At Fort Edward Burgoyne now found that he could hardly move.He was encumbered by an enormous baggage train.His own effects filled, it is said, thirty wagons and this we can believe when we find that champagne was served at his table up almost to the day of final disaster.The population was thoroughly aroused against him.His own instinct was to remain near the water route to Canada and make sure of his communications.On the other hand, honor called him to go forward and not fail Howe, supposed to be advancing to meet him.For a long time he waited and hesitated.
Meanwhile he was having increasing difficulty in feeding his army and through sickness and desertion his numbers were declining.By the 13th of September he had taken a decisive step.He made a bridge of boats and moved his whole force across the river to Saratoga, now Schuylerville.This crossing of the river would result inevitably in cutting off his communications with Lake George and Ticonderoga.After such a step he could not go back and he was moving forward into a dark unknown.The American camp was at Stillwater, twelve miles farther down the river.Burgoyne sent messenger after messenger to get past the American lines and bring back news of Howe.Not one of these unfortunate spies returned.Most of them were caught and ignominiously hanged.One thing, however, Burgoyne could do.He could hazard a fight and on this he decided as the autumn was closing in.
Burgoyne had no time to lose, once his force was on the west bank of the Hudson.General Lincoln cut off his communications with Canada and was soon laying siege to Ticonderoga.The American army facing Burgoyne was now commanded by General Gates.This Englishman, the godson of Horace Walpole, had gained by successful intrigue powerful support in Congress.That body was always paying too much heed to local claims and jealousies and on the 2d of August it removed Schuyler of New York because he was disliked by the soldiers from New England and gave the command to Gates.Washington was far away maneuvering to meet Howe and he was never able to watch closely the campaign in the north.Gates, indeed, considered himself independent of Washington and reported not to the Commander-in-Chief but direct to Congress.On the 19th of September Burgoyne attacked Gates in a strong entrenched position on Bemis Heights, at Stillwater.There was a long and bitter fight, but by evening Burgoyne had not carried the main position and had lost more than five hundred men whom he could ill spare from his scanty numbers.
Burgoyne's condition was now growing desperate.American forces barred retreat to Canada.He must go back and meet both frontal and flank attacks, or go forward, or surrender.To go forward now had most promise, for at last Howe had instructed Clinton, left in command at New York, to move, and Clinton was making rapid progress up the Hudson.On the 7th of October Burgoyne attacked again at Stillwater.This time he was decisively defeated, a result due to the amazing energy in attack of Benedict Arnold, who had been stripped of his command by an intrigue.Gates would not even speak to him and his lingering in the American camp was unwelcome.Yet as a volunteer Arnold charged the British line madly and broke it.Burgoyne's best general, Fraser, was killed in the fight.Burgoyne retired to Saratoga and there at last faced the prospects of getting back to Fort Edward and to Canada.
It may be that he could have cut his way through, but this is doubtful.Without risk of destruction he could not move in any direction.His enemies now outnumbered him nearly four to one.
