USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. > Part 16
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" Resolved, Nem. con., in the affirmative.
" Question second .- Is the present situation of that nature ?
" Resolved, Nem. con., that the present situation jus- tifies a capitulation upon honorable terms."
Gen. Burgoyne then drew up a message to Gen. Gates, and laid it before the council. It was unanimously ap- proved, and npon that foundation the treaty opened.
On the morning of the 14th of October, Maj. Kingston delivered the message to Gen. Gates, at the American camp, which was in the words following :
" To Mujor-Gen. Gates : After having fought you twiee, Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne has waited some days, in his present position, determined to try a third confliet against any force you could bring to attack him.
" He is apprised of the superiority of your numbers and the disposition of your troops to impede his supplies and render his retreat a seene of earnage on both sides. In this situation he is impelled by humanity, and thinks him- self justifiable by established principles and precedents of state and of war, to spare the lives of brave men upon hon- orable terms. Should Major-Gen. Gates be inclined to treat upon that idea, Gen. Burgoyne would propose a ces- sation of arms during the time necessary to communicate the preliminary terms by which, in any extremity, he and his army mean to abide."
In the afternoon of the 14th, Major Kingston returned to the British camp with the following propositions from Gen. Gates, which are given below, with the answer to each made by Gen. Burgoyne, and approved by his council of war.
PROPOSITION.
"T. Gen. Burgoyne's army being reduced by repeated de- feats, by desertion, sickness, etc., their provisions exhausted, their military horses, tents and bag- gage takeu or destroyed. h ir re- trent cut off, and their camp in- vested, they can only be allowed to surrender as prisoners of war.
" Il. The officers and soldiers inny keep the baggage belonging to them. The generals of the United States never permitted in- dividuals to be pillaged.
ANSWER.
Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne's army, however reduced, will never ad- mit that their retreat is cut off while they have arms in their hands.
Noted.
"ITT. The troops under his ex- eclleney, Gen. Burgoyne, will be conducted by the most convenient route to New England, marching by easy marches, and sufficiently provided for by the way.
"IV. The officers will be ad- mitted on parole and treated with the liberality customary in such cases, so long as they by proper behavior continue to deserve it ; but those who are apprehended having broke their parole, as some British officers have done, must expect to be closely confined.
" V. All publie stores, artillery, arms, ammunition, carriages, ered, arms excepted.
horses, etc., etc., must be deliv- ered to commissioners appointed to receive them.
"VI. These terms being agreed to and signed, the troops under his excellency, Gou. Burgnyne's command, may be drawn up in their encampment, when they will be ordered to ground their arms, and may thereupon be marched to the river-side on their way to Bennington.
"VII. A cessation of arms to continue till sunset to receive Gen. Burgoyne's answer. (Signed) " HORATIO GATES. " CAMP AT SARATOGA, Oct. If."
Agreed.
There being no officer in this army under, or capable of being under, the deseription of break- ing parole, this article needs no answer.
All publie stores may be deliv-
This article is inadmissible in any extremity. Sooner than this army will consent to ground their arms in their encampment, they will rush on the enemy deter- mined to take no quarter.
(Signed) J. BURGOYNE.
At sunset the same evening Maj. Kingston met the ad- jutant-general of the American army, Gen. Wilkinson, in the American camp, and delivered the foregoing answers to Gen. Gates' proposals, and also the following additional message from Gen. Burgoyne :
" If Gen. Gates does not mean to recede from the sixth article the treaty ends at once. The army will to a man proceed to any act of desperation rather than submit to that article. The cessation of arms euds this evening."
Gen. Gates was at first disposed to insist upon the ob- jectionable article, but after some further negotiation he substituted the following article :
" The troops under Gen. Burgoyne to march out of their camp with the honors of war, and the artillery of the in- trenchments to the verge of the river, where their arms and their artillery must be left. The arms to be piled by word of command from their own officers."
" A free passage to be granted to the army under Gen. Bur- goyne to Great Britain, upon condition of not serving again in North America during the present contest; and the port of Boston to be assigned for entry of transports to receive the troops whenever Gen. Howe shall order."
On the 15th the above amended proposals of Gen. Gates were presented to the British council of war, and being satisfactory, Gen. Burgoyne was authorized to sign a defini- tive treaty.
