"I should think so," said Dick. Four hours' hard fighting is enough to wear the stoutest men out."

"Was Arnold in the whole of the battle?" asked Zephaniah.

"Yes, through the whole four hours' contest, exposing himself to all the dangers of the common soldier," replied Luke.

"I heard that General Burgoyne was with the army engaged durin' the battle," said Jim.

"Yes, I saw him two or hree times, myself. He came near being shot, once. The ball that was intended for him, struck a captain in the arm. Indeed, it was generally reported that he had been killed," was the reply.

"What was the number engaged on both sides? --- did you hear?" asked Dick.

"Yes, " replied Luke. 'but, before I tell you, put a little more wood on the fire. I'm shivering all the time." The request was complied with, and Luke went on to answer the question. "The force that the British had engaged in the action, numbered about three thousand men. Ours, about two thousand five hundred."

"Very nearly matched," said Zephaniah.

"Yes, but the advantage was on their side. They claimed the victory, too, but I can't see how that could be. We acted on the defensive. They were the assailants. Now, if we kept our ground, they must have failed in the object of their attack; and we were victorious. The mere possession of the ground where the action was fought, was nothing. We retired within our lines, in order to rest more securely. But to go on with my story. I didn't sleep much that night, my leg pained so severely, though I had had the wound dressed. If Burgoyne had attacked us in the next morning, he would have made a sure thing of it; for it was discovered that we had only one round of cartridge left. But for an arrival of some provisions, on the 20th, we should have been put on short allowance, too. The British didn't seem disposed to renew the fight, though they had slept on the field of battle; and they retired to their camp on the river flats. Arnold wanted to commence the battle early in the morning; but we had to wait for powder and bullets to come from Albany, and that put a barrier to anything of the kind. Well, both parties set about strengthening their works. We lay within cannon-shot of the British, from the 20th of September to the 7th of October. We had skirmishes with small parties of them every day; for the pickets were so near each other, they couldn't help taking an occasional skirmish. Besides, when we would send out foraging parties, they would often come across a party of the enemy, out on the same business; and, of course, there would be a fight. I was with one of these foraging parties, when they met a party of British at the same place where they intended to get some provisions. I think there was a bout fifty of us in the company, and we were under the command of Sergeant Horton. We proceeded to a farm abut two miles from the camp, and were marching up to the house, before we caught sight of the red-coats of the enemy. It appeared that they discovered us about the same time, and began to form, to wait for our approach. They drew up in front of the house. I guess they were about as many as our party numbered. We halted as soon as we saw them forming, and drew up in a line for attack; for we were all anxious to give them a specimen of what our boys could do. Well, as soon as we could get everything prepared, we didn't stop to enquire whether there was any more of the red-coats about than what we saw drawn up, but rushed on to the attack shouting and whooping as loud as possible. They waited till we got within musket-shot, and then poured into us their fire, which we returned with a pretty good effect --- several of the enemy falling, to my knowledge. Two or three of our party were wounded, but none killed. We pressed on to the attack, with our bayonets, and they waited steadily o receive us; and then came a fierce contest, with that deadly weapon.

Clashing against each other, the bayonets went; and gashes were given and received. They stood the onset steadily, for awhile; but seeing that we were resolved to make too desperate a fight, they broke, and we pursued them, for some distance from the house. We wounded two, and took them prisoners and then returned to the house. As we were making arrangement with the owner of the farm, for some provisions, some of our men observed the approach of a larger party of the enemy; and we secured all the provisions we could lay hands on, and hurried away from the house. I don't think we had got away m ore than a hundred yards, when the party of British came round the house, in pursuit of us. You see, they had come towards the farm-house from the side opposite to the one from which our party came. We immediately turned and gave them a volley, and then got away just as fast as our legs would carry us. We held on to the provisions till we got into the wood where we had left our horses, and then our flight became easier. The British party were afraid to pursue us any further, then; because there were so many different parties and detachments from both armies out, that the greatest care was necessary to keep from being surprised, or from falling in with larger parties than they could stand against."

"Well," said Zephaniah, "I suppose you got safe into camp with your provisions?"

