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Bemis's Heights
Battle Map
Bemis's Heights, BATTLES
OF (Near Stillwater).
General Schuyler, with
his feeble army, had so successfully opposed the march of
Burgoyne down the
valley of the Hudson that he had not passed Saratoga the first week
in August, 1777. When the expedition of St. Leger from the Mohawk
and the defeat of the Germans at Hoosick, near
Bennington, had crippled and
discouraged the invaders, and Schuyler was about to turn upon them,
and strike for the victory for which he had so well prepared, he was
superseded by
General Gates in the command of the Northern army. Yet his
patriotism was not cooled by the ungenerous act, the result of
intrigue, and he offered Gates every assistance in his power. Had
the latter acted promptly, he might have gained a victory at once;
but he did not. At the end of twenty days he moved the army to a
strong position on Bemis's Heights, where his camp was fortified by
Kosciusko, the Polish patriot and engineer.
Burgoyne called in
his outposts, and with his shattered forces and splendid train of
artillery he crossed the Hudson on a bridge of boats (September 13,
1777), and encamped on the Heights of Saratoga, afterwards
Schuylerville. New courage had been infused into the hearts of the
Americans by the events near
Bennington and on the upper Mohawk, and Gates's army was rapidly
increasing in numbers. Burgoyne felt compelled to move forward
speedily. Some American troops, under Colonel John Brown, had got in
his rear, and surprised a British post at the foot of Lake George
(September 18). They also attempted to capture
Ticonderoga. Burgoyne had moved
slowly southward, and on the morning of September 19 he offered
battle to Gates.
First Battle.—His
left wing, with the immense artillery train, commanded by Generals
Phillips and Riedesel, kept upon the plain near the river. The
center, composed largely of German troops, led by
Burgoyne in person,
extended to a range of hills that were touched by the American left,
and upon these hills General
Fraser and Lieutenant-Colonel Breyman, with grenadiers and
infantry, were posted. The front and flank of Burgoyne's army were
covered by the Canadians, Tories, and Indians who yet remained in
camp. General Gates, who lacked personal courage and the skill of a
good commander, resolved to act on the defensive
General Benedict Arnold
and others, who observed the movements of the British, urged Gates
to attack them, but he refused to fight. Even at 11 A.M., when the
booming of a cannon gave the signal for the general advance of
Burgoyne's army, he remained in his tent, apparently indifferent.
Arnold, as well as others, became extremely impatient as peril drew
near. He was finally permitted to order
Colonel Daniel Morgan with
his riflemen, and Dearborn with infantry, to attack the Canadians
and Indians, who were swarming on the hills in advance of Burgoyne's
right. These were driven back and pursued. Morgan's troops, becoming
scattered, were recalled, and with
New England troops, under
Dearborn, Scammel, and Cilley, another furious charge was made.
After a sharp engagement, in which Morgan's horse was shot under
him, the combatants withdrew to their respective lines. Meanwhile
Burgoyne had moved rapidly upon the American center and left. At the
same time the vigilant Arnold attempted to turn the British right.
Gates denied him reinforcements, and restrained him in every way in
his power, and he failed. Masked by thick woods, neither party was
now certain of the movements of the other, and they suddenly and
unexpectedly met in a ravine at Freeman's farm, at which Burgoyne
had halted. There they fought desperately for a while. Arnold was
pressed back, when Fraser, by a quick movement, called up some
German troops from the British centre to his aid. Arnold rallied his
men, and with New England troops, led by Colonels Brooks, Dearborn,
Scammel, Cilley, and Major Hull, he struck the enemy such heavy
blows that his line began to waver and fall into confusion. General
Phillips, below the heights, heard through the woods the din of
battle, and hurried over the hills with fresh English troops and
some artillery, followed by a portion of the Germans under Riedesel,
and appeared on the battle-field just as victory seemed about to be
yielded to the Americans. The battle continued. The British ranks
were becoming fearfully thinned, when Riedesel fell heavily upon the
American flank with infantry and artillery, and they gave way. The
Germans saved the British army from ruin. A lull in the battle
succeeded, but at the middle of the afternoon the contest was
renewed with greater fury. At length the British, fearfully assailed
by bullet and bayonet, recoiled and fell back. At that moment Arnold
was at headquarters, seated upon a powerful black horse, and in vain
urging Gates to give him reinforcements. Hearing the roar of the
renewed battle, he could no longer brook delay, and turning his
horse's head towards the field of strife, and exclaiming, "I'll soon
put an end to it! "went off on a full gallop, followed by one of
Gates's staff, with directions to order him back. The subaltern
could not overtake the general, who, by words and acts, animated the
Americans. For three hours the battle raged. Like an ocean tide the
warriors surged backward and forward, winning and losing victory
alternately. When it was too late, Gates sent out the
New York regiments of
Livingston and Van Cortlandt and the whole brigade of General
Learned. Had Gates complied with Arnold's wishes, the capture of
Burgoyne's army might have been easily accomplished. Night closed
the contest, and both parties slept on their arms until morning. But
for Arnold and Morgan, no doubt Burgoyne would have been marching
triumphantly on Albany before noon that day. So jealous was Gates
because the army praised those gallant leaders that he omitted their
names in his official report. The number of Americans killed and
wounded in this action was about 300; of the British about 600.
