e and hostile country
that still lay before him, two events occurred, in each of which the
British sustained loss and the Americans obtained advantage, the moral
effects of which were even more important than the immediate result of
the encounters. When Burgoyne left Canada, General St. Leger was
detached from that province with a mixed force of about one thousand men
and some light field-pieces across Lake Ontario against Fort Stanwix,
which the Americans held. After capturing this, he was to march along
the Mohawk River to its confluence with the Hudson, between Saratoga and
Albany, where his force and that of Burgoyne's were to unite. But, after
some successes, St. Leger was obliged to retreat, and to abandon his
tents and large quantities of stores to the garrison.

At the very time that General Burgoyne heard of this disaster he
experienced one still more severe in the defeat of Colonel Baum, with a
large detachment of German troops, at Bennington, whither Burgoyne had
sent them for the purpose of capturing some magazines of provisions, of
which the British army stood greatly in need. The Americans, augmented
by continual accessions of strength, succeeded, after many attacks, in
breaking this corps, which fled into the woods, and left its commander
mortally wounded on the field: they then marched against a force of five
hundred grenadiers and light infantry, which was advancing to Colonel
Baum's assistance under Lieutenant-Colonel Breyman, who, after a gallant
resistance, was obliged to retreat on the main army. The British loss in
these two actions exceeded six hundred men; and a party of American
loyalists, on their way to join the army, having attached themselves to
Colonel Baum's corps, were destroyed with it.

Notwithstanding these reverses, which added greatly to the spirit and
numbers of the American forces, Burgoyne determined to advance. It was
impossible any longer to keep up his communications with Canada by way
of the Lakes, so as to supply his army on his southward march; but
having, by unremitting exertions, collected provisions for thirty days,
he crossed the Hudson by means of a bridge of rafts, and, marching a
short distance along its western bank, he encamped on September 14th on
the heights of Saratoga, about sixteen miles from Albany. The Americans
had fallen back from Saratoga, and were now strongly posted near
Stillwater, about half way between Saratoga and Albany, and showed a
determination