"Oh, yes," replied Luke, "we arrived safely in camp, without further molestation. But i forgot to tell you that we had received a reinforcement of two thousand New England troops, under general Lincoln, just before that affair of the foraging party. General Gates gave up the command of the right wing to him, and took command of the left: --- that is, the one that had fought the battle, and which our regiment belonged to. Some say that Gates was jealous of the laurels Arnold had won, and wanted to have a share of the glory himself. I don't know how that was; but I know that Arnold was deprived of his command, and stayed with the army merely that his reputation might not suffer by his leaving when another battle was hourly expected."

"I suppose Gates treated Arnold as meanly as he did General Schuyler, when Schuyler was deprived of his command of the northern army," said Zephaniah. "I've heard he acted a close and narrow-hearted part towards Schuyler."

"It may be true," replied Luke. "General Gates never stood very high in my estimation. But to return to my narrative. Our army increased in numbers very fast, after the battle of Stillwater, as the fight of the 19th of September is called. Troops came in from all parts of the surrounding country; and we were thus enabled to send out small detachments to harass the enemy, without weakening our lines or endangering the safety of the camp. About three days after the batle, we were joined by about a hundred and fifty Indians, belonging to the Mohawks, Oneidas, Tuscaoras, and some other tribes. They were a fine, lusty set of men, and they looked as if they would be a valuable aid o us. The Indians of Burgoyne's army began to desert him about the same time. You see, they expected to get plenty of scalps and plunder; but, being mistaken, and he hunting season coming on, they wanted to go and provide for their wives and children. This, and the want of provisions, put Burgoyne into a perilous condition. Our pickets and skirmishing detachments were so numerous, that he couldn't even get a letter to Clinton for some days. Not an ounce of provisions, nor a man, was allowed to get to him from any quarter; and about the first of October, I heard, he put his troops on short allowance. He was compelled to fight or fly. To fly was impossible, for we had every passage guarded; and so he resolved to fight."

"He was compelled to fight or surrender, then," said Zephaniah; "and he chose to fight?"

"Yes, exactly," replied Luke. "British pride couldn't think of surrendering a finely-equipped army, like Burgoyne's, to an army principally composed of raw troops, like ours, without having a hard fight. Well, the morning of the 7th of October came. General Gates had ordered a detachment of three hundred men, under the command of colonel Brooks, to gain the rear of theenemy, and fall upon his outposts; and Colonel Brooks was a headquarters, receiving his instructions, when a sergeant brought intelligence of the advance of large body of the enemy, under Burgoyne, towards our left. The order to books was revoked, and the general sent out an aid, to ascertain the exact position and probably intentions of the enemy. Before I heard what intelligence was brought, news came that the Indians and Canadians had attacked our pickets, near Mill Creek. I soon caught sight of the pickets retreating; and they were pursued by the Canadians and Indians and a detachment of grenadiers, to within musket-shot of our lines. Then there was a hot fight for about half an hour, at the breastwork, till Morgan, with his riflemen and a corps of infantry, charged on the enemy with such effect, that they were thrown into confusion, and driven to the British line, which was forming on a newly cleared field."

"Jim, put more wood on the fire; will you? You've got it handy. I suppose we'll have to sit here and talk all night, if it's going to be this cold," said Dick, crowding as close to the fire as possible.

"I.m pretty certain I shall be up all night," said Jim; "and I want to hear the rest that Luke has to tell about Saratoga."

Blankets were brought into use, in which the men wrapped themselves, and prepared to make themselves as comfortable as circumstances would admit, and pass the night in talking, or listening toLuke's narrative of theevents which led to the capture of Burgoyne.

"Now, Luke," said Zephaniah, after they had all got fixed a little more comfortable," we're ready to hear the rest of the story, as soon as you're ready to give it."

