hand, and "numerous as the leaves on
the trees."

Arnold's stratagem succeeded. The Indians, fickle as the winds, began
to desert. Sir John Johnson and Colonels Claus and Butler endeavored
in vain to reassure and retain them. In a little while two hundred had
decamped, and the rest threatened to do so likewise, unless St. Leger
retreated. The unfortunate colonel found too late what little reliance
was to be placed upon Indian allies. He determined, on the 22d, to
send off his sick, his wounded, and his artillery by Wood Creek that
very night, and to protect them by the line of march. The Indians,
however, goaded on by Arnold's emissaries, insisted on instant
retreat. St. Leger still refused to depart before nightfall. The
savages now became ungovernable. They seized upon liquor of the
officers about to be embarked, and getting intoxicated behaved like
very fiends. In a word St. Leger was obliged to decamp about noon in
such hurry and confusion that he left his tents standing, and his
artillery, with most of his baggage, ammunition and stores, fell into
the hands of the Americans.

A detachment from the garrison pursued and harassed him for a time;
but his greatest annoyance was from his Indian allies, who plundered
the boats which conveyed such baggage as had been brought off;
murdered all stragglers who lagged in the rear, and amused themselves
by giving false alarms to keep up the panic of the soldiery, who would
throw away muskets, knapsacks, and everything that impeded their
flight. It was not until he reached Onondaga Falls, that St. Leger
discovered by a letter from Burgoyne, and floating reports brought by
the bearer, that he had been the dupe of a _ruse de guerre_, and that
at the time the advancing foe were reported to be close upon his
haunches, they were not within forty miles of him.

Such was the second blow to Burgoyne's invading army; but before the
news of it reached that doomed commander, he had already been half
paralyzed by the disaster at Bennington.

Means were now augmenting in Schuyler's hands. Colonels Livingston and
Pierre van Cortlandt, forwarded by Putnam, were arrived. Governor
Clinton was daily expected with New York militia from the Highlands.
The arrival of Arnold was anticipated with troops and artillery, and
Lincoln with the New England militia. At this propitious moment, when
everything was ready for the sickle to be put into the harvest,
General Gates arrived in the camp. Schuyle