During the night of the 15th a messenger from Gen. Clinton arrived in the British camp with the news that he had moved up the Hudson as far as Esopus, taking Fort Montgomery from the Americans on the way. This infor- mation seemed to revive Burgoyne's hopes of safety. He called together the officers of his council and requested them
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
to declare whether they were of opinion that in case of ex- tremity the soldiers were in a situation to fight, and whether they considered the public faith as already pledged to a sur- render, no convention being then signed. A great number of the officers answered that the soldiers, weakened by hun- ger and fatigue, were unable to fight, and all were decidedly of the opinion that the public faith was engaged. But Burgoyne was of a contrary opinion, and hesitated to sign the treaty. Gen. Gates, on the morning of the 16th, hear- ing of Burgoyne's delay, and being aware of the cause, formed his army in the order of battle and sent word to the British general that the time having arrived he must either sign the articles or prepare himself for battle. Bur- goyne hesitated no longer, but signed the paper, which has ever since been known in history as the " convention" of Saratoga.
" ARTICLES OF CONVENTION BETWEEN LIEUT .- GEN. BUR- GOYNE AND MAJOR-GEN. GATES.
" I. The troops under Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne to march ont of their camp with the honors of war, and the artillery of intrenchments to the verge of the river where the old fort stood, where the arms and artillery are to be left ; the arms to be piled by word of command from their own officers.
" II. A free passage to be granted to the army under Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne to Great Britain, on condition of not serving again in North America during the present contest ; and the port of Boston is assigned for the entry of trans- ports to receive the troops whenever Gen. Howe shall so order.
" III. Should any cartel take place by which the army under Gen. Burgoyne, or any part of it, may be exchanged, the foregoing articles to be void as far as such exchange should be made.
"IV. The army under Lient .- Gen. Burgoyne to march to Massachusetts Bay by the easiest, most expeditious, and convenient route, and be quartered in, near, or as conve- nient as possible to Boston, that the departure of the troops may not be delayed when the transports shall arrive to receive them.
" V. The troops to be supplied ou their march, and during their being in quarters, with provisions by Gen. Gates' orders, at the same rate of rations as the troops of his own army: and, if possible, the officers' horses and cattle are to be supplied with forage at the usnal rates.
" VI. All officers to retain their carriages. battle-horses, and other cattle, and no baggage to be molested or searched, Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne giving his honor that there are no public stores secreted therein. Maj .- Gen. Gates will of course take the necessary measures for the dne performance of this article. Should any carriages be wanted during the transportation of officers' baggages, they are, if possible, to be supplied.
"VHI. Upon the march, and during the time the army shall remain in quarters in Massachusetts Bay, the officers are not, as far as circumstances will admit, to be separated from their men. The officers are to be quartered according to rank, and are not to be hindered from assembling their men for roll call and the necessary purposes of regularity.
" VIII. All eorps whatever of Gen. Burgoyne's army, whether composed of sailors, bateaux men, artificers,
drivers, independent companies, and followers of the army, of whatever country, shall be included in every respect as British subjects.
" IX. All Canadians and persons belonging to the Cana- dian establishment, consisting of sailors, bateaux men, artificers, drivers, independent companies, and many other followers of the army who come under the head of no par- ticular description, are to be permitted to return there ; they are to be conducted immediately by the shortest route to the first British post on Lake George, are to be sup- plied with provisions in the same manner as other troops, are to be bound by the same conditions of not serving dur- ing the present contest in North America.
" X. Passports to be immediately granted for three officers, not exceeding the rank of captain, who shall be appointed by Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne, to carry dispatches to Sir William Howe, Sir Guy Carleton, and to Great Britain, by way of New York, and Maj .- Gen. Gates engages the public faith that these dispatches shall not be opened. These officers are to set out immediately after receiving their dispatches, and to travel the shortest route, and in the most expeditious manner.
"XI. During the stay of the troops in Massachusetts Bay, the officers are to be admitted on parole, and are to be allowed to wear their side-arms.
"XII. Should the army under Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne find it necessary to send for their elothing and other bag- gage to Canada, they are to be permitted to do so in the most convenient manner, and the necessary passports granted for that purpose.
"XIII. These articles are to be mutually signed and exchanged to-morrow morning at nine o'clock, and the troops under Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne are to march out of their intrenchments at three o'clock in the afternoon.
(Signed ) " HORATIO GATES, Maj .- Gen.
