T3+-+6.3B

T3 - 6.3B: Livi Eitzman, Asia Lerner (Battle of Saratoga) Albany, New York September and October, 1777 Scene at Saratoga Washington Teams up with Gates to Defeat Burgoyne ** ALBANY, NEW YORK September and October, 1777 – ** Two great battles have taken place against the British Army. Washington conquered the British when the British planned to control Upstate New York, and cut off New England from Southern colonies because the British wanted to put an end to the war. British troops led by Burgoyne planned to drive south. Once they reached Albany, they would compile with two other awaiting British forces. Burgoyne’s advance failed. The Americans picked off the British troops and Burgoyne’s numbers continues to fall. The other British force decided to break away from the plan and captured Philadelphia. Washington’s troops blocked their path and prevented them from leaving Philadelphia. Washington gathered many troops and stopped Burgoyne’s march south. The Battle of Freeman’s Farm took place September 19, 1777. The Battle of Bemis Heights occurred on October, 7.

These battles started from a British general, John Burgoyne who made a plan to break up the rebels and to eventually take over the New England colonies. He was shooting to break up the New England and the Southern Colonies so that other British officials and armies could take control over the colonies. So he started with capturing fort Ticonderoga and the Continental army backed away and under Phillip Schuyler and they camped at Stillwater. And by the lack of supply, at fort Edward the British had to slow down and they were attacked at fort Bennington. At St. Leger they retreated and with this William Howe backed out and sailed back to start to take over and break up Philadelphia. Howe’s movements concerned Washington and the general sent forth Benedict Arnold and Benjamin Lincoln with 750 men, including sharpshooters, and they then constructed more defensive weapons. Burgoyne was surrounded after Howe left, and winter was approaching. Burgoyne decided on cutting communications from the north and he set up several forts along the Hudson so they would have a stronger position. And after all of this, Burgoyne demanded that Riesedel to abandon their plan at Skensenboro.

The other British force that was supposed to meet Burgoyne at Albany, but the one run by General Gates veered from plan and successfully captured Philadelphia. Washington blocked Gate’s path from joining Burgoyne. Washington realized a major battle was arousing and sent troops up north. He also sent for any militia to join the troops. As a result, a large gathering of regular troops and militia settles around the Saratoga area. Burgoyne again began his march south, but was stopped about ten miles below Saratoga. The first battle of Saratoga, the Battle of Freeman’s Farm, happened on September 19, 1777. A militia of Virginian sharpshooters single off the British, and other men aggressively charged into battle. Twice as many British were lost, killed or wounded as Americans.

The second battle, the Battle of Bemis Heights, occurred on October 7th. When Burgoyne tried to break free from the encircling American forces and run them out of the field. British troops along with German allies were devastated because they nearly lost positions. So Burgoyne decided to split into three columns which had the left, lead by Baron Riesedel, the right, lead by Simon Fraser, and the center, lead by James Hamilton. Benedict Arnold fought on horseback and received a wound in his left leg from battle. He too set his army into two different “armies”. The British and the Americans were fighting back and forth and they were going at each other up until the British lost too many men, and the Americans got too strong for them. Burgoyne surrendered on October 17, 1777.

In great discomfiture, Burgoyne sailed back to Britain, with his helpless army. He was never given another command from the British officials and leaders. The colonists have won against the fierce and brutal British again, and they have showed the world that they are able to fight, and win against strong armies by themselves. These drastic colonist victories at the Battle at Saratoga convinced the French to support the Americans with military aid, and this is considered a major turning point in the American Revolution. This is just one step further in the fight for the American’s freedom.