out on the
night of the 10th. All day of the 11th they pushed on, with
a small store of crackers and cheese as their only food.
Another night and day passed. On the afternoon of the 12th,
nearly worn out with hardship, they reached the settlement
of the German Flats. Here horses were procured, and they
rode at full speed to General Schuyler's head-quarters at
Stillwater.

Schuyler had already heard of Herkimer's failure, and was
laying plans for the relief of the fort. His purpose was
opposed by many of his officers, who were filled with fear
of the coming of Burgoyne. Schuyler was pacing the floor in
anxious thought when he heard the low remark,--

"He means to weaken the army."

Schuyler turned towards the speaker, so angry that he bit
into pieces a pipe he was smoking, and exclaimed,--

"Gentlemen, I shall take the responsibility; where is the
brigadier that will take command of the relief? I shall beat
up for volunteers to-morrow."

General Arnold, one of the boldest and most impulsive men in
the army, immediately asked for the command. The next
morning the drums beat, and before noon eight hundred
volunteers were enrolled. Arnold at once advanced, but,
feeling that his force was too weak, stopped at Fort Dayton
till reinforcements could reach him.

And now occurred one of the most striking events in the
history of the war, that of the defeat of an invading army
by stratagem without sight of soldier or musket. It is to be
told from two points of view, that of the garrison, and that
of the army of relief. As regards the garrison, its
situation was becoming critical. St. Leger's parallels were
approaching the fort. The store of provisions was running
low. Many of the garrison began to hint at surrender,
fearing massacre by the Indians should the fort be taken by
assault. Gansevoort, despairing of further successful
resistance, had decided upon a desperate attempt to cut
through the enemy's lines. Suddenly, on the 22d, there came
a sudden lull in the siege. The guns ceased their fire;
quick and confused movements could be seen; there were signs
of flight. Away went the besiegers, Indians and whites
alike, in panic disarray, and with such haste that their
tents, artillery, and camp equipage were left behind. The
astonished garrison sallied forth to find not a foeman in
the field, yet not a sign to show what mysterious influence
had caused this headlong flight. It was not from the face
of an enemy, for no e