There was a long and
bitter fight, but by evening Burgoyne had not carried the main
position and had lost more than five hundred men whom he could
ill spare from his scanty numbers.
Burgoyne's condition was now growing desperate. American forces
barred retreat to Canada. He must go back and meet both frontal
and flank attacks, or go forward, or surrender. To go forward now
had most promise, for at last Howe had instructed Clinton, left
in command at New York, to move, and Clinton was making rapid
progress up the Hudson. On the 7th of October Burgoyne attacked
again at Stillwater. This time he was decisively defeated, a
result due to the amazing energy in attack of Benedict Arnold,
who had been stripped of his command by an intrigue. Gates would
not even speak to him and his lingering in the American camp was
unwelcome. Yet as a volunteer Arnold charged the British line
madly and broke it. Burgoyne's best general, Fraser, was killed
in the fight. Burgoyne retired to Saratoga and there at last
faced the prospects of getting back to Fort Edward and to Canada.
It may be that he could have cut his way through, but this is
doubtful. Without risk of destruction he could not move in any
direction. His enemies now outnumbered him nearly four to one.
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