The Second Battle Begins

After winning the September 19th battle at Freeman's Farm, General Brgoyne ordered his army to dig in about a quarter mile north of here and hoped reinforcements would soon come north from New York City. Weeks passed with no help, while time and food were quickly running out, and Burgonye's army had to get to Albany without delay. On October 7, a probing force of over 1500 soldiers set out to observe the American fortifications, with the plan that if those defenses looked weak, Burgonye would attack with his whole army the next day. When British soldiers arrived at the field in front of you, American sentries spotted them and quickly fell back after an exchange of fire. The probing force found two farm fields full of badly needed wheat, and harvesters were called up and went to work while the soldiers waited to continue their scouting. More and more Americans arrived on the scene, intense battle broke out, and in less than an hour Burgoyne's troops broke, with many running pell-mell for their camp as thousands of Americans closed behind them.

Saratoga, New York · United States