Victory at Saratoga

[The battle of ] Saratoga was supposed to be an ender of [a] possible war, instead it was a battle that changed the history of the world.

The battle of Saratoga was in fact, several different battles all rolled into one, but it would change the war. The year was 1777. The revolutionary war had been raging for two years, and so far, in the entire existence of the British army, they hadn’t even needed to use their white flag, except in some minor skirmishes.

The Brits had a target, Fort Ticonderoga.

After scouting the area, the British force saw an unoccupied hill and quickly moved cannons to the top. In the fort, the colonists saw the cannons being moved to high ground and retreated into the forest. While taking the fort was impressive, Burgoyne, a British general, was about to make a huge strategic blunder: The colonists were on the other side of Lake Champlain, fort Ticonderoga had 128 boats, and Burgoyne had fort Ticonderoga, but still, Burgoyne decided to go around the lake, with 7,500 men, 42 cannons and a supply train including hundreds of horses and carts! Thick forest and hilly terrain, plus colonist traps and skirmishes slowed Burgoyne to one mile per day.

For the Americans, this battle was going very well! As they marched, regular people who didn’t like the British grabbed swords, rifles, knives, and muskets and joined the patriots, turning 9,000 soldiers into 15,000 soldiers!

The British were losing men as they suffered from food shortages. Burgoyne decided to try replenishing his troops and supplies by sending Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum and 700 men to an area close to lake Champlain. Baum’s force learned that Americans were planning to chase them through the forests around Lake Champlain. He asked for reinforcements, and Burgoyne sent several hundred Hessians. Meanwhile, American General John Stark took 1,500 men, marched through the forest, finally catching up to Baum’s force.

When Baum saw the Americans, he thought they were the Hessian reinforcements! Stark started to encircle Baum, who just then learned otherwise! And then, guess who arrived? The Hessian reinforcements! However, an American group called the Green Mountain Boys attacked under cover of trees to stop the Hessians from organizing fully.

The Brits and Hessians combined lost 440 men, with 700 captured, along with 4 cannons. The Americans only lost 90 men, 40 were wounded. Burgoyne knew that this was horrible news, but it was followed by even worse news: General Howe, who had captured Philadelphia, wasn’t sending reinforcements! He needed every last troop to hold onto that territory, And Gen. Henry Clinton was holding New York territory and wasn’t reinforcing either!

The Americans struck again, sending forward Benedict Arnold, Daniel Morgan and 1,000 of Morgan’s riflemen to join Stark’s men, who were marching to Saratoga, NY. This force was led by Major General Horatio Gates. When that force reached Saratoga, they dug a fortification near a place called Freeman’s farm. The Brits rounded up 2,000 men to take a hill near Freeman’s farm. As the Brits advanced, 500 of Morgan’s sharpshooters started picking off the British; In return, the Brits charged, bayonets fixed. Arnold led 2 regiments to stop them, but they failed. The Brits took the field but suffered 600 casualties.

Now the Americans set up fortification in a place called Bemis Hights, and hearing the battle, militiamen from local areas expanded the Americans force and reach. Benedict Arnold rode to Gates and begged for reinforcements. Gates refused. The Redcoats and Hessians pushed the Americans back. But more bad news arrived! All of Burgoyne’s communication was severed! Burgoyne REALLY didn’t want to surrender. He attacked again. Gates was so slow to retaliate, Benedict Arnold jumped on his horse and led a charge right into the British center. Suddenly, General Simon Fraser went down. The British line broke. Arnold was shot in the leg, but continued to lead a charge into the British right wing. The Patriots pursued the British for several days, just enough time for Burgoyne to realize he was surrounded.

On October 17, 1777, Burgoyne officially surrendered.

That led the French to ally with the Americans, giving them a navy and stronger fighting force that eventually wins the war.