Sandwich was especially confident, although it was already practically known that Burgoyne's expedition was, to say the least, a failure. "The noble Earl," said Shelburne, who was in possession of authentic information from the army,[1] "speaks with great confidence of the expected success of our military operations, but upon what rational foundation I am yet to learn. The issue of Mr. Burgoyne's expedition is too melancholy to be made a subject of conversation; his army, by every appearance, is destroyed; but supposing the contrary, and that not finding it practicable to push forward, he has been so fortunate as to effect a retreat to Ticonderoga, or any of the other posts he left behind him; nay, granting more than the modesty of Administration will permit them even so much as to suggest, that by subsequent successes he has formed a junction with General Clinton, and has reached New York; what end would this answer? At the expense of many millions, and two campaigns, he has reached a place by land which he could without the least trouble or interruption have reached by sea, in almost as many weeks."[2]
On the 3rd of December Barré called upon Lord George Germaine "to declare upon his honour what was become of General Burgoyne and his troops." Lord North admitted in reply that very disastrous information had reached him from Canada. A fierce outburst against the Ministry followed this statement. Motions were made in both Houses of Parliament for papers. They were however successfully resisted, on the ground that as yet no official information had been received. The Ministers succeeded in adjourning Parliament on the 11th. "They could not meet," said Shelburne, "the force of their opponents' objections. Talk to them about the truth! Like Pilate they waived the question and adjourned the court."[2] On the 12th the official intelligence of the disaster arrived.
On the receipt of the disastrous news Chatham wrote the following letter to Shelburne:
