Page:15 decisive battles of the world Vol 2 (London).djvu/271

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
AT SARATOGA.
263

article is inadmissible in every extremity; sooner than this array will consent to ground their arms in their encampment, they will rush on the enemy, determined to take no quarter." After various messages a convention for the surrender of the army was settled, which provided, that "The troops under General fiurgoyne were to march out of their camp with the honours of war, and the artillery of the intrenchments, to the verge of the river, where the arms and artillery were to be left. The arms to be piled by word of command from their own officers. A free passage was to be granted to the army under Lieutenant-General Burgoyne to Great Britain, upon condition of not serving again in North America during the present contest."

The Articles of Capitulation were settled on the 15th of October; and on that very evening a messenger arrived from Clinton with an account of his successes, and with the tidings that part of his force had penetrated as far as Esopus, within fifty miles of Burgoyne's camp. But it was too late. The public faith was pledged; and the army was indeed too debilitated by fatigue and hunger to resist an attack if made; and Gates certainly would have made it, if the convention had been broken off. Accordingly on the 17th, the Convention of Saratoga was parried into effect. By this con-