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Battle of Saratoga Facts & Summary. (2019, December 09). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/saratoga

Saratoga. (2019, October 15). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/saratoga

The Battle of Saratoga. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.ushistory.org/US/11g.asp

Images

Albanymuskrat. (2018, January 07). Benedict Arnold in the Albany Military Hospital; While Others Nursed his Wounds, He Nursed his Grievances. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/benedict-arnold-in-the-albany-military-hospital-while-others-nursed-his-wounds-he-nursed-his-grievances/

Brent. (2018, January 07). Saratoga Campaign 1777. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://revolutionarywar.us/campaigns/1777-saratoga-campaign/

General John Burgoyne. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.galleryhistoricalfigures.com/general-john-burgoyne

Horatio Gates. (2018, November 02). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/horatio-gates

Tappan, N. (2019, June 12). This Small Battle in Vermont May Have Turned the Tide of the American Revolution. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.historynet.com/hellish-hours-at-hubbardton.htm

The Battle of Saratoga. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.ushistory.org/US/11g.asp

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Due to the lack of preparedness and bad decisions made by the British army on route to Albany, they lost to the American numbers.

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General Burgoyne presented the "divide and conquer" strategy, planning to invade America from Canada through the Hudson Valley to Albany. He would then be met by more British troops led by Sir William Howe, coming from New Jersey and New York City. The intent was to isolate New England from the other colonies, convince the French to turn away the Americans, and take command of the Hudson river. This worked as far as Fort Ticonderoga, when the Americans realized the British had the advantage of high ground and ordered a retreat. On the march to Albany, Howe decided to not follow Burgoyne's plan to cut off New England and instead attacked a rebel capital. Burgoyne's Loyalist and Native American allies were unreliable, as was his Canadian supply line. The winter months were coming and they were still not in Albany. At Freeman's farm the British sustained heavy human losses, which left them outnumbered at Bemis Heights. They waited for reinforcements and were caught in bad weather shortly after. They lost the battle at Saratoga and about 86% of their troops were captured.

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To start off the American army led by General Gates had around 8,500 men and 500 elite rifleman, already more than Burgoyne not even taking into account the men lost before Saratoga. The Americans managed to greatly slow the British at Freeman's farm and amassed 13,000 men, while the British army waited there for reinforcements. On October 7th the Americans heard Burgoyne's men were moving so they attacked to force them back, mortally injuring British General Simon Fraser. Later, Benedict Arnold led an assault on the Breymann Redoubt and captured about 200 of the Germans defending it. While the British were dug in at Bemis Heights, preparing to defend themselves, the Americans had them surrounded in two days. A week of negotiations later the British army surrendered. This caused American morale to soar and convinced the French to ally with them which would majorly contribute to their ultimate victory.

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The British did not use their resources effectively at all. They split up their troops and only one third made it to Saratoga at all. Their allies (Native American and Canadian) were unreliable and they did not even have enough Germans to defend the Breymann Redoubt. As they progressively got closer to Albany they got farther from their Canadian line of supplies, leaving them with very little food.

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The Americans used their resources more wisely than the British. They had about 8,500 men to start with and then acquired even more after Freeman's farm to total 13,000 including 500 elite riflemen. One of which, took out British General Simon Fraser. They stayed together which led to them outnumbering the British and ultimately winning the battle.

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The American military leaders were far more effective than the British leaders. General Gates gave very tactical and strategic orders for his troops to follow and they did as he said. He ordered them to construct defenses and take smart positions in order to slow and defeat the British. He made great decisions throughout this battle which helped them defeat the British.

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General Burgoyne was not a very effective military leader during this battle. He led his men into a battle unprepared.  There were around 2 times as many American troops than British troops. His decision making was poor; he did not take into account the weather or the amount of resources and men the British had which is what cost them the battle. He also made the terrible decisions to dig in and stay in Saratoga meanwhile his troops were being killed by the Americans.

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General John Burgoyne, and General Simon Fraser (was mortally wounded),

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General Horatio Gates, General Benedict Arnold (seriously wounded in left leg), and Col. Daniel Morgan.

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In late 1777, General John Burgoyne had led his army of 7,500 men to the village of Saratoga. Three separate British armies were supposed to arrive but only Burgoyne's arrived. The battle should have been an easy victory for the British but due to the absence of two other armies the battle ended in a decisive victory for the Americans and an embarrassing defeat for the British.