Francois Jean, Marquis de Chastellux, French Author, b. Paris, 1734, d. there October 28, 1788. He entered the army when fifteen years of age, and distinguished himself as Colonel of a regiment in the Seven Years War. "He accompanied Rochambeau to America in 1780, as a Major General, and gained the affection of Washington, by his amiability of character; and on his return to France, he was made a Field Marshal. After the capture of Cornwallis, he obtained leave of absence which he used in traveling extensively in the United States. His observations and adventures during this time, were the basis of his "Voyage dans l'Amerique Septentrionale dans les anne'es, 1780-2," (2 vols. Paris, 1786. English translation by George Grieve, London, 1787.) A portion of this work was set up by compositors on the vessel which carried him back to France with Rochambeau. The work contains notices of the natural history of the country, interesting details of the localities, and events of the war (of which the above letter is an example) and observations on the chief actors in it. Chastellux married a Miss Plunket, a lady of Irish descent, the year before his death. He was made a member of the French Academy in 1775. Perhaps, it was as well that Chastellux died in 1788, before the" Reign of Terror" had obtained full control, since, he would doubtless have been guillotined together with his compatriot, the Compte d'Estaing.

Invitation

Chastellux, while at Albany, accepts the invitation of General Schuyler, to visit, under his escort, the Saratoga Battle Grounds.

Chastellux writes :

At dinner, all of the company who were to be of the Saratoga party, collected at my lodgings, and we went afterwards to General Schuyler's to settle matters for our journey; and, in consequence, set out the next day at sunrise in five different sledges. General Schuyler took me in his own. We passed the Mohawk river on the ice, a mile above the Cataract [Cohoes falls]. We went a little astray in the woods we had to pass to reach the high-road. We came into it between Half-Moon and Stillwater. A mile thence I saw on the left an opening in the wood, and a pretty extensive plain, below which runs a creek, and observed to General Schuyler that there must be a good position there. He told me I was not deceived, and that it had been reconnoitered for that purpose in case of need. The creek is called Anthony's Rill, the word "rill" amongst the Dutch having the same signification as creek with the Americans.*

(* Chastellux probably failed to catch the pronunciation, as the word is kill, not rill.)

Three miles further on we traversed a hamlet called Stillwaler Landing-Place, for it is here that boats coming down from Saratoga are obliged to stop to avoid the rapids. Hence there is a portage of eight or ten miles to the place where the river is navigable. I imagine the name of Stillwaler is derived from its tranquility here previous to the commencement of the rapids.*

(* A mill-stone now doing duty in Jno. B. Newland's grist-mill has a history. It is a well-known historical fact that at the time of Burgoyne's campaign in this section the wheat crop was harvested and was standing in shocks in the fields. As the British advanced, Captain Palmer, grandfather of John Patrick, Esq., and father of Ashbel Palmer, conceived the idea that the mill-stone should not be guilty of the treasonable act of furnishing aid and comfort to the enemy. But it would not do to break it, as it was the only stone in all this section at the time; and, besides, it came from foreign parts and cost a deal of money. So a raft was constructed, and during the still hours of the night the captain, with a band of men, placed the stone on board the frail craft and worked their way out over the rapids until two-thirds of the Hudson was crossed, when they deposited their load in a hole in the swift-running water, at a depth of about ten feet. When the last vestige of the once grand army had disappeared, the stone was fished up from its watery bed, and at this late day experienced millers pronounce it the champion stone in this vicinity. --Schuylerville Standard, May 9, 1884.)

General Schuyler showed me some redoubts he had constructed to defend the park where his boats and provisions were collected, after the evacuation of Fort Anne and Fort Edward. We stopped there to refresh our horses. The general had given the rendezvous to a militia officer, called Swang, who lives in this neighborhood, and served in the army of General Gates.

