Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/534

502 that a large force attacked the British left.

Our limits do not admit of details; nor are they important. Both sides fought with bravery and strove hard for victory. The battle raged with unabated fury during the remainder of the day. Arnold, like an incarnate spirit of war and bloodshed, seemed to be everywhere urging on the men to battle. General Fraser, the gallant and able officer, fell mortally wounded; and Burgoyne, at last, overpowered by numbers, and pressed on all sides by the superior fire of the Americans, regained his camp with great difficulty, and with the loss of his field-pieces and most of his artillery corps. Lieutenant-Colonel Breyman was killed, and Major Williams and Major Ackland, the latter being wounded, were made prisoners. Thacher, in his "Military Journal," makes affecting mention of the noble wife of Major Ackland: his words are worth quoting: "This heroic lady, from conjugal affection, was induced to follow the fortune of her husband during the whole campaign through the wilderness. Having been habituated to a mode of life with which those of rank and fortune are peculiarly favored, her delicate frame was ill calculated to sustain the indescribable privations and hardships to which she was unavoidably exposed during an active campaign. Her vehicle of conveyance was, part of the time, a small two-wheeled tumoril, drawn by a single horse, over roads almost impassable. Soon after she received the affecting intelligence that her husband had received a wound, and was a prisoner, she manifested the greatest tenderness and affection, and resolved to visit him in our camp to console and alleviate his sufferings. With this view she obtained a letter from Burgoyne to General Gates, and not permitting the prospect of being out in the night, and drenched in rain, to repress her zeal, she proceeded, in an open boat, with a few attendants, and arrived at our out-post in the night, in a suffering condition, from extreme wet and cold. The sentinel, faithful to his duty, detained them in the boat till Major Dearborn, the officer of the guard, could arrive. He permitted them to land, and afforded Lady Ackland the best accommodations in his power, and treated her with a cup of tea in his guard-house. When General Gates, in the morning, was informed of the unhappy situation of Lady Ackland, he immediately ordered her a safe escort, and treated her himself with the tenderness of a parent, directing that every attention should be bestowed which her rank, sex, character and circumstances required. She was soon conveyed to Albany, where she found her wounded husband.." The Americans, whose loss had been comparatively trifling, lay all night on their arms, about half a mile from the British lines, intending to renew the attack in the morning.

During the night, Burgoyne skilfully changed his position, which was clearly untenable, and drew his whole army into a strong camp on the river heights, extending his right up the river. During this movement, General Fraser was fast sinking. He had been carried to a house occupied by the Baroness Reidesel, who, amid the roar of artillery and musketry, was expecting the arrival of her husband, and Generals Burgoyne, Philips, and Fraser to dinner, when the latter was brought in. Other wounded officers speedily followed, until the room of the baroness and her children was turned into an hospital for the dying. During the night, Fraser often exclaimed, "Oh fatal ambition! Poor General Burgoyne! Oh my poor wife!" He expressed a wish to be buried at six next evening, in the great redoubt. About eight in the morning he expired. Although a retreat was now decided on, and delay was dangerous, yet Burgoyne could not but linger a few hours to comply with the request of his gallant companion in arms. The day passed away in skirmishes with the enemy, and in preparations for departure. At six in