Then the sullen Hessians yielded, Girt by an iron ring, And down from the summit fluttered The flag of the British king. Vainly the tardy Breyman May strive that height to gain; More work for the Hampshire war-clubs! More room for the Hessian slain! The giant's arm is severed, The giant's blood flows free, And he staggers in the pathway That leads to the distant sea. The Berkshire and Hampshire yeomen With the men of the Hudson join, And the gathering flood rolls over The host of the bold Burgoyne. For a cycle was closed and rounded, A continent lost and won, When Stark and his men went over The earthworks at Bennington. W. H. BABCOCK. Saint Leger, meanwhile, had landed at Oswego and advanced against Fort Stanwix. General Nicholas Herkimer, commander of the militia of Tryon County, at the head of eight hundred men, started to the rescue. He met the enemy, on August 5, at Oriskany, and there followed the most obstinate and murderous battle of the Revolution. Both sides claimed the victory. THE BATTLE OF ORISKANY [August 6, 1777] As men who fight for home and child and wife, As men oblivious of life In holy martyrdom, The yeomen of the valley fought that day, Throughout thy fierce and deadly fray,-- Blood-red Oriskany. From rock and tree and clump of twisted brush The hissing gusts of battle rush,-- Hot-breathed and horrible! The roar, the smoke, like mist on stormy seas, Sweep through thy splintered trees,-- Hard-fought Oriskany. Heroes are born in such a chosen hour; From common men they rise, and tower, Like thee, brave Herkimer! Who wounded, steedless, still beside the beech Cheered on thy men, with sword and speech, In grim Oriskany. But ere the sun went toward the tardy night, The valley then beheld the light Of freedom's victory; And wooded Tryon snatched from British arms The empire of a million farms-- On bright Oriskany. The guns of Stanwix thunder to the skies; The rescued wilderness replies; Forth dash the garrison! And routed Tories, with their savage aids, Sink reddening through the sullied shades-- From lost Oriskany. CHARLES D. HELMER. Saint Leger rallied his shaken columns and settled down to besiege the fort, which laughed at his summons to surrender. Soon afterwards, news of Oriskany and of the siege arrived at General Schuyler's headquarters at Stillwater, and Benedict Arnold set out at once for Fort Stanwix at the head of twelve hundred men. Such exaggerated reports of the size of his force were conveyed to Saint Leger that, on August 22, he raised the siege and retreated to Canada. SAINT LEGER [August, 1777]