He put me into his hands and continued his route to Saratoga, to prepare our reception. I presently got into a sledge with my guide, and, at the end of three Miles, we saw two houses on the bank of the river. It was here that General Gates had his right, and his bridge of boats, defended by a redoubt on each bank. We alighted to examine this interesting position, which disappointed all the hopes of Burgoyne and prepared his ruin. I shall attempt to give some idea of it, which, though incomplete indeed, may throw some light on the relations of General Burgoyne and even serve to rectify his errors.

The eminences called Bream's Heights [Bemus's Heights], whence this famous camp is named, are only a part of those high grounds which extend along the right bank of the Hudson, from the river Mohawk to that of Saratoga. At the spot chosen by General Gates for his position, they form, on the side of the river, two different slopes, or terraces. In mounting the first slope, are three redoubts placed in parallel directions.

In front of the last, on the north side, is a little hollow, beyond which the ground rises again, on which are three more redoubts, placed nearly in the same direction as the former. In front of them is a deep ravine which runs from the west, in which is a small creek. This ravine takes its rise in the woods, and all the ground on the right of it is extremely thick set with wood. If you will now return upon your steps, place yourself upon the first redoubts you spoke of, and mount to the second slope proceeding to the westward, you will find, on the most elevated platform, a large entrenchment which was parallel with the river, and then turns towards the north-west, where it terminates in some pretty deep summits, which were likewise fortified by small redoubts.

To the left of these heights, and at a place where the declivity becomes more gentle, begins another entrenchment which turns towards the west, and makes two or three angles, always carried over the tops of the heights to the south-west.

Towards the north-west, you come out of the lines to descend another platform, which presents a position the more favorable, as it commands the surrounding woods, and resists every thing which might turn the left flank of the army. It is here that Arnold was encamped with the advanced guard.

If you descend again from this height, proceeding toward the north, you are presently in the midst of woods near Freeman's Farm and on the ground where the actions of the 19th of September, and the 7th of October happened.*

(* Freeman's Farm was owned at the time of the Battle by Isaac Leggett, and subsequently by his son Ebenezer. The late Mrs. Mary Maxwell, of Quaker Springs (mother of the late Anthony Maxwell, of Old Saratoga), was a young woman at the time of the battle. She lived with her father (Isaac Leggett) on the battle-ground, but left and went to Albany just before the action of the 19th of September took place. She saw Gates and Burgoyne ride into that city side by side. Before leaving her home, she, with her mother and sisters, had been summoned into the presence of Gates and Arnold to learn if her father, who was a Quaker and sympathized with the King, had not sold provisions to the enemy. She declared that she knew nothing about this.

Arnold, however, was disposed to doubt her word, when, perceiving this, she replied: "If thee knows better than I, why did thee ask me?" On which Gates (always, notwithstanding his faults, a perfect gentleman in all which that much abused term implies) said: "Don't be too hard on the young woman." When they left the farm, $300 in gold was placed under one of the stones of the cellar-floor. It was undisturbed when they returned a few months afterward. Mrs. Maxwell lived to a great age, and was to the last, distinguished for her remarkable conversational powers. Indeed, it is remarkable how many of the Revolutionary era lived to remarkable ages. See on this point the late Dr. Draper's "Battle of King's Mountain.")

I avoid the word field of battle, for these two engagements were in the woods, and on ground so intersected and covered, that it is impossible either to conceive or discover the smallest resemblance between it and the place given to the public by General Burgoyne.*

(* This is not accurate. A person familiar with the ground, and with Burgoyne's maps before him, would have no difficulty whatever. If this is so in 1895, how much more in 1780.)

But what appears to me very clear is, that this general who was encamped about four miles from the camp of Bream's Heights, wishing to approach and reconnoiter the avenues to it, marched through the woods in four columns.*

(* This is correct. See my map in "Burgoyne's Campaign.")

