to recede no farther.

Meanwhile Lord Howe, with the bulk of the British army that had lain at
New York, had sailed away to the Delaware, and there commenced a
campaign against Washington, in which the English general took
Philadelphia, and gained other showy but unprofitable successes. But Sir
Henry Clinton, a brave and skilful officer, was left with a considerable
force at New York, and he undertook the task of moving up the Hudson to
cooperate with Burgoyne. Clinton was obliged for this purpose to wait
for reenforcements which had been promised from England, and these did
not arrive till September. As soon as he received them, Clinton embarked
about three thousand of his men on a flotilla, convoyed by some
ships-of-war under Commander Hotham, and proceeded to force his way up
the river.

The country between Burgoyne's position at Saratoga and that of the
Americans at Stillwater was rugged, and seamed with creeks and
water-courses; but, after great labor in making bridges and temporary
causeways, the British army moved forward. About four miles from
Saratoga, on the afternoon of September 19th, a sharp encounter took
place between part of the English right wing, under Burgoyne himself,
and a strong body of the enemy, under Gates and Arnold. The conflict
lasted till sunset. The British remained masters of the field; but the
loss on each side was nearly equal--from five to six hundred men--and
the spirits of the Americans were greatly raised by having withstood the
best regular troops of the English army.

Burgoyne now halted again, and strengthened his position by field-works
and redoubts; and the Americans also improved their defences. The two
armies remained nearly within cannon-shot of each other for a
considerable time, during which Burgoyne was anxiously looking for
intelligence of the promised expedition from New York, which, according
to the original plan, ought by this time to have been approaching Albany
from the south. At last a messenger from Clinton made his way, with
great difficulty, to Burgoyne's camp, and brought the information that
Clinton was on his way up the Hudson to attack the American forts which
barred the passage up that river to Albany. Burgoyne, in reply, stated
his hopes that the promised cooperation would be speedy and decisive,
and added that, unless he received assistance before October 10th, he
would be obliged to retreat to the Lakes through want of provisions.

The Indians and Can