British+are+Defeated+at+Saratoga



The British Defeat at Saratoga included historical figures pertinent to the British side and the American side.


 * General [|John Burgoyne] was a [|Patriot] who [|managed the British Army] while fighting at the Battle of Saratoga. He [|brought] 7500 normal British troops, German Auxilary troops, loyal Americans, Canadian militia, and small groups of Native Americans. John first got his chance to help his country during the seven year's war. He fought in several battle's, but was most known during the Portugal Campaign of 1762. He was said to live a lavish lifestyle of an aristocrat. He was very active in his social and political life. He observed the battle at Bunker Hill but was lacking authority to really control a big group of soldiers. He went back to England but soon returned to North America only to frustrate the army. Although, he was was farely intelligent, his fate fell short when forced to have his army retreat. Burgoyne also served as a playwright. He wrote before and after he initiated his career in fighting. His father was also British Captain. He also moved to France for a few years, but eventually moved back to his home after. He was nicknamed gentleman Johnny and eventually returned back to England after the war and became a member of Parliament. Burgoyne was said to have been an [|extravagant gambler] who was very daring, and quite a good sweet-talker, according to his nick name.
 * Major General [|Horatio Gates] brought in patriot colonists to [|fight for independence.] These volunteer people came from New England, New York, Virgina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Native Americans, some Canadian, French volunteers, and surprisingly a couple Polish volunteers. Originally a retired British Soldier, he served as the major general in the American Revolution. He led the American's to the victory at this Battle at Saratoga. As soon as Gates heard about the war, he ran to tell Washington about his will to fight for his country. He also participated in the [|Seven Year's War.] Even though he was said to have little courage, he persisted through in leading his country to a [|defeat] against the British. His previous experience included that of [|participating] in the battle of Fort Duquesne and was one of the main victors at this Seven Year's War.
 * **Women and children** were also fighting alongside the British and American forces.

[|Freeman's Farm] __General Info On Battle of Saratoga:__ media type="youtube" key="c8VT0c0mymc" height="315" width="420"
 * The two battles of The British Defeat at Saratoga included**:
 * John Freeman and his son Thomas were loyalists to the British and elected to stay and fight for what they believed in. Freeman and his son were brave, strong, and independent men who fought alongside John Burgoyne's army. The impact of the army coming across farmland was devastating. Many farms, including Freeman's, was lost in the crossfire of many battles. Trees were cut down to be used for fuel and/ or fortifications. Hayfields, gardens, and crops were eventually trampled by the troops crossing in its path. For example, a man named John Nielsen had a farm which was used as an American mid-level headquarters. It suffered the losses of hay, crops, and hundreds of feet of fences. Freeman's farm was in the cross fire of both battles and was retrievable because of the retreat of Burgoyne's Army. Unfortunately, American forces would come to [|lose] the first Battle of Saratoga on September 19, 1777. This was due to a disagreement of battle tactics with Benedict Arnold. The British then claimed the victory although with many casualties. The Battle included moments of intense fighting and then certain breaks in the action.
 * - [|Bemis Heights]
 * This battle led for the surrender of the British Army. Burgoyne had in mind of coming from New York and attacking Gates' Army and forcing it to split. Most of the British Army wanted to go back to Canada but Burgoyne persisted. Burgoyne was outnumbered 2 to 1 by Gates' Army but that didn't seem to matter to him. Burgoyne was hoping to find British Troops still at Albany but they got held up after capturing a fort in New York. Burgoyne's army also was in poor condition moving slowly. From the stress of consecutive American attacks, the British line so slowly fell to its death. Benedict Arnold helped in this capture, but was eventually wounded, allowing the British to escape a complete disaster. When Burgoyne determined to break free from the colonial forces and drive them from the field, The British troops and their German allies were devastated, and nearly lost their entrenched positions. Fighting on horseback, Benedict Arnold, received a wound in his leg during this battle, and his contribution to the battle is commemorated by a statue of his boot, with no other reference to the hero turned traitor.
 * It has been said that the [|Battle of Saratoga] was the best Battle to have ever been fought in [|America] . John Burgoyne, leading the British, was gradually [|losing troops] . He lost 1000 men and many Native Americans who decided to withdraw from assisting the British in the war. His plan was to take away all of New York from the Americans. Even though his [|Plans] weren't looking well, he still headed for albany. This gave General Horatio Gates enough time to establish a perimeter near the Hudson River known as Bemis Heights. Moving along, some of [|Burgoyne's troops] eventually caught up to Gates' on the abandoned loyalist farm called Freeman's farm. That whole day the British suffered the Americans gunfire over and over. German auxilary troops did help them win, yet the Americans were still in the way to move South of Albany. Even still, General Burgoyne still pushed forward with a low fuel supply. Extreme fighting drove the British back to their fortifications. German troops were attacked by Americans, they were just not strong enough. It was Benedict Arnold who forced the retreat of the British troops. On the retreat, due to a bad storm and tired troops, the British only made eight miles in two days to a small hamlet named Saratoga. The British eventually [|surrendered] on October 17, 1777. This battle was very influential in that it convinced [|France] to join America as an ally to finish off the war.
 * [[image:saratogamap caption="Gates and Burgoyne's Path at Saratoga"]][[image:800px-First_Battle_of_Saratoga_1300_Hours.USMA.edu.history.gif width="589" height="263" caption="Battle of Freeman's Farm 1:00 positions"]]