Second
Battle.—Burgoyne found his broken army utterly dispirited
on the morning after the first battle, and he withdrew to a point 2
miles from the American lines. Arnold urged Gates to attack him at
dawn, but that officer would not consent. Burgoyne was hoping to
receive good news from
Sir Henry Clinton, who was preparing to ascend the Hudson with a
strong force. So he entrenched his camp, put his troops in better
spirits by a cheerful harangue, and resolved to wait for Clinton.
The next morning he was himself cheered by a message from Clinton,
who promised to make a diversion in his favor immediately; also by a
dispatch from Howe, announcing a victory over
George Washington on
the Brandywine (see BRANDYWINE, BATTLE OF). Burgoyne gave the glad
tidings to his army, and wrote to Clinton that he could sustain his
position until October 12. But his condition rapidly grew worse. The
American army hourly increased in numbers, and, the militia were
swarming on his flanks and rear. His foraging parties could get very
little food for the starving horses, the militia so annoyed them. In
his hospitals were 800 sick and wounded men, and his effective
soldiers were fed on diminished rations. His Indian allies deserted
him, while, through the exertions of Schuyler, Oneida warriors
joined the forces of Gates.
Lincoln, with 2,000 men, also joined him
on the 22d; still Gates remained inactive. His officers were
impatient, and Arnold plainly told him that the army was clamorous
for action, and the militia were threatening to go home. He told him
that he had reason to think that if they had improved the 20th of
September it might have ruined the enemy. "That is past," he said;
"let me entreat you to improve the present time." Gates was
offended, and, treating the brave Arnold with silent contempt, sat
still. A long time Burgoyne waited for further tidings from Clinton.
On October 4, he called a council of officers. It was decided to
fight their way through the American lines, and, on the morning of
October 7, 1777, the whole army moved. Towards the American left
wing Burgoyne pressed with 1,500 picked men, eight brass cannon, and
two howitzers, leaving the main army on the heights in command of
Brigadiers Specht and Hamilton, and the redoubts near the river with
Brigadier-General Gall. Phillips, Fraser, and Riedesel were with
Burgoyne. Canadian rangers, loyalists, and Indians were sent to hang
on the American rear, while Burgoyne should attack their front. This
movement was discerned before the British were ready for battle. The
drums of the American advanced guard beat to arms. The alarm ran all
along the lines. Gates had 10,000 troops—enough to have crushed the
weakened foe if properly handled. He inquired the cause of the
disturbance, and then permitted Colonel Morgan to "begin the game."
Morgan soon gained a good position on the British right, while
General Poor, with his New
Hampshire brigade, followed by General Ten Broeck, with New-Yorkers
advanced against their left. Meanwhile, the Canadian rangers and
their companions had gained the American rear, and attacked their
pickets. They were soon joined by grenadiers. The Americans were
driven back to their lines, when a sharp fight ensued. By this time
the whole British line was in battle order, the grenadiers under
Major Acland, with artillery under Major Williams, forming the left;
the centre composed of British and grenadiers under Philips and
Riedesel, and the right of infantry under Earl Balcarras.
