ed at the price of an appalling
disaster to a British army.[125]

Burgoyne took the field in June with 7,251 rank and file of regular
troops, of which 3,116 were Germans, 148 militia, and 503 Indians, in
all 7,902. Shortly before he left Canada a small force set out under
Colonel St. Leger to march from Lake Ontario, take Fort Stanwix, and
form a junction with him by an advance through the Mohawk valley.
Burgoyne's army was in fine order, but the arrangements for the carriage
of supplies and the making of roads were insufficient. His troops were
carried up Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point, where he made a
speech to his Indian allies, commanding them to observe the customs of
civilised warfare and to behave with humanity. He was to find that such
orders could not be enforced. On July 6, almost as soon as he arrived at
Ticonderoga, the Americans hastily abandoned it, leaving their guns
behind them. They were promptly pursued and suffered heavy losses. The
fugitives joined Schuyler, the commander of the army in the north, at
Fort Edward; he evacuated the place and retreated southwards in the
direction of Albany. The news of Burgoyne's success caused much
rejoicing in England. George is said to have rushed into the queen's
room as soon as he heard of it crying, "I have beat them! beat all the
Americans!" For the moment the Americans were panic-struck. Men said
angrily that their troops would never hold a place until a general had
been shot, and Schuyler was superseded by Gates.

[Sidenote: _BURGOYNE IN DIFFICULTIES._]

On July 10 Burgoyne set out to march from Skenesborough to Fort Edward,
sending his artillery and stores by water to Fort George. His route,
though not more than twenty miles, was extremely difficult; it was
obstructed by trees felled by the enemy and lay through swamps and
forests, and at least forty bridges had to be constructed in its course.
He might have avoided these difficulties by returning to Ticonderoga and
conveying his army by water up Lake George; but he rejected that route
because he thought that a retrograde movement would discourage his
troops and abate the panic of the enemy. His army did not reach the
Hudson until the 30th. At Fort Edward his supplies ran short and he had
to wait there, for his means of transport were not sufficient to bring
his stores from Fort George. Garrisons had to be found for Ticonderoga
and for posts of communication, and this diminished his army. Meanwhile