The American camp
was at Stillwater, twelve miles farther down the river. Burgoyne
sent messenger after messenger to get past the American lines and
bring back news of Howe. Not one of these unfortunate spies
returned. Most of them were caught and ignominiously hanged. One
thing, however, Burgoyne could do. He could hazard a fight and on
this he decided as the autumn was closing in.
Burgoyne had no time to lose, once his force was on the west bank
of the Hudson. General Lincoln cut off his communications with
Canada and was soon laying siege to Ticonderoga. The American
army facing Burgoyne was now commanded by General Gates. This
Englishman, the godson of Horace Walpole, had gained by
successful intrigue powerful support in Congress. That body was
always paying too much heed to local claims and jealousies and on
the 2d of August it removed Schuyler of New York because he was
disliked by the soldiers from New England and gave the command to
Gates. Washington was far away maneuvering to meet Howe and he
was never able to watch closely the campaign in the north. Gates,
indeed, considered himself independent of Washington and reported
not to the Commander-in-Chief but direct to Congress. On the 19th
of September Burgoyne attacked Gates in a strong entrenched
position on Bemis Heights, at Stillwater.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151