Saratoga Campaign
The Saratoga Campaign was a 1777 initiative by the British Army in the American Revolutionary War. Its intent was divide the American forces by creating a British zone of control between the New England colonies and their neighbors to the south. The campaign ended wirh Burgoyne's surrender on October 17, 1777 after the Battle of Saratoga.After Lieutenant General Burgoyne helped defeat the American Invasion of Canada in late 1776 he returned to England in December. He began actively trying to get political support for a plan to divide the American Colonies by invading from Canada. General Sir Henry Clinton was also in Great Britain trying to get authority for an independent command of his own.
Burgoyne wrote out his strategy as "Thoughts for Conducting the War on the Side of Canada". He submitted it to Lord Germain, and on February 20, 1777 he won approval and beat his rival for the comnmand. His plan was adopted, and he would personally lead the main thrust of the Saratoga campaign. Johnny was so confident of his success that a London gentleman's club recorded his bet of 50 guineas "...that he will be home victorious from America by Christmas Day, 1777".
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2 The Mohawk Expedition 3 The Burgoyne Expedition |
The plan to separate the New England was based on the two anchors of occupied New York City and the recently secured Canada.
Three forces would slice the resistance and meet at Albany.
Burgoyne would command the main a force of British regulars and Hessian troops down the Lake road from Three Rivers, past Lake Champlain and Lake George, through the northern Hudson River valley.
Barry St. Ledger would lead a second force, mainly Canadian forces and Indian allies, to advance from Fort Oswego, down the Mohawk River.
General William Howe and the navy would move up the Hudson from New York.
When they met at Albany the separation would be complete.
Burgoyne returned to Quebec on May 6, 1777, bearing a letter from Lord Germain, introducing the plan, but somewhat lacking in details.
This produced another of the conflict of command that plagued the British throughout the war.
Nominally Lt. General Burgoyne outranked Major General Carleton, but Guy Carleton was still the Governor of Canada.
Guy Carleton not only refused Burgoyne's request for Canadian troops to garrison Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga, he required him to leave some regular forces as a Canadian garrison.
He also seems to have neglected to tell Burgoyne of Howe's letter that advised of his inability to fully support the campaign.
By June, all was ready and the campaign thrusts started out.
St. Ledger started the siege on August 4, demanding the surrender of the garrison, commanded by Colonel Peter Gansevoort.
His offer was refused, and that same day General Nicholas Herkimer set out with 800 of the Tyron County militia to help Gansevoort.
But, St. Ledger learned of his mission, and ambushed the relief expedition on August 6 at the Battle of Oriskanny.
During this battle, a sortie from the fort destroyed much of St. Ledger' supplies and encampment.
They now settled in for a siege.
The Indian forces, and some of the auxiliaries began to go home, since no loot was forthcoming and supplies were running short.
Meanwhile the American response was building.
On August 10 Benedict Arnold had left Stillwater, New York with 800 men of the Continental Army from Schuyler's Northern Department.
He expected to use local militia from the neighborhood of Fort Dayton, which he reached on August 21.
Arnold could only raise about 100 militia, so he resorted to subterfuge.
He sent agents, and arranged the escape of a captive, who informed St. Ledger that Arnold was coming with a large force.
On this news, Brant and the rest of St. Ledger's Indians withdrew.
The took most of his remaining supplies with them, and the expedition was forced to head back through Oswego to Canada.
Arnold sent a detachment after them, and turned the rest of his force east to support the American forces at the Battle of Saratoga.
Planning the Campaign
The Mohawk Expedition
Lieutenant Colonel St. Ledger sailed up the St. Lawrence, crossed Lake Ontario to arrive at Oswego without incident.
He had about 300 regulars, supported by 650 Canadian and Tory militia, and they were joined by 1,000 Indians led by John Butler and the Mowhawk chief Joseph Brant.
Leaving Oswego on July 25 they marched in good order to lay siege to Fort Stanwix.
The Siege of Fort Stanwix
Main Article: Fort Stanwix.The Burgoyne Expedition
To be developed, see: The Battle of Saratoga.
