Sir John Burgoyne's Campaign--His Bombastic Proclamation--The Tragic Story of Jane McCrea--Her Name a Rallying Cry--Washington Prevents Rowe from Aiding Burgoyne--The Battle of Brandywine--Burgoyne Routed at Saratoga--He Surrenders with All His Army--Articles of Confederation Submitted to the Several States--Effect of the Surrender of Burgoyne --Franklin the Washington of Diplomacy--Attitude of France--France Concludes to Assist the United States--Treaties of Commerce and Alliance --King George Prepares for War with France--The Winter at Valley Forge --Conspiracy to Depose Washington Defeated--General Howe Superseded by Sir Henry Clinton--The Battle of Monmouth--General Charles Lee's Treachery--Awful Massacre of Settlers in the Wyoming Valley--General Sullivan Defeats the Six Nations--Brilliant Campaign of George Rogers Clark--Failure of the Attempt to Drive the British from Rhode Island. The disastrous campaign of General Sir John Burgoyne in the summer of 1777, against northern New York, was the turning point of the war. The object of the invasion was to seize the Hudson River, and divide the colonies by a continuous British line from Canada to the city of New York. Had the plan succeeded it would have been an almost fatal blow to the cause of independence. Its failure was not due to the courage or skill of any one American commander, but to the indomitable resolution with which every step of the invading army was resisted by Americans of every rank. The whole country rose as one man to oppose and harass the enemy, and it seemed as if every militiaman understood that the fate of his country depended on the repulse or destruction of the foe. Burgoyne's plan of campaign, as concerted with the British ministry, was to march to Albany with a large force by way of Lakes Champlain and George, while another force under Sir Henry Clinton advanced up the Hudson. At the same time Colonel Barry St. Leger was to make a diversion by way of Oswego, on the Mohawk River. Burgoyne began his advance in June, with about eight thousand men. Proceeding up Lake Champlain he compelled the Americans to evacuate Crown Point, Ticonderoga and Fort Anne. His first blunder was in failing to avail himself of the water carriage of Lake George, at the head of which there was a direct road to Fort Edward. Instead of taking this course he spent three weeks in cutting a road through the woods, and building bridges over swamps. This gave time for General Schuyler to gather the yeomanry in arms, and for Washington to send troops from the southern department to reinforce Schuyler. Burgoyne also lost valuable time in a disastrous attack on Bennington.