ages, who spared neither age nor sex.
Others, who would have gladly staid at home, found that their only
safety was to take arms, and join the camp. Thus the British were left
without a friend in the country, while the American commanders, who took
every advantage of these atrocities, were soon at the head of an army
more numerous and formidable than that which had been dispersed.

General Arnold was sent to command the force at Saratoga. He drew it
back to Stillwater, a township about twelve miles down the Hudson, that
he might check Colonel St. Leger, who, with 700 or 800 men, was
besieging Fort Stanwix, on the Mohawk, and had given a severe defeat to
a party sent to relieve it. General Burgoyne, desiring to effect a
junction with St. Leger, moved down the east bank of the Hudson to
Saratoga, where he threw a bridge of rafts over the river, and crossed
an advanced corps. Being almost destitute of supplies, and too weak to
maintain his communications with Fort George, he detached a force to
surprise the enemy's magazines at Bennington; but on the 15th of August
it was overpowered and defeated, with considerable loss. A week after,
St. Leger was obliged to retire from before Fort Stanwix. General Gates,
who was now the enemy's Commander-in-chief, detached Arnold against him
with 2,000 men, and the savages, hearing of his approach, threatened to
desert St. Leger if he remained, and even murdered the British
stragglers on the retreat.

Provisions for thirty days were at length collected; but nearly three
months had been consumed in forcing a way through almost impassable
woods and morasses in the worst of weather, and in vexatious inaction
from deficiency of means to advance; service far more destructive than
severe fighting. A heavy swell caused by the rains had carried away the
bridge, but Mr. Pellew constructed another by which the army crossed to
Saratoga. The General would afterwards rally him as the cause of their
subsequent misfortunes, by affording the means for their advance in the
construction of this bridge. General Gates remained in the neighbourhood
of Stillwater; and the army, advancing through a difficult country,
found itself on the 19th of September very near the enemy. General
Burgoyne marched at the head of the right wing, which was covered by the
light infantry and grenadiers, under Frazer and Breyman, who moved along
some high ground commanding its flank; while the left wing and
artillery, under Phil