ounded, while that
of the Americans was only about 100. It was a pity that Baum had not
the moral courage to retire, even when reinforced, for his defeat much
embarrassed Burgoyne, and made an attempt at a general retreat even
necessary, as the courage of the enemy had so increased by the moral
effect of a victory, that Burgoyne was in danger of being surrounded by
the hordes of State Militiamen who, on all sides of him, were taking
the field. Burgoyne was, nevertheless, still on the advance, with the
main body of his army, and was approaching Saratoga, when he heard of
the defeat of Baum. Unwilling to retreat, and yet unable to advance, he
hesitated, but ultimately decided upon returning. That, however, was
now impossible. He had hardly turned his face towards the place from
whence he came, than he fell in with General Gates, losing about 600
men; and he had hardly realized his loss, when he learned that Fort
Edward, which stood between him and Canada, was in the possession of
the enemy. No avenue of escape appeared open, and this fine army from
Canada, consisting of five thousand seven hundred effective men, with
General Burgoyne at their head, laid down their arms to the American
General Gates, at Saratoga. Even according to the testimony of Lady
Harriet Ackland, Burgoyne, though sufficiently brave for anything, was
quite incompetent for command. He had neither resources nor strategy.
He knew neither what to do nor what he was doing. He neither knew when
to advance nor when to retreat. It was all haphazard with him. Through
his very stupidity an army was positively sacrificed. Lord Cornwallis,
afterwards, easily defeated Gates. And in the campaign of 1780,
Washington was himself in straits. His commissariat was wretchedly bad.
For days the medical department of his army had neither sugar, coffee,
tea, chocolate, wine, nor spirituous liquors of any kind; and the army
had not seen the shadow of money for five months. A junction cleverly
effected between the two British armies might have changed, or rather
checked the destinies of the Confederated Colonies. But, by the
awkwardness, carelessness, and want of prudence of Burgoyne, in the
first place, Cornwallis got also hemmed in, being intercepted on one
side by the French fleet, and on the other by the army commanded by
Washington, and he capitulated after his defeat at Yorktown, in
September, 1781. Had a line of communication northward been maintained
for the British ar