---
title: "Battle of Saratoga"
year: 1777
country: "United States"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1777/battle-saratoga"
slug: "battle-saratoga"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1777-10-07"
endDate: "1777-12-17"
---

# Battle of Saratoga

> The American victory at Saratoga convinced France to formally enter the Revolutionary War, shifting the global balance of power.

In September and October 1777, the Continental Army defeated a major British invasion force near Saratoga, New York, ending any realistic hope the British had of crushing the rebellion quickly. The American victory convinced France to enter the war as an open ally, fundamentally shifting the military balance and securing American independence as a realistic outcome rather than a desperate gamble.

## Summary

The Battles of Saratoga were fought September 19 and October 7, 1777 over the same ground by the American Continental Army and the British Army near Saratoga, New York during the American Revolutionary War. The second battle ended with a decisive American victory, and the surrender of the British army there. The outcome greatly affected the course of the war, persuading France to enter the war as an American ally. In both battles, General John Burgoyne commanded the British forces, while Generals Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold oversaw the American forces. Historian Edmund Morgan described Saratoga as "a great turning point of the war", because it won for Americans the foreign assistance from France, which was the last element needed for victory."

## Key facts

- **Dates**: September 19 and October 7, 1777
- **Location**: Near Saratoga, New York
- **American Commander**: Major General Horatio Gates
- **British Commander**: General John Burgoyne
- **British Casualties (surrendered)**: 5,895 troops
- **American Strength at Surrender**: Approximately 17,000 troops
- **Diplomatic Consequence**: France formally entered the war in 1778
- **Days Between Battles**: 18 days

## Timeline

- **1777-09-13** - Burgoyne Crosses the Hudson
  General John Burgoyne's British army crosses the Hudson River as part of a campaign to split New York and isolate New England from the other colonies.
- **1777-09-19** - First Battle—Freeman's Farm
  The Continental Army under Horatio Gates clashes with Burgoyne's forces at Freeman's Farm. Neither side achieves decisive victory, but the British fail to break through American lines.
- **1777-09-21** - British Entrench Near Bemis Heights
  Burgoyne halts his advance and establishes fortified positions near Bemis Heights, waiting for reinforcements and orders from New York City.
- **1777-10-07** - Second Battle—Bemis Heights
  Burgoyne attempts to break the American lines with an offensive reconnaissance in force. The attack fails; American counterattacks drive the British back with heavy losses.
- **1777-10-09** - Burgoyne Retreats to Saratoga
  With no hope of reinforcement and surrounded by American militia, Burgoyne withdraws northward toward Saratoga village.
- **1777-10-17** - Burgoyne Surrenders
  Trapped and outnumbered, Burgoyne surrenders his entire army to Gates. Nearly 5,900 British and German troops lay down their arms.
- **1778-02-06** - Franco-American Alliance Signed
  France formally recognizes American independence and signs a treaty of military alliance, making the American cause a war against Britain rather than an internal rebellion.

## Voices

- **General John Stark, Continental Army commander** (official, celebratory) - Battle report, October 7, 1777
  > There are your enemies, the Red Coats and the Tories. They are ours, or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow!
- **General Horatio Gates, American Commander-in-Chief at Saratoga** (official, supportive) - Synthesized from period accounts - Official dispatch to Congress, October 17, 1777
  > General Burgoyne has surrendered his entire army to the United States. This victory must convince Europe that our cause is not lost.
- **Lord George Germain, British Secretary of State for America** (official, shocked) - Synthesized from period accounts - Private correspondence, November 1777
  > The loss of General Burgoyne's army is a calamity of the first magnitude. The campaign has been conducted with fatal errors.
- **Benjamin Franklin, American diplomat in Paris** (analyst, predictive) - Synthesized from period accounts - Dispatch to American Congress, December 1777
  > The action at Saratoga proves the Americans can defeat the British army in open combat. France must now join our cause.
- **General John Burgoyne, British commander** (expert, grieving) - Synthesized from period accounts - Capitulation document and subsequent testimony, October 1777
  > I have lost the campaign through errors in judgment. The Americans have fought with discipline and courage we underestimated.

## Impact

Saratoga was the hinge on which the American Revolution turned. Before the battle, the war looked winnable for Britain; after it, French intervention made American defeat improbable. The victory proved the Continental Army could stand against professional soldiers and won the diplomatic support without which independence would have remained impossible.

## Sources

- [Battles of Saratoga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Saratoga) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1777/battle-saratoga