Vincents," or Vincennes, and descendants of his are still living there, in whose possession these remarkable manuscripts are now preserved.

John Baptiste Richardville was a marked character in the history of his times, and he and his family were exempted from the provisions of the treaty by which the Miamis were required to seek new homes in the far west, and remained here, his descendants, notwithstanding the admixture of white blood, showing in every characteristic their Indian ancestry.

He left three daughters, La Blonde, Susan and Catharine. La Blonde left a daughter who married James Godfrey, himself a Miami descended from the same maternal stock and a French Canadian trader of that name. Their family is respected, and are good citizens. Richardville died August 13, 1841, and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery, not far from the place of his birth and residence.

That the tradition of his noble lineage was no myth is amply proven by the curious old documents brought into the wilderness by these adventurous sons of France one hundred and sixty-four years ago, and which have been so strangely preserved, to illustrate the links which bind us through so many decades with the historic names of France.

There seems little room for doubt that Chief Richardville was the son of "Antoine Joseph, the son of Messire Denis Dydie Derout " (Drouet) and "Dame Marie Jeanne Michel Lemadre," who was born March 30, 1723, the last of our genealogical tree, which carries us back almost to the Middle Ages, to the time of William the Conqueror, and connects the days of chivalry in France with the days of chivalry and adventure among the savage tribes of America.

The first paper is the genealogical record, while the second seems to be an adjudication of the family titles by the French King in the year 1201, and are given exactly, as I am able to decipher them, as follows:

Philipe Auguste par la Grace de Dieu Roy de France, etc., à tous presens et avenir Salut Scauoire faisons que sur la Requisition du Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy et St. Phelix Musy Saint Pont, etc., Inspecteur de Cavalerie de nos armées, par Laquélle Requisition Ledit Sire Christophle Drouet Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont, etc., Suplioit Notreditte Majesté de faire droit sur la d'requisition aux fins d'Intreposse notre authoritée Royalle pour terminer les Contestations d'entre luy et le Sire Anthoine Datteuille, Seigneur Daubigny, au sujet du fief dudit Musy Saint Pont, que le dit Sire Antoine Datteuille pretend Luy Estre Deusla accause du Retrait feodal quil à Signifié par Exploit du quinze januier Mil Deux Cent au Domicile dudit Sire Christophle Drouet, Escuyer, Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix, Musy Saint Pont, etc., par les pièces justificationes qu'il nous demontre, et par dautres Connoissances don nous formees Certain; nous Etant fait Representer les Titres qui pourroit concerner le dit Sire Christople Drouet, Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Port, etc., de Soins de notre Conseil le sur le Veû d'Talle piece. Voulant fauorablemem traitter le dit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont, Supliant, Deboutons le dit Sire Antoine d'Atteuille, Escuyer, Seigneur Daubigny de sa demande et representation delitre pour Bonne Le droit dudit Sire Christophle Le Drouet, etc. Sur le fief noble dudit Musy Saint Pont et comme ledit Sire Christophle Drouét Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont. Se trouuant dande l'impossibileté de les Representer attendu l'incendie arrivé dans sa maison ordinaire, qui a été consommé ses meubles, papiere et effets de ce diiment interquellé lecture faite des Proces Verbeaux faits de l'état des lieux par les Commissaires de notre pars envoyén ensembles les Informations faites des Temoins ouyu sur la question de qui dependoit Ledit fief de Musy Saint Pont, et sur la Confrontation de certain aueûs et denombrement fournis aux predecesseurs dudit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont par les Predecesseurs meme dudit Sire Datteuille et faute pare ledit Sire Datteuille : Nauoir Represente vente, Ventillation, ou Translation faite par les predecesseurs dudit Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy, Saint Phelix, Musy Saint Pont etc., ou par luy dudit fief noble haut, moyen et bas justicié dudit fief de Musy Saint Pont; le Condamnones a Reconnoitre ledit Sire Christophle Drouet Seigneur Dosiret et Bragy, Saint Phelix, Musy Saint Pont pour son Seigneur. Nous ayam parû quil Leloit par les aueûs et denombrement cy dillud que

