Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/533

 again sallied forth and renewed the combat with desperate fury, and thus each party alternately bore back the other—the British guns being several times taken and retaken. Terrible execution was done by the American riflemen, who climbed into trees, and picked off the British officers; Burgoyne himself having a most narrow escape. The conflict ended only with the day. The Americans retired to their camp, and the British lay all night on their arms near the field of battle.

In this action, in which each party had nearly three thousand men actually engaged, the British lost upwards of five hundred in killed and wounded, and the Americans about four hundred men. Night separated the combatants: each side claimed the victory, and each believed that with a part only of its own force, it had beaten the whole of the hostile army. But although neither army was defeated, it was evident who had gained the advantage; Burgoyne had foiled in the attempt to dislodge the enemy, and his progress was arrested. His communication with the lakes was cut off, and his resources were daily failing; while the Americans had the same opportunities of gaining supplies as before, and their strength was still increasing by the arrival of fresh troops. In such circumstances, to fight without a decisive victory, was, to the British, nearly equivalent to a defeat; and to fight without being beaten, was, to the Americans, productive of most of the valuable consequences of victory. Accordingly, the news of the battle was received with joy and exultation throughout the United States, and the ruin of the invading army was confidently anticipated. The militia were encouraged to take the field, and in consummating the work so auspiciously begun. At that time, the army under the command of General Gates did not much exceed seven thousand men; but it was soon after considerably increased.

Burgoyne, seeing that he was now in a most critical condition, and that he must either starve or fight, determined upon the latter. The 7th of October, had now been reached, and he could not, as he informed Clinton, possibly hold out beyond the 12th. A decisive blow must be struck, and in this way he hoped to find some loophole of escape from his present position. Not daring to withdraw from the lines more than fifteen hundred regular troops, he issued forth on the morning of the 7th. partly to cover a foraging party, and also if possible, to turn the American left, which, since the first battle, had been considerably strengthened. After some preliminary skirmishing, about two o'clock the conflict began in earnest. The British right was under Earl Balcarras, the left under Major Ackland, and the artillery under Major Williams, while Generals Philips and Reidesel commanded the centre. To General Fraser was confided the charge of five hundred picked men, destined, at the critical moment, to fall upon the American left flank. Gates perceiving this design, detached Morgan with his rifle corps and other troops, three times outnumbering Fraser's, to overwhelm that officer at the same