"Always ready,," said Luke. "It was about two o'clock, I think; about the same time the bloodiest fight of the 19th commenced. Morgan had been sent, with his riflemen and other troops, amounting to fifteen hundred men, to fall upon the flanking party of General Frazer at the same time when the attack should be made on the British left. Our brigade, under General Poor, was to make the attack on the British left, aided by a portion of Learned's brigade. Well, at the order being given, we marched steadily up the slope of the hill on which the British artillery and grenadiers were posted. We had received orders not to fire until after the first discharge from the enemy; and we were true to them. We were marching up to the cannon's mouths, amid an awful silence, when suddenly they let their grape-shot and musket-balls fly; and they made great havoc in the branches of the trees above our heads, but didn't hurt us any of account. This was our signal. We sprang forward with a loud shout, and poured our fire, in rapid volleys, into the British on the hill, and opened right and left, to get the cover of the trees, so that the artillery couldn't rake us. The fight soon became bloody. We rushed up to the mouths of the cannon, and struggled with the enemy among the carriages of the field-pieces. They fought as desperately as we did. They knew how much depended on that day's work. For a long time, the scale seemed almost equal. We took their cannon several times; and as often did they retake them. One piece I saw taken five times; but at last it remained with us, as the British fell back. Colonel Cilley, who had been fighting at the head of his troops, leaped on the captured piece and waved his sword; 'dedicating,' he said, 'the piece to the American cause.' He turned the cannon's muzzle to the enemy, and we opened a fire on them with their own ammunition. This seemed to give our men stronger sinews and fiercer courage. We went into them with more force than ever, but the fight was obstinate on their part. They were brave and skilful. At last, Major Ackland, the foremost man in the fight, on their part, was severely wounded, and Major Williams was taken prisoner; and then the grenadiers and artillery-men fled in confusion, and left the field in possession of the American troops. About the time of our attack on the British left, Morgan, with his corps, rushed down the hills that skirted the flanking party of Frazer, in advance of the enemy's right, and opened on them such a storm of well-aimed bullets, that they were driven hastily back to their lines. Then, with the speed of the wind, Moran wheeled, and fell upon the British right flank with such force, that their ranks were at once thrown into confusion. It seemed as if the attack in that manner came upon the British unexpectedly. While they were in confusion from Morgan's attack, Major Dearborn fell upon them in front, with some fresh troops. They broke and fled in the greatest terror, but were rallied by the Earl of Balcarras, until again brought up to the work. These shocks upon the right and left shook the British camp, but it still stood firm. While we were waiting on the hill where we had beaten the grenadiers and artillery-men that formed the right of the enemy, I saw a horseman coming towards us, from our lines, at full speed. He rode a large brown horse, and seemed lying as if pursued. As he neared us, we discovered that it was the gallant Arnold; and a loud hurrah went up from our brigade. He put himself at the head of three regiments of Learned's brigade, ours among the number, and led us against the British centre. How soldiers will fight under a leader in whom they have confidence! Arnold rushed into the thickest of the fight, with the fury of a madman, or rode along the lines, brandishing his broadsword above his head and giving his orders. I saw an officer on horseback, who seemed to be trying to get to speak to Arnold; but after following him about for half an hour, he gave up the chase. I afterwards learned that the officer was Major Armstrong, and that he had been sent to order Arnold back from the field. The Hessians, who formed the greater part of the centre of the enemy, received our first assault with firmness, and stood their ground bravely; but on the second charge, when Arnold at our head dashed furiously in among them, they broke, and fled in the greatest dismay. Then the battle became general along the whole line. It was awful. Amidst the rain of bullets, the flames and smoke, Arnold could be seen, with his trumpet voice animating the men, as he dashed about from one part o thefield to another; and Morgan, too, was hardly less active. On the part of the British, General Frazer was the ruling spirit. When the ranks gave way, he put them in order again; when their lines began to waver, he infused some of his own courage into them. He was mounted on a splendid gray gelding, and dressed in the full uniform of a field-officer; he was a fine aim for our marksmen. It was evident that the fate of the day rested on him, and Arnold suggested to Morgan the importance of his death. Morgan called a file of his best men around him, and pointing to General Frazer, told them that victory depended on him, and that though he admired him for his bravery, he must die; and told them to take their station in a clump of bushes near by, and do their duty. About five minutes afterwards, Frazer fell, mortally wounded, and was borne off the field."

"That seems like a cold-blooded murder," said Jim. "But I think Morgan done right. If it had been a poor private like ourselves, there wouldn't have been anybody to say anything about whether it was right or not but because it was a general, we hear people censure Morgan."

"No doubt," remarked Luke, "the death of General Frazer saved a great deal of slaughter; for if he had lived through the action, the victory would have been doubtful, at least. His bravery would have animated the British to make a more desperate resistance, and then the slaughter on both sides would have been more horrible than it was. He was a splendid officer, though he was fighting on the wrong side of the question."

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12/24/06