Manuscript: Text Transcription
Page: 47

Justin Hitchcock's Remarks and Observations

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47

Above the British army and Ticonderoga retaken by
1777 our troops on the 7th of October About two in the
afternoon began another serious action between the
two armies it terminated in our favour and a
part of the works of the enemy was carried by force
Immediately after. this Burgoyne began to retreat but
could not proceed no father Back than Saratoga
where he was compleatly surrounded and he
surrendered on the the 17th of october with his whole
Army to the amount of five thousand and some more
This event raised the spirits of the people The British
army at New york made a movement up the river
and took a fort from us and burnt the Town of
Esopus The burning of so many of our Towns never helped
their cause but the contraracy if they considered us
rebels it was no good policiy to ruin us to subdue us
and I believe every wanton burning of Towns served more
than any thing else to fire the people in a determined
opposition to any terms short of Independence
I did not mention in the proper place that before I left
Springfield I contracted a habit a ta which if it is
not foolish is at least needless. My friend Day was
a snuff taker and generally before he began to sing
a tune with me would present his box and I in