32 HERKIMER DEFEATED AT ORISKANY; YOST CUYLER. When the American troops had reached the place of ambush, they were subjected to a heavy discharge of musketry from the sides, which was immediately followed by an onslaught of the Indians with their tomahawks. Though some of the militia fled at the first attack, the largest portion behaved with great fortitude and spiritedly resisted the attack of the Indians and British. As a result, a scene of unutterable confusion and carnage ensued. Being accustomed to the Indian method of fighting, the militia closed with the royal troops and fought the battle hand to hand. Some of the militia made their escape, but about 100 retreated to some rising ground and there defended themselves until a relief party from the fort compelled the British and Indians to fall back. Early in the fight General Herkimer was wounded in the leg, but instead of being carried to the rear, he sat upon a log, and from there directed the movements of the troops as well as possible. He very soon succumbed, however, because of the loss of blood. The loss of the Americans in killed and wounded was about 400, but the British loss is unknown. Colonel Willett in his sally from the fort killed a large number of the enemy, destroyed their provisions, and carried off a large quantity of spoil.* St. Leger *Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. iv., pp. 141-142; Arnold, Life of Arnold, pp. 150-152; Roberts, The Battle of Oriskany; Bancroft, vol. v., pp. 167-169; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 244-248; Fiske, American Revolution, vol. i., pp. 288-292; Drake, Burgoyne's In now advanced toward the fort and again summoned it to surrender, but Gansevoort again refused to comply with his demand.* Meanwhile, Colonel Willett, accompanied by Lieutenant Stockwell, had succeeded in passing through the British lines in an attempt to inform Schuyler of the position of the fort. Upon receiving this information, Schuyler determined to send aid to the Americans; and Arnold offered to take command of the relief column.t When within a short distance of the fort, Arnold put into practice an acute stratagem which struck consternation into the minds of the British and Indians. Among the Tory prisoners was Hon Yost Cuyler (or Schuyler). He had been condemned to death, but Arnold agreed to spare his life, if he would carry out Arnold's plan implicitly. Several holes such as made by bullets were cut in Cuyler's coat, and he was ordered to rush breathlessly into the British camp and inform the Indians that a large army of Americans was advancing to the relief of the fort. For confirmation of vasion, pp. 90-93. In this, as in other accounts of battles, the estimates of the losses vary greatly. St. Leger says that 400 Americans were killed and 200 captured, but Thacher says 160 were killed and a great number wounded, and the latter number is given by Gordon and other contemporary writers. ARNOLD COMPELS ST. LEGER TO RETREAT. his statement, Cuyler was to point to his coat and if they should inquire as to numbers, he was to point to the leaves on the trees, indicating that the American troops were almost numberless. This stratagem worked with great success, for in addition to the news carried to the Indians by Cuyler, other scouts had arrived in the British camp with news that Burgoyne's army had been routed and was in full flight. All this made a deep impression on the red-men.* Furthermore, the Indians were dissatisfied with the general conduct of the campaign, for they had no desire to besiege fortresses, preferring instead to take scalps and other plunder. When St. Leger's attempt to capture Fort Stanwix proved abortive, the Indians became discouraged, and again, when the British failed to defeat Herkimer, the Indians became suspicious of the prowess of the British army. They had received nothing but hard service and little reward, and when they learned that a strong American force was advancing against them, they determined to seek safety in flight rather than again to bear the brunt of the fight. St. Leger used every argument and artifice to detain them, but in vain; a great part of the Indians deserted, the rest threatening to follow if the siege were maintained. Be Thacher, Military Journal, pp. 89-90; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 250– 251. * Fiske, American Revolution vol. i., pp. 294296; Lossing, pp. 251-252. 33 ing confident that he would meet with no success without his Indian allies, St. Leger on August 22 raised the siege and retreated toward the north. There were many indications of great alarm. So hurried was the retreat that the tents were left standing; the artillery, ammunition, baggage, and provisions were abandoned to fall into the hands of the garrison; and, in fact, everything indicated that the British army was in a state of consternation. Their Indian allies also turned against them and acted in a very savage manner, robbing the officers of their baggage and the army of provisions and stores; they also murdered and stripped of accoutrements all those who were unable to keep up with the main body. This treatment continued until the royal troops reached the Lake on their way to Montreal.