ledit Sire Datteuille Seigneur Daubigny Releuoit dudit fief de Musy Saint Pont, etc. Deluy fournir a cette cause [cause] tous les aueùs et denombremens des Terres a luy appartenantes qui se trouuem en la Monnence dudit fief; L' tout aux memes clauses quil les pretendoient dudit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont, etc. Condamnons en outre ledit Sire Datteuille, Seigneur Daubigny aux frais tant du Retrait feodal que des autres frais des procedures faites au Sujet de sa pretendúe preliminaires sur ledit fief de Musy Saint Pont, Ensemble aux droits vasseaux coruées et vassalite pour les Terres aluy appartenantes qui se trouuem dans la Monnence dudit Musy Saint Pont. En outre Condamnons ledit Sire Datteuille Seigneur Daubigny Enuers Ledit Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Pont, a Reparation Dhonneur pour le Denis aluy fait de sa naissance, en le mettant au neant jusqu'a Roture: Ensemble a restitution de titres audit Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Pont, etc. Concernam Ledit fief de Musy Saint Pont, et au las de Refus Tenu d'affirmer n'en pas auoir, de plus a la restitution des fruits par luy Receuilles dudit fief de Musy Saint Pont qué est dependam dudit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer, Seigneur de Bragy Dosiret Saint Phelix, Musy Saint Pont, etc., depuis le jour quil s'en est saisy jusqua maintenant tant ensance. Rente, grains qu'en argent droits Seigneuriaux Coupe, Vente, Ventillation faite des Bois et prix d'teux; Et ce D'huy en six mois pour tout Delais; Et faute par luy de ce faire Permis audit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret, Bragy Saint Phelix, Musy Saint Pont de faire executer ces Presentes, et le contenu en iceles après le terme d'huy en six mois expiré, en faisam saisir au corps ledit Antoine Datteuille, Seigneur Daubigny, sans quil soft Besoin audit Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy St. Phelix, Musy Saint Pont dautres choses. Mandons et enjoignons a tous nous officiers justiciers et autres de tenir la main a lExecution de des Presentes sur la Requisition dudit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont ou sur celle de ses hoirs ou ayam cause; Ordonnons au premier notre hussier ou sergem exploitant dans lEtendue de notre Royaume de faire pour lExecution des Presentes et le Contenu d'icelles Tous Actes requis et necessaires sans demander autre permission nonobstant clameur de haro, et Lettres au contraires. Ces Presentes furent Données et accordées Donnons et accordons avec pleine connoissance de cause pour servir (Et ce comme de raison) de titres audit Sire Christophle Drouet Escuyer Seigneur Dosiret Bragy Saint Phelix Musy Saint Pont, etc. Et ne pourra estre ledit Sire Inguiette sur lEtat de sa Naissance; et ce Derogeam a toutes choses a ce contraires et au contenu d'icelles presentes.— Car Tel Est Notre Plaisir.

Donné en notre Chateau de Paris audit Lieu ce vingt neuf januier Mil Deux Cent Un. [Signe] PHILIPE.

Auguste, de Notre Regne le quatrieme an, Et plus bas est escrit De Par Le Roy notre om Sire Jean Baptiste Machianet et en marge est escrit alté apposé Le Sceau ce dernier dudit mois etan: Signé Chopinet auec Grille et Paraphe. Je Soussigné Garde Minutte et aux Archives des Lettres Patentes accordées par notredit Seigneur Roy. Certifie a tout quil appartendra que Le Present est Copie mot pour mot et conforme a Loriginal qui est dans lesdittes Archives de nos dits Seigneur Roye, en foy de quoy Jay Signé Le Present pour Servir et Valoir autant quil convindra, a Paris ce vingt trois januier Mil Sept Cent Trente Trois.

[Signe] A. BROGLIO.