4
i'
I
'lite Mrm! u!itr r t'ic !u: injin,
lv mi1 tlir tuiwl.il ifiin jnhi.iri ., urr.
Jk 'II
- mux mnVNi t aaisaraai Miami t.
StittTU U1rvliciallc lUrouU,
Hut more to at a little coterie, '
Where friends, in number tight or Uicrcibotits,
- Mctt to enjoy loquacity and tea j . .."'
If small talk were abolished, I've my doubt
If Imlics would sun ie to fifty-three , .
;Kor Miall the w!(i.i;)ailiev;MI oH'ybiirr. 7 -.'' .'
Men love Lttl bit of small talk too. - -
What changes there would he, if no Umgnc rail,
Except in aober sense and convemtion j
There many a conimVmcaGvc man
Would take to silence and to cogitation :
'twould atop old maids, (if aught that'a earthly can,)
And rut the thread of many an oration :
Old bachelors would dandle through the day,
And go on in a very hum drum way !
What would become of tttoac, who, when at prayers
Ix-an down their Iteadt, ami whicper in their pent
Hioae at tlie play, who jfive the mailvea auch air,
Careful each celebrated speech to lose f
How would the poor man suffer, w ho prepares
1'or amall snug partita which he can't refuse i
What would become of all the gay pursuits,
' If all gay people auddcnly turned mutri t
Partners at balls would look extremely blue,
While waiting for their turn to point the toe ;
.Youths, tete. a trU, would acarce know what to do,
Over their juice of grape, or juice of aloe
Two people in a chulae, might travel through
England and Wales and they, in fact, might go
Over the Continent, and all the way
Ik confiUiUial once or twice a day,
Lovers would think it very bard, I fear,
If sober sense they wcr condemned to speak,
IIibandsand wives a voice would seldom hear,
1'nlcss it happened to be washing week ;
The language of the eyes, I think 'tis clear,
Old married people very seldom acek :
(Couples oft disagree, I'm told) but this
Is just by way of a parenthesis.
Mow very peaceable wc should be then,
None would have words, e'en bullies would be dumb,
I low changed would be the busy hum of men.
The fame of certain wit would prove a hum ;
Tellers deprived of speech, would seize a pun,
They are a nuisance not to be o'crcome
.Schemers the credulous no more would balk,
For schemes would very rarely end in talk.
One tiling, assuredly, would pass away,
One ever useful, ever awect resource,
Which, when gtxxl folks are puzzled wliat to say,
Gives the diMisuion piquancy and force j
It keeps both male and female tongues in play.
Till mule and female voices become hoarse ;
SCAN DAI, 1 mean when sense is in repute, .
The many tongues of scandal roust be mute.
Variety's the very apicc of Ufet
That gives it all its flavor.
BATTLE OF SARATOGA.
From a review in the Chrittian Spectator of a short tour
between Hartford and Quebec, in the autumn of 1819 j
by Professor Silumai, of Yale College, author of a
Journal of Travels in England, Holland, and Scotland.
"The Battle Ground. The rain hav
ing ceased, I was on horseback at early dawn,
With a veteran guide to conduct me to the bat
tle ground. Although he was 75 years old,
lie did not detain me a moment ; in conse
( quence of an appointment the evening before,
- he was waiting my arrival at his house, a mile
below our inn, and declining my aid, he mount
ed a tall horse,from the ground. His name was
EzratJuelI, a native of Lebanon, in Connect-i
icut, which place he left in his youth, and was
settled here at the time. of.Gen. Burgoyne's
invasion, ile acted, through the whole time,
as a guide to the American army, and was one
of three, who were constantly. employed in
tnat service, ms duty led him to be always
foremost, and in the post of danger ; and he
was therefore admirably qnalified for my. pur
pose. ,.r: :' ;
"The two great battles, which decided the
fate of Burgoyne's army, were foughtVthe first
on the 1 8th of September, and the last on the
7th of October; on BemusV heights, and very
nearly on the same ground, which is about two
mues west ot the river. . ; i
44 'he river is, in this retnon, bordered for
- many miles by a continued "meadow, of no
great breadth $ upon this meadow there was
then and there is now, a good road, close to
the river and parallel to it. Upon this road,
marenru me neavy artnierv and baggage, con
stituting the left wing' ot the British army,
while the advanced corps of the light troops, Burgoyne claimed.? victory,
forming the light uin;, kept n the height.
Allien bound the mcadowr.
