might engage them when he thought it to his advantage, it was impoffible for the royal army to bring him to action against his confent. This gave occafion to much uneafinefs in England; where the news of the firft fucceffes had caused the greateft exultation, which was now fucceeded with very gloomy reflections on the peculiar and fatal circumftances, which, from the nature of the country, and other co-operating caules, had diftinguithed this war, from all others in which we had ever been concerned; and in which victory and defeat were nearly productive of the fame confequences. CHA P. VIII. Canada. Conduct of the northern expedition committed to General Burgoyne. Preparations made by General Carleton. Line of conduct pursued by hims upon the new arrangement. Different opinions upon the utility and propriety of employing the Savages. State of the force under the command of General Burgoyne. Canadians obliged to contribute largely to the fervice. Expedition under Colonel St. Leger. War feast, and speech to the Indians at the river Bouquet. Manifesto. Royal army invest Ticonderoga and Mount Independence. Council of war beid, and the forts abandoned by the Americans. Boom and bridge cut through. Purfuit by land and water. American gallies and batteaux deftroyed near Skeneborough Water falls. Americans fet fire to, and abandon their works. Rear of the Americans overtaken by General Frazer near Hubberton. Colonel Francis defeated and killed. General St. Clair, with the remains of his army, take to the woods; and arrive at length at Fort Edward. Enemy bravely repulfed by Colonel Hill, and the 9th regiment, who are obliged to engage under a vaft juperiority of force. Americans fet fire to, and abandon Fort Anne. Extraordinary difficulties encountered by the royal army in the march to Fort Edward. American Army retires to Saratoga. vernor's conftant refidence in his province, could not fail of being fenfibly felt, and could scarcely be fuppofed not to give umbrage, to General Carleton, to whofe abilities, and refolution, this nation in general acknowledge, and the world attributed, the prefervation of Canada. It was faid, that his powers had been diminished in proportion to the greatnefs of his fervices. His military command extended before to every part of America, whither he might find it fitting to conduct the army under his direction. It was now fuddenly. reftrained virtually placed in independent commands; for their inftructiona to put themfelves under the orders of Sir William Howe, feemed little more than a mockery, as that General had informed Sir Guy Carleton, that the concerted ope That the Governor felt and underflood this arrangement and thefe appointments in the manner we have related from the com plaints of his friends in England, feems evident from the immediate refignation of his government which then took place; but as the notification, the appointment of another, and the paffage of his fucceffor from Europe, were all works of time, he was ftill, however ungrateful the tafk, obliged to continue in the exercife of his of fice, during a longer period than that of which we are treating. reftrained to the narrow limits of his own province. He had, faid his friends, in the preceding cam paign, not only driven the enemy Out of Canada. but a great naval armament had been formed, the enemy's force on Lake Champlain destroyed, and Crown Point recorations of the campaign on his fide, vered, under his authority. The would lead him to fuch a diftance, lateness of the feafon only, pre- as to render any communication of vented him from attacking Ticon- that nature impracticable. deroga, and immediately profecu-. ting the war to the fouthward. He had, during the winter, exerted his ufual industry, and applied his military fkill and judgment, in the forwarding of every preparation, which might conduce to the fuccefs of the defign in the enfuing campaign. At the opening of the communication with England, inftead of the reinforcement which he had required and expected for the completion of his purpose, he received an arrangement totally new, which as it had been framed without any reference to his judgment, or attention to his approbation, left nothing to his difcretion or opinion in the execution. Two expeditions were to be formed, in each of which, the number and nature of the troops to be employed, the particular fervice of each corps, with its fubdivifions, and the fmallest detachment to be made from it, had been minutely and precisely fpecified by the Minifter. He was not even confulted as to the number or nature of the troops which were to remain in his hands for the defence or fecurity of Canada. In a word, the army which he had lately commanded was taken out of his, and placed in other hands, and officers who lately acted under his direction, were, by a detraction from his authority, Under thefe circumftances, and in this trying and difficult fituation, he endeavoured to fhew that refentment could not warp him from his duty, and he applied