unging into a
forest, far away from all possible support from behind, and as he went
on he found that there were not Tories enough in that part of the
country to be of any use to him. As Burgoyne advanced, General Schuyler
prudently retreated, and used up the enemy's time by breaking down
bridges and putting every possible obstacle in his way. Schuyler was a
rare man, thoroughly disinterested and full of sound sense; but he had
many political enemies who were trying to pull him down. A large part of
his army was made up of New England men, who hated him partly for the
mere reason that he was a New Yorker, and partly because as such he had
taken part in the long quarrel between New York and New Hampshire over
the possession of the Green Mountains. The disaffection toward Schuyler
was fomented by General Horatio Gates, who had for some time held
command under him, but was now in Philadelphia currying favour with the
delegates in Congress, especially with those from New England, in the
hope of getting himself appointed to the command of the northern army in
Schuyler's place. Gates was an extremely weak man, but so vain that he
really believed himself equal to the highest command that Congress could
be persuaded to give him. On the battle-field he seems to have been
wanting even in personal courage, as he certainly was in power to handle
his troops; but in society he was quite a lion. He had a smooth
courteous manner and a plausible tongue which paid little heed to the
difference between truth and falsehood. His lies were not very
ingenious, and so they were often detected and pointed out. But while
many people were disgusted by his selfishness and trickery, there were
always some who insisted that he was a great genius. History can point
to a good many men like General Gates. Such men sometimes shine for a
while, but sooner or later they always come to be recognized as humbugs.

[Illustration: BURGOYNE'S CAMPAIGN.]

[Sidenote: Battle of Hubbardton, July 7, 1777.]

While Gates was intriguing, Schuyler was doing all in his power to
impede the enemy's progress. It was on the night of July 5 that the
garrison of Ticonderoga, under General St. Clair, had abandoned the
fortress and retreated southward. On the 7th a battle was fought at
Hubbardton between St. Clair's rear, under Seth Warner, and a portion of
the British army under Fraser and Riedesel. Warner was defeated, but
only after such an obstinate resistance as to ch