(Signed) " J. BURGOYNE, Lieut .- Gen. "SARATOGA, Oct. 16, 1777."
VIII .- SURRENDER OF BURGOYNE AND HIS ARMY ON THE I7THI OF OCTOBER, 1777.
The morning of the 17th of October, 1777, dawned in the old wilderness of the upper Hudson amid full but facing forest splendors. To the British soldiers at Saratoga, lying on their beds of already fallen leaves, the emblems of their withered hopes, it was the saddest morning of the year. To the Americans it was full of the brightness of their country's opening glory, typified by the crimson and purple tints which were still blazing over all the forest tups.
At nine o'clock Gen. Wilkinson rode over to the British camp and accompanied Gen. Burgoyne to the green in front of old Fort Hardy, where his army was to lay down their arıns. From thence they rode to the margin of the river, which Burgoyne surveyed with attention, and asked whether it was fordable. " Certainly, sir," said Wilkinson, "but do you observe the people on the opposite shore ?" "Yes," replied Burgoyne, " I have seen them too long." " Bur- goyne then proposed," continues Gen. Wilkinson, " to be introduced to Gen. Gates, and we crossed the Fishkill and proceeded to headquarters, Gen. Burgoyne in front with his adjutant-general, Kingston, and his aides-de-camp, Capt.
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Lord Petersham and Lieut. Wilford, behind him. Then followed Maj .- Gen. Phillips, the Baron Riedesel, and the other general officers and their snites according to rank. Gen. Gates, advised of Burgoyne's approach, met him at the head of his camp,-Burgoyne in a rich royal uniform, and Gates in a plain blue frock. When they had ap- proached nearly within sword's length they reined up and halted. I then," continues Wilkinson, " named the gentle- men, and Gen. Burgoyne, raising his hat most gracefully, said, ' The fortune of war, Gen. Gates, has made me your prisoner ;' to which the conqueror, returning a courtly salute, promptly replied, ' I shall always be ready to bear testimony that it has not been through any fault of your excellency.' Maj .- Gen. Phillips then advanced, and he and Gen. Gates saluted and shook hands with the familiarity of old acquaintances. The Baron Riedesel and the other officers were introduced in their turn."
The general officers then proceeded to the marquee of Gen. Gates, where dinner was served. The dinner consisted of only three or four simple dishes of the plain fare common in those days, and was laid upon a table of rough boards stretched across some empty barrels. The marquee of Gen. Gates was situated near the road leading to Albany, about three-fourths of a mile south of the Fishkill. While the officers were at dinner the whole American army were marched out of their camp, with drums beating, and sta- tioned along this road for miles, to view the passage of the now disarmed British troops on their way to Boston.
Before this conquering army on the field of old Saratoga our country's flag, the stars and stripes, was first flung to the brecze. The glorious old flag has never waved over a prouder scene than that.
While the American army was forming its victorious lines along the Albany road, another and a different seene was about to be enacted on the green at the verge of the river-side near the ruins of ohl Fort Hardy.
After dinner was over in the marquee of Gen. Gates, the two commanding generals walked out of it together. "The American commander faced front," says Gen. Wilkinson, " and Burgoyne did the same, standing on his left. Not a word was spoken, and for some minutes they stood silently gazing on the scene before them,-the one no doubt in all the pride of honest success, the other the victim of regret and sensibility. Burgoyne was a large and stoutly-formed man ; his countenance was rough and harsh, but he had a handsome figure and a noble air. Gates was a smaller man, with ninch less of manner and none of the air which dis- tinguished Burgoyne. Presently, as by a previous under- standing, Gen. Burgoyne stepped back, drew his sword, and, in the face of the two armies, as it were, presented it to Gen. Gates, who received it and instantly returned it in the most courteons manner."
By this time three o'clock in the afternoon had come, and what was left of the British army was marched to the green on the verge of the river, where, out of view of the American lines, at the command of their own officers, they piled their arms. " Many a voice," says De Fonblanque, " that had rung in tones of authority and encouragement above the din of battle now faltered ; many an eye that had unflinchingly met the hostile ranks now filled with tears.
Young soldiers who had borne privation and suffering with- out a murmur stood abashed and overcome with sorrow and shame ; bearded veterans for whom danger and death had no terrors sobbed like children as for the last time they grasped the weapons they had borne with honor on many a battle-field."
