As the royal army approached to the object of its deftination, it advanced with equal caution and order on both fides of the lake, the naval force keeping its ftation in the centre, until the one had begun to inclofe the enemy on the land-fide, and the frigates and gun boats caft anchor just out of cannon-thot from their works. Upon the near approach of the right wing on the Ticonderoga fide, upon the 2d of July, the Americans immediately abandoned and fet fire to their works, block-houses, and faw-mills, towards Lake George, and, without fally, interruption, or the fmalleft motion of diverfion, permitted Maj.Gen. Phillips to take poffeffion of the very advantageous poft of Mount Hope; which, befides commanding their lines in a great and dangerous degree, totally cut off their communication with that lake. The fame fupineness and total want of vigour appeared in every thing on their fide, except in the keeping up of an ineffectual roar of cannon, which was fo much contemned on the other as not to be once returned.

In the mean while, the royal army proceeded with fuch expedition in the conftruction of its works, the bringing up of artillery, ftores, and provisions, and the establishment of its pofts and communications, that by the 5th matters were fo far advanced as to require little more time for completely invefting the pofts on both fides of the lake. Sugar hill was also examined, and the advantages it prefented were fo important, though attended with infinite labour and difficulty, from the neceffity of making a road to its top through very rough ground, and conftructing a level there for a battery, that this arduous task was undertaken, and already far advanced towards its completion, through the fpirit, judgement, and active industry of Gen. Phillips.

In thefe circumftances, a hafty council was on that day held by the American generals; to which their principal went, as he informs us, already predetermined as to his conduct. It was reprefented, that their whole effective numbers were not fufficient to man one half of the works; that as the whole muft confequently be upon conftant duty, it would be impoffible for them to fuftain the fatigue for any length of time; and that as the enemy's batteries were ready to open, and the place would be com

pletely invefted on all fides within twenty-four hours, nothing could fave the troops but an immediate evacuation of both pofts. This determination was unanimously agreed to by the council, and the place was accordingly evacuated on that night.

However juftly this representation of their condition and circumftances was founded, and however neceffary the determination of the council was in the prefent ftate of their affairs, one apparently capital error on the fide of the commanders mut strike every common observer. If their force was not fufficient for the defence of the works, why did they not form this refolution in time? Why did they not withdraw the troops, artillery, and flores, and demolish the works, before the arrival of the enemy? Why did they wait to be nearly surrounded, unti their retreat was more ruinous than furrender under any conditions that could be proposed, and little lefs deftrue tive in the event, than if the works had been carried by ftorm?

Thefe are queftions that time and bet ter information alone can answer, if e ver they should clearly answer, in favour of the American generals.

The baggage of the army, with fuch artillery, ftores, and provifions, as the neceffity of the time would permit, were embarked with a ftrong detachment of board above 200 batteaux, and dispatch ed, under convoy of five armed gallies up the South river, in their way to Skenefborough. The main army took its route by the way of Caftletown, reach the fame place by land.

The firft light of the morning, July 6, had no fooner difcovered the fight the enemy, than their main body was eagerly pursued by Brig. Gen. Frafer, at the head of his brigade, confifting of the light troops, grenadiers, and fome other corps. Maj. Gen. Reidefel was alfo or dered to join in the purfuit by land, with the greater part of the Brunswick troops, either to fupport the Brigadier, or to act feparately, as occafion might require, or circumftances direct. The enemy left a prodigious artillery behind them, which with thofe taken or destroyed in the armed veffels at Skenefborough, amounted to no less than 128 pieces, of all forts, ferviceable and unferviceable. They al fo left fome military ftores of different forts, and no inconfiderable stock of pro vifions in the forts.

Gen.

Gen. Burgoyne conducted the purfuit by water in perfon. That bridge and thofe works which the Americans had laboured hard for ten months to render impenetrable, were cut through in lefs time by the British feamen and artificers, than it would have coft them to have defcribed their structure. In a word, they did their business with such speed and effect, that not only the gun-boats, but the Royal George and Inflexible frigates, had paffed through the bridge by nine o'clock in the morning. Several regiments embarked on board the veffels; and the pursuit up the river was supported with fuch vigour, that by three o'clock in the afternoon the foremoft brigade of the gun-boats was closely engaged with the enemy's gallies near Skenesborough falls. In the mean time, three regiments which had been landed at South bay, afcended, and pafied a mantain with great expedition, in order to attack the enemy's works at the falls, and thereby cut off their retreat. But their fpeedy flight prevented the excution of that defign. Upon the approach of the frigates, the gallies, which were already overborne by the gunboats, loft all fpirit; two of them were accordingly taken, and three blown up. The rebels now giving way to their defpair, fet fire to their works, ftockaded fort, mills, and batteaux, after which they efcaped as well as they could up the Wood creek. This ftroke feemed to Complete the ruin of their ill-fated army, for the batteaux were deeply loaded, befides their baggage, with ammunition, flores, and provifions; fo that they were now left naked in the woods, deftitute of provifion, and without any other means of defence than what they derived from the arms in their hands.

Confufion and dismay equally attended their main body on the left. The foldiers had loft all refpect for, and confidence in, their commanders. It would be fruitless to expect refolution, where no order nor command could be maintained.

Brig. Frafer continued and fupported the chace, through the vehement heat of a burning day, with his ufual activity and vigour. Having received intelligence that the enemy's rear were at no great dance, and were commanded by Col. Francis, one of their best and bravest officers, his troops lay that night on their ams. He came up with the enemy at

five in the morning, July 7. whom he found ftrongly posted, with great advantage of ground, and a ftill greater fuperiority in point of number. As he expected every moment to be joined by Gen. Reidefel, and was apprehenfive that the enemy might efcape if he delayed, he did not hesitate to begin the attack. The advantages which they possessed in ground and number, and, perhaps more than both, the goodness of their commander, induced them to make a better ftand than might have been expected from their condition in other respects.

As Frafer's corps was not fupported near fo foon as had been expected, the engagement was long; and though the light infantry and grenadiers gave several ftriking proofs of their fuperiority, affairs were ftill undecided and critical. The arrival of the Germans was at length decifive. The enemy fled on all fides, leaving their brave commander, with many other officers, and above 200 private men, dead on the field. About the fame number, befides a colonel, seven captains, and ten fubalterns, were taken prifoners. Above 600 were fuppofed to be wounded, many of whom perifhed miferably in the woods. The principal lofs on the fide of the royal army was that of Maj. Grant, a brave officer, who was killed. St Clair, with the van of the American army, was at this time at Caftletown, about fix miles farther on. Upon the account of this disaster, and of the more fatal stroke at Skenesborough, and under the apprehenfion of being intercepted at Fort Anne, he ftruck on to the woods on his left, probably uncertain whether he should direct his course towards the New-England provinces and the upper part of the Connecticut, or to Fort Edward.

During thefe advantages on the left, Col. Hill was detached with the 9th regiment from Skenesborough towards Fort Anne, in order to intercept the fugitives who fled along the Wood creek, whilft another part of the army was employed in carrying batteaux over the falls, in order to facilitate their movement to diflodge the enemy from that post. In that expedition, the Colonel was attacked by a body of the enemy, confifting, as he conceived, of fix times the number of his detachment, who finding all their ef forts in front ineffectual to force the ju dicious pofition which he had taken, at tempted to furround the regiment. This

alarming

alarming attempt put him under a neceffity of changing his ground in the heat of action. Nothing lefs than the moft perfect difcipline, fupported by the cooleft intrepidity, could have enabled the regiment to execute fo critical a movement in the face of the enemy, and in fuch circumstances. It was however performed with fuch steadiness and effect, that the enemy, after an attack of three hours, were fo totally repulfed, and with fuch lofs, that after fetting fire to Fort Anne, they fled with the utmoft precipitation towards Fort Edward, upon the Hudfon's river.

The lofs of the royal army, in all this fervice, and in so many different engage ments, fome of which were warm, and feemed liable to lofs, was very fmall. The whole in killed and wounded not much exceeding 200 men.

⚫ Such was the rapid torrent of fuccefs, which fwept every thing away before the northern army in its outfet. It is not to be wondered at, if both officers and private men were highly elated with their fortune, and deemed that and their prowess to be irrefiftible; if they regarded their enemy with the greateft contempt, confidered their own toils to be nearly at an end, Albany to be already in their hands; and the reduction of the northern provinces to be rather a matter of fome time, than an arduous task, full of difficulty and danger.

At home, the joy and exultation was extreme; not only at court, but with all thofe who hoped or wifhed the unqualified fubjugation, and unconditional fubmiffion, of the colonies. The lofs in reputation was greater to the Americans, and capable of more fatal confequences, than even that of ground, of posts, of artillery, or of men. All the contemptuous and moft degrading charges which had been made by their enemies, of their wanting the refolution and abilities of men, even in the defence of whatever was dear to them, were now repeated and believed. Those who still regarded them as men, and who had not yet loft all affection to them as brethren, who alfo retained hopes that a happy reconciliation upon conftitutional principles, without facrificing the dignity or the juft authority of government on the one fide, or a dereliction of the tights of freemen on the other, was not even now Impoffible, notwithstanding their favourable difpofitions in general, could not

help feeling upon this occafion, that th Americans funk not a little in their ett mation. It was not difficult to diffu an opinion, that the war in effect was o ver; and that any further refiftand would ferve only to render the term of their fubmiffion the worse. were fome of the immediate effects the loss of those grand keys of North A merica, Ticonderoga and the lakes.

Suc

Gen. Burgoyne continued for fom days, with the army partly at Skent borough, and partly fpread in the ad joining country. They were under th neceflity of waiting for the arrival tents, baggage, and provifions. In th mean time, no labour was spared in o pening roads by the way of Fort Ann for advancing against the enemy. Equ induftry was ufed in clearing the Wo creek from the obftacles of fallen tree funken ftones, and other impedimen which had been laid in the way by th enemy, in order to open a paffage fi batteaux, for the conveyance of artiller ftores, provifions, and camp-equipag Nor was lefs diligence ufed at Ticond roga, in the carrying of gun-boats, pr vifion-veffels, and batteaux, over lar into Lake George. Thefe were all borious works, but the spirit of the arm was at that time superior to toil or da ger.

Gen. Schuyler was at Fort Edwa upon the Hudson's river, where he w endeavouring to collect the militia, a had been joined by St Clair, with t wretched remains of his army, who h taken a round-about march of feven da through the woods, in which, from exceeding badnefs of the weather, we the want of covering, provifions, and manner of neceffaries, they had fuffer the most extreme mifery. Many othe of the fugitives had alfo arrived; but totally broken down, that they we nearly as deftitute of arms, ammunitio and all the materials of war, as they we of vigour, hope, and fpirit, to ufe the with effect.

Although the direct distance from Fe Anne, where the batteaux-navigation Wood creek determined, or even fr Skeneborough, to Fort Edward, was greater, than what in England would confidered as a moderate ride of exerci yet such is the favage face and impra ticable nature of the country [39. 513 and fuch were the artificial diffic which the industry of the enemy

thro

the army thither was a work of much preparation, time, and labour. It will fcarcely be believed in after times, and may now be received with difficulty in any other part of the world, that it coft an active and spirited army, without an enemy in force to impede its progrefs, not many fewer days in paffing from one part to another of a country, than the diftance, in a direct line, would have meafored miles. Yet fuch, however extra ordinary, is the fact. Befides that the country was a wilderness in almost every part of the paffage, the enemy had cut large timber trees in fuch a manner, on both fides of the road, as to fall acrofs and length wife, with their branches interwoven; fo that the troops had feveral layers of thefe frequently to remove, in places where they could not poffibly take any other direction. The face of the country was likewife fo broken with eks and marshes, that in that fhort Space they had no less than forty bridges to conftruct, befides others to repair; and one of these was of log-work, over a morafs two miles in extent. All thefe toils and difficulties were encountered

and overcome by the troops with their fual fpirit and alacrity. The enemy were too weak, too much difpirited, and probably too much afraid of the Indians, to add very materially to thefe difficulfies. Some fkirmishing and firing there was, however, on every day's march; in which, as ufual, they conftantly came off lofers.

It is true, that Gen. Burgoyne might have adopted another route to Hudfon's river, by which most of these particular difficulties would have been avoided. By returning down the South river to Ticonderoga, he might again have embarked the army on Lake George, and proceeded to the fort which takes its name, and lies at its head, from whence there is a waggon-road to Fort Edward. To this it was objected, and probably with reason, that a retrograde motion in the height of victory, would tend greatly to abate that panic with which the enemy were confounded and overwhelmed; that it would even cool the ardour, and check the animation, of the troops, to call them off from the profecution of their fuccefs to a cold and fpiritlefs voyage; and that their expedition would ardoubtedly be checked by the refiftance and delay which they must expect VOL. XLI.

The enemy abandoned Fort Edward, and retired to Saratoga, at the approach of the royal army, which, from the impediments we have feen in the march, was not until the end of July. The enthufiafm of the army, as well as of the general, upon their arrival on the Hudfon's river, which had been fo long the object of their hopes and withes, may be better conceived than defcribed. As the enemy, by previously abandoning Fort George, and burning their veffels, had left the lake entirely open, a great imbarkation of provifions, ftores, and neceffaries, was already arrived at that poft from Ticonderoga. The army was accordingly fully and immediately employ ed, in tranfporting thefe articles, with artillery, batteaux, and fuch other matters as they judged neceffary for the prosecution of their future measures, from Fort George to Hudson's river. Spirited Answer of an English Ambassador. PRide and infolence are allowed to be

the leading features in the character of the Spanish Dons. In Spain, from the monarch upon the throne, to the lowest of his vaffal subjects, every rank is infected, in a greater or lefs degree, with thofe obnoxious qualities. From thofe who approach the royal prefence, the moft abject fubmiffions are fometimes required, fubmiffions which but ill accord with the temper and genius of their Englifh vifitors.-The ambaffador from England, on being prefented to one of the Kings of Spain, was told to do fome particular homage, which, as being too hu miliating for the character he had the honour to bear, he begged leave to decline. Highly piqued at this imaginary infult, and defirous of putting the ambaffor out of countenance for it, the King cried aloud to the courtiers around him, "What! has my good brother of England no other men in his court, that he has fent me a fool to reprefent him?' -"O! yes, may it please your Majefty, (replied our countryman), my mafter has many men abolem far witer than 1; but he makes it an invariable rule, to fuit every ambaffad to the king at whofe court he is to relide."

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