himself with the fame diligence and energy, to forward by every poffible means, and to fupport in all its parts the expedition, as if the arrangement was entirely his own. This conduct, however praifeworthy, was not lefs neceffary, from the peculiar nature of the fervice which was to be performed; a fervice exceedingly complicated in the arrangement, uncommonly numerous in the parts; and many ufual in practice. It will not be difficult to conceive, how effectually negligence, diflike, obftinacy, or even a colourable and rational un difference difference of opinion in fome difputable points, might fruftrate all the hopes, founded upon fuch a fyfem. Nothing of this fort intervened, to damp the fpirit or to defeat the fuccefs of the expedition. The preparations were carried on with vigour. We have before taken notice, that the minifters, and more particularly the noble Lord at the head of the American department, were not only particularly interested in the event, but had founded the mot fanguine hopes upon the fuccels of this expedition. Nothing was accordingly left undone on their fide, which, in proportion to the number of regular troops that could be spared for that particular fervice, might conduce to give efficacy to their operations. Befides, Canada it was hoped would fupply a warlike though undifci plined militia, well calculated for, and acquainted with, the peculiar nature of the fervice and country. To ftrengthen and increase this irregular, but neceffary aid, arms and accoutrements were amply provided, to fupply thofe numerous loyalifts, who were expected to join the royal army as foon as it approached or penetrated the frontiers of the adjacent provinces. As a powerful artillery is confidered to be the great and effective arm in an American war, where a numerous and undifciplined enemy is to be continually attacked in difficult pofts, and driven Out of woods and faftneffes, fo this part of the fervice was particularly attended to, and the brafs train that was fent out upon this expeditioa, was perhaps the fineft, and probably the most excellently fupplied as to officers and private men, that had ever been allotted to fecond the operations of any army, which did not far exceed the prefent in number. Befides thefe forces, feveral nations of lavages had been induced to come into the field. This meafure was defended upon the fuppofed neceflity of the cafe; as if from their character it was prefumed they could not lie ftill, and if not engaged in the King's fervice, would have joined the Americans. Whatever advantages were hoped from them, General Carleton did not in the preceding year make much ufe of them; but civilly difmiffed them at the clofe of the campaign, on a promife of their appearing in the next if required. There has been a good deal of difcuffion, which we want materials to fettle, how far he approved of their employment at all. The friends of miniftry faid, that he had recommended and forwarded the measure. Others faid, that partly from humanity, partly from his forming a juft eftimate of their fervices, and knowing by experience the extent of their powers and ability in war, he was unwilling to ufe them, knowing that they were capricious, inconftant, and intractable. That as their ideas of war and of courage were totally different from thofe of civilized nations, fo, notwithstanding ferocity of character, and the incredible fpecimens of paffive valour which they fometimes exhibited in cafes adapted to their own opinions, they not only abhorred, but dreaded, whatever is confidered as fair and generous fervice among Europeans, wherein the contending parties bravely feck and are their included included in one common danger, trufting only for fuccefs to their fuperior kill and courage. That their object and defign in all wars, was not to fight, but to murder not to conquer, but to deftroy. In a word, that their fervice was uncertain, their rapacity infatiate, their faith ever doubtful, and their actions cruel and barbarous. Whatever his reafons were for not employing them in a more early and effectual manner, if it were in his power to do it, as early and effectually as was imagined, this conduct was far from being generally approved of at home. Those who were particularly warm in their zeal against the colonies, began fomewhat to forget their natural humanity in their anger. They infifted, that every appear ance of lenience in fuch circumitances was actual cruelty in the effect, by acting as an incentive to difobedience, and increafing the objects of punishment. That on the contrary, partial feverity was general mercy; as timely exertions of juftice, and ftrict inflictions of punishment, were at all times the fure means of preventing crimes. That the only method of speedily crushing the rebellion, was to render the fituation of the actors in it fo intolerable, that a ceffation from danger, and the bleffings of repofe, fhould become the only objects of their contemplation and hope. That the means were but little to be