Sever hears of the Affair of Oriskany. - Applies for Reini crements-Is Appeal to the Patriotism of Stark. Schurer Superseded- His Conduct thereupon. - Relief sen 17 Fort Stanwix-Armold volunteers to conduct it. -age of Encampment. - Patriotic determination of Scharen -Jectment of the Enemy against Benning3.- Fermans and their Indian Allies -Baum, the Hessan Lavier-Stark in the Field.-Mustering of the Mili1-3 3elirerent Parson - Battle of Bennington. — Freman the s-Routed.- Reception of the News ate Iva Jumps - Washington urges New England to Blow up ne Hum

CHUTLER was in Albany in the early ars if Anrast, making stirring appeals 1 every Erection for reinforcements. Jun sacing apon him; he had rede strous affair at Oriskany, s the iì e General Herkimer, and Tryon Cyng in for assistance. One Is a veteran John Stark, Exze in the French war and the Matre A Suber's H2 He had his farm a i Sampsun Gus and his name was a

SCHUYLER RECALLED.

181

that he was on a visit to Lincoln's camp at Manchester, Schuyler wrote to that General, "Assure General Stark that I have acquainted Congress of his situation, and that I trust and entreat he will, in the present alarming crisis, waive his right; the greater the sacrifice he makes to his feelings, the greater will be the honor due to him for not having suffered any consideration whatever to come in competition with the weal of his country entreat him to march immediately to our armny."

Schuyler had instant call to practice the very virtue he was inculcating. He was about to mount his horse on the 10th, to return to the camp at Stillwater, when a dispatch from Congress was put into his hand containing the resolves which recalled him to attend a court of inquiry about the affair of Ticonderoga, and requested Washington to appoint an officer to succeed him.

Schuyler felt deeply the indignity of being thus recalled at a time when an engagement was apparently at hand, but endeavored to console himself with the certainty that a thorough investigation of his conduct would prove how much he was entitled to the thanks of his country. He intimated the same in his reply to Congress; in the mean time, he considered it his duty to remain at his post until his successor should arrive, or some officer in the department be nominated to the command. Returning, therefore, to the camp at Stillwater, he continued to conduct the affairs of the army with unremitting zeal. 60 • Un

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EXPEDITION AGAINST BENNINGTON. 183

Hawk River, where it empties into the Hudand a brigade was posted above the Falls he Mohawk, called the Cohoes, to prevent enemy from crossing there. It was consida strong position, where they could not be atced without great disadvantage to the assailant. The feelings of Schuyler were more and more ited as the game of war appeared drawing to isis. "I am resolved," writes he to his friend ane, "to make another sacrifice to my country, risk the censure of Congress by remaining his quarter after I am relieved, and bringing the militia to the support of this weak army." As yet he did not know who was to be his cessor in the command. A letter from Duane formed him that General Gates was the man. Still the noble part of Schuyler's nature was the ascendant. "Your fears may be up," rites he in reply, "lest the ill-treatment I have sperienced at his hands, should so far get the tter of my judgment as to embarrass him. t, my dear friend, be uneasy on that account. m incapable of sacrificing my country to a retment, however just; and I trust I shall give example of what a good citizen ought to do n he is in my situation."

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We will now take a view of occurrences on the it and left of Burgoyne, and show the effect Schuyler's measures, poorly seconded as they e, in crippling and straitening the invading y. And first, we will treat of the expedition nst Bennington. This was a central place, ther the live stock was driven from various

parts of the Hampshire Grants, and whence the American army derived its supplies. It was a great deposit, also, of grain of various kinds, and of wheel carriages; the usual guard was militia, varying from day to day. Bennington was to be surprised. The country was to be scoured from Rockingham to Otter Creek in quest of provisions for the army, horses and oxen for draft, and horses for the cavalry. All public magazines were to be sacked. All cattle belonging to royalists, and which could be spared by their owners, were to be paid for. All rebel flocks and herds were to be driven away.

Generals Phillips and Reidesel demurred strongly to the expedition, but their counsels. were outweighed by those of Colonel Skene, the royalist. He knew, he said, all the country thereabout. The inhabitants were as five to one in favor of the royal cause, and would be prompt to turn out on the first appearance of a protecting army. He was to accompany the expedition, and much was expected from his personal influence and authority.

Lieutenant-colonel Baum was to command the detachment. He had under him, according to Burgoyne, two hundred dismounted dragoons of the regiment of Riedesel, Captain Fraser's marksmen, which were the only British, all the Canadian volunteers, a party of the provincials who perfectly knew the country, one hundred Indians, and two light pieces of cannon. The whole detachment amounted to about five hundred men. The dragoons, it was expected, would supply