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7 days ago

#rev250

On the 6th of May 1777, Gen. John "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne, a British officer and member of the Parliament, arrived in Quebec with a plan that could end the American Revolution.
* In June 1777, Burgoyne, the senior British commander in Quebec, along with 9,000 British, Hessian, Loyalist and indigenous forces ("Canadian Army") assembled at Crown Point (NY, Lake Champlain's western shore). They boarded over 200 warships and wooden bateaux (light, flatbottom riverboats) and started their path towards Albany, NY (the rear base and HQ of Maj. Gen. Phillip Schuyler's Northern Dept. Army).

The strategy, approved by Lord George Germain, called for a sweeping British advance along the Hudson River which intended to divide the colonies from New England. The plan was to have British forces move south from Canada. Barry St. Leger would lead a second column and push through the Mohawk Valley (NY). During that time, Gen. William Howe would move towards Philadelphia.

This was a lot of distance for the British to cover-- and unfortunately, a lack of coordination caused this plan to fail.

By June, his army advanced along Lake Champlain (NY) and easily captured Fort Ticonderoga (NY) in July.

After that, the campaign unraveled- a devastating defeat at Bennington (VT) resulted in a loss of men, horses and vital supplies. The army became isolated while they moved into hostile territory.
* The British suffered major setbacks during the siege of Fort Stanwix (NY) and the battle of Bennington (VT).

By September 1777, Gen. Burgoyne faced immense resistance. The American forces, led by Horatio Gates, Benedict Arnold and Daniel Morgan met the British at Freeman's Farm and Bemus Heights (Saratoga, NY). At Bemus Heights, Americans controlled the high ground while Burgoyne's forces advanced slowly, stalled and ultimately broke. At this point, a confident invasion resulted in the British surrender.
* The first engagement at Saratoga was fought on 19 Sept 1777 (Battle of Freeman's Farm).
* The Battle of Bemis Heights was fought on 7 Oct 1777 and was a decisive engagement of Saratoga. This was also the last battle in which Benedict Arnold commanded American forces on the battlefield.

The route from Quebec to Saratoga was not only a long distance (about 340 or so miles), but the geography shaped the battle. Troops moved by rivers (there are no roads at this time). The thick forests hampered advancement of the armies. And, most importantly, the Hudson River Valley was a pathway, but also a trap.

Burgoyne's army was cut off from supplies and were surrounded by the American forces.

The American victory at Saratoga permitted the Americans to secure an alliance with France and transformed this war from a colonial uprising to a global war.

#Rev250 #Saratoga #BemisHeights #FreemansFarm #GenJohnBurgoyne #GenHoratioGates #BenedictArnold #Shippenmanor

Resources:

"10 Facts: The Battle of Saratoga." American Battlefield Trust. 7 July 2021, updated 15 Oct 2024. www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/10-facts-battle-saratoga.

"British Invasion: His Majesty's Fort at Crown Point." National Museum of the US Army. www.thenmusa.org/army-trail/founding-the-nation/the-saratoga-campaign-june-october-1777/british-i....

Kelleher, Sean. "The Campaign that saved the Revolution began as a British masterstroke. Past's Paths Substack. 6 May 2026. seanpatrickkelleher.substack.com/p/this-day-in-history-may-6-1777.

Maloy, Mark. "The Battle of Freeman's Farm." 24 Aug 2021, updated 16 Oct 2025. www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/battle-freemans-farm-september-19-1777.

Schnitzer, Eric. "A Stand Up Fight: Battle of Freeman's Farm (First Saratoga)." National Museum US Army. www.thenmusa.org/army-trail/founding-the-nation/the-saratoga-campaign-june-october-1777/a-stand-u....

"The Saratoga Campaign: June-Oct 1777." National Museum of the US Army. www.thenmusa.org/army-trail/founding-the-nation/the-saratoga-campaign-june-october-1777/. ... See MoreSee Less