Essay On The Battle Of Sheratoga

The Events of the Battles of the Saratoga
Egan J. Schafer
Mountain View High School
The Battles of the Saratoga The Battles of the Saratoga was when American independence won a place in the minds of Europe. The Battles are talked about in Creasy 's Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, showing the importance of the outcomes of these battles. They showed that the Americans could defeat the most powerful military force in the world. This victory brought foreign assistance which turned the tide of the war. Without these battles, America would never have formed. The events leading up to these battles are as important as the battles themselves. The British army had a plan for three armies to meet up in Albany and thereby cut of New England

The odds for the Patriot armies in Albany improved greatly with the British loss of both of these force. The Continental army had also gained some troops, as said by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, “From the sporadic reinforcements of arriving militia units, the Americans were finally strong enough to face the advancing British.” The Continental Army then build defenses at Bemis Heights. The Worcester article continues, “Upon completion of the defenses, Gates ' entrenched army awaited the actions of the British. An effective outpost reporting system monitored the movement of the British expedition, keeping Gates informed of the actions of the enemy.” The first battle occurred on September 19, 1777. The British, upon beginning the first battle, “advanced on the American army… in three columns, one by the river under the German Colonel Riedesel, the main force in the center commanded by Burgoyne and the third, commanded by Brigadier Fraser making a wide outflanking detour to the American left. The aim of the British was to take the unfortified hill to the West of the American positions on Bemis Heights,” (British Battles). The fighting began near the farm of John Freeman, between American troops and the center British Column. With nightfall coming, General Burgoyne sent 500 German troops from the river to the British central column. Seeing these men coming, the Americans retreated to their defenses. The British controlled the ground for the time being, and the battle would pause for several days as Burgoyne waited for news from General Clinton. He received word that Clinton was heading up the Valley, but the troops weren’t come. Howe had ordered the force to reinforce him at Philadelphia. General Burgoyne decided to continue with his attack. On the 7th of October “he sent out a 1500-man ‘reconnaissance-in-force’ with several cannons to probe and bombard the American left [flank],” (National Park Service). The American Army, combined with nearby militias, far