Saratoga Battlefield

We spent the 16th at the Saratoga National Historical Battlefield observing the 229th Anniversary of the battle. This park is one of the few National parks that actually allow the reenactors to encamp upon the battle site. There were demonstrations of musketry and cannon firing along with the encampment itself. Although we also toured the battlefield(by Auto), there isn't any Revolutionary buildings or trenches left. Horatio Gates gets the credit for defeating Burgoyne but the real hero was a Polish military engineer who had chosen this location as the best site to defend. He built strong redoubts along the Hudson and placed his artillery upon the heights over a very narrow defile of the river and road. Burgoyne could retreat back up to Canada or fight. He chose badly! Above is member of 2nd Mass. volunteers that served at Saratoga in typical revolutionary uniform
The area was farmed until the early 1900's when the state of New York was able to purchase the battlefield. The state turned it over to the National Park Service. The visitor center had a very informative interactive map that explained the progress of the opposing units and how the British came to get themselves surrounded by a ragtag, rebel army. One thing we learned that was unexpected..the residents around here are still finding War artifacts. One man we spoke with had a table full of iron tools and even cannon balls he has dug up on his property. He uses a metal detector!
We also visited another small town farther south of the battlefield on the Hudson River, where we were entertained by a Fife and Drum group. We were also entertained with a humorous and insightful explanation of what went wrong by gentleman Lord Johnny Burgoyne, the British commander who surrendered his army to U.S. commander Horatio Gates.
The Americans had surrounded the British in the village of Schuylerville after driving them from the field. Serving up vittles and melting lead for musket balls at the camp.
Gates allowed Burgoyne to surrender with full honors. The officers, including Burgoyne, were exchanged and allowed to return to England, but his troops were mostly held in prison areas in South Carolina till war's end.
This American victory convinced the French monarchy to openly commit supplies and to send the French navy to battle the blockading British navy off America's coast.
The American victory at Saratoga is said to be the turning point of the war, and many in Congress thought Gates should be the overall U.S. commander instead of G. Washington!!