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The Virginia Gazette
Williamsburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
Reports indicate the American army is advancing northward. British General Burgoyne has ended rewards for scalps and banned the practice, possibly due to conscience or to prevent inhabitants from fleeing and abandoning crops. Burgoyne has withdrawn his main force to the east side of the river at Saratoga and is building a fort on the west side.
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We are informed that Burgoyne has discontinued the reward given for scalps, and has prohibited the barbarous practice for the future, under a severe penalty. What the reasons of this merciful change are, we are left to guess. It may be a guilty conscience reproves him for authorising murderers to take away the lives of innocent women and children, or perhaps a less noble principle has been his inducement, viz. a scheme to keep the back inhabitants from leaving their homes; for the fear of being scalped frightened away both Whigs and Tories, who took with them their cattle, but were obliged to leave their fine crops just ready to gather in.
It is said that Burgoyne begins to grow anxious for the safety of his main body, having retired with it to the east side of the river at Saratoga, and building on the west side a picket fort.
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What entities or persons were involved?
Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Saratoga
Key Persons
Outcome
discontinued reward for scalps and prohibited the practice under severe penalty; inhabitants frightened away but left crops
Event Details
Nothing new from the northward, but every appearance indicates our army's advancing. Burgoyne has discontinued the reward given for scalps and prohibited the barbarous practice for the future under a severe penalty. Speculated reasons include guilty conscience or scheme to keep back inhabitants from leaving their homes, as fear of scalping caused Whigs and Tories to take cattle but leave fine crops ready to gather. Burgoyne grows anxious for safety of main body, retired with it to east side of river at Saratoga, building picket fort on west side.