e army, under the immediate command of Gates, and
composed of Glover's, Nixon's, and Patterson's brigades, occupied the
brow of the hill nearest to the river, with the flats below. The left
wing, commanded by Arnold, was on the side of the camp farthest from
the river, and distant from the latter about three-quarters of a mile.
It was composed of the New Hampshire brigade of General Poor, Pierre
Van Courtlandt's and James Livingston's regiments of New York militia,
the Connecticut militia, Morgan's riflemen, and Dearborn's infantry.
The centre was composed of Massachusetts and New York troops.

Burgoyne gradually drew nearer to the camp, throwing out large parties
of pioneers and workmen. The Americans disputed every step. A Hessian
officer observes: "The enemy bristled up his hair, as we attempted to
repair more bridges. At last we had to do him the honor of sending out
whole regiments to protect our workmen."

Burgoyne now encamped about two miles from General Gates, disposing
his army in two lines; the left on the river, the right extending at
right angles to it, about six hundred yards across the low grounds to
a range of steep and rocky hills, occupied by the _elite_; a ravine
formed by a rivulet from the hills passed in front of the camp. The
low ground between the armies was cultivated; the hills were covered
with woods, excepting three or four small openings and deserted farms.
Beside the ravines which fronted each camp, there was a third one,
midway between them, also at right angles to the river.

On the morning of the 19th, General Gates received intelligence that
the enemy were advancing in great force on his left. It was in fact
their right wing, composed of the British line and led by Burgoyne in
person. It was covered by the grenadiers and light-infantry under
General Fraser and Colonel Breyman, who kept along the high grounds on
the right; while they, in turn, were covered in front and on the
flanks by Indians, provincial royalists and Canadians. The left wing
and artillery were advancing at the same time, under Major-general
Phillips and Riedesel, along the great road and meadows by the river
side, but they were retarded by the necessity of repairing broken
bridges. It was the plan of Burgoyne that the Canadians and Indians
should attack the central outposts of the Americans, and draw their
attention in that direction, while he and Fraser, making a circuit
through the woods, should join forces and fal