Burgoyne's disaster has been charged to the grossest carelessness on the part of some under official of the British War Office. It is said that the orders for Sir William Howe were never put in the despatch bag at all, but lay forgotten until the catastrophe at Saratoga brought them to light. On such trifles does the fate of nations sometimes hang. Certainly, greater unity of purpose in the two generals might have given the history of the campaign a different reading. But all such conjectures must fall before the inexorable logic of accomplished results. The world has long since passed upon the merits of the great conflict which set America free. Its verdict is recorded. The actors are but as dust in the balance. INDEX. ALLEN, ETHAN, takes Ticonderoga, 17; goes before Montgomery, 19. ARNOLD, BENEDICT, marches to Canada, 19; takes command of our flotilla, and fights the enemy, 22; 25, _note_; sent to relieve Fort Stanwix, and does it by a stratagem, 92; part at Bemis' Heights, 112; storms the enemy's intrenchments, 121, 122; wounded, 122. BATTEN-KILL, British take post at, 70, 87. BAUM, FREDERIC, commands British expedition to Bennington, and marches, 70; composition of his force, 70; hears the Americans are waiting for him, 75; notifies Burgoyne, and goes on, 75; discovers Stark, and intrenches himself on the Walloomsac, 78, 81; defeated, 83, 132. BENNINGTON, VT.; Burgoyne's plan to seize stores at, 68; Baum marches for, 72; Battle of Bennington, 83, 84, 85; trophies of, 85; 86, _note_; results of the battle, 88, 89. BEMIS' HEIGHTS; position of the army described, 99; battle of September 19, 106, 107, 108, 111; 112, _note_. BOUQUET RIVER; Burgoyne halts at, 37. BRANT, JOSEPH, at Oriskany, 91; 94, _note_. BREYMAN, HEINRICH C., posted in support of Baum, 70; marches to Baum's aid, 81; his slowness fatal to Baum, 84; defeated, and badly cut up, 85; his retreat to camp, 89; part in Battle of Bemis' Heights, 105; killed, 122. BROWN, JOHN, attacks Ticonderoga, 114; 115, _note_.