Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 218, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1917 — Battles Which Made the World [ARTICLE]

Battles Which Made the World

, « THE AMERICAN VICTORY AT SARATOGA «■*»—S3 A 3TK Brtu, ‘ Colonial Militia Proved Lew Resolute.

By CAPT. ROLAN F. ANDREWS

< Copyright, 1917, by MeClnre Sew«paper Syndicate)

As the skirmish at Bunker Hill becomes a great battle of history in that it decided the American colonists to fight the Wur of the Revolution, so the victory over Burgoyne at Saratoga takes similar rank, because for all practical purposes it decided that- contest and determined the establishment of the American republic. Its consequences were utriklngly direct quite as much for the inspiration they gave the American party in the British parliament as for the effect they produced in determining the French to join with us. * The Americans having suffered defeat at White Plains, Long island, Forts Washington and Lee, Brandywine and Germantown, reverses which outweighed the successes at Trenton, Bennington and Princeton, the "British ministry determined to strike the decisive blow by splitting New England from the rest of the country. To this end command of the Hudson river was to.be gained by the simultaneous advances of an army from Canada and one from New York, the two to meet at Albany. The British authorities were still of the belief that no raw troops could or would stand against trained British regulars in the open. The plan was ably formed. Had it succeeded there Is every human probability that the submission of the colonies must have ensued. Strong re-enforcements were sent to Canada, while in.command of the Invading army was assigned General Burgoyne, This able interesting officer is the individual who appears in Bernard Shaw’s play, “The Devil’s Disciple,” as “Gentlemanly Johnny.” Of regular troops, exclusive of artillery, he had 7,200, half of them Germans. He had also an auxiliary force of some 2 t 500 Canadians. Incidentally he summoned to his aid the Indians of tho lnlre region, by reason of which he was excoriated in America and condemned in England, where Burke pictured him, as addressing “My gentle hyenas ; my tender-hearted wolves.” Advancing down Lake George, he forced St. Clair to evacuate Crown Point and its fortifications on July 5, 1777. Driving opposition before him, he reached the left bank of the Hudson on July 30. To oppose him congress hurried up its pet, General Gates, while as an assistant Washington sent Arnold, one of the most fiery and valorous of leaders. To their standards flocked the provincial militia of the .northern states, while Burgoyne made further preparations at Fort Edward. Now, however, there befell the British two severe disasters. St. Leger had been sent from Canada across Lake Ontario to take Fort Stanwix, after which he was to join Burgoyne on the Hudson. Instead of accomplishing his mission, St. Leger ran into a disastrous beating and scurried back home. Almost simultaneodsly a large force of Germans, under Colonel Baum, sallying forth to capture American supplies at Bennington, were attacked and utterly routed. Lieutenant Colonel Breyman, hurrying up with 500 more Germans to support Baum, was also attacked and driven back. In these two actions the British lost more than slKihundred able soldiers. Yet because he coulcL no longer keep open his line of communication Burgoyne was forced to push forward. He crossed the river, advancing then to Snrntoga, which the Americans had evacuated. Here he waited for the aid of Sir H&nry Clinton, who embarked at New York with 3;000 crack troops, but who didn’t embark soon enough because somebody in the British war office mislaid a letter, in consequence of which Clinton’s re-enforcements did not reach him until September. Burgoyne, becoming impatient, meanwhile took out his right wing under his personal command, encountering Gates and Arnold about four* miles from Saratoga. At nightfall he . was master of the field, but he had lost 600 more men and the Americans had cheered themselves by demonstrating again their ability to stand against his regulars. While Gates’ force was continually growing, Burgoyne was suffering from desertions on the part of his Indians and Canadians. He was now reduced to less than six thousand men. Incidentally all of these were hungry. It was this, as much as anything, which determined Burgoyne to attack even in the face of a much superior enemy. The American right, resting upon the river, he recogmzed as too strong for him. The left he believed he could force,. And against this he headed once again In person a column of 1,500 with six gurs and Generals Phillips, Reidesel and Frazer as his seconds. This was <n, October 7. On the preceding day Clinton had forced the American forts on the Hudson and had destroyed the American fleet He was now only 156 miles from Burgoyne, who, had he known of this approaching assistance, never would have risked As It was, he presumed himself; compelled to go on. 1 Oates did not wait for him. As soon as the British were In line he charged the grenadiers on the left of the advancing enemy. The one of the best bodies of their kind In the \ , i - U--'-

service, fought gallantly under Adw land, but Gates hurled in more troops and the action became general. That Germans in the center could give th« grenadiers no aid, but the British light infantry and the Twenty-fourth, however, managed by falling back to support the grenadiers. Arnold came rushing up with three new regiments and plunged against the British doublw line. With the Twenty-fourth and the light infantry checking the fury of the onslaught in the center, Burgoyne was able to retreat to his camp, but he lost six guns and many men in the process. Moreover, the Americans delivered ■ a most furious attack against the camp itself, Arnold Anally forcing his way* into the works, where he fell with at wound in the same leg which had been hit at Quebec. Brooke also forced the intrenchments on the right, where Breyman died in defense of his post. This gave the Americans an abundance of supplies as well as turning the British flank and securing command of the rear. Burgoyne extricated himself by retreat to the heights, where he was! completely hemmed in and where Gates sat himself down to wait the work off famine. Of Burgoyne’s host there remained but 5,000, less than half off whom were English, all In pitiful condition and opposed by twice their number. At length the 13th of October having arrived with no aid in sight—for Bur-f goyne was still unaware of Clinton’Sf successful advance—the British opened parley. On the fifteenth the articles were signed. That very evening a messenger arrived from Clinton —too late. On the seventh the entire British army* laid down its arms in surrender. At once the tide of events was turned. The British ministry lost its confidence, the French were decided to join arms with the Americans, the sueeessoftbnßevoluttonwasassured.