Having several ravines to pass, he made General Fraser, with the advanced guard, turn them at their origin; that two other columns traversed the ravines and the woods, as well as they could, without either communicating or materially waiting for each other; that the left column, composed of artillery, followed the course of the river, where the grounds were level, and built bridges over the ravines and rivulets, which are deeper on that side, as they all terminate in the river; that the engagement first began with the riflemen and American militia, who were supported as necessity required, without any prior disposition; that the advanced guard and the right column were the first engaged, and that the combat lasted until the columns on the left arrived, that is to say, till sunset; that the Americans then retired to their camp, where they had taken care to convey their wounded; that the English advanced guard and the right column greatly suffered, both one and the other having been very long engaged in the woods without any support.*

(* The curious reader will find a detailed account of this action in my "Burgoyne's Campaign.")

General Burgoyne purchased dearly the frivolous honor of sleeping on the field of battle: he now encamped at Freeman's Farm, so near the American camp that it was impossible for him to maneuvre, so that he found himself in the situation of a chess player who suffers himself to be stalemated.*

(* This simile is not quite correct, as Burgoyne received here his first check -- ending in a checkmate subsequently.)

In this position he remained until the 7th of October, when, seeing his provisions expended, hearing nothing of Clinton, and being too near the enemy to retreat without danger, he tried a second attack and again made an attempt for his advanced guard to turn the left.

The enemy, with whom the woods were filled, penetrated his design, themselves turned the left flank of the corps with theirs, put them to rout and pursued them so far as to find themselves, without knowing it, opposite the camp of the Germans. This camp was situated en potence, and a little in the rear of the line.

(Now known as "Burgoyne's Hill" -- one of the sites marked by a tablet by General J. Watts de Peyster.)

Arnold and Lincoln, animated with success, attacked and carried the entrenchments; both of them had bought the victory at the price of their blood; each of them had a leg broke with a musquet shot.

(A mistake, which Heath, in his Memoirs, also falls into. Lincoln was wounded the next day (the 8th) while reconnoitering the enemy's position. See my "Burgoyne's Campaign". It is true, however, that Lincoln was wounded in the leg -- but the limb was not broken.)

I saw the spot where Arnold, uniting the hardiness of a jockey with that of a soldier, leaped his horse over the entrenchment of the enemy. It was like all those of this country, a sort of parapet, formed by the trunks of trees piled one upon another. This action was very brisk, to which the fir trees [pines] which are torn by musquet and cannon- shot, will long be as testimony; for the term of their existence seems as remote, as is the period of their origin.

I continued reconnoitering here till night; sometimes walking in the snow, where I sunk to the knees, and sometimes travelling still less successfully in a sledge, my conductor having taken care to overset me, very gently indeed, in a great heap of snow.

After surveying Burgoyne's lines, I at length got down to the high road, passing through a field where he had established his hospital. We then travelled more easily, and I got to Saratoga at seven in the evening; and after a severe and thirty miles journey, we found good rooms, well warmed, an excellent supper, and had a gay and agreeable conversation; for General Schuyler, like many European husbands, is still more amiable when he is absent from his wife. He gave us instructions for our next day's expedition.

The 31st we got on horseback at eight o'clock, and Mr. Schuyler conducted us himself to the camp occupied by the English when General Burgoyne capitulated. We could not have had a better guide, but he was absolutely necessary for us in every respect, for besides that this event happened before his eyes, and that he was better able than anybody to give us an account of it, no person but the proprietor of the ground himself was able to conduct us safely through the woods; the fences and entrenchments being covered a foot deep with snow.

In throwing your eyes upon the chart you will see that Saratoga is situated upon the bank of a small river [more properly creek], which comes from a lake of that name and falls into the Hudson. On the right bank of the Fish-Kill, the name of that little river, stood formerly a handsome country house, belonging to General Schuyler: a large farm depending on it, two or three saw-mills, a meeting-house and three or four middling houses, composed all the habitations of this celebrated place, the name of which will be handed down to the latest posterity.

