Baroness Frederika von Riedesel described the 2nd Battle of Saratoga also known as the Battle of Bemus Heights.
We passed through boundless forests and magnificent tracts of country, which, however, were abandoned by all the inhabitants, who fled before us, and reinforced the army of the American general, Gates.
In the sequel this cost us dearly, for every one of them was a soldier by nature, and could shoot very well; besides, the thought of fighting for their fatherland and their freedom, inspired them with still greater courage.
During this time, my husband was obliged to encamp with the main body of the army. I remained about an hour’s march behind the army, and visited my husband every morning in the camp.
Very often I took my noon meal with him, but most of the time he came over to my quarters and tie with me.
The army were engaged daily in small skirmishes, but all of them of little consequence.
My poor husband, however, during the whole time, could not get a chance either to go to bed or undress.
As the season had now become more inclement, a Colonel Williams of the artillery, observing that our mutual visits were very fatiguing, offered to have a house built for me, with a chimney, that should not cost more than five or six guineas, and which I could steadily occupy. I took him up,* and the house, which was twenty feet square, and had a good fireplace, was begun.
They called it the block-house. For such a structure, large trees of equal thickness are selected, which are joined t together, making it very durable and warm, especially if covered with clay. I was to remove into it the following day, and was the more rejoiced at it, as the nights were already damp and cold, and my husband could live in it with me, as he would then be very near his camp.
Suddenly, however, on the 7th of October, my husband, with the whole general staff, decamped. Our misfortunes may be said to date from this moment. I had just sat down with my husband at his quarters to breakfast.
General Frazer, and, I believe, Generals Burgoyne and Phillips, also, were to have dined with me on that same day. I observed considerable movement among the troops.
My husband thereupon informed me, that there was to be a reconnaissance, which, however, did not surprise me, as this often happened. On my way homeward, I met many savages in their war-dress, armed with guns. To my question where they were going, they cried out to me, ” War! war !” which meant that they were going to fight . This completely over whelmed me, and I had scarcely got back to my quarters,* when I heard skirmishing, and firing, which, by degrees, became constantly heavier, until, finally, the noises became frightful.
It was a terrible cannonade, and I was more dead than alive. About three o’clock in the afternoon, in place of the guests who were to have dined with me, they brought in to me, upon a litter, poor General Frazer (one of my expected guests), mortally wounded. Our dining table, which was already spread, was taken away, and in its place they fixed up a bed for the general. I sat in a corner of the room trembling and quaking. The noises grew continually louder. The thought that they might bring in my husband in the same manner was to me dreadful, and tormented me incessantly.
The general said to the surgeon, “Do not conceal any thing from me. Must I die?” The ball had gone through his bowels, precisely as in the case of Major Harnage. Unfortunately, however, the general had eaten a hearty breakfast, by reason of which the intestines were distended, and the ball, so the surgeon said, had not gone, as in the case of Major Harnage, between the intestines, but through them.
I heard him often, amidst his groans, exclaim, ” Oh, fatal ambition! Poor General Burgoyne! My poor wife!” Prayers were read to him.
He then sent a message to General Burgoyne, begging that he would have him buried the following day at six o’clock in the evening, on the top of a hill, which was a sort of a redoubt.*
I knew no longer which way to turn. The whole entry and the other rooms were filled with the sick, who were suffering with the camp-sickness, a kind of dysentery.
Finally, toward evening, I saw my husband coming, upon which I forgot all my sufferings, and thanked God that he had spared him to me. He ate in great haste with me and his adjutant, behind the house.
We had been told that we had gained an advantage over the enemy, but the sorrowful and downcast faces which I beheld, bore witness to the contrary, and before my husband again went away, he drew me one side and told me that everything might go very badly, and that I must keep myself in constant readiness for departure, but by no means to give any one the least inkling of what I was doing.
I therefore pretended that I wished to move into my new house the next morning, and had everything packed up.
