strong escort, to repair the roads and bridges towards fort Edward.
Scarcely had this detachment moved, when the Americans appeared in
force on the heights south of Saratoga creek, and made dispositions
which excited the apprehension of a design to cross it and attack his
camp. The Europeans escorting the artificers were recalled, and a
provincial corps, employed in the same service, being attacked by a
small party, ran away and left the workmen to shift for themselves.

No hope of repairing the roads remaining, it became impossible to move
the baggage and artillery.

The British army was now almost completely environed by a superior
force. No means remained of extricating itself from difficulties and
dangers which were continually increasing, but fording a river, on the
opposite bank of which a formidable body of troops was already posted;
and then escaping to fort George, through roads impassable by
artillery or wagons, while its rear was closely pressed by a
victorious enemy.[90]

[Footnote 90: Mr. Gordon, in his history of the war, states
himself to have received from General Glover an anecdote,
showing, that all these advantages were on the point of
being exposed to imminent hazard. "On the morning of the
eleventh, Gates called the general officers together, and
informed them of his having received certain intelligence,
which might be depended upon, that the main body of
Burgoyne's army was marched off for fort Edward with what
they could take; and that the rear guard only was left in
the camp, who, after awhile, were to push off as fast as
possible, leaving the heavy baggage behind. On this it was