"When I said I would die a bachelor says Benedick, "I did not think I should live till I were married." So, when I said in the Preface to my Burgoyne Ballads that it would probably be my last book on this subject, I did not think I should live to complete another; afterwards, however, it occurred to me that, by way of a final supplement to my "Burgoyne series," it might be well to bring together, in a collected form, the different visits which have been made to the Saratoga Battle Grounds, during the last hundred years, by distinguished personages at home and abroad -- culled from books which now are either extremely rare, or, at least, are not easily accessible to the general reader. How successful I have been in this effort the perusers of this volume must decide.

If, moreover, it should be asked, "Why does the author devote so much time to Burgoyne's Campaign and the various incidents which group themselves around this portion of the Revolutionary history?," the reply is, that the Battles of Saratoga, leading up to the surrender of Burgoyne, were the turning point in the success or the failure of the American Revolution -- without which, the French alliance, even with the exertions of Franklin, would never have been accomplished -- an event that alone rendered the Surrender at Yorktown, and the consequent independence of the Colonies possible.

In short, the present proud position of the United States among Nations hinged entirely upon this episode of our country's annals. Nor am I alone in this estimate. Gen. J. Watts de Peyster -- than whom, together with Gen. Horatio Rogers, -- there is no better authority on this campaign, says: "Gates, termed in sarcasm the 'Man mid-wife,' and accidentally present at the proper moment -- although he had not superintended the progress of the terrible and protracted labor, did absolutely play the part of an accoucheur, and ushered into being a new Nation, a NEW WORLD." Creasy, the eminent historian, also classes "Saratoga" as the "Thirteenth of the fifteen decisive battles of the world from Marathon to Waterloo."

My thanks are due, in the preparation of this work, to Mr. John J. Dalgleish of Brankston Grange, Scotland-whose grandfather served under Burgoyne-; Mr. Frederick Barnard of New York city; Hon. Samuel C. Eastman of Concord, N. H.; Hon. Daniel B. Pond of Woonsocket, R. I.; Benjamin F. Stevens of Boston, Mass.; H on. Charles S. Lester and Hon. Winsor. B. French of Saratoga Springs, N. Y.; Mr. William S. Mersereau of Elizabeth, N.J., and Rev. Dr. Emery and Mrs. Dr. Smith Ely of Newburgh, N.Y. Nor must I forget to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mrs. Ellen Hardin Walworth of Saratoga Springs, N. Y., for the use of the fine photograph of the " Saratoga Battle Ground, " which forms the frontispiece of this volume ; * and, also, to Mr. Frank S. Hull of, Newburgh, N. Y., for the picture of a Brunswick, "Jack-boot."

WILLIAM L. STONE.
MT. VERNON, N. Y., January 1st., 1895