But this was but a remnant of the onee proud army which so full of hope in the early summer had erossed the Canadian frontier. In killed and wounded they had lost eleven hundred and sixty, of whom seventy-three were offi- cers. The numbers who now laid down their arms did not exceed three thousand five hundred officers and men, of whom sixteen hundred were Germans.
In this procession of conquered men the poor Hessians ent a sorry figure. They were extremely dirty in their persons, their ponderous caps being heavier than the whole aecoutrement of a British soldier. They had with them a large number of women, who to the Americans appeared oddly dressed and gypsy featured. They had with them a large collection of wild animals which they had caught on their way through the wilderness. Young foxes peered slyly out from the top of a baggage-wagon, and young rac- eoons from the arms of riflemen. A grenadier was here seen leading a lightly-tripping deer, and a stout artilleryman playing with a black bear.
After the army of Burgoyne had piled their arms, they were again formed into line, the light infantry in front, and escorted by a company of American light dragoons, headed by two mounted officers bearing the stars and stripes, they marehed across the Fishkill, and through the long lines of American soldiers posted along the road to Albany, the band playing " Yankee Doodle."
The long agony was over; the British soldiers were on their way to Boston prisoners of war, bivonacking the first night of their captivity on their old camping-ground at Wilbur's Basin, near the grave of Gen. Fraser.
THE RESULT OF THE BATTLES.
Of the result of the battles of Freeman's Farm, at Be- mus Heights, and the surrender of Burgoyne and his army at Old Saratoga, enough has already been written, and they are sufficiently familiar to the American reader. The last was the closing scene of the last aet of one of the world's great dramas which change forever the destinies of nations,
The defeat of Burgoyne and the surrender of his army assured the independence of the American colonies and changed the destinies of the world. Henry Hallam, author of the celebrated work entitled, " View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages," defines decisive battles as " those battles of which a contrary event would have essentially varied the drama of the world in all its subse- quent scenes." Following this idea, E. S. Creasy, professor of history in the University College of London, has selected fifteen battles, beginning with Marathon and ending with Waterloo, as the only ones coming within the definition of Mr. Hallam. Among the fifteen he names Saratoga.
The scenes of this great encounter remained until the hundredth anniversary of the surrender without a slab or stone to mark the spot. On that day, the 17th of October,
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1877, the corner-stone of a monument was laid amid a vast concourse of people, of which some account is given else- where in this volume.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE NORTHERN INVASION OF 1780.
AFTER the surrender of Gen. Burgoyne and his army on the heights of Saratoga on the 17th day of October, 1777, the tide of war swept over other and distant fields. and no event of much importanee occurred in the county of Sara- toga until what is known in history as the Northern In- vasion of 1780.
This invasion was intended by the British authorities to be one of considerable import. It was hoped that, with some aid from Canadian militia, assisted by the Indians, the many disaffected persons still left in the valleys of the Hud- son and Mohawk would join the royal cause, and, in the absence of so many fighting men in other fields remote from their homes, much might be done towards bringing back the country to its allegiance. Early in the summer of 1780 the American authorities at Albany had intima- tions of this invasion. But nothing definite could be learned, and the summer passing away without any warlike demonstrations except a raid or two in the valley of the Mohawk, it was thought that when the frosts of autumn had come no further danger might be looked for from that quarter.
But the blow at length came when least expected, and spent its force in the raid on the young settlement of Ballston .*
In the early part of October of 1780 an expedition was sent from Canada, by way of Lake Champlain, under com- mand of Major Carleton. Arriving at Bulwagga bay, which forms the west shore of Crown Point, they landed the two hundred men there which formed the Ballston party. This detachment was made up in part of Sir John Johnson's corps, partly of some rangers, among whom were some refugees from the Ballston settlement, and partly of some Mohawk Indians, headed by their war-chief, " Capt. John." This motley company was under the command of Capt. Munro, who had, before the war, been a trader at Schenectady, and had had much to do with the early settle- ment of Saratoga County.
The object of this part of the expedition was to attack Schenectady, but if that experiment, upon reconnoitring, should be deemed hazardous, then to make a descent upon the Ballston settlement. The orders to Munro were to plunder, destroy property, and take prisoners, but not to kill unless attacked or resisted, or to prevent escapes.
I .- THE ATTACK ON FORT ANNE AND FORT GEORGE.