"The American tinny wai nomli and west
of the U.iiish, its right winrj'nn the river
and in left renting on the hcichts. We pas
sed over a part of their camp, a little Iclow
Stillwater .: ' '
44 A great part of, the battle ground was
occupied by lofty forest trees, prin. ipully pine,
with here, and there a few. cleared, fields, oi
which the most conspicuous in these sangui
nary tcencif was called 1'rcemaaV Tarin, and
is so called in Gen. Hurgoync's plant, uch
is ncirly the present situation of these heights,
only there i more cleared land c gigantki
trees have been principally Idled, but a con
siderable number remain, as witnesses to pos
terity ', they still show the wounds made in
their trunks and branches, by the missiles of
contending armies ; their roots still penetrate
the.soil that, was. made, fruitful by the blood
of the' brave, and theirsjbreljfo
murmurs with the breeze, which once sighed
as it bore departing spirits along.
My veteran guide,, warmcd.by .myniri
osity,and recalling the feelings of his prime,
led me with amazing rapidity and prompti
tude, over fences and ditches through water
and mire 'through ravines and defiles
through thick forests and open fields, and up
and down very steep hills ; in short, through
many places where alone I would not have
ventured ; but it would have been shameful
for me not to follow, where a man of seventy-five
would lead, and to reluctate st going,
in peace over ground, which the defenders
of their country, and their foes, once trod, in
steps of blood.
44 On our way to Freeman's Farm, we tra
ced the line of the British encampment, still
marked by a breast-work of logs, nowj-otteni
but retaining their forms j they were, at the
time, covered with earth, and the barrier be
tween contending armies is now a fence, to
mark the peaceful divisions of agriculture
This breast-work, I suppose to he a part of
the line of encampment, occupied by Gen
Burgoyne after the battle of the 19th of Sep
tember,and which was stormed on the evening
of the 7th of October.
"The old man showed me the exact spot
where an accidental skirmish between adyan
ced parties of the two armies soon brought
on the general and bloody battle of Septem
ber 19.
44 This was on Freeman's Farm, a field
which was then cleared, although surrounded
by a forest. The British picket here occu
pied a small house, when a part of Col. Mor
gan's corps fell in with, and immediately drove
them from it, leaving the house almost 4 en
circled with their dead.' The pursuing par
ty almost immediately, and very unexpected
ly, fell in with the British line, and were in
part captured and the rest dispersed.
44 This incident occurred at half past 12
o'clock ; there was then an intermission till
one, when the action was sharply renewed ;
but it did not become general, till three, from
which time irraged withunabated fury till
nighi;Tie tlieatre of actlbnsavs GenT Vllk
inson) was such, that although the combatants
changed ground a dozen times, in the course
of the day, the contest terminated on the spot
wncre u Dcgan. inis may oe explained in
a few, words-- The British line was formed
on an eminence in a thin pine wood, having
before it Freeman s Farm, an oblong field,
stretching from the centre towards its right,
the ground in front sloping gently down to
the verge of this field, which was bordered
on the opposite side by a close wood ; the
sanguinary scene lay in the cleared ground
between the eminence occupied by the enemy,
and the wood just described ; the fire of our
marksmen from this wood was too deadly to
be withstood, by the enemy, in. l'life, and when
they gave way broke, our men rushing
from their covert, pursued them to the emi
nencewberjCvhavindpheir- flanks- protected
they rallied, and charging in turn, drove us
back into the wood, from whence a dreadfu
fire would again foreerthem to fall back : and
in this manner did the battle fluctuate, like
waves of a stormy sea, with alternate advan
tages, for four hours,' without, one moment's
intermission. The British artillery fell into
our possession at every charge, but we could
neither turn i the pieces utff
oring inem pit ; tne wood prevented the last
and the want ot a match the first, as the lin
stock Was invariably carried off, and the ra
pidity of the transitions did not aflow;uitime
to provide one ; the slaughter of this bricad
of, artillerists was remarkable, the Captain
(.Ijncs) and 36 men being killed or wounded
o( 48.Jt was. trnly a gallant conflict,- in
which death, by familiarity, lost its terrors
arid, certainly a drawn battle, as night alone
terminated it the British army keeping its
ground in rear of the field of action, and our
qorps, wnen tney could no longer distinguis
iimiMg -.u nidi caimu-. ei uenera
,alf that number his loss men lay thicker than you ever saw sheaves on
a easily repaired, arid in a fruitful harvett field." 44 Were they Brit-
tire army, is well as ah- ish or Americans?" "Both, (he replied,) but ,
i less than his. principally British.. I suppose that it 0f
u Tf Y S !i nvetf r. with rtinrct li Iim, all dicrs. and where the artillery were stationed.
tl-.r const qocncf s (1 a difeat ( his loss was be- Here, upon this hill, (said my hojry r;uidc,)
twtcnfiir and six hundred, while ours was on the very apnt where wcow stand, thedt'ad
but little more than half that number his loss men lay wiener than you ever saw sneaves on
was irreparable, ours
proportion to our tntire
fcfilntrlv. it was much
f...., I',, ' ' I .1.. tlftiL! t
44 The stress of the action, as regards the mis grouna. nai wcu. ..E.n.yn remarssi
Britit
C2d
dred
to
cers.