General Fraser, with 500
picked men, was in advance of the British right, ready to fall upon
the left flank of the Americans when the action should begin on the
front. It was now between three and four o'clock in the afternoon.
As Burgoyne was about to advance, he was astonished by the thunder
of cannon on his left, and the crack of rifles on his right.
Poor had pressed up the
thick-wooded slope on which Majors Acland and Williams were posted,
unobserved, until he was near the batteries, which were captured
after a desperate struggle, in which the leader of the British
grenadiers was severely wounded, and Major Williams, of the
artillery, was made prisoner. Five times one of the cannon was taken
and retaken. When the British fell back, and the gun remained with
the Americans, Colonel Cilley leaped upon it, waved his sword over
his head, dedicated the piece to the "American cause," and, turning
it upon the foe, he opened its destructive energies upon them with
their own ammunition. Sir Francis Clarke, Burgoyne's chief aide, who
was sent to secure the cannon, was mortally wounded, made a
prisoner, and sent to Gates's tent. The whole eight cannon and the
possession of the field remained with the Americans. Meanwhile
Colonel Morgan had assailed Fraser's flanking corps so furiously
that they were driven back to their lines. There Morgan fell upon
the British right so fiercely that it was thrown into confusion. A
panic prevailed. It was followed by an onslaught in front by
Dearborn, with fresh troops, when the British broke and fled in
terror. Balcarras soon rallied them, while the centre, composed
chiefly of Germans, though convulsed, stood firm. Now Arnold came
upon the scene. Gates, offended by what he called Arnold's
"impertinence," had deprived him of all command, and he was an
impatient spectator of the battle. When he could no longer restrain
himself, he sprang upon his charger and started on full gallop for
the field of action, pursued by a subaltern to call him back. He
dashed into the vortex of danger, where the pursuer dared not
follow. He was received with cheers by his old troops, and he led
them against the British centre. With the desperation of a madman he
rushed into the thickest of the fight. When, at the head of his men,
he dashed into the firm German lines, they broke and fled in dismay.
The battle was now general. Arnold and Morgan were the ruling
spirits on the American side. Fraser was the soul that directed the
most potent energies of the British. One of Morgan's riflemen
singled him out by his brilliant uniform, and shot him through the
body, wounding him mortally. Then a panic ran along the British
line. At the sight of 3,000 fresh New York militia, under General
Ten Broeck, approaching, the wavering line gave way, and the troops
retreated to their entrenchments, leaving their artillery behind. Up
to their entrenchments, the Americans, with Arnold at their head,
eagerly pressed, in the face of a terrible storm of grape-shot and
bullets. The works were assailed with small arms. Balcarras defended
them bravely until he could resist no longer. The voice of Arnold
was heard above the din of battle, and his form was seen, in the
midst of the smoke, dashing from point to point. With the troops
first of Generals Paterson and Glover, and then of Learned, he
assailed the enemy's right, which was defended by Canadians and
loyalists. The English gave way, leaving the Germans exposed. Then
Arnold ordered up the troops of Livingston and Wesson, with Morgan's
riflemen, to make a general assault, while Colonel Brooks, with his
Massachusetts regiment,
accompanied by Arnold, attacked the troops commanded by
Lieutenant-Colonel Breyman. Arnold rushed into the sally-port on his
powerful black horse, and spread such terror among the Germans that
they fled, giving a parting volley of bullets, one of which gave
Arnold a severe wound in the same leg that was badly hurt at
Quebec. At that moment he was
overtaken by the subaltern, who had been sent by Gates to recall
him, "lest he should do some rash thing." He had done it. He had
achieved a victory for which Gates received the honor. The Germans
had thrown down their weapons. Breyman was mortally wounded. The
fight ended at twilight, and before the dawn, Burgoyne, who had
resolved to retreat, removed his whole army a mile or two north of
his entrenchments. In this remarkable battle—won by an officer who
had been deprived of his command—the Americans lost, in killed and
wounded, 150 men; that of the British, including prisoners, was
about 700. Arnold was the only American commanding officer who
received a wound. Burgoyne was defeated at Stillwater, October 7,
and ten days later surrendered his army of 6,000 men at Saratoga.
See BURGOYNE. |