ay through. In
this situation his troops lay continually on their arms. His camp was
subjected to cannonading from Fellows' batteries on the opposite side
of the Hudson, Gates' batteries on the south of Fishkill, and a
galling fire from Morgan's riflemen, stationed on heights in the rear.

The Baroness De Riedesel and her helpless little ones were exposed to
the dangers and horrors of this long turmoil. On the morning when the
attack was opened, General De Riedesel sent them to take refuge in a
house in the vicinity. The baroness succeeded in getting to the house.
Some women and crippled soldiers had already taken refuge there. It
was mistaken for head-quarters and cannonaded. The baroness retreated
into the cellar, laid herself in a corner near the door with her
children's heads upon her knees, and passed a sleepless night of
mental anguish. In the morning the cannonade began anew. Cannon balls
passed through the house repeatedly with a tremendous noise. A poor
soldier who was about to have a leg amputated, lost the other by one
of these balls. The day was passed among such horrors. For six days,
she and her children remained in this dismal place of refuge.

Burgoyne was now reduced to despair. His forces were diminished by
losses, by the desertion of Canadians and royalists, and the total
defection of the Indians; and on inspection it was found that the
provisions on hand, even upon short allowance, would not suffice for
more than three days. A council of war, therefore, was called of all
the generals, field-officers and captains commanding troops. The
deliberations were brief. All concurred in the necessity of opening a
treaty with General Gates, for a surrender on honorable terms.

Negotiations were accordingly opened on the 13th, under sanction of a
flag. Lieutenant Kingston, Burgoyne's adjutant-general, was the bearer
of a note, proposing a cessation of hostilities until terms could be
adjusted. The first terms offered by Gates were that the enemy should
lay down their arms within their intrenchments, and surrender
themselves prisoners of war. These were indignantly rejected, with an
intimation that, if persisted in, hostilities must recommence.

Counter proposals were then made by General Burgoyne, and finally
accepted by General Gates. According to these the British troops were
to march out of the camp with artillery and all the honors of war, to
a fixed place, where they were to pile their arms at a word of