General Burrovnc states, that there was
"the less.'
.-.t u.t.t.u tr2m, nntaf.Af 44 Mv cuidc. nroceedtner with his narrative
i.., .i.'A ., v.n;mn .,,1 in ih treea. said. 44 there stood a British field piece which
i ih r.r and on the flmk of their line. A had been twice taken, and retaken, and EoaU
shot which was meant for" Gen. Bui'goync, Iy remained in our possession t; I was on the
ih, lay principally on the 120th, 21st and " l prcscnieu a k.c mj.nw.Ku orror
regiments the latter, which was five hun, and exuiiat.on.-in tne square .pace oiiweivc
strong when it left Canada, was reduced or uucen varus, 7 . K.t..-u.v.., . u,c .g-
less than sixty men, and to four or five offi- onici 01 ocain anu mrce omccr., propped
44 General Burroyne states, that there was uuy wounueu,. oiceuinrj nu atmu ipetcn.
yie captains Having a iiyn ittu.iu!.Hun.)w , - -
hU"tf.ldif. which caused the marksman to to twear it true to America so the Colonel
n,Ualr. Mm for the General. , . 1 swore it true, and we turned it around, and
Such was the ardour of the Americans, fired upon the British with their own cannon,
: .... ..Sr.r.'y.-TV?-.. . . ... , . ; I . f , '. mi
that, as Gen. Wilkinson states, the wounded ana wun meir own ammunition sun remain
men. after havinc their wounds dressed, in mg unconsumed in their boxes." ; I presume
many instances returned again into the bat- Gen. Wilkinson alludes to the same anecdote,
,- s . when he jays, 44 1 found the courageous Col-
.4Thc battle bf the 7th October was fought onei uiuey a straaaie on crass pounaer,
on the same ground, but it was not so station- andrxulting in its capturc'V-pp. 102 1 II.
aryi-it commenced further to the right, and . Much depended on the success of the at
exte
surface
man
I . . T WW m m
nded, m its various periods, over more tempt to resist uurgoyne. iiaa ne reacneu
, eventually occupying,Jnot only Free- m safety the navigable waters of the Hudson,
's FarmVbut it was urecd Ijv the Amer- n esublished a communication with Sir
icans to the very camp of the enemy, which, lienry Clinton, the consequences might have
. . .la - . i aa . t
towards night, was most impetuously stormed, been most deplorable, we wen remember
and in part carried. ' hearing the late President D wight state that
44 The interval between the 19th of Sept. when the substantial yeomanry of the land,
and the 7th of October, was one of great anx- proceeded to meet this formidable enemy, an
ietytoboth armies, not a night passed, (adds enemy powerful in fact, and who had vaunt- '
. o r v. , f i u i .L- f M'.nl
oen. xiurgoyne,j wiinoui nring, ana some- w tst." ' uiiiy
times concerted attacks upon our pickets ; no confidence, they did it, feeling that the decis
fora trine Dartv could be made without ereat ion then to be made would be a final one. So
detachments to cover it: it was the plin of oppressive were the taxes, so numerous the
l . ? . . r
the enemy to harrass the army by constant privations, so great in every poim oi view,
alarms, ana tneir superiority oi numoers en-1 uuiuws mtun uu w, us.y
aoiea tnem to attempt it witnout istigue to wimcu w iuaac uuc uuiu ruwu w ui uiw
themselves. By being habituated to fire, our progress of a destructive torrent, and wheti
soldiers became indifferent to it, and were ca- marching to the scene of trial, expressed the
pable of eatintr or sleepincr when it was very opinion, that if the effort in this instance
near them ; but I do not believe that either should be unavailing, the desolation of the
officer or soldier ever slept during that inter- land was inevitable. They went not with
val, without his clothes, or that any general confidence of success, but determined to use
othcer or commander ot a remment passed a I tne means wnicn uoa naa mmisnea mem ior
. . . v..f I . . . . m ... p ., .
single night without being upon his legs, oc- obtaining it. 1 his will account tor tne aes-
casionany, at ainerent nours, ana constanuy pcraic manner id wnicn uiey nutscu.uic mr-
. ! m .... !.. . .. .I.
an hour before davlicht. - iincations wnere veteran men were entrencn
4Th httU f thi. rrh i. Vrn.mi,r An hr ed, and the victory which was obuined will
a tnnmmt nf fin. B.ircmrni. who r a..iM ever remain a proof that the discipline of an
. ----- .?,..-, v . i r r . "I .:n .
