He had stated at Fort Edward that he should eat his Christmas dinner in Albany, a laurelled conqueror, with

92 THE HUDSON.

the great objects of the campaign perfectly accomplished ; but now he began to doubt.

General Schuyler had been the commander of the troops opposed to Burgoyne until the 19th of August, when he surrendered his charge to General Gates, a conceited officer, very much his inferior in every particular. This supersedure had been accomplished by political intrigue.

"When Burgoyne crossed the Hudson, Gates, then at the mouth of the Mohawk, advanced with his troops to Bemis's Height, about twelve miles below the halting British army, and there established a fortified camp. Perceiving the necessity of immediate hostile action -- because the Republican army was hourly augmenting (volunteers flocking in from all quarters, and particularly from Is'ew England) -- Burgoyne crossed the Fish Creek, burned the mills and mansion of General Schuyler, and advanced upon Gates.

A severe but indecisive battle was fought at Bemis's Heights on the 1 9th of September ; Burgoyne fell back a few miles toward his intrenched camp, and resolved there to await the expected approach of Sir Henry Clinton, with a large force, up the lower Hudson. Clinton was tardy, perils were thickening, and Burgoyne resolved to make another attack upon Gates. After a severe battle fought on the 7th of October, upon almost the same ground occupied in the engagement on the 19th of September, he was again compelled to fall back. He finally retreated to his intrenched camp beyond the Fish Creek.