Battles of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) culminated in the Saratoga campaign, handing the Americans a decisive victory against the British during the American Revolutionary War. The aim was to conquer Albany, New York, and British General John Burgoyne led a massive invasion army southward from Canada in the Champlain Valley, expecting to link up with a comparable British force coming northward from New York City and another British force marching eastward from Lake Ontario. The southern and western armies never arrived, and Burgoyne was trapped by American forces 15 miles (24 kilometers) from his goal in upstate New York. He fought two engagements on the same land 9 miles (14 kilometers) south of Saratoga, 18 days apart.
General John Burgoyne designed a strategy to separate New England from the middle and southern provinces since the region was proving difficult for the British. His regiment was to march down the Hudson Valley from Canada to Albany, while William Howe, the British Army's Commander-in-Chief in America, was to march up the Hudson Valley from New Jersey. Even though Howe was successful in capturing Philadelphia, he was unable to help Burgoyne. The Battles of Saratoga were the culmination of the British plan. The Fight of Freeman's Farm, the first battle of Saratoga, was a slight triumph for Burgoyne, who occupied Freeman's Farm. Even though Burgoyne's army lost about 600 casualties, the American losses were just around half that.
The American army easily overcame the British soldiers in the second battle of Saratoga, known as the Battle of Bemis Heights. The British suffered 500 casualties, while the Americans only suffered 200. Burgoyne's army was quickly besieged at Saratoga, and on October 17 he surrendered his whole force of 5,800 men. The sweeping victory gave France faith in America's ability to win the war, resulting in the formation of the official Franco-American alliance in 1778. The Battles of Saratoga are regarded as the turning point of the American Revolutionary War as a result of this.
Date: September 19 & October 7, 1777
