Page:The Galaxy, Volume 5.djvu/89

Rh almost general consternation and languor took the place of the previous confidence and buoyancy.

Beyond Fort Edward the country was more thickly peopled with German, Dutch and English settlers. The latter, pretending to be good Royalists, were allowed by Burgoyne, against the strong representations of his officers, not only to carry their arms, hitherto, but to stroll about the camp at their leisure and without any restraint. "These men, however," says Riedesel's journal, "were all but Royalists. They consequently improved the opportunity to gain intelligence of all the occurrences in the army by appearances, and they forthwith communicated to the commanders of the enemy's forces that which they had seen and heard." Having finally crossed the Hudson, those of the German dragoons that were left were horsed. Their number had now dwindled to twenty, and this number constituted the entire cavalry force of the invading army.

Having chosen Schuyler's house for his headquarters, Burgoyne, on the 15th of September, gave the order to advance in search of the enemy, supposed to be somewhere in the forest; for, strange as it appears, that general had no knowledge of the enemy's position, nor had he taken any pains to inform himself upon this vital point. The army, in gala dress, with its left wing resting on the Hudson, set off on its march with drums beating, colors flying, and their arms glistening in the sunshine of that lovely Autumn day. "It was a superb military spectacle," says an eye-witness, "reminding one of a grand parade in the midst of peace." They pitched their camp that night at Sword's house. On the following morning the enemy's drums were heard calling the men to arms; but, although in such close proximity, the invading army knew not whence the sounds came, nor in what strength he was posted. Indeed, it does not seem that up to this time Burgoyne had sent off patrols or scouting parties to discover the situation of the enemy. Now, however, he mounted his horse to attend to it himself, taking with him a strong body guard, consisting of the four regiments of Specht and Hesse-Hanau, with six heavy pieces of ordnance, and two hundred workmen to construct bridges and roads. This was the party with which he proposed "to scout, and, if occasion served"—these were his words—"to attack the rebels on the spot." This remarkable scouting party moved with such celerity as to accomplish two and a half miles the first day.

The night of the 18th of September passed quietly. The patrols that had finally been sent out, returned without having seen any trace of the enemy. Indeed, it is a noteworthy fact, that throughout the entire campaign Burgoyne was never able to obtain the least knowledge either of the position of the Americans or of their movements; whereas, all of his own plans were publicly known