This is an important journal about the campaign of General Burgoyne, in a first edition state, and it provides you-are-there insights into the campaign which may have cost the British a chance to win the Revolutionary War.
The full title is A State of the Expedition from Canada, As Laid Before the House
of Commons By Lieutenant-General Burgoyne, and Verified By Evidence; With A Collection of Authentic Documents … Written and Collected by Himself, And Dedicated To the Officers of the Army He Commanded. London: Printed for J. Almon, Opposite Burlington-House, Piccadilly 1780.
The journal is a first edition, 4 vo., with five raised bands, a red label with gilt lettering and faint horizontal ruled bands on the spine, brown boards, marbled endpapers, six engraved folding maps and charts, 140 pages of text and Appendix i - lxii, with a Postscript to the Appendix lxi - lxii, and an Advertisement at the end about the positions of his army on September 8 and September 19 and the expedition to Bennington, with a separated front board, the rear board is still attached; the label on the spine reads “Burgoyne’s Narative”, and you can tell this is a first edition by its size - the first edition measures 10 3/4 x 8 1/2 in. wide and the second edition is smaller, measuring 8 1/2 x
5 1/2 in. wide.
Burgoyne (1722 - 1792) was a brilliant British general who was granted Supreme Command of the Northern Army during the Revolutionary War, and he hoped to end
the war by marching down from Canada to Albany, New York, meet up with the army of Sir William Howe, join Howe in a campaign against George Washington and retake the entire Hudson River Valley; his aim was to prevent New England from receiving supplies and reinforcements from the south, but his plan was thwarted by the Americans and one of his own generals.
Burgoyne captured Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga in his march south, which threatened to cut off vital supplies to the American army, but Howe never met Burgoyne’s army in New York, and eventually Burgoyne’s army was cut off by the Americans and Burgoyne was forced to surrender all his forces at Saratoga, which proved to be a turning point in the war.
There are a total of six maps here that show Burgoyne’s positions at various stages in the campaign and are in fabulous condition - very clean, no stains or foxing - and the third map is the only one with an issue - a slight tear on the edge (a half-inch tear at the bottom that does not touch any part of the map or the text).
The frontis map is titled “A Map of the Country in which the Army under Lt. General Burgoyne acted in the Campaign of 1777, shewing the Marches of the Army & the Places of the principal Actions. Drawn by Mr. Medcalfe & Engraved by Wm. Faden. London, published as the Act direct by Wm. Faden. Feb. 1st, 1780.”
The second map (located in the rear of the book) is titled “Plan of the Action at Huberton under Brigadier Genl. Frazier, supported by Major Genl. Reidesel, on the 7th July 1777. Drawn by P. Gerlach Deputy Quarter Master General. Engraved by Wm. Faden. London … Feb 1st, 1780.” This map is hand-colored with red highlights.
The third map (at the rear) is titled ”Position of the Detachment under Lieut. Col. Baum, Walmscock near Bennington, shewing the Attacks of the Enemy on the 16th August
1777. Drawn by Lieutt. Durnford, Engineer. Engraved by Wm. Faden. London …
Feb 1st 1780 …” This map is hand-colored with red highlights too.
The fourth map (at the rear) is entitled “Plan of the Encampment and Position of the Army under His Excellent Lt. General Burgoyne at Swords House on Hudson’s River near Stillwater on Sept 17th with the Positions of that part of the Army engaged on the 19th Sept 1777. Drawn by W.C. Wilkinson Lt. 62d Regt. Asst. Engr. Engraved by Wm. Faden. London … Feb 1st, 1780 …” The map is hand-colored with red highlights.
The fifth map (at the rear) is titled “Enemy’s Camp at Stillwater, Plan of the Encampment and Position of the Army under His Excellent Lt General Burgoyne at Braemus Heights on Hudson’s River near Stillwater, on the 20th Septr with the Positions of the Detachment &c. on the Action of the 7th of Octr & the Position of the Army on the 8th Octr 1777. Drawn by W. C. Wilkinson, Lt 62 Regt. Asst Engr. Engraved by Wm Faden. London, published as the Act direct by W. Faden, Charing Cross, Feb 1st 1780”
This map is hand-colored with red, blue, and orange highlights.
The last map (at the rear) is titled “Plan of the Position which the Army under Lt. Genl. Burgoyne took at Saratoga on the 10th of September 1777, and in which it remained till the Convention was signed … Engraved by Wm Faden. Published as ye Act directs, Feby. 1st 1780 by Wm Faden Charing Cross”, with orange and red hand-colored highlights.
Burgoyne’s campaign was pivotal to the direction of the Revolutionary War. If he had been successful, the British might well have won the war. But the Americans captured his army at Saratoga, which turned the tide of the war.
The front cover is detached, but that can be repaired, and the rest of the book is astounding - the text is clean and important, the maps are very clean and provide insights into the movements of Burgoyne’s army. The book is a first edition, and Burgoyne was one of the greatest generals the British had in the war, and he was let down by one of his own generals.