After the affair of the 7th of October, General Burgoyne began his retreat. He marched in the night between the 8th and 9th, but did not pass the creek till the 13th, so much difficulty he had in dragging his artillery, which he persisted in preserving, altho' the greatest part of his horses were killed or dead with hunger. He took four days, therefore, to retire eight miles, which gave the Americans time to follow him on the right bank of the Hudson, and to get before him on the left bank, when they occupied in force all the passages. General Burgoyne had scarcely reached the other side of the creek before he set fire to General Schuyler's house, rather from malice than for the safety of his army.*

(* In justice to Burgoyne, however, it may be well on this point, to quote from his speech in the House of Commons, in answer to a call upon him by Mr. Wilkes, for explanation respecting the burning of the country during the progress of the army under his command:

"I am ignorant," said Burgoyne, "of any such circumstance. I do not recollect more than one accident by fire. I positively assert there was no fire by order, or countenance of myself, or any other officer, except at Saratoga. That district is the property of Major-General Schuyler, of the American troops; there were large barracks, built by him, which took fire the day after the army arrived on the ground in their retreat; and I believe, I need not state any other proof of that matter being merely accident, than that the barracks were then made use of as my hospital, and full of sick and wounded soldiers.

General Schuyler had likewise a very good dwelling-house, great saw-mills, etc., to the value, perhaps, of ten thousand pounds. A few days before the negotiation with General Gates, the enemy had formed a plan to attack me; a large column of troops was approaching to pass the small river [Fish Creek, not the Hudson into which it empties, is here meant] preparatory to a general action, and was entirely covered from the fire of my artillery by these buildings. Sir, I avow that I gave the order to set them on fire; and in a very short time the whole property, I have described, was consumed. But, to show that the person most deeply concerned in that calamity, did not put the construction upon it which it has pleased the honorable gentleman to do, I must inform the House, that one of the first persons I saw, after the Convention was signed, was General Schuyler.

I expressed to him my regret at the, event which had happened, and the reasons which occasioned it. He desired me to think no more of it; said that the occasion justified it, according to the principles and rules of war, and he should have done the same, upon the same occasion, or words to that effect. [**]

[** This was all the more praiseworthy on Schuyler's part -since he lost the whole of his property at Saratoga by this fire -the Continental Congress (so far as I can ascertain) never having reimbursed him one penny. Shameful, but true. In fact, every thing goes to show that Schuyler was a true gentleman -- this very fact, however, in the estimation of the Continental Congress (composed of many patriots, but, also, of many envious boors) was sufficient to bring Schuyler into disrepute.]

He did more-he sent an Aide-de-Camp to conduct me to Albany, in order, as he expressed it, to procure me better quarters than a stranger might be able to find. This gentleman conducted me to a very elegant house, and to my great surprise, presented me to Mrs. Schuyler and her family; and in this general's house I remained during my whole stay at Albany, with a table of more than twenty courses for me and my friends, and every other possible demonstration of hospitality; a situation, painful as it is true in point of sensibility at the time, but which I now contemplate with some satisfaction, as carrying undeniable testimony how little I deserved the charges of the honorable gentleman.")

The house, situated in a bottom, could afford no advantage to the Americans, and he left the farms [Sic, barn ?] standing, which is at present the only asylum for its owner.*

*This shows, most conclusively, that the tradition -- still current-of General Schuyler's house having been rebuilt, by Gates' soldiers in ten days after its destruction by fire is entirely false. Schuyler, himself, also, in a letter to Congress, dated "Saratoga, Nov. 4, 1777" (See N. Y. His. Col. for 1879, P9. 191) writes :
"On the 2d inst. two British officers, on their return to Canada, took shelter in a violent storm of rain, in my little hut, the only remains of all my buildings in this quarter. One was attached to Gen. Carleton, the other to Gen. Burgoyne, etc." Of course, if Schuyler's house had been rebuilt, he would not have entertained the officers in a " hut!"

