The Battle of Saratoga Flashcards
1
Q
5 points
What was the original plan for this campaign?
A
- Lord Germain wanted to win the war in 1777 with a 3 - pronged attack.
- General Burgoyne would travel down from Canada with 8000 men.
- Colonel Barry St Leger would take a different route down from Canada with 1600 men, providing an attack from the west.
- General Howe would move up through New York with 15,000 men.
- The three prongs would meet, capture Albany and cut off New England.
2
Q
4 points
What went wrong for Burgoyne on his journey from Canada to Albany in the summer of 1777?
A
- Instead of sailing down Lake George or using well established roads, Burgoyne chose to travel through inhospitable terrain.
- In addition to this, his forces were slowed down by his large baggage train, allowing them to be attacked by patriot militia as they travelled.
- His hope that loyalists would support them went unfufilled, as the British were allied with the Iroqoi Native Americans, who attacked farms and killed several families.
- In August St Legers forces were made to return to Canada, leaving Burgoyne further isolated.
3
Q
Give one example of something the Iroquoi did which alienated colonial loyalists.
A
They murdered and scalped Jane McCrea, a colonial loyalist. Her murder made many loyalists begin to support the colonists instead, since the iroquoi were allies of the British.
4
Q
Who was commander of the American forces in the battle of Saratoga?
A
Horatio Gates
5
Q
5 point
What were the events of the battle of Saratoga?
A
- Gates positioned himself north of Albany to wait for Burgoyne. He kept gaining men until by mid-september he had 7000 (the same number as Burgoyne.
- The two forces met at Freeman’s farm, however Burgyone was unable to defend himself from Gates.
- Believing that forces would be arriving from Howe, Burgoyne had hope and attacked American defences on Bemis Heights, however he lost 400 men when the Americans only lost 150.
- Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga, however the force that was coming up from the south led by Clinton (Howe’s second in command), didn’t reach them in time and Burgoyne was made to surrender.
- His army were taken prisoner until the end of the war.
6
Q
5 points
Why did the British lose at Saratoga?
A
- Poor Co-ordination: Germain, Howe and Burgoyne struggled to communicate thier actions and plans. Burgoyne assumed Howe would arrive to assist him, when Howe was focused on Philadelphia.
- The Geography: Burgoyne was fighting in enemy territory, far from the support of the navy.
- Burgoyne’s Mistakes: He travelled cross country where he was vulnerable to American Militia attacks. His slow moving large baggage train also disadvanted them.
- The Other Prongs: Both St Leger and Clinton failed to reach Burgoyne in time.
- American Strengths: Horatio Gates had 7000 men, the same number as Burgoyne. They were fighting in land familiar to them and had the support of the local population.
7
Q
5 points
What were the consequences of Saratoga?
A
- Boost to patriot morale.
- In 1777 Howe was alarmed by patriot success, and made Clinton give up his gains in New York to reinforce Philadelphia - valuable territory was lost.
- Howe resigned in Feb 1778 and was replaced by Clinton.
- Made the British decide to seek a settlement with the Patriots.
- The French joined the war.
8
Q
3 points
How did Lord North try to seek a settlement with the Patriots following the defeat at Saratoga?
A
- He opened negotiations with Benjamin Franklin in Paris.
- In Feb 1778 he passed the Concilatory Propositions; agreed to repeal Coercive Acts and not tax Americans in the future.
- A peace commission was appointed to negotiate the end of the war; they had the power to withdraw British forces from America and grant Americans representation in Parliament.
