[42] See Mr Deane's letter above, [p. 105], dated August 23d, 1777.
[43] See the two preceding letters of [July 16th] and [17th].
FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
Yorktown, 6th October, 1777.
Gentlemen,
Since ours to you, by return of the packet from New Hampshire, and duplicates by Mr McCreary, from Maryland, we have not written, nor have we received any of your favors during the last two months, except a letter of old date, (April 19th) signed by Messrs Deane and Lee. Captain Hammond being not yet arrived, although he sailed in April, it is too probable that he has fallen into the enemy's hands, or miscarried at sea.
Two reasons have prevented us from writing hitherto; because from your assurances we had cause to expect a monthly packet, and because the progressive state of the war gave us reason to look for some more decisive event daily, than had happened, and which might warrant the expense of sending a particular packet, as the casual conveyance by merchant vessels is almost entirely stopped by the number and vigilance of the enemy's cruisers.
We shall now give you an accurate detail of the war in the northern and middle departments, where alone it has raged since our last. You were before apprized of the evacuation of Ticonderoga, and of the retreat of our army from thence towards Albany. General Burgoyne was rapid in pursuit of his successes, and pressed quickly on towards fort Edward, upon Hudson's river, about twenty miles above Albany. Here his progress was interrupted by the American army, being halted and reinforced a little below him. This circumstance, with the following events, have continued that interruption, and bid fair to render abortive, at least, the great advantages expected by our enemies from their first successes on the lakes.
The better to effect his purpose, General Burgoyne had detached General St Leger with a body of regular troops, Canadians and Indians, by the Oneida Lake and Wood Creek, to take fort Schuyler, (formerly Stanwix) and to make an impression along the Mohawk river. This part of his plan has been totally defeated by the bravery of General Herkimer, with the Tryon county militia, and by the gallant defence of fort Schuyler, by Colonel Gansevoort and Lieutenant Colonel Willet. The former of these met the enemy in the field, defeated them, and killed a great number of their Indian allies. This defeat being obtained by militia, they dispersed as usual, and left the enemy to collect and lay siege to fort Schuyler, which was defended with great gallantry by the two officers above mentioned, until the approach of General Arnold, with a body of troops, occasioned the enemy to raise the siege of that fortress and retreat with great precipitation, leaving their baggage, ammunition, provisions, and some of their artillery, which fell into our hands. Another body of troops was detached by General Burgoyne, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Baum, to the eastward, for the purpose of collecting horses to mount the troopers, provisions, and teams, for the use of the army. This detachment was met, attacked, and defeated by the brave General Stark, and the New Hampshire militia, at a place called Bennington, and now rendered famous by the total overthrow of fifteen hundred regular troops, (posted behind works fortified with cannon,) by two thousand militia.
The two wings of General Burgoyne being thus cut off, his body remained inactive until the 19th of last month, when he moved on to attack General Gates, who commands the northern army, and who was well posted at Behmus's Heights. The consequence of this attack, you will see related by General Gates himself, among the enclosed papers, as well as the account of our successes in the rear of the enemy, on the lakes George and Champlain, by Colonel Brown, who had been detached by General Lincoln, who is also in General Burgoyne's rear, with a strong body of troops. Surrounded, as it is on all sides, with little prospect of safe retreat, and a strong army in front, growing stronger every day by reinforcements, we hope, ere long, to give you information of definitive success over the British army in that quarter. An Aid of General Gates, who brought us these last accounts, says, that by the concurring testimony of prisoners, deserters, and some of our own people, who escaped from the enemy, their loss could not be less than one thousand, or twelve hundred men, in killed, wounded, and missing; and that General Burgoyne himself was wounded in the shoulder by a rifle ball.