Important People
General Horatio Gates
General Horatio Gates was commander of the American troops at Saratoga. He also participated greatly in the rest of the war. The battle was won partly due to his strategic leading, and he was praised highly for the stunning victory. (1)
1726 - 1806
General John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was the leader of the British forces in the New York campaign. He was a member of the British Parliament, and was highly respected by King George. He was levelheaded with his orders and admired by the troops below him. He fought unsuccessfully at Saratoga, and was shunned due to this defeat. He was permitted to return to England after a short period, but lost respect from the Monarchy and Parliament. His failures were overshadowed by the British defeat at Yorktown, and he was appointed to lead troops in Ireland. (2)
1722 - 1792
General Benedict Arnold
Before the Revolutionary war broke out, Benedict Arnold was a merchant in Connecticut. His first military feat in the Revolutionary war was his partaking in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. He partook in the failed invasion of Canada, but fought at Saratoga with valor and bravery. He was crucial in the victory, and did a lot for the American cause but is only remembered for being a traitor later on in the war. (3)
1741 - 1801
Colonel Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an esteemed American soldier for his specialized group of troops. His unit was outfitted with rifles, unlike the muskets that the rest of the forces, American or British. They were deployed well during the battle of Saratoga, and took down many British officers with their superior accuracy. Morgan also was a commander at the battle of Cowpens in 1781. (4)
1736 - 1802
General Frederick Riedesel
Baron Friedrich von Riedesel was seen as the most capable of the German leaders that fought on the side of the British Empire during the American Revolution. He commanded 2,300 Hessians and fought hard for the British. His troops were among those who fought and were captured at Saratoga. (5)
1738 - 1800
Thadeusz Kosciuszko
Thadeusz Kosciuszko was a Polish volunteer who chose to fight for the Revolutionaries. He had studied military engineering in Warsaw and Paris and crossