1777. water side, the Americans, beside preparing gallies, floating batteries, armed vessels and boats, fire ships and rafts, had built a fort on Mud Island, which they called Fort Mifflin; and another at Red Bank, which they called Fort Mercer. A detachment from the British army having dislodged the Americans from Billingsport, batteries were erected on the Pennsylvania shore, to assist in dislodging them also from Mud Island. A detachment was sent at the same time to attack Fort Mercer. This enterprise was entrusted to colonel count Donop, a brave and high spirited German officer, who with three battalions of Hessian grenadiers, the regiment of Mirback, and the infantry chasseurs, having crossed the Delaware from Philadelphia on the 21st of October, marched down on the eastern side of the river, and on the afternoon of the next day reached Red Bank. The place was defended by about 400 men under the command of colonel Red Bank. Christopher Greene, of Rhode Island. Count Donop with undaunted firmness led on his troops to an assault, through a tremendous fire; and, forcing an extensive outwork, compelled the garrison to retire to the redoubt; but, while fighting bravely at the head of his battalions, he received a mortal wound. The assailants were soon forced to a precipitate retreat, under a well directed fire from the garrison, which again proved destructive to them, as it had previously been in their approach to the assault. In this expedition, the enemy are supposed to have lost about 400 The garrison lost 32 only, killed and wounded. Oct. 22. Nov. 16. attacked by men. Preparations in the mean time were going forward for reducing Fort Mifflin the fort on Mud Island. The British ships having at length the British, been got up the river, a heavy cannonade commenced from them and evacu- and from the batteries on the shore, which dismounted several ated. 18. cer at Red of the guns of the fort, and otherwise so damaged its defences, that the garrison, apprehensive of an assault, quitted it the ensuing night, and were carried off by their shipping. Within three days afterward, the garrison at Red Bank, on the approach Fort Mer- of lord Cornwallis with a large force, was withdrawn. The water force of the Americans, now no longer protected by the works on the shore, quitted its station, and retired up the river. A few of the smaller gallies, by keeping close on the Jersey shore, passed Philadelphia in the night, and escaped; the rest were abandoned and burnt. A communication was thus opened at last between the British army and navy.2 Bank evac uated. 1 Mud Island lies near the middle of the Delaware river, about seven miles below Philadelphia; Red Bank lies opposite to it, on the Jersey shore. Billingsport is a high bank on the same shore, about twelve miles below Philadelphia, on which a fortification had been erected by the Americans. 2 By order of congress, an elegant sword was presented to each of the following officers; colonel Greene, who commanded in Fort Mercer; lieutenant colonel Smith, of Maryland, who commanded in Fort Mifflin; and commodore Hazlewood, who commanded the gallies. While these inauspicious operations were carried on in the 1777. south, the northern portion of the country was a theatre of events, that more than counterbalanced them. A principal object of the Northern British in the campaign of this year, was to open a free commu- campaign. nication between New York and Canada. The British ministry were sanguine in their hopes, that, by effecting this object, New England, which they considered as the soul of the confederacy, might be severed from the neighbouring states, and compelled to submission. In prosecution of this design, an army of British and German troops, amounting to 7173 men, exclusive of a corps of artillery, was put under the command of lieutenant general Burgoyne, a very ambitious, enterprising, and able officer. The plan of operations consisted of two parts. General Burgoyne with the main body was to advance by the way of Lake Champlain, and force his way to Albany, or at least so far as to effect a junction with the royal army from New York; and lieutenant colonel St. Leger, with about 200 British soldiers, a regiment of New York loyalists, raised and commanded by Sir John Johnson, and a large body of Indians, was to ascend the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario, and from that quarter to penetrate toward Albany by the way of the Mohawk river. Quebec. Point. ed by the General Burgoyne arrived at Quebec in May. On the 20th Burgoyne of June he proceeded up Lake Champlain, and landed near arrives at Crown Point, where he met the Indians, gave them a war feast, and made a speech to them, calculated to secure their friendly cooperation. On the 30th, he advanced with his army to Crown Advances Point; whence he proceeded to invest Ticonderoga. In a few to Crown days his works were so far advanced, as to threaten a complete enclosure of the continental army; and general St. Clair, the commanding officer of the Americans, with the unanimous approbation of a council of general officers, abandoned the place. July 6. The evacuation was effected with such secrecy and expedition, Ticonderothat a considerable part of the public stores, embarked in 200 ga evacuatbatteaux, and despatched up the river to Skenesborough under Americans. convoy of five armed gallies, was saved. A brigade of gun. boats, however, gave chase to the gallies; and, coming up with them near Skenesborough Falls, engaged and captured some of the largest of them, and obliged the Americans to set the others on fire, together with a considerable number of their batteaux. The rear guard of the American army, commanded by colonel Warner, amounting to more than 1000 men, taking the Castleton road to Skenesborough, was overtaken and attacked at Hubberton by general Frazer with 850 fighting men. The Americans Hubberton. made a gallant resistance; but, on the arrival of general Reidesel with his division of Germans, they were compelled to give way in all directions. Colonel Francis, a very valuable officer, fell in Action at 1777. the action; several other American officers, and above 200 men, were killed; and about the same number taken prisoners. Nearly 600 are supposed to have been wounded; many of whom must have died in the woods. The enemy stated their own loss at 35 killed, and 144 wounded.1 General St. Clair, after a distressing march of seven days, joined general Schuyler at Fort Edward. General Burgoyne, having with incredible labour and fatigue conducted his army through the wilderness from Skenesborough, reached Fort Edward, on Hudson's river, on the 30th of July. As he approached that place, general Schuyler, whose forces, even since the junction of St. Clair, did not exceed 4400 men, retired over the Hudson to Saratoga. Burgoyne reaches Fort Ed ward. Fort Aug. 6. Herkemer defeated. On the 3d of August, St. Leger with an army of from 1500 to 1800 men invested Fort Schuyler.2 This fortress was garrisoned by about 600 continental troops from New York and Massachusetts, under the command of colonel Gansevoort. On the first approach of the royal army, general Herkemer, who commanded the militia of Tryon county, assembled them in considerable force for the relief of the garrison. St. Leger, receiving information of his approach, sent out a strong detachment of regulars and Indians, who lay in ambuscade on the road, by which he was to march. Into this ambuscade Herkemer fell, and his party was defeated with great slaughter. The loss was estimated at about 400 men. General Arnold was now despatched with a brigade of troops to attack the besiegers; but their force being greatly superior to his own, recourse was had to stratagem. A man who was the proprietor of a handsome estate in the vicinity, having been taken up as a spy, was employed as a deceptive messenger to spread an alarm, and induce the enemy to retreat; on condition, if he succeeded, that he should be liberated, and his estate secured to him. The stratagem was successful. The Indians instantly determined to quit the ground; and St. Leger, finding himself deserted by 700 or 800 of these important auxiliaries, St. Leger decamped in the greatest hurry and confusion, and returned to Montreal Montreal, leaving his tents, with most of his artillery and stores, in the field.3 returns to General Burgoyne perceived the importance of a rapid movement, to cooperate with St. Leger; but could not effect it without ox teams, carriages, and provisions. At Bennington, a town 1 Stedman says, the loss of the British did not exceed 20 officers, and about 120 men, killed and wounded. 2 Formerly called Fort Stanwix, at the head of Mohawk river. 3 Thacher, Hist. Journal. The stratagem was proposed by colonel Brooks of Massachusetts, and approved by general Arnold. detaches in New Hampshire Grants [Vermont] between the forks of the 1777. river Hoosack, and about 24 miles to the eastward of Hudson's river, there was a large depot of provisions and carriages, for the northern American army; and this the British general determined, if possible, to surprise and seize. On this service Aug. 9. lieutenant colonel Baum, a brave German officer, was despatched Burgoyne with about 600 men, mostly Germans, including a detachment col. Baum of Reidesel's dragoons. When he had arrived at Walloon to BenningCreek about seven miles from Bennington, he learned that the ton. Americans were strongly intrenched at that place, and that as soon as they should receive a re-enforcement of men, it was their intention to attack him. He therefore halted, and posted his detachment in as advantageous a manner as possible; and transmitted this intelligence to general Burgoyne. General Stark, while on his march with a body of New Gen. Stark Hampshire militia to join general Schuyler, receiving intelligence prepares to of Baum's approach, altered his movement, and collected his force at Bennington. This gallant officer, being joined on the 16th by a company of militia from the Grants, and another from the county of Berkshire in Massachusetts, and having now a collective force of about 1600 men, determined to attack colonel Baum in his intrenchments. Having sent colonel Nichols with 250 men to the rear of the enemy's left wing, and colonel Hendrick with 300 to the rear of their right, and placed 300 to oppose their front and draw their attention; he sent colonels Hubbard and Stickney with 200 to attack the right wing, and 100 more to re-enforce colonel Nichols. The attack began Aug. 16. precisely at three o'clock in the afternoon. The several de- & Breyman tachments seconded the onset, and colonel Stark advanced at defeated. the same time with the main body. The engagement lasted two hours; but the German troops were at length obliged to abandon their breastworks, and retreat into the woods, leaving their commander mortally wounded on the field of battle. Lieutenant Baum colonel Breyman, whom Burgoyne had detached with 500 Ger- mortally mans to the assistance of colonel Baum, coming up just in time to join the fugitives, was vigorously attacked by the Americans, and, after having made a very gallant resistance, and expended all his ammunition, was obliged to retreat. The loss of the 1"In the whole army a corps could not have possibly been found so unfit for a service, that required rapidity of motion, as Reidesel's dragoons. Their very hats and swords weighed very nearly as much as the whole equipment of one of our soldiers. The worst British regiment in the service would with ease have marched two miles for their one." Stedman. This author gives the above mentioned number of men in the detachment. Other historians say, the number was 500. Dr. Belknap, who refers to a MS. copy of Burgoyne's orders, says, there were about 1500, and 100 Indians. Cols. Baum wounded. 1777. abandoned. British in these two engagements was about 600 men; 1000 stand of arms, and 900 swords, were taken by the Americans.1 Siege of St. Leger soon after abandoned the siege of Fort Schuyler, F. Schuyler and returned to Montreal. The tents of his army were left standing, and the artillery, with a great part of the baggage, ammunition, and provisions, fell into the hands of the Americans.2 Sept. 14. encamps at Saratoga. 19. Battle near General Burgoyne, having collected about 30 days' provision, Burgoyne and thrown a bridge of boats over the Hudson, crossed that river on the 13th and 14th of September, and encamped on the heights and plains of Saratoga. General Gates, who had recently taken the chief command of the northern department of the American army, advanced toward the enemy, and encamped three miles above Stillwater. On the night of the 17th, Burgoyne encamped within four miles of the American army; and about noon on the 19th advanced in full force against it. The Stillwater. right wing was commanded by general Burgoyne, and covered by general Frazer and colonel Breyman with the grenadiers and light infantry, who were posted along some high grounds on the right. The front and flanks were covered by Indians, Provincials, and Canadians. The left wing and artillery were commanded by the major generals Phillips and Reidesel, who proceeded along the great road. Colonel Morgan, who was detached to observe their motions, and to harass them as they advanced, soon fell in with their pickets in the front of their right wing, attacked them sharply, and drove them in. A strong corps was brought up to support them, and, after a severe encounter, Morgan was compelled to give way. A regiment was ordered to assist him, and the action became more general. The commanders on both sides supported and re-enforced their 1 Stedman. General Burgoyne represented his loss to be about 400 men, but judge Marshall observes, 32 officers, and 564 privates, including Canadians and tories, were made prisoners; "the British general, therefore," he infers," must have included in his estimate of loss, only his European troops." The count de Baum "lies buried hard by the river's brink; and a little rising of the turf alone distinguishes his grave.". "-General Stark presented to the legislature of Massachusetts several military articles taken from the British. A letter of thanks was written to the general by order of the assembly; and it was voted," that the trophies should be preserved in the archives of the state." These trophies have a conspicuous place in the Senate chamber of the State house in Boston. 2 The barbarities perpetrated by the Indians belonging to the army of Burgoyne, as well as to that of St. Leger, excited more resentment than terror. The murder of Miss M'Crea, a young lady, beautiful and accomplished, virtuous and amiable, excited a very great sensation. Her father was friendly to the royalists, and she was engaged to marry a refugee officer in Burgoyne's army. When our army retreated from Fort Edward, Miss M'Crea remained behind, and was dressed to receive her promised husband. The Indians soon made her their prisoner; and on their return to Burgoyne's camp, during a quarrel about who should hold possession of the fair prize, one of the savages struck his tomahawk into her skull, and immediately stripped off her scalp. |
