Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, Vol. 2

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Author: John Burgoyne

U.S. History

General Burgoyne to General Gates.

Name: Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, Vol. 2 - General Burgoyne to General Gates.
Author: John Burgoyne

Cambridge, 11 February, 1778.

SIR,

I received the resolves of the Congress, of the 8th of January, with an astonishment that no occurrence ever before occasioned.

It would be misplaced to enter now into any reasoning upon the subject.

I apply to you, Sir, as an individual whom I believe to have honor, humanity, and generosity. My Aid-de-camp has directions to communicate to you my letters to the Congress. I leave to your feelings to support that which regards my private situation, only begging leave to recall to your recollection the offer you made, in regard to my personal embarkation. In the full persuasion of the integrity of that proposal, I thought not of entering into reasonings and justifications in my public or private letters from Albany, in any such degree as the delicacy of a soldier’s character required, after a series of the most critical situations, difficult attempts, and diversified ill success. To die in this country, is nothing; but to leave my honor unvindicated in my own, is more than philosophy or fortitude can be expected to bear.

I confide in you, to consider this entirely as a private letter, and am,

With sincere regard, Sir, &c.,

JOHN BURGOYNE.

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Chicago: John Burgoyne, "General Burgoyne to General Gates.," Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, Vol. 2 in Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, ed. Jared Sparks (Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1853), 531–532. Original Sources, accessed April 27, 2025, http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=51B5V4KXMABTYFR.

MLA: Burgoyne, John. "General Burgoyne to General Gates." Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, Vol. 2, in Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, edited by Jared Sparks, Vol. 2, Freeport, NY, Books for Libraries Press, 1853, pp. 531–532. Original Sources. 27 Apr. 2025. http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=51B5V4KXMABTYFR.

Harvard: Burgoyne, J, 'General Burgoyne to General Gates.' in Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, Vol. 2. cited in 1853, Correspondence of the American Revolution: Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, from the Time of His Taking Command of the Army to the End of His Presidency, ed. , Books for Libraries Press, Freeport, NY, pp.531–532. Original Sources, retrieved 27 April 2025, from http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=51B5V4KXMABTYFR.