My lady Ackland occupied a tent not far from our house. In this she slept, but during the day was in the camp. Suddenly one came to tell her that her husband was mortally wounded, and had been taken prisoner. At this she became very wretched. We comforted her by saying, that it was only a slight wound, but as no one could nurse him as well as herself, we counseled her to go at once to him, to do which she could certainly obtain permission. She loved him very much, although he was a plain, rough man, and was almost daily intoxicated; with this exception, however, he was an excellent officer.
She was the loveliest of women. I spent the night in this manner—at one time comforting her, and at another looking after my children, whom I had put to bed.
As for myself, I could not go to sleep, as I had General Frazer and all the other gentlemen in my room, and was constantly afraid that my children would wake up and cry, and thus disturb the poor dying man, who often sent to beg my pardon for making me so much trouble.
About three o’clock in the morning, they told me that he could not last much longer. I had desired to be apprised of the approach of this moment.
I, accordingly, wrapped up the children in the bed coverings, and went with them into the entry.
Early in the morning, at eight o’clock, he expired.*
After they had washed the corpse, they wrapped it in a sheet, and laid it on a bedstead. We then again came into the room, and had this sad sight before us the whole day.
At every instant, also, wounded officers of my acquaintance arrived, and the cannonade again began.
A retreat was spoken of, but there was not the least movement made toward it.
About four o’clock in the afternoon, I saw the new house which had been built for me, in flames: the enemy, therefore, were not far from us.
We learned that General Burgoyne intended to fulfill the last wish of General Frazer, and to have him buried at six o’clock, in the place designated by him.
This occasioned an unnecessary delay, to which a part of the misfortunes of the army was owing. Precisely at six o’clock the corpse was brought out, and we saw the entire body of generals with their retinues on the hill assisting at the obsequies. The English chaplain, Mr. Brudenel, performed the funeral services. The cannon balls flew continually around and over the party.
The American general, Gates, afterward said, that if he had known that it was a burial he would not have allowed any firing in that direction. Many cannon balls also flew not far from me, but I had my eyes fixed upon the hill,† where I distinctly saw my husband in the midst of the enemy’s fire, and therefore I could not think of my own danger.”
The diary or journal of the German Baroness von Riedesel offers a vivid picture of British General John Burgoyne and the British army’s march from Canada to surrender at Saratoga. It also details the Baroness’ subsequent journey through America. Her journal is the famous narrative by a woman from the entire war (and one of the most famous from the Northern Campaign of 1777).
Because she was traveling with her husband, a Brunswick General in Burgoyne’s army, the Baroness was subject to his fate. After the British surrender at Saratoga, the Baroness, her husband, their three children and almost 6,000 captured British and Hessian soldiers were marched to Boston. There the Baroness and her family were detained in comfortable surroundings for more than a year. During their stay in New York, the Baroness gave birth to a daughter, who was named America.
To learn more about The Myth of Rifleman Timothy Murphy visit https://ift.tt/2bnGkDR
The Visitor Center at Saratoga National Historical Park is the best place to start to learn about the Battles of Saratoga. Here you will find the National Park Service Information Desk, Visitor Center artifacts, interactive displays, a overview video, special exhibit gallery, bookstore, and restrooms. The park website is at https://ift.tt/2cxkI82
The Schuylerville Public Library https://ift.tt/2dYYY7C and all the libraries in the region have a number of books on the Battles of Saratoga. One of the more popular and well written books is Richard M Ketchum’s Saratoga: Turning Point of America’s Revolutionary War. (1997) New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 978-0-8050-6123-9. OCLC 41397623
Saratoga is known for being the turning point of the American Revolution. In 1777 −− the second year of America’s War for Independence −− the British sought to quell the rebellion with a single decisive military campaign. The British plan depended on using an invading army to divide the colonies along a natural corridor of rivers and lakes stretching from Canada to New York City. The Americans’ determined resistance at Saratoga, coupled with British strategic blunders, resulted in a stunning defeat and surrender for a British army. This timely victory reversed American military fortunes, boosted patriot morale, and gained them international recognition and support, including military assistance. That is why studying the Battles of Saratoga is integral to a good understanding of the American freedoms.
Historian at Saratoga - Town of Saratoga 