ERE THE STARS AND STRIPES UNFURLED

BURGOYNE was in the enemy's country. He was cut off from reenforcements.
His very efforts to separate the colonies now recoiled upon his own
armies. He could neither advance nor retreat with safety. For two weeks
the opposing armies had stood opposite each other without fire. In
desperation the British general now hazarded another battle. After a
sustained and terrible struggle Burgoyne went down in defeat. His best
and bravest officers were lost and seven hundred of his men were killed.
General Frazer, beloved by every British soldier and respected by those
opposed to him, had fallen at the hands of one of Morgan's riflemen, of
whom it was said, they could strike an apple in mid-air and shoot out
every seed.

On the American side Benedict Arnold, although divested of his command,
had ridden to the front of his old regiment and became "the inspiring
genius of the battle." He charged right into the British lines and
received a severe wound. He received also the disapproval of General
Gates and the reprimand of Congress. The battle raged furiously until
nightfall, when the proud Briton who had boasted "the British never
retreat" fled under cover of the darkness. He gained the heights of
Saratoga, where he found himself completely hemmed in by the Americans.
With but three days' rations between his army and starvation, he was
forced to surrender. While he was holding consultation with his officers
concerning this, a cannon ball passed over the table at which they were
sitting, and, no doubt, hastened their conclusions.

Colonel Kingston was detailed to confer with the American general on
articles of capitulation. He was conducted blindfolded to General Gates
and with him arranged the formalities. The morning of October 17,
seventeen hundred and ninety-one British subjects became prisoners of
war. They marched to Fort Hardy on the banks of the Hudson and, in the
presence of Generals Morgan, Wilkerson, and Lewis, laid down their
arms. The eyes of many of the men were suffused with tears; others among
them stamped upon their muskets in anger.

The colors had been preserved to the British army through the foresight
of General Riedesel, who had handed them to his wife for safe-keeping.
To the credit of the victorious Americans, it is said, they showed no
disrespect to the defeated foe. "General Gates," wrote Lieutenant
Ansbury, one of the captured officers, "revealed exceeding nobleness