美国学生历史 第50期:《独立宣言》和法国联盟(3)

 　　151.Oriskany, 1777. 151．奥里斯坎尼（1777年）

　　Meantime St. Leger, with a large body of Indians and Canadian frontiersmen, was marching to join Burgoyne by the way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk Valley. 与此同时，圣·里格带着一支由印第安人和加拿大边区人组成的部队正通过安大略湖和摩霍克山谷赶来支援伯格恩，
　　Near the site of the present city of Rome in New York was Fort Schuyler, garrisoned 1 by an American force. 靠近纽约现在罗马城的地方是斯凯勒要塞，由一支美国部队驻守。
　　St. Leger stopped to besiege 3 this fort. 圣·里格的部队停止前进，包围这个要塞，
　　The settlers on the Mohawk marched to relieve the garrison 2 and St. Leger defeated them at Oriskany. 摩霍克的士兵赶来增援要塞，圣·里格在奥里斯坎尼击退他们，
　　But his Indians now grew tired of the siege, especially when they heard that Arnold with a strong army was coming. 但是，此时印第安人已经对包围战感到不耐烦，听说阿诺德正率领一支劲旅赶来，他们更无心恋战。
　　St. Leger marched back to Canada and left Burgoyne to his fate. 圣·里格率部撤回加拿大，不再管伯格恩命运如何。
　　152.Saratoga, 1777. 152．萨拉托加（1777年）
　　Marching southward, on the western side of the Hudson, Burgoyne and his army came upon the Americans in a forest clearing called Freeman's Farm. 伯格思在哈得孙河西部地区率队南下，他们在一片叫做"弗里曼农庄"的森林空地忽然遇到美国军队。
　　Led by Daniel Morgan and Benedict Arnold the Americans fought so hard that Burgoyne stopped where he was and fortified 4 the position. 在丹尼尔·摩根和本内迪克·阿诺德的率领下，美军奋勇拼杀，致使伯格恩固守原地。
　　This was on September 19. 这一天是9月19号。
　　The army posted itself near by on Bemis' Heights. For weeks the two armies faced each other. 美国军队在附近的拜梅斯高地安营，两军对峙数周，
　　Then, on October 7, the Americans attacked. 10月7日，美军发起攻击，
　　Again Arnold led his men to victory. 阿诺德和他的士兵再次取得胜利，
　　They captured a fort in the centre of the British line, and Burgoyne was obliged to retreat. 他们占领了英军阵地中心的一个堡垒，伯格恩被迫撤退。
　　But when he reached the crossing place of the Hudson, to his dismay he found a strong body of New Englanders with artillery 5 on the opposite bank. 更令伯格恩沮丧的是，当到达哈得孙河交汇地带时发现有一支强大的新英格兰军队在对岸架设了火炮，
　　Gates had followed the retiring British, and soon Burgoyne was practically surrounded. 盖茨已经尾随撤退的英军而来。很快，伯格恩几乎被包围起来，
　　His men were starving, and on October 17 he surrendered. 他的军队没有食物，10月17日伯格恩投降。
　　153.The French Alliance, 1778. 153．与法国结盟（1778年）
　　Burgoyne's defeat made the French think that the Americans would win their independence. 伯格恩战败使得法国人认为美国人会赢得独立，
　　So Dr. Franklin, who was at Paris, was told that France would recognize the independence of the United States, would make treaties with the new nation, and give aid openly. 因此，法国人告诉在巴黎的富兰克林博士：法国将承认美国的独立，将与这个新国家签订条约并为之提供公开的援助。
　　Great Britain at once declared war on France. 大不列颠立刻对法国宣战。
　　The French lent large sums of money to the United States. 法国人借给美国大量的钱，
　　They sent large armies and splendid fleets to America. 他们将大批军队和装备精良的舰队派到美国，
　　Their aid greatly shortened the struggle for independence. 他们的援助大大缩短了争取独立的战斗历程，
　　But the Americans would probably have won without French aid. 但是，没有法国的援助美国人也可能会赢得战争。