“Tell Colonel Baum to come here.”
When the Hessian arrived Ira explained the drawing to him, and for some time the two officers discussed the paper in German. At length General Burgoyne remarked in English:
“You understand the situation, colonel?”
“Perfectly,” he replied in the same language. “With this young man to guide me, I see no reason why I may not make a successful raid.”
“When can you start?”
“At dawn.”
“How many men had he better take?” the commander asked of the scout.
“The rebels will make some pretense of a defense,” Ira replied carelessly. “I would take enough to give them a good drubbing. Say one thousand.”
“A larger force than I had supposed necessary,” General Burgoyne added musingly. “Still, as you say, Master Le Geyt, we better have enough to teach the Yankees a lesson.” Then to his subordinate he said:
“There are the two companies of Loyalists, Colonel Baum, who have asked permission to go on this raid. You could take them, and five hundred of your own men, making up the thousand with a squad of Indians. They would be useful in scouring the surrounding country.”