Lieutenant-General John Burgoyne abandoned his camp on October 8 in a supposed secret retreat under cover of darkness, leaving behind 400 sick and wounded, but a severe thunderstorm and plodding supply boats delayed the withdrawal. The hungry, drenched men, women, and children finally reached Saratoga, present-day Schuylerville, seven miles north, almost a full day later. General Gates began the pursuit on the morning of October 10, and although Burgoyne had more than a full day's head start, Gates's troops caught up with the retreating British Army within hours. After a short siege at Saratoga, the British asked for a ceasefire, and days of negotiations followed. On October 16, Generals Gates and Burgoyne signed the Articles of Convention, and the next day Burgoyne's army surrendered. The war continued six more years after the fighting here ended, but Gates's decision to chase down his foe tipped the balance of the Revolution and helped lead to American independence.