After leaving the detachment of two hundred men, under Capt. Munro, at Bulwagga bay, the main body, under
Maj. Carleton, consisting of about eight hundred men, pro- ceeded up Lake Champlain, and landing at South bay, moved forward rapidly to Fort Anne, where they arrived on the 10th of October. On demand the fort was surren- dered to Carleton, then burned, and the garrison made pris- oners. They then, with their prisoners, marched across to Fort George, where they arrived on the 11th of October. After a short skirmish outside of the fort, between Gage's hill and Bloody pond, in which the enemy were successful, and a brief investment of the fort, our troops surrendered themselves as prisoners of war, and the fort was destroyed. Maj. Carleton, with his forces and prisoners, thereupon returned to his vessels on Lake Champlain.
It will thus be seen that the main part of the expedition effected little. While the British forces were in the vicinity of Fort Anne and Lake George, Maj. Carleton sent out numerous seonting and marauding parties into the neigh- boring villages of Sandy Hill, Fort Edward, and others lying along the Hudson. These lawless parties committed so many depredations on the defenseless inhabitants, and burned so many dwellings, that that year is called to this day among their descendants "the year of the great burning."
HI .- THE RAID UPON BALLSTON.
After landing at Bulwagga bay, the party under Munro took the old Indian trail which led down through the eastern part of the old Adirondack wilderness, in the valley of the Schroon river, past the foot of Crane's mountain, and cross- ing the Sacondaga, passed through Greenfield into the northwest corner of what is now the town of Milton, where they eneamped and remained several days. While here they remained concealed in the forest, no one in the neigh- borhood dreaming of their presence except some Tories, to whom they had made themselves known, and who supplied them with provisions. Having learned through their scouts that it would be unsafe to make an attempt on Schenectady, and that the " fort" in Ballston had just been garrisoned by about two hundred militiamen, chiefly from the former place, they concluded to advance no farther than Col. Gordon's.
The " fort," as it was called, stood on the southwest cor- ner of the square, at the red meeting-house, which was then nearly completed. The fort was construeted of oak logs, with loop-holes for musketry, and surrounded with pickets.
The massacre at Cherry Valley, ; and the more recent Indian barbarities in the Mohawk valley, had excited the worst apprehensions of the Ballston inhabitants, who had for two or three months previous been expecting an invasion of the enemy. Some of them had frequently abandoned their dwellings at night, taking with them their most valu- able effects, and lodged in the woods; but as no danger appeared, their vigilance relaxed, and they slept in their dwellings.
Col. James Gordon, then the commanding officer of a regiment of militia, arrived home October 13 from Poughkeepsie, where he had attended, as a member of the Legislature, at an extra session convened by Gov. Clinton,
# We are indebted to Judge George G. Scott, of Ballston Spa, whose ancestors were among the sufferers in this raid, for much of this chapter. See his historical address of July 4, 1876. See also Ilough's Northern Invasion of ITS0.
t See Judge Scott's address.
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IIISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
which adjourned October 10. IFis residence was on the Middle Line road, upon the farm now owned by Henry Wiswall, Jr., and his capture was deemed of considerable importance. Some of the escaped Tories, who had been brought back by him three years previous, had not forgiven him, and one of them, in communication with Munro, in- formed him of Gordon's arrival. In the evening of Oc- tober 16 the enemy came to a halt at the dwelling of one James MeDonald, a Tory living at the first four corners west of what has since been known as the Court-house hill. Me Donald piloted the party through the woods to the rear of Gordon's house. Gordon was awakened by the break- ing of the windows of his sleeping-room by bayonets thrust through them. He sprang from his bed, in which were his wife and little daughter, and partly dressing him- self went into the hall, which was by this time filled with the enemy. As he opened the door a gigantic savage raised his tomahawk, and as the blow was descending upon Gordon's head the arm of the savage was caught by an officer. At this moment the brass clock, which stood in the corner of the hall, struck twelve, whereupon an Indian shat- tered it into pieces with his tomahawk, exclaiming, " You never speak again !" A scene of indiscriminate plunder then ensued, which was chiefly carried on by the squaws who accompanied the party, and were the most heavily laden with the spoils. The Indians attempted to fire the house and barn, but were prevented. Besides Gordon, Jack Cal- braith and John Parlow, servants, and Nero, Jacob, and Ann, three negro slaves, were carried off as prisoners.
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