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The baggage of the army, with fuch artillery, ftores, and provifious, as the neceflity of the time would permit, were embarked with a strong detachment on board above 200 batteaux, and dispatched, under convoy of five armed gallies, up the fouth river, in their way to Skenesborough. The main armý took its route by the way of Castletown to reach the fame place by land.

July 6. The first light of the morning had no fooner discovered the flight of the enemy, than their main body was eagerly purfued by Brigadier General Frazer, at the head of his brigade, confifting of the light troops, grenadiers, and fome other corps. MajorGeneral Reidefel was alfo ordered to join in the pur fuit 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 deftroyed in the armed veffels at Skenefborough, amounted to no lefs than 128 pieces, of all forts, ferviceable and unferviceable. They alfo left fome military ftores of different forts, and no inconfiderable ftock of provifions in the forts.

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General Burgoyne conducted the purfuit by water in perfon. That bridge and thofe works, which the Americans laboured hard for ten months to render impenetrable, were, cut through in lefs time by the British feamen and artificers, than it would have colt them to have defcribed their structure. In a word, they did their bufinefs with fach fpeed 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

completion, through the fpirit, judgment, and active industry of General Philips.

In these circumstances, 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 must be confequently 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 completely 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 justly this reprefentation of their condition and circumftance was founded, and however neceffary the determination of the council was in ths prefent ftate of their afiairs, one apparently capital error on the fide of the commanders, muft ftrike every common obferver. If their force was not fufficient for the defence of the work, why did they not form this refolution in time? Why did they not withdraw the troops, artillery, and ftores, and demolish the works before the arrival of the enemy ? Why did they wait to be nearly furrounded, until their retreat was more ruinous than a furrender under any condi tions that could be propofed, and little lefs deftructive in the event, than if the works had been carried by ftorm?

Thefe are queftions that time and better information alone can answer, if ever they should clearly anfwer, in favour of the American Generals.

The

The baggage of the army, with fuch artillery, ftores, and provifious, as the neceflity of the time. would permit, were embarked with a ftrong detachment on board above 200 batteaux, and difparched, under convoy of five armed gallies, up the fouth river, in their way to Skenesborough. The main army took its route by the way of Castletown to reach the fame place by land.

July 6. The first light of the morning had no fooner difcovered the flight of the enemy, than their main body was eagerly purfued by Brigadier General Frazer, at the head of his brigade, confifting of the light troops, grenadiers, and fome other corps. Major General Reidefel was alfo ordered to join in the pur fuit by land, with the greater part of the Brunswick troops, either to fupport the Brigadier, or to act feparately, as occafion might require, or circumstances direct. The enemy left a prodigious artillery behind them, which with thofe taken or deftroyed in the ar med veffels at Skenefborough, amounted to no lefs than 128 pieces, of all forts, ferviceable and unferviceable. They alfo left fome military ftores of dif ferent forts, and no inconfiderable, ftock of provifions in the forts.

General Burgoyne conducted the purfuit by water in perfon. That bridge and thofe works, which the Americans laboured hard for ten months to render impenetrable, were, cut through in lefs time by the British feamen and artificers, than it would have cost them to have defcribed their structure. In a word, they did their bufinefs with fach 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

embarked on board the veffels, and the purfuit up the river was fupported with fuch vigour, that by three o'clock in the afternoon, the foremost brigade of the gun-boats, was clofely engaged with the enemies gallies near Skenesborough Falls. In the mean time, three regiments which had been landed at South. Bay, afcended and paffed a mountain with great expedition, in order to attack the enemy's works at the Falls, and thereby cut off their retreat. But their speedy flight prevented the execution of their defign. Upon the approach of the frigates, the gallies, which were already overborne by the gun boats, lost 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, stockaded forts, mills, and batteaux, after which they escaped as well as they could up the Wood Creek. This ftroke feemed to complete the ruin of their ill-fated army, for their batteaux were deeply loaded, befides their baggage, with ammunition, ftores, and provifions; so that they were now left naked in the woods, destitute 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 lost all refpe&t for, and confidence in their commanders. It would be fruitless to expect refolution, where no order nor command could be maintained.

Brigadier Frazer 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 distance and were commanded by Colonel Francis one of their beft and braveft officers, his troops lay that night on

their arms. He came up with the enemy, on the 7th, at five in the morning, whom he found ftrongly posted, with great advantage of ground, and a fill great'er fuperiority in point of number. As he expected every moment to be joined by General Reidfel, and was apprehenfive that the enemy might efcape if he delayed, he did not hesitate to begin the attack.

The advantages which they poffeffed in ground and number, and perhaps more than both, the goodness of their commander, induced them to make a better stand than might have been expected from their condition in other refpects.

As Frazer'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 striking proofs of their fuperiority, affairs were ftill undecided and critical. The arrival of the Germans was at length decicive. The enemy fled on all fides, leaving their brave commander, with many other officers, and about 200 private men, dead on the field. About the fame number, befides a colonel, feven Captains, and ten Subalterns were taken prifonAbove 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 Major Grant, a brave officer, who was killed.-— St. Clair, with the van of the American army, was at this time at Castletown, about fix miles farther on.Upon the account of this difafter, and of the more fatal ftroke 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 courfe towards the New

ers.

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