foal; and in return he sent the Baroness a magnificent muff and tippit of sable, to remind them of the land where they had so long resided.

Two days before their departure, the English officers paid them the attention-in a comedy which they gave twice a week,—of giving at the end of the performance, a truly touching song, expressive of their regret at the departure of their troops; and closing with thanking General Riedesel for his kind treatment of each one of them, and with wishing them a prosperous journey.

After her husband had seen to the embarkation of the troops, they took dinner and tea with General Haldimand; after which he escorted them to the ship, where they took a right hearty but sad farewell of him, and several others who had showed them friendliness.

It was the middle of August when they set out on their return journey home, and they arrived at Portsmouth about the middle of the following September. "Our hearts were very light as we stepped upon the land," wrote the Baroness to her mother, "and I thanked God for the happy reunion of us all, and especially for having preserved my husband to me." They almost immediately set out for London where they were presented to their majesties, who received them with extraordinary graciousness. They, surrounded by the princesses, their daughters, all seated before the chimney-fire, the queen, the princesses and Baroness Riedesel forming a half circle, her husband, with the King, standing in the centre close to the fire while tea and cakes were passed round. His Majesty said to the Baroness that he had followed her everywhere and often inquired after her and always heard with delight that she was well, contented and beloved by everyone. About nine o'clock in the evening the Prince of Wales came in. His young sisters flocked round him and he embraced them and danced them about. In short the royal family had such a peculiar gift for removing all restraint that one could readily imagine himself to be in a cheerful circle of his own station in life.

During her short sojourn in London at this time the Baroness had the pleasure of meeting Lord North and Mr. Fox; she also made some trips to the surrounding country and to become better acquainted with London and its vicinity went to see the most note-worthy objects of interest.

The news that the fleet that was to take them to Germany was in sailing trim, hurried them away and having made a great journey (for those days), they were soon safely landed once again in Germany. They remained a day in Stade where they had landed, and from there the Baroness, directed by her beloved husband as ever, went on to Wolfenbuttel.

Here she found the family mansion in the same order as she had left it on her departure for America. Good friends had come expressly to do this for their reception and also prepared a capital supper; after refreshing themselves with it, Baroness Riedesel retired to rest with a feeling of hearty and sincere thanks to God for having preserved her through so many and manifold dangers, but especially for His having so graciously watched over all her family, and, she writes, "for the precious gift of my little daughter America."

About a week afterward she had the great satisfaction of seeing her husband with his own troops, pass through the city. "But it is beyond my power to describe my emotions, at beholding my beloved, upright husband, who, the whole time had lived solely for his duty, and who had constantly been so unwearied in helping and assisting, as far as possible those who had been entrusted to him-standing, with tears of joy in his eyes, in the midst of his soldiers, who in turn were surrounded by a joyous and sorrowful crowd of fathers, mothers, wives, children, sisters and friends-all pressing round him to see again their loved ones."

The following day they went to Brunswick, where they dined at court and met again, after this long separation many friends. "Welches eine grosse Freude, aber

zugleich eine Gemüthsbewegung in mir erregte, die mich bis ins Innerste erschütterte."

Again in Germany, in the adored Fatherland, and better still, once more in her own home, Baroness Riedesel enjoyed a respite from the alarms of war for four happy years, when her husband was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant General, and was sent to Holland to support the cause of the Stadtholder; after which he returned to Lauterbach, the ancestral castle and "Landgut" of the Riedesels in Hesse.

In 1794 he was appointed commandant of the city of Brunswick, and died there in 1800. Baroness Riedesel survived her husband eight years, and after a most happy life, idolized by all her family, and especially her nine children and a host of friends, she died at Berlin, on the 29th of March, 1808, at the age of sixty-two. She rests by the side of her beloved consort in the family vault at Lauterbach. Her only son, George, died in 1854, at Buchwald in Silesia, the home of her gifted and distinguished daughter, Frederika, who had accompanied her mother in all her wanderings in America, and who as Countess Reden was one of the most celebrated women of her day, on warm terms of friendship with the prominent men of the time; and after her death the king of Prussia, Frederick William, caused a beautiful monument to be erected to her memory. Baroness Riedesel's son left but one daughter, with whom this branch of the Riedesel family died out. America became the Countess Bernsdorf, and was, like all her wonderful mother's daughters, a delightful woman.

With Montaigne, "As for the tales I borrow, I charge them upon the conscience of those from whom I have them."

Whatever may have been General Burgoyne's reputation or Baroness Riedesel's opinion of him, we know that this country and the public in general considered him an

This was great joy; but excited in me, at the same time, emotions which moved my innermost soul.

accomplished gentleman, and a gallant officer. And of a war, which it is easy to suppose, would necessarily bear the stamp of the strongest animosities, the most incensed passions, and a depth of feeling peculiar to civil dissensions, it is a proud thing, indeed, to read that not only humanity, but urbanity, kindness, and genuine sympathy, were shown to the captives, and to have it in documentary evidence as agreeable as that with which the Baroness Riedesel in her experience presents it.

Des Neueröfeuten Bilder Saal vol. XVII, published in Nürnberg, Germany in 1782, contains an article on the "English-American war', covering the period from 1776 to 1780. The following is a translation of the account of the capitulation of Burgoyne's army to Gates, and a reproduction of the quaint etching which illustrates the text. "Upon the day after the terms of capitulation had been agreed upon, and the documents signed and exchanged, the whole army, at the appointed hour marched out from camp with bands playing and colors flying, to the plain designated for the surrender. At the same time the whole American army was ordered out by Genl. Gates and drawn up opposite their late foes, and the order given for them to about face' and remain in that position until the surrender was completed. Even the twenty-four companies of Grenadiers, who were paraded at the same time and place, had to obey the same order and lower their colors, so that the Royal troops might not have any witnesses to this scene of their humiliation. Even General Gates did not wish to be a witness to this sad scene, and closed the curtain of his carriage until all was over; which extraordinary action and noble consideration, gained for him the esteem and admiration of the whole English army."