Burgoyne's Campaign: June-October 1777

The map above indicates American and British troop movements during the summer and fall months of the Campaign of 1777.

National Park Service Map

From the beginning of the American Revolution, British leaders understood the importance of gaining control of the Lake Champlain–Lake George–Hudson River corridor to cut off the colonies north of New York from those to the south. Much of the unrest leading to the war had originated in New England, and British officials believed that suppressing the rebellion there would cause the other colonies to submit. British control of New York would also make it difficult, if not impossible, for the Americans to move troops and supplies between the northern and southern colonies.

The British made their first attempt to seize this corridor in 1776. The British army, under General Sir William Howe, successfully captured New York City and portions of the lower Hudson River Valley. A second force advancing south from Canada under General Sir Guy Carleton was stalled at Fort Ticonderoga and forced to withdraw with the onset of winter.

In 1777, General John Burgoyne, who had accompanied the 1776 campaign from Canada, proposed renewing the effort. In his paper, Thoughts for Conducting the War on the Side of Canada, Burgoyne outlined a plan to strengthen the existing New York strategy, this time under his command. The proposal was approved by Lord George Germain, the British Secretary of State for the American Department.

This plan became known as the Saratoga Campaign of 1777. It called for Burgoyne to advance south from Canada via Lake Champlain, capture Fort Ticonderoga, and continue down the Hudson River to Albany. There he would meet General Howe, who was expected to move north from New York City. A third force, under Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger, would advance eastward along the Mohawk River Valley, acting as a diversion, encouraging Loyalist support, and securing a western approach between Canada and New York.

The plan quickly began to unravel. General Howe instead launched a campaign against Philadelphia, believing that defeating General George Washington and capturing the American capital would be decisive. As a result, Howe never advanced up the Hudson to meet Burgoyne. Meanwhile, St. Leger’s expedition became bogged down in the unsuccessful siege of Fort Stanwix/Schuyler and ultimately retreated to Canada as American forces approached. Burgoyne, however, received little timely information about these setbacks and continued his advance toward Albany.

After capturing Fort Ticonderoga with surprising speed—an event that shocked Patriot morale—Burgoyne pressed southward. He defeated American forces at Hubbardton and compelled the evacuation of Fort Anne and Fort Edward. His fortunes soon declined. A detachment of Hessian troops sent to raid supplies at Bennington was defeated by American forces under Brigadier General John Stark and Lieutenant Colonel Seth Warner.

Continuing south, Burgoyne crossed the Hudson River near present-day Stillwater. There, American forces under General Horatio Gates, who had replaced General Philip Schuyler, fortified positions on Bemis Heights. Burgoyne launched assaults at Freeman’s Farm on September 19 and at Bemis Heights on October 7, 1777. Both attacks failed. Outnumbered, surrounded, and cut off from retreat, Burgoyne surrendered his army on October 17, 1777.

The American victory at Saratoga marked a turning point in the war. Combined with the earlier success at Fort Stanwix, it helped secure formal alliances with France and, later, the Netherlands. These alliances provided critical military and financial support, contributing directly to the eventual American victory at Yorktown in 1781.

1777 Northern Campaign Story Map

Explore the events leading up to, during, and after the Battles of Saratoga through an interactive Story Map. Under the Story Map window, click "view full screen" to enhance the view of the Story Map. 

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Painting of John Burgoyne's surrender to Horatio Gates on October 17, 1777.

National Archives

Sources:

• Watt, Gavin K., and James F. Morrison. The British Campaign of 1777, The St. Leger Expedition:
• The forces of the Crown and Congress. King City: Ontario, 2001.
• Boatner III, Mark M. Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. Van Rees Press: New York, 1966.

Tags: fort stanwix national monument, saratoga national historical park, american revolution, campaign of 1777, early american history