one thousand five hundred men, with ten pie-ltuY uwltlH,IBb Iur I,uc Uf "" WIW uux
ccs of artillery, to march towards the left of ava;1 bfore the ardour of men determined to . .
covering "Whether it was possible to force a
passage ; or, in case a retreat of the royal ar
my should become indispensable, to dislodge
the Americans from their entrenchments, and
also to cover a forage, which had now become celebrated historian has been setUed there for
pressingiy necessary. . it was aoout tne miu- u anJ extremely we He
' I la t nam S A 1 1 fn a nitsrn mr SAsAHiiAiiaIir if Ihnf
observed advancing; and the Americans, with r--r
smaU arms, lost no time in arrarkin .he Brit. e wa,ks Wllh Krt dlfficuU3r Tel Wh fi-
ish grenadiers and artillery, although under Keand strange face, Mr. Gibbon is infinitely gal-.
a tremendous fire from the latter i. the. battle 1 'An4 ai?V is Ialien- !n wvc wun a Dcauuiui , woman, .
soon extended along the whole line; col. Mor-1 Madame De Crouzsls. One day, finding himself
gan, at the same moment, attacked with his ri- with her tete a tete for the firsttime, desirous of
t 1 . a all , . . r T ' . .
nemen, on tne rignt wing j col. Ackland, the availing himself of so favorable a moment, he
commander ot the grenadiers, fell wounded ; .fe suddenly on his knees, and made a declara-
uie grcnauicr. were cieicaieu, anu most oi tne ,ifm of hi, flam(! in ths . t.Pm,.
.LVECDOTE OF GIBBOX.
In a letter from Madame D GenCf .
I hear from Laussanne that Mr. Gibbon the
artillery taken, after great slaughter.'
44 After a most sanguinary contest, of less
than one hour, the'discomfiture and retreat
of the British became general, and they had
scarcely regained their camp, before the lines
were stormed with the greatest fury, and part
ot lord Ualcarras' camp was for a short time in
our possession
Madame De Crouzas replied in a manhe suffi
ciently repulsive to discourage every temptation
to renew the scene, and MrrGibbon appeared
very much embarrassed, but nevertheless retai-
'4
ned his prostrate attitude ; aridnOtwith'sta'nding'
Madame repeated invitation to reseat himself
on the chair, he was motionless and silent? Bat, -
44 1 saw this spot, and also that where the I sir,' repeated Madanie De Crouzas, ( rise, I be-
Germans under Col. Breyman,forming the I seech you." 4tAlas ! Madam,!: at last repeated
right-resewoHheninnyrwefOtormedlnl this unfortunate lover, 44 lam not abler In truth
ineir encampment Dy oen. i-earnea ana uoi. the corpuieRcy of his person totally Impeded the
Brooks, now Governour Brooks, of Massa- ssibHily of covering his llgs withoutassis-
chusetts. Gen. Arnold was wounded on this r . . , 4. .
occasion ; Col. Breyman was killed, and the lance: .Madarae De CroUtaS thcT.ran? .lh-C Ml
Germans were either captured, slain, or for- and desired lhc 8en anl t0 hcP f r'Ubbon t0
ced to retreat in the most precipitate manner, riae -leaving
the British encampment on Ahe right
T. 1 - 1 i ! s i i . I a "wrTr'wm
enurciy unprotected, ana liable tq be assailed 1 Ar.v,wuji.
the next moriiincr. All the' British officers People ..who arc resolved, to please always at
testimony to the valour and obstinacy of I all events, frequently overshoot themselves, and
the attacks of the Americans. The fact was render themselves ridiculouP by befng Yooirow'-
c-Br!?3r5 ?oredefeated, rout A adf jr to eat plumb cake and candy ata
v,g9rously pursued to their lines, which, it ifknA,s house one mornin ran to the cralleto
h.aVf bieen cnUrc!' cr see the fine oV, asWas she came in : nnfor-
icu uy assault, uau not aarxness, as in the , , ' . v t -fa .
battle of the 19th, put an end to the sangui- tunalely hc hadken u? lhe .PIdCC'
nary contest.- It is obvious, from Gen. Bur- but before she could fcive herself time to see her
goyne's own account, and from the testimony mistake, she exclaimed, with uplmetT eyes anu
of hi officers, that this was a severe 'defeat; hands,' Oh I what' sweet Child,! ''the' very 'pic
and such" a one as has rarely been experierf- turetf Jifathafi" -
ced by a British army ; this army was redu- . . V m ' ' : ; rr
ced by itto the greatest distress, and noting Hayet to do with any man in hiipassTon
but night saved them from destruction. for men are not like iron, to be wrought upon
it T .... . .-.. " a . a I T . . ' w'" ' " ' .
"ivas n ine (rrouna wher the frfnn' 1 .-.i.
. y"-' . i
. t