BURGOYNE, ber-goin', John, English general and dramatist: b. 24 Feb. 1723; d. Lon don, 4 Aug. 1792. He was the son of Capt. John Burgoyne, and grandson of Sir John Bur goyne of Bedfordshire, although reputed to be a natural son of Lord Bingley. Educated at Westminster, he entered the army at an early age, and while a subaltern eloped with Lady Charlotte Stanley, daughter of the Earl of Derby. Soon after his marriage he sold his commission to pay his debts. He then lived abroad for seven years, but entered the army again in 1758 as captain of the Foot Guards. In 1759, as lieutenant-colonel of the Coldstream Guards, he served at Belle Isle. After an elec tion to Parliament in 1761, he served with dis tinction in Portugal. and was sent to America in 1775. He joined General Gage at Boston, with large reinforcements, and witnessed the battle of Bunker Hill, of which he has left an animated description. After proceeding to Can ada as governor, he returned to England, but in 1777 was despatched to take command of that expedition from Canada against the United States, the failure of which so largely con tributed to the establishment of American free dom. Indeed, few battles have led in their ulti mate influence to results so great as did the surrender of Burgoyne with 5,791 fighting men, well provided with artillery, at Saratoga, to the army of General Gates. On his return home, he was received by the King with marked dis favor. His wife died in 1776. He had several
natural children by Susan Caulfield, an opera singer, one of whom was Field Marshal Sir J. F. Burgoyne. Burgoyne did not possess the genius of a great general, and was in many respects utterly inadequate to the tasks imposed upon him, yet no one can read his work written in his own defense, (State of the Expedition from Canada' (London 1780), without ac knowledging his courage, and detecting quali ties which in a less exalted station might have been of much service to his country. Disgusted with his treatment by the government, he re tired to private life, and devoted his leisure to the production of dramas, some of which, as (The Maid of the Oaks,' (The Lord of the Manor,' etc., were highly popular in their day. His best play, Heiress,' has been success ful not only in its original tongue, but also in several foreign versions. He was made com mander-in-chief in Ireland in 1782, and in 1787 was one of the managers of the impeachment of Warren Hastings, whose trial lasted through several years after Burgoyne's death. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. (See SnawroGA, BATTLES or). Consult De Fonblanque, 'Episodes from the Life and Correspondence of Bur goyne' (London 1876) ; O'Callaghan (editor), 'Orderly Book of Lieutenant General John Burgoyne' (Albany 1860) ; and Stone, 'Cam paign of Lieutenant General Burgoyne' (Al bany 1877).