* Arnold did not arrive at Fort Schuyler until two days after the retreat of the British; and finding that his services were not needed, he shortly returned to camp. The news of the defeat of the British and the successful defence of Fort Stanwix, together with the defeat at Bennington, greatly raised the spirit of the Americans. The Loyalists began to fear for the success of the royal arms, and a great portion of the people were now convinced that, if their exertions were concentrated Arnold, Life of Arnold, pp. 149-162; Gordon, American Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 529-535; Jones, New York in the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 215-218, 700. 34 SCHUYLER REMOVED; GATES TAKES COMMAND. against Burgoyne, the British would soon be driven from the territory. Before this could take place, however, the Continental Congress had taken a step both unjust and ungracious. That body removed from command one of the bravest and most patriotic officers in the American army. Schuyler, at this time and for some time. past, had been unpopular with the New England members of Congress chiefly because of his attitude in the dispute between New York and New England regarding "Hampshire Grants." He had vigorously asserted the claims of New York to this territory, but Massachusetts and the other New England colonies had strenuously fought against this claim, and the struggle finally became bitter. Consequently, the New England members were strongly prejudiced against Schuyler and were glad of a pretext on which he might be removed from command. The rapid progress of Burgoyne and the inability of the Americans to cope with the situation furnished the pretext sought by the New England congressmen. General Gates had also expressed a desire to be placed in command of the army in the North and, as he was a favorite with the New Englanders, the intrigue for the removal of Schuyler was finally successful. Consequently, on August 5 Congress removed For the history of which see Tuckerman, Life of Schuyler, p. 73 et seq.; Robinson, Vermont, p. 57 et seq.; Williams, History of Vermont, vol. ii.; Thompson, Vermont, pt. ii. Schuyler from command and elevated Gates to that post.* This was particularly aggravating to Schuyler, because he had instituted the measures by which the progress of Burgoyne was to be effectually stopped. He therefore felt the disgrace of his displacement very keenly, and in a letter to Washington says: "It is a matter of extreme chagrin to me to be deprived of the command at a time, when soon, if ever, we shall be enabled to face the enemy; when we are on the point of taking ground where they must attack to a disadvantage, should our force be inadequate to facing them in the field; when an opportunity will, in all probability, occur, in which I might evince that I am not what Congress have too plainly insinuated in taking the command from me." According to Marshall, Schuyler's "removal from command was probably severe and unjust as respected himself, but perhaps wise as respected America. The frontier towards the lakes was to be defended by the troops of New England; and however unfounded their prejudices against him might be, it was prudent to consult them.” Gates arrived at the scene of conflict on August 19 and found everything in good condition for carrying on the campaign. Fresh troops had come in and, as the harvesting had now been completed, the people throughout that section of the country were clamoring to join the army. On the proceedings before this took place, see Bancroft, vol. v., pp. 149-151, 173. See also Fiske, American Revolution, vol. i., pp. 253-258, 296– 297; Tuckerman, Life of Schuyler, p. 223 et seq.; Irving, Life of Washington, vol. iii., pp. 35–44, 61– 71, 140-147. THE MURDER OF JANE MCCREA. I Schuyler did not allow his personal considerations to interfere with his patriotism; he received Gates with great courtesy and aided him in every way possible. He said, "I have done all that could be done, as far as the means were in my power, to inspire confidence in the soldiers of our own army, and I flatter myself with some success, but the palm of victory is denied me, and it is left to you, general, to reap the fruit of my labors. I will not fail, however, to second your views, and my devotion. to my country will cause me with alacrity to obey all your orders."