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17 October 1777Primary source · 2 sourcesWell documented

The Battle of Saratoga Turns the War

Burgoyne's surrender convinces France the Americans can win

On the timeline · around 17 October 1777 · The War for IndependenceThe War for IndependenceThe Battle of Saratoga Turns the War177717781779

Quick facts

Location
Saratoga, New York
Date
19 September - 17 October 1777
British commander
General John Burgoyne
Result
Full British army surrender; brought France into the war

What happened

British General John Burgoyne marched south from Canada in the summer of 1777 with about 7,500 men, aiming to seize the Hudson River Valley and cut New England off from the other colonies. After capturing Fort Ticonderoga, his advance stalled against American forces gathering under General Horatio Gates. Two battles near Saratoga, at Freeman's Farm (19 September) and Bemis Heights (7 October), badly weakened Burgoyne's army, and cut off from resupply, he surrendered his entire force to Gates on 17 October 1777. Benedict Arnold, though in a dispute with Gates over command, fought with conspicuous bravery in the battle and was wounded in the same leg he had injured at Quebec in 1775.

Why it matters

Saratoga was the first time an entire British army had surrendered in the field, and it convinced the court of King Louis XVI that the Americans had a real chance of winning, clearing the way for the formal Franco-American alliance signed the following February. Without French money, arms, and eventually troops and ships, the war might have ended very differently.

How we know

American Battlefield Trust's campaign account draws on British and American troop movements and Burgoyne's own surrender terms, negotiated with Gates on the field.

Sources

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