Meantime, the enemy was daily becoming stronger.  The conduct of the savages had roused the whole country; and the British bore the odium of excesses which the General could not prevent, and dared not punish.  The loyalists could not remain near the army, for they were almost equally exposed to the cruelties of the savages, who spared neither age nor sex.  Others, who would have gladly staid at home, found that their only safety was to take arms, and join the camp.  Thus the British were left without a friend in the country, while the American commanders, who took every advantage of these atrocities, were soon at the head of an army more numerous and formidable than that which had been dispersed.

General Arnold was sent to command the force at Saratoga.  He drew it back to Stillwater, a township about twelve miles down the Hudson, that he might check Colonel St. Leger, who, with 700 or 800 men, was besieging Fort Stanwix, on the Mohawk, and had given a severe defeat to a party sent to relieve it.  General Burgoyne, desiring to effect a junction with St. Leger, moved down the east bank of the Hudson to Saratoga, where he threw a bridge of rafts over the river, and crossed an advanced corps.  Being almost destitute of supplies, and too weak to maintain his communications with Fort George, he detached a force to surprise the enemy’s magazines at Bennington; but on the 15th of August it was overpowered and defeated, with considerable loss.  A week after, St. Leger was obliged to retire from before Fort Stanwix.  General Gates, who was now the enemy’s Commander-in-chief, detached Arnold against him with 2,000 men, and the savages, hearing of his approach, threatened to desert St. Leger if he remained, and even murdered the British stragglers on the retreat.

Provisions for thirty days were at length collected; but nearly three months had been consumed in forcing a way through almost impassable woods and morasses in the worst of weather, and in vexatious inaction from deficiency of means to advance; service far more destructive than severe fighting.  A heavy swell caused by the rains had carried away the bridge, but Mr. Pellew constructed another by which the army crossed to Saratoga.  The General would afterwards rally him as the cause of their subsequent misfortunes, by affording the means for their advance in the construction of this bridge.  General Gates remained in the neighbourhood of Stillwater; and the army, advancing through a difficult country, found itself on the 19th of September very near the enemy.  General Burgoyne marched at the head of the right wing, which was covered by the light infantry and grenadiers, under Frazer and Breyman, who moved along some high ground commanding its flank; while the left wing and artillery, under Phillips and Reidesel, kept along the road and meadows by the river side.  While thus advancing, the enemy marched out of his camp, and attempted to turn the right wing, and take the British in flank.  Foiled