Heroes and Villains

   It was on this day in 1777 that the British surrendered to the Americans after the battle of Saratoga. Only the battle of Yorktown which ended the war and which occurred on the same day four years later,  was more important than the American victory at Saratoga.

   In 1777 the war was entering its second year. Poor Washington was scurrying between New York and Philadelphia, greatly outnumbered and just trying to keep the war going. Then he got news the British were sending an army south from Canada to cut the colonies in half.

   Washington sent General Horatio Gates north with an army to prevent the British from taking Albany. Gates was an excellent administrator. his tactical skills had never really been tested. While Washington was fighting a war of dodge 'em, Gates was getting into position to look the brilliant hero.

   The British army was under the command of General John Burgoyne. He suffered from delusions of overconfidence as well as bad luck. In July on the march south, one of Burgoyne's Indian allies abducted and killed a young woman, for reasons unknown. Burgoyne wanted to punish the culprit but was dissuaded, because the British needed the help of the Indians. The Americans used this event as a propaganda tool to fill the ranks of the militias.

  In August, as he marched south, Burgoyne sent a large detachment east to Bennington, Vermont for supplies and horses. The British detachment ran into a large militia force and were soundly defeated. Burgoyne's Indian allies took this as a bad omen and almost all of them deserted the British. Burgoyne was expecting two other armies to meet him north of Albany. One was turned back by the Americans. The other went in the opposite direction from Burgoyne.

   The battle of Saratoga was actually two battles spaced over almost three weeks. The two battles occurred  a few miles south of the village of Saratoga and 35 miles north of Albany. The first battle took place on September 19 at a place called Freeman's Farm. 

   General Gates was not an aggressive leader which is why Washington sent him Benedict Arnold as his second in command. The battle turned out to be a draw with the British holding the field at the end of the day. But Burgoyne needed a victory not a tie.

   In the first battle, the armies were evenly matched in size, but over the next couple of weeks, the American army grew till it was double the size of the British army. Burgoyne called for reinforcements from his commander-in-chief in New York City, and delayed attacking the Americans waiting for help which never arrived. During this interlude, Gates and Arnold got into an argument and Gates relieved Arnold of command.

   Burgoyne's staff wanted to retreat to Canada for the winter, but Burgoyne said that would be disgraceful. The British finally attacked the Americans at Bemis Heights just south of the initial battlefield. The Americans repulsed the first British attack then went on the attack themselves. Arnold, disobeying orders, led the attack which was successful. For another ten days Burgoyne mulled over what he should do, finally surrendering on October 17.

   Burgoyne returned to England, got into politics, and did well for himself, though his Army career was over. Gates was the apparent hero. He went so far as to conspire to have himself made commander of the whole army, replacing Washington. He was eventually given an army in South Carolina where he lost a major battle. Gates returned to his farm in Virginia, then move to New York City, where he did well.

   And then there's Benedict Arnold. Washington appreciated what Arnold had done at Saratoga. Arnold had been badly wounded during the battle and spent several months recovering. when he was better, Washington made the mistake of appointing Arnold military governor of Philadelphia. Arnold was a fighter not a politician. He married a young Tory woman who played on his grievances and helped convince him to turn traitor. 

Empty niche in the Saratoga Monument where Benedict Arnold's statue would have stood.

   

.