fly with his parliamentary
duties, in which he was remarkable for his general outspokenness [v.04
p.0820] and, in particular, for his attacks on Lord Clive. At the same time
he devoted much attention to art and drama (his first play, _The Maid of
the Oaks_, being produced by Garrick in 1775), and gambled recklessly. In
the army he had by this time become a major-general, and on the outbreak of
the American War of Independence he was appointed to a command. In 1777 he
was at the head of the British reinforcements designed for the invasion of
the colonies from Canada. In this disastrous expedition he gained
possession of Ticonderoga (for which he was made a lieutenant-general) and
Fort Edward; but, pushing on, was detached from his communications with
Canada, and hemmed in by a superior force at Saratoga (_q.v._). On the 17th
of October his troops, about 3500 in number, laid down their arms. The
success was the greatest the colonists had yet gained, and it proved the
turning-point in the war. The indignation in England against Burgoyne was
great, but perhaps unjust. He returned at once, with the leave of the
American general, to defend his conduct, and demanded, but never obtained,
a trial. He was deprived of his regiment and a governorship which he held.
In 1782, however, when his political friends came into office, he was
restored to his rank, given a colonelcy, and made commander-in-chief in
Ireland and a privy councillor. After the fall of the Rockingham government
in 1783, Burgoyne withdrew more and more into private life, his last public
service being his participation in the impeachment of Warren Hastings. In
his latter years he was principally occupied in literary and dramatic work.
His comedy, _The Heiress_, which appeared in 1786, ran through ten editions
within a year, and was translated into several foreign tongues. He died
suddenly on the 4th of June 1792. General Burgoyne, whose wife died in June
1776 during his absence in Canada, had several natural children (born
between 1782 and 1788) by Susan Caulfield, an opera singer, one of whom
became Field Marshal Sir J.F. Burgoyne. His _Dramatic and Poetical Works_
appeared in two vols., 1808.

See E.B. de Fonblanque, _Political and Military Episodes from the Life and
Correspondence of Right Hon. J. Burgoyne_ (1876); and W.L. Stone, _Campaign
of Lieut.-Gen. J. Burgoyne, &c._ (Albany, N.Y., 1877).

BURGOYNE, SIR JOHN FOX, Bart. (1782-1871), British field marshal, was