* Shortly after his arrival, Gates entered into a brief and by no means pleasant correspondence with Burgoyne. On August 30 the latter complained that the Loyalists who had been captured at Bennington were harshly treated by the Americans, and hinted that unless it were stopped, he would retaliate on the American prisoners. On September 2 Gates replied to this and recriminated. by reciting the horrible atrocities. committed by the Indians who accompanied the armies of Burgoyne and St. Leger. One of the cases specially mentioned was the murder of Jane M'Crea. On July 27 this young lady, * See also Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. iv., pp. 155-156; Tuckerman, Life of Schuyler, pp. 234–235; Arnold, Life of Arnold, pp. 165-166; Irving, Life of Washington, vol. iii., pp. 199–201. See the letters in Sparks, Correspondence of the Revolution, vol. ii. pp. 522-523. See also Irving, Life of Washington, vol. iii., pp. 201–203. 35 as who is described by Gates 'lovely to the sight, of virtuous character, and amiable disposition,' and who was engaged to an officer of the British army, was seized in her father's house near Fort Edward by some Indians belonging to Burgoyne's army, dragged to the woods with several other young people of both sexes, and after she had been barbarously scalped was wantonly murdered. Thus, instead of being conducted to the altar by the British officer, she received an inhuman death at the hands of some allies of the very army in which her affianced husband was fighting. There are several different versions of this occurrence; the general account is as given above. Other authorities say that her affianced husband, fearing that some harm might come to her, because of the attachment of her father to the royal cause, had induced two Indians of different tribes by promises of large recompense to take her under their escort to the British camp. It is supposed that the two Indians carried out the first part of their contract faithfully and had conducted her nearly to the British camp when they fell into a dispute as to who should receive the reward, each contending that the entire sum belonged to himself. Working themselves into a fury in their dispute, they decided to settle the matter by killing the young lady herself, and with a brutal blow of his tomahawk one of the Indians laid the unfortu 36 BURGOYNE AT SARATOGA; GATES AT BEHMUS'S HEIGHTS. nate maiden dead at his feet.* Such atrocities as these, Gates said, had very much embittered the people of the country against the British. Furthermore, whatever assistance the British might have received at the hands of their Indian allies was more than counterbalanced by the fury of the colonists when they fought they fought against those who had disgraced themselves by the aid of such allies. Because of the defeat of St. Leger and the disastrous result of the expedition against Bennington, Burgoyne was left to his own resources; yet there was one other hope to which he obstinately clung-that Clinton. would be able to send him some assistance from New York. He was unwilling to abandon the enterprise, if there were the slightest reason to expect that reinforcements would arrive from the South. Should these reinforcements arrive, he anticipated anticipated little difficulty in accomplishing the great object of the campaign.† He * Mr. Lossing, in his Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 96-102, comes to the conclusion that this young lady was killed by a shot fired by a party of Americans in pursuit of the Indians, who had carried her off. See Thacher's Military Journal, p. 95; Fiske, American Revolution, vol. i., pp. 277-279; and the version by W. L. Stone in Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography. Trevelyan says that the latter version as given above has long been disproved and discredited. American Revolution,. pp. 127-128, note. Howe at this time was at Philadelphia with the British army, and Washington was keeping him busy. Clinton was only left enough men at New York to defend the town. For a review of the reasons for Howe's failure to support Burgoyne, see Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., pp. 67-76, was now under the necessity of bringing the supplies for his army from Fort George; and yet, in spite of the difficulty of this task, he persevered in it until he had collected sufficient provisions for thirty days. Building a bridge of boats over the Hudson, he then entered upon what proved to be the last step of his disastrous campaign. On the 13th and 14th of September the army crossed the river and encamped on the heights and plains of Saratoga about twenty miles below Fort Edward and thirtyseven miles above Albany.* Gates in the meanwhile had been reinforced by all the Continental troops which could be spared for the northern department, and also by considerable bodies of militia. He evacuated the position taken by Schuyler at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, and proceeded sixteen miles up the river toward the enemy. Acting on the advice of Arnold and Thaddeus Kosciusko, Gates established his camp at Behmus's (or Bemis's) Heights near Stillwater. † At this time the two armies were but twelve miles apart. But the roads were in poor condition and the bridges had been destroyed, so that the progress of both armies was practically cut short |