Brigadier Generals Nixon and Glover were ordered to cross the creek with their brigades for this pur

pose.

Colonel Morgan advancing with his corps at daylight agreeably to orders, fell in with the enemy's picket by whom he was fired upon, and lost a lieutenant and several privates. This induced him to suppose that the enemy had not moved as was supposed, in which case his situation would be extremely critical, as the fog was so thick that nothing could be seen at the distance of twenty yards; a winding creek was in his rear, and he was unacquainted with the grounds. In this dilemma he was met by the Deputy Adjutant General, Colonel Wilkinson, who had been sent out by the General for the purpose of reconnoitering. Wilkinson returned immediately to communicate this intelligence to the General, and Patterson's and Learned's brigades, both under the command of the latter, were sent to the support of Morgan. In the mean time the whole army had advanced as far as the ridge between the church and General Schuyler's house where they halted. Generals Nixon and Glover were in advance, marching according to orders, to the attack of the camp. Nixon had already crossed the creek, and Glover was preparing to follow him, when a deserter from the enemy was observed fording the creek, from whom information was received that Burgoyne with his whole army was still in his camp. This was confirmed by the capture of a reconnoitering party of a subaltern and 35 men, by the advance guard of 50 under Captain Goodale of Putnam's regiment, who discovered them through the fog just as he reached the bank of the creek, and making a resolute charge upon them took them without firing a gun.

The General was at this time a mile in the rear, and before this intelligence could be communicated to him, and orders received for the two brigades to desist and recross the river, the fog cleared up, and exposed to view the whole British army under arms. A heavy fire of artillery and small arms was immediately opened upon Nixon's brigade, which was in advance, and they retreated in considerable disorder across the creek, with a trifling loss, and resumed their position.

General Learned had in the mean time reached Morgan's corps with his two brigades, and was advancing rapidly to the attack, in obedience to a standing order which had been issued the day before, "That in case of an attack against any point, whether front, flank or rear, the troops are to fall on the enemy at all quarters." He had arrived within 200 yards of Burgoyne's strongest post, and in a few minutes more would have been engaged under great disadvantages, when Colonel Wilkinson reached him with intelligence that our right had given way, and that it would be prudent for him to retreat. Being without authority from the General to order it, the brave old General hesitated to obey, in opposition to the standing order, until Lieutenant Colonels Brooks and Tupper and some other officers coming up, a sort of council was held, and the proposition to retreat was approved. The moment they turned their backs, the enemy who had been calmly expecting their advance, opened a fire upon them which was continued until they were masked by the wood. They retreated about half a mile, with Morgan on their left, and encamped in a strong position, which they held until the surrender of the British army.

Large quantities of baggage, provision, ammunition, and other articles had fallen into the hands of the Americans, since the action of the 7th, which had excited, and particularly in the militia, such eagerness for plunder, that the General was constrained on the 12th to issue the following general order. "The General sees so many scandalous and mean transactions committed by persons who seek more after plunder than the honour of doing their duty in a becoming and soldier-like manner, that he is obliged to declare his unalterable resolution, to have the first person who shall hereafter be detected pillaging the baggage and stores taken from the enemy, tried and punished with the utmost severity of the military law. Officers who know their duty and have virtue to practise it, will not be seeking plunder, when they ought to be doing their best service in the field; it is only the worthless and the pilfering that are so truly infamous. For the future all plunder taken from the enemy is to be delivered to Lieutenant Colonel Hay, Deputy Quarter Master General, who is to give a receipt for the same, and after three days publick notice in general orders, it shall be sold by auction in the most central place in the rear of the army; and the money for which the plunder is sold, shall be properly and fairly divided, to such persons as, in the impartial judgment of the General, have a right to receive a share: when there is a sum sufficient to divide among the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the whole army, they may be assured of such having their just quota."

The following letter from Major General Gates to the British commander on the 12th, furnishes an interesting example of that combination of courtesy and candour, which marked the character of this Ame

rican chief. While he pays due respect to the exactions of polite society, he does not hesitate to tell the most disagreeable truths to his correspondent. -"Sir, I had the honour to receive your Excellency's letter by Lady Ackland. The respect due to her Ladyship's rank, the tenderness due to her person and sex, were alone sufficient recommendations, to entitle her to my protection; and considering my preceding conduct, with respect to those of your army, whom the fortune of war has placed in my hands, I am surprised your Excellency should think, that I could consider the greatest attention to Lady Ackland in the light of an obligation.

"The cruelties which mark the retreat of your army, in burning the gentlemen's and farmers's houses as it passed along, is almost, among civilized nations, without precedent; they should not endeavour to ruin those whom they could not conquer; their conduct betrays more of the vindictive malice of a monk than the generosity of a soldier.

"Your friend Sir Francis Clark, by the information of Dr. Potts, the Director-General of my hospital, languishes under a very dangerous wound; every sort of tenderness and attention is paid to him, as well as to all the wounded, who have fallen into my hands, and the hospital which you were necessitated to leave to my mercy.

"At the solicitation of Major Williams, I am prevailed upon to offer him and Major Milborn in exchange for Colonel Ethan Allen. Your objection to my last proposals for the exchange of Colonel Ethan Allen, I must consider as trifling, as I cannot but suppose that the Generals of the royal ar

mies act in equal concert with those of the armies of the United States.

"The bearer delivers a number of letters from the officers of your army, taken prisoners in the action of the 7th instant."

To this letter General Burgoyne replied by a short note, saying that an excuse should be sent as soon as possible; and on the following day, a message was received, desiring to know at what time General Gates would receive a field officer whom General Burgoyne was desirous of sending. Major General Gates somewhat inconsiderately agreed to receive the field officer at his head quarters, at 10 o'clock on the 14th; but reflecting on the impropriety of admitting his adversary to so close an inspection of his army, he sent Colonel Wilkinson to meet him at the advanced post, and receive his message. Major Kingston, however, the messenger of Burgoyne, refused to make known the purport of his message, and insisted on the promise of General Gates to receive him at head quarters: he was therefore blindfolded and conducted thither. General Gates recognized an old acquaintance in Major Kingston, and received him with cordiality. He had committed his message to writing, and read it to General Gates as follows:

"The General from a great deal of business did not yesterday answer your letter about the officers, but intended it.

"In regard to the reproaches made upon this army of burning the country, they are unjust; General Schuyler's house and adjacent buildings remained protected till General Gates's troops approached the ford; General Burgoyne avows the order for setting