University of Virginia Library

DIALOGUE III.

Scene. British Camp. The interior of a Tent richly
furnished. An Officer seated at a table covered
with papers and maps. A Servant in waiting.

The Officer.

(Sipping his wine, and carefully examining
a plan of the adjacent country.)
About here,

we must be—let me see.—I heard the drum from their
fort this morning, distinctly. Turn that curtain; we
might get a faint breeze there now.

Ser't.

But the sun will be coming that side, Sir. It's
past two o'clock.

Off.

Past two—a good position—very. Well, well,
—we'll take our breakfast in Albany on Friday morning,
and if our soldiers fast a day or two ere then, why
they'll relish it the better;—once in the rich country beyond—Ay,
it will take more troops than this General will
have at his bidding by that time, to drain the Hudson's
borders for us.

(A Servant enters with a note.)

Off.

(Reading.)
“The Baroness Reidesel's compliments—do
her the honor—Voisin has succeeded.”—
Ay, ay,—Voisin has succeeded,—I'll warrant that. That
caterer of hers must be in league with the powers of
the air, I am certain. General Burgoyne will be but too
happy, my Lady—(writing the answer.)

[The Servant goes out.

Off.

Past two! The cannon should be in sight ere
this. This to Sir George Ackland.

[Exit the Attendant.

Off.

Tuesday—Wednesday.—If the batteaux should
get here to-morrow. One hundred teams—

(Another Officer enters the tent.)

1st Off.

How goes it abroad, Colonel St. Leger?

2nd Off.

Indeed, Sir, the camp is as quiet as midnight.
It's a breathless heat. But there are a few dark heads
swelling in the west. We may have a shower yet ere
night.

Bur.

Good news that. But here is better, (giving
the other an open letter.)

St. Leger.

Ay, ay, that reads well, Sir.

Bur.

And here is another as good. Yes Sir, yes Sir,—
they are flocking in from all quarters—the insurgents are
laying down their arms by hundreds. It must be a
miserable fragment that Schuyler has with him by this.

St. L.

General Burgoyne, is not it a singular circumstance,
that the enemy should allow us to take possession
of a point like that without opposition,—so trifling a
detachment, too? Why, that hill commands the fort,—
certainly it does.

Bur.

Well—well. They are pretty much reduced,
I fancy, Sir. We shall hardly hear much more from
them. Let me see,—this is the hill.

St. L.

A pity we could not provoke them into an
engagement, though! They depend so entirely upon
the popular feeling for supplies and troops, and the whole
machinery of their warfare, that it is rather hazardous
reckoning upon them, after all. If we could draw

them into an engagement now, the result would be certain.

Bur.

Yes, yes; we must contrive to do that ere
long. Rather troublesome travelling companions they
make, that's certain. Like those insects that swarm
about us here,—no great honor in fighting them, but a
good deal of discomfort in letting them alone. We must
sweep them out of our way, I think, or at all events give
them a brush, that will quiet them a little.

St. L.

Or they might prove, after all, like the gadfly
in the fable. I do not think this outbreak will be
any disadvantage in the end, General.

Bur.

Not a whit—not a whit—they have needed this,
It will do them good, Sir.

St. L.

The fact is, these colonies were founded in
the spirit of insubordination, and all the circumstances
of their position have hitherto tended to develope only
these disorganizing elements.

Bur.

It will do them good, Sir. Depend upon it,
they'll remember this lesson. Pretty well sickened of
war are they all. They'll count the cost ere they try it
again.

St. L.

We can hardly expect the news from General
Reidesel before sunset, I suppose.

Bur.

If my messenger returns by to-morrow's sunrise,
it is better fortune than I look for.

(Col. St. Leger goes out.)

(Burgoyne resumes his plan.)

A Ser't.

(At the door.)
Capt. Maitland, Sir.

Bur.

Capt. Maitland!

Ser't.

From Fort Ann, Sir.

(Maitland enters.)

Bur.

Captain Maitland! Good heavens, I thought
you were at Skeensborough by this,—what has happened?
or am I to congratulate myself that the necessity of your
embassy is obviated. You met them, perhaps?—

Maitland.

There's but little cause of congratulation,
Sir, as these dispatches will prove to you. I returned
only because my embassy was accomplished.

Bur.

Do you mean to say, Captain Maitland, that you
have seen the waters of Lake Champlain, since you left
here this morning?

Mait.

I do, Sir.

Bur.

On my word, these roads must have improved
since we travelled them some two days agone. I am
sorry for your horses, Sir. You saw General Reidesel?

Mait.

I left him only at nine o'clock this morning.

(Burgoyne examines the dispatches.)

Bur.

“Twelve oxen to one batteaux!”—“and but fifty

teams!” This news was scarcely worth so much haste,
I think,—but fifty teams?—Captain Maitland, had those
draught horses from Canada not arrived yet?

Mait.

They were just landing this morning as I left,
but only one-fourth of the number contracted for.

Bur.

Humph! I would like to know what time, at
this rate—sit down, Captain Maitland, sit down—we
are like to spend the summer here, for aught I see,
after all. (A long pause, in which Burgoyne resumes
his reading.)

Mait.

General Burgoyne, I am entrusted with a message
from General Reidsel to the Baroness. If this is
all—

Bur.

What were you saying?—The Baroness—ay,
ay—that's all well enough,—but Captain Maitland is
aware, no doubt, there are more important subjects on
the tapis just now than a lady's behests.

Mait.

Sir?—

Bur.

(Pushing the papers impatiently from him.)

This will never do. St. George! We'll give these
rebels other work ere many days, than driving away cattle
and breaking down bridges for our convenience. Meanwhile
we must open some new source of supplies, or
we may starve to death among these hills yet. Captain
Maitland, I have a proposal to make to you. You are
impatient, Sir.

Mait.

General Burgoyne!—

Bur.

Nay, nay,—there's no haste about it. It were
cruel to detain you now, after the toil of this wild journey.
You'll find your quarters changed, Captain Maitland.
We sent a small detachment across the river just
now. Some of our copper-colored allies had got into a
fray with the enemy there.

Mait.

Ha! (returning.)

Bur.

Nothing of consequence, as it turns out. We
hoped it would have ended in something. A few of the
enemy, who were stationed as a guard on a hill not far
from Fort Edward, were surprised by a party of Indians,
and killed, to a man, I believe. Afterwards, the victors
got into a deadly fray among themselves as usual. A
quarrel between a couple of these chiefs, at some famous
watering place of theirs, and in the midst of it, a party
from the fort drove them from the ground;—this is
Alaska's own story at least.

Mait.

Alaska's!

Bur.

Alaska?—Alaska?—yes, I think it was,—one of
these new allies we have picked up here.

Mait.

(In a whisper.)
Good God!

Bur.

By the time our detachment arrived there, however,
the ground was cleared, and they took quiet possession.
Are you ill, Captain Maitland?

Mait.

A little,—it is nothing. I am to cross the
river.

Bur.

Yes. You will take these papers to Captain
Andre. You have over-fatigued yourself. You should
have taken more time for this wild journey.

(Maitland goes out.)

Bur.

I do not like the idea of division, but it cannot be
helped now. This gallant young soldier were a fitting
leader for such an enterprize.