attended to, when they led to the accomplishment of fo great and happy a purpose, as the deftruction of rebellion, and the restoration of order and legal government. And that in all convulfions of ftates, the innocent were frequently involved in the calami too ties which were intended or wished to be confined entirely to the guilty; but fuch was the lot and condition of mankind, and this evil, however deplored, could not in numberless inftances be avoided or prevented. This doctrine was fupported by the avowed friends of government, whether out of office, or in the fubordinate departments of the ftate; it was alfo generally fuppofed to be confonant to the opinions of the minifters, and that General Carleton's fcruples, or niceties upon this point, were by no means acceptable. However this was, in the prefent arrangement, the aid of the favages was confidered as a principal member of that force which was deftined to the profecution of the northern war, and the Governor of Canada was accordingly enjoined to ufe his utmost weight and influence, in bringing the Indian nations forward in fupport of the expedition. His zeal was as active in fulfilling this duty, as it was in every other which appertained to the prefent fervice. Nor was his fuccefs difproportioned to his zeal. Whether it proceeded from the Governor's influence with the Indians, their avidity to feize the prefents which were now liberally diftributed amongst them, from their own innate thirst for war and plunder, or more probably, from the joint operation of all these causes, their remote as well as near nations poured forth their warriors in fuch abundance, that he became at length apprehenfive, that their numbers might render them an incumbrance rather than an aid to the army. The regular force allotted to the expedition conducted by General Burgoyne, Burgoyne, confifting of British and German troops, amounted to 7173 men, exclufive of the artillery corps. Of thefe, the German corps (confifting moftly of Brunfwickers) amounted to 3217. The force required by that General in the propofals which he laid before the Minifter, confifted of 8000 regulars, rank and file, befides the artillery, a corps of watermen, 2000 Canadians, including hatchetmen, and other workmen, with a thoufand, or more, favages. We have no certain information what number of these auxiliaries were in actual fervice upon the expedition. Canada was largely rated, and its inhabitants must have fenfibly felt the proportion which they were allotted to contribute towards this fervice. In the propofals laid before the Minifter, befides the militia and various fpecies of workmen fuppofed neceffary to be immediately attached to the army, and to accompany it on the expedition, chains of their militia, patroles, and posts, were expected to Occupy the woods in the frontiers on the rear of the army, partly to intercept the communication between the enemy and the ill affected in Canada, partly to prevent defertion and to procure intelligence, and for various other duties neceffary towards keeping the country in quiet. Another great call upon them was for workmen to complete the fortifications at Sorel St. John's, Chamblee and Ifle au Noix, which it was fuppofed would amount to 2000 men. A ftill greater call npon the Canadians, and the more grievous, as it was at their feedfowing feafon, was for the tranfport of all the provifions, artilleryftores, and baggage of the army, Vot. XX: from the different repofitories to the water, and afterwards at the carrying places, befides the corvees for making the roads. It was eftimated that this fervice would, for fome time before, and at the opening of the campaign, require no lefs than 2000 men, befides a very large proportion of horfes and carts. General Burgoyne was feconded by able and excellent officers. Of thefe, Major-General Philips of the artillery, who had gained fuch diftinguished renown by his conduct in that fervice during the late war in Germany, deferves to be particularly mentioned. He was likewife affifted by the Brigadier-Generals, Frazer, Powel, and Hamilton, all diftinguished officers, with the Brunswick Major-General Baron Reidefel, and Brigadier General Speeht. The army was, in every refpect, in the best condition that could poffibly be expected or withed, the troops being in the higheft fpirits, admirably difciplined, and uncommonly healthy. The detachment on the expedition to the Mohawk River under Colonel St. Leger, did not probably exceed feven or eight hundred men, confifting of 200 drawn from the 8th and 34th regiments; a regiment of New-Yorkers, lately raised by, and under the command of, Sir John Johnfon, being moftly emigrants from his own country adjoining to the intended scene of action, with fome Hanau chaffeurs, a company of Canadians, and another of newly raised rangers. These were joined by a strong body of favages, in part conducted, or if it may be termed officered, by a number of British and Americans. The regular force left in Canada; [K] including |