So much for tradition, which, unless, corroborated by facts, written down at the time, is a very poor guide to follow. At the same time, one of the most prominent places of historical interest -- so far as pertains to the Revolutionary war -- is Schuylerville, and especially the "Schuyler Mansion."

As above hinted, the latter is situated about four hundred feet from the one burned by Burgoyne, the first foundation being on a line with the western bank of the Champlain canal, the remainder of the substructure being removed by the canal excavation. The great road to the ford passed eastward of it. The fording place was in that part of the Fish kill or creek opposite the ruins of the burned buildings of Raymond's steam saw mill, and a short distance east of the aqueduct.

The property had been inherited by General Schuyler from his uncle, John Philip Schuyler, who had been shot on the morning of the 29th of November, 1745, while heroically defending his house from an attack of French and Indians. Shortly after the declaration of peace between England and France in 1763, Major Philip Schuyler (subsequently General), visited his landed possessions at Saratoga, in which he not only often entertained Benjamin Franklin and other distinguished Americans, but also hospitably received as his guests many of the titled nobility of England and France.

Although the General had a large and comfortable residence in Albany, his country house on the banks of the Fish kill was more attractive to him and his family, and here nine months during the year he was generally to be found. The antiquarian finds in this roomy mansion, the main building having a frontage of sixty feet and a depth of thirty-five feet, one of the most attractive collections of books, furniture, wares, relics and curiosities to be found north of Albany. The veritable skull of Thomas Lovelass is to be seen, who was one of a party of five Tories and spies captured in the neighborhood, and who having been tried and condemned by a court-martial at the barracks at Saratoga, at this place, of which military court General Stark was president, was hung on a gallows during a terrific rain storm, and afterwards perpendicularly buried in the gravel bank opposite the Strover mansion.

When the bank was dug into for the purpose of procuring gravel the body was disinterred and the skull was taken into keeping by the late Colonel Strover, who was wont to show it to curiosity-seekers. Also, a number of Indian tomahawks made of stone; a great variety of stone arrow heads; a large eightinch shell; an iron weed axe; iron wedges; a petrified honeycomb found in the Fish kill; a string of brass beads dug from an Indian squaw's grave at the time of the French and Indian war; a number of silver shoe and knee buckles; a bolt from a burned door of the old General Schuyler House; an iron pulley from the old mill; an old and peculiarly constructed door lock and key; burglar proof, attached to the front door of the present mansion.

Indeed, the spacious and comfortable rooms of the Schuyler mansion, with its large closets, its bright, large figured wall paper, the grand furniture, windows, doors, pictures, etc., make it a very desirable home as well as a pleasant place of resort. Colonel Strover, the late owner of this mansion, and who died October 5, 1886, was born March 12 1791, near Bryant's Bridge in the town of "Old Saratoga.")

It is here that Mr. Schuyler lodged us in some temporary apartments he fitted up, until happier times allow him to build another house. The creek runs between two steep ascents, the summits of which are about the same height; it then descends by several rapids which turn the mills; [The same as it is today (1895)] then the ground is more open, and continues so to the North River [the Hudson]; that is to say, for half a mile.

As to General Burgoyne's position, it is difficult to describe it, because the ground is so very irregular, and the General, finding himself surrounded, was obliged to divide his troops into three camps, forming three different fronts ; one facing the creek, another Hudson's River, and the third the mountains to the westward. General Burgoyne's plan gives a tolerably just idea of this position, which was not ill taken, and is only defective on the side of the Germans, where the ground forms a rising, the declivity of which was against them. All that is necessary to observe is, that the woods continually rise toward the west ; so that the General might very well occupy some advantageous eminences, but never the summits.

Accordingly, General Gates, who arrived at Saratoga almost as soon as the English, passed two thousand men over the creek, with orders to begin to fire on the 14th, and considerably incommoded the English. General Schuyler criticises this position; he pretends that this corps was so advanced as to be in danger, without being strong enough to oppose the retreat of the enemy.

But when we consider that these two thousand men were posted in very thick woods; that they were protected by abatis ; had a secure retreat in the immense forest in their rear, and that they had only to harrass a flying enemy, whose courage was broken, every military man will think with me, thatthis was rather the criticism of a severe rival, than of a well informed and methodical tactician. Be this as it may, it is very certain that Burgoyne had no other alternative than to let his troops be slaughtered, or capitulate. His army had only five days provision, and it was impossible for him to retain his position.

It was proposed to him to restore an old bridge of boats, which had been constructed in the very front of his camp; but a corps of two thousand men were already posted on the heights on the opposite side of the river, where they had raised a battery of two pieces of cannon. Had he undertaken to remount by the right bank, to attain the fords which are near Fort Edward, he had ravines to pass and bridges to repair; besides that, these defiles were already occupied by the militia, and the vanguard alone must have been engaged with them, whilst he had a whole army on his rear and on his flanks. He had scarce time to deliberate - the cannon shot began to pour into the camp, one of which fell in the house where the council of war was holding and obliged them to quit it to take refuge in the woods.*

(* Not "the house." It was a tent; and the circumstances were these: that during a dinner of Burgoyne and his staff a cannon-ball from Gates's batteries took off from the table a leg of mutton which Burgoyne was just beginning to carve. The little breastworks which were thrown around the tent are still (1895) to be seen. This ground is now (1895) owned by Mr. Charles W. Mayhew, of Schuylerville, N.Y.)

Situation of General Burgoyne

Let us now compare the situation of General Burgoyne, collecting his trophies and publishing his insolent manifesto* at Ticonderoga, with that in which he now stood, when, vanquished and surrounded, as he was, by a troop of peasants, not a place was left him even to discuss the terms of supplication.

(*A mistake. This "insolent manifesto" was issued from Burgoyne's camp on the River Racquet, on Lake Champlain, before he had reached Ticonderoga.)

I confess that when I was conducted to the spot where the English laid down their arms, and to that where they filed off before Gates's army, I could not but partake of the triumph of the Americans, and at the same time admire their magnanimity; for the soldiers and officers beheld their presumptuous and sanguinary enemies pass without offering the smallest insult, without suffering an insulting smile or jesture to escape them. This majestic silence conveyed a very striking refutation of the vain declarations of the English general, and seemed to attest all the rights of our allies to the victory.*

(* Chastellux does not state one incident of this occasion. The piling of the arms was, it is true, done amid profound silence and without any attempt to further humiliate the British. The instant, however, that the march southward began, the American bands struck up "Yankee Doodle."

This was unforseen, and it made a deep impression on the officers and soldiers of both armies. This song had been set to music by a facetious English surgeon at Lake George during the French war, in playful ridicule of some raw companies of Provincials who had come to the frontiers to assist Loudon in his campaign against the French. The Provincials were gay, if not disciplined, and the surgeon made music out of their primitive notes of mirth.

From the moment it was played at the surrender of Burgoyne it has been one of our national airs. For a fuller account of the origin of "Yankee Doodle," see my "Burgoyne Ballads," pp. 20 and 60.)

Chance alone gave rise to an allusion with which General Burgoyne was very sensibly affected. It is the custom in England, and in America, on approaching any person for the first time, to say, I am very happy to see you. General Gates chanced to make use of this expression in accosting General Burgoyne.

"I believe you are," replied the general, "The future of the day is entirely yours."

General Gates pretended to give no attention to this answer, and conducted Burgoyne to his headquarters, where he gave him a good dinner, as well as to the principal part of the English officers. Everybody ate and drank heartily, and seemed mutually to forget their misfortune, or their successes.*

(* Speaking of the surrender, General de Peyster, who, with General Rogers, is the most authoritative writer on the Burgoyne Campaign, says:
"History and tradition agree, moreover, in their accounts of the contrast of the details presented, personally, by the British and American, the royal and rebels or patriots, commanders at the ceremony of the surrender. Burgoyne, like Lee at Appomattox Court House, was gotten up with the most fastidious attention, for the occasion; whereas, Gates, like Grant, displayed a negligent simplicity. Burgoyne resembled an officer of the ancient Greek Phalanx in its glory. He towered and shone in crimson and gold, beplumed, embroidered, and bedecked with feathers, lace, ribbons, orders and decorations. Gates does not appear to have worn any uniform, unless a simple blue frock coat was then considered "undress."

The contrast, however, between the conquered and the factitious conqueror (both Englishmen) was not as great as between both, but especially the latter, and the real factor of this triumph (an American.) The hero who made such a success possible, the real hero, the great man, Schuyler, appeared at the surrender as a simple citizen, deprived of his command -- in dark brown clothes, not in uniform -- to see the arrogant little man Gates, who supplanted him, enjoy the honors of the triumph and harvest the reward.

"But on this simple spectator in plain civil habiliments, the eyes of the defeated generals were fixed rather than upon the one in semi-military costume, to whom they had to deliver up their side arms. If Burgoyne could not tender his sword to Schuyler in his modest citizen suit, and if he could not surrender his arms to him as he had to do to his nominal conqueror, he nevertheless could still offer him his acknowledgments, as to his moral vanquisher -- victor chiefest of all in magnanimity.

"Reflecting upon all this the following question presents itself: If Burgoyne and his officers could have preserved their uniforms in such 'apple-pie order' and perfection of display, how is it possible to believe in the accounts of the utter destitution of his army; or did the higher officers sacrifice everything and everybody to secure their own comforts and their paraphernalia for their arrogant display? A great deal which enlists sympathy becomes doubtful in the light of close scrutiny. Great discomfort among the high officials, privation among their subordinates, and misery throughout the rank and file, were experienced, but the whole seems invested with an atmosphere of exaggeration for the very purpose of serving as an excuse for the 'Surrender.' All this must impress itself on a critic, who is at once careful in examination, clear in comparisons of facts, and stern in judgment.

"Almost all the different accounts agree in regard to the courtesies which attended the meeting of the generals opposed, but the following set-off is found in a French book:

"Burgoyne, who wished to pass for a wit, had often spoken of Gates as a man without talents, and designated him, in common conversation, as the 'mid-wife.' Although Gates was aware of the sarcasms, he behaved with great generosity. His only retaliation was a witticism which must have cut Burgoyne to the quick, because wits seldom relish a defeat with their, own weapons. 'You must now acknowledge,' he said to Burgoyne after the surrender, 'that I am a successful 'mid-wife,' for I have safely delivered you of six thousand men.'

"Gates, thus termed in sarcasm the 'man-midwife,' 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, as often stated, regards the issue of the battles styled 'Saratoga,' and the resulting 'Surrender' as the Thirteenth of the Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World from Marathon to Waterloo.'

"The surrender of Burgoyne is also one of the many historical associations which have signalized the 7th of October. Apart from the tradition which gives it the honor of William the Conqueror's landing in England, it has that of the great events so strangely interwoven with the career of the Burgoyne family. It witnessed General Burgoyne's acceptance of the command that brought him to America, and also his final overthrow at Saratoga in 1777, resulting in the surrender of himself and his whole army. On the same memorable day his famous son, Sir John Burgoyne, completed the landing of the siege-guns and material used ten days later in the first bombardment of Sebastopol ; and the 'family anniversary' subsequently acquired a sadder renown by the death of Sir John himself. The victory, also, of King's Mountain occurred on this memorable date -- the 7th of October.")

Before dinner, and at the moment when the Americans were striving who should entertain the English officers, somebody came to ask where Madame Riedesel, the wife of the Brunswick general, was to be conducted. Mr. Schuyler, who had followed the army as a volunteer, since he had quitted the command, ordered her to be shown to his tent, where he went soon after, and found her trembling and speechless, expecting to find in every American a savage, like those who had followed the English army. She had with her two charming little girls (for the after career of these two little girls, see my "Life of Madame Riedesel.", about six or seven years old. General Schuyler caressed them greatly; the sight of this touched Madame de Riedesel and removed her apprehension in an instant: "You are tender and sensible," said she, "you must be generous, and I am happy to have fallen into your hands."

In consequence of the capitulation, the English army was conducted to Boston. During their march the troops encamped, but lodgings were to be procured for the Generals, and there being some difficulty in procuring near Albany a proper quarter for General Burgoyne and his suite, Mr. Schuyler offered him his handsome house. He was himself detained by business at Saratoga, where he remained to visit the ruins of his other house, which General Burgoyne had just destroyed <(>(See note ante about the building of Schuyler's new house.); but he wrote to his wife to prepare every thing for giving him the best reception, and his intentions were perfectly fulfilled.

Burgoyne was extremely well received by Mrs. Schuyler, and her little family (Mrs. Schuyler, judging by our present ladies, could not have had much bric-a-brac destroyed in the burning of her house, else she would not have given Burgoyne so kind a reception!); he was lodged in the best apartment in the house. An excellent supper was served him in the evening, the honors of which were done with so much grace, that he was affected even to tears, and could not help saying with a deep sigh, "Indeed, this is doing too much for the man who has ravaged their lands, and burnt their asylum."

The next morning, however, he was again reminded of his disgrace by an adventure which would have appeared gay to any but him. It was, however, innocently that he was thus afflicted. His bed was prepared in a large room, but as he had a numerous suite, or family, several mattresses were spread upon the floor for some officers to sleep near him.

Mr. Schuyler's second son, a little spoilt child of about seven years old, very forward and arch, as all the American children are, but very amiable, was running all the morning about the house, according to custom, and opening the door of the saloon, he burst out a laughing on seeing all the English collected, and shut it after him, crying, "Ye are all my prisoners." This stroke of nature was cruel and rendered them more melancholy than the preceding evening.*

(* The boy who said he took Burgoyne prisoner was John Bradstreet Schuyler, eldest son of Gen. Philip Schuyler. He was 14 years of age in 1777. He married Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, daughter of the patron, on the 18th September, 1787, and died in his father's house in Albany, at the age of 32. Although so young he was one of the trustees of Williamstown college, Massachusetts. His disease was a fever contracted while on a business trip for his father up the Mohawk valley.

The only child of this John Bradstreet Schuyler, born 1762, died 1795, was Philip Schuyler, of Schuylerville, Saratoga Co, N. Y., born in 1788. He married Grace Hunter in 1811, and died at his country seat at Pelham, Westchester Co., in 1865. John Schuyler, of New York city, civil engineer, historian, etc., was only son of Philip, and with him ends the eldest male line of Major-General Philip Schuyler, the real check-mater, overthrower of Burgoyne, or who "burgoyned Burgoyne." -- Letter of Gen. J. Walls de Peyster to the editor.)

I hope I shall be pardoned these little anecdotes, which only appeared interesting to myself, perhaps solely from their proceeding from the source (Gen. Schuyler.), and being acquired upon the spot. Besides, a plain journal merits some indulgence, and when one does not write history, it is allowable to write little stories. Henceforth, I have only to take leave of General Schuyler, detained by business at Saratoga, and to tread back my steps as fast as possible to Newport.

In repassing near Bream's Heights and Stillwater, I had again an opportunity to examine the right flank of General Burgoyne's camp, of which it seems to me that his plan gives a pretty accurate idea. I was assured that I might return to Albany by the eastern road, but on arriving at Half-Moon I learnt that the ice was broke in several places, so that, after reposing some time in a handsome inn, kept by Madame People (a Dutchman's widow), I took the road by the Mohawk river, which I passed without accident, and arrived at Albany about six in the evening.