Leger at Fort Schuyler had been disheartening; now the frequent desertions from his army depleted his force of fighting men. On the 13 th and 14th of September he crossed the river on his bridge of boats, landing upon the plain near the mouth of Fishkill Creek, afterwards Schuylerville, about five miles north of the American position. The arrangement of the opposing forces on the 19th was similar, each resting -- right and left respectively --

Above Tide-Water

upon the river, whence the Hnes stretched at right angles with the stream and parallel to each other, westward, across the hills. Burgc)>-ne's left wing, on the flats near the river, consisted of the artil lery. The General-in-chief commanded the centre person. and right in

The American right, opposite the British artllle r^- and extending over the low hills and flats near the ri^'er, was under the immediate command of General Gates. The left, that included Livingston's , Van Cortlandt s, Hale's, Scannel's, and Cillev's regiments, the Connecticut militia, and Morgan's famou s sharpshooters, was on the heights three quarters of a mile from the river, under command of the impetuous dict Arnold. Bene-

Arnold, together with Thaddeus Kosciusco, the Polish engineer, had selected Bemis Heights as the theatre of battle and laid out fortifications there. Having, on the i8th, advanced slowly to within two miles of General Gates's position, Burgoyne rested over night and prepared for an attack ui)on the morning of the 19th. The plan, in brief, was to inake a demonstration with Canadians and Indians threatenmg the American centre, while the grenadiers and light infantry, under Frazer, on the left of Gates's position, and the British left-wing, under Philips and Reidesel, were to move simultaneously and b}' a circuitous route to gain the American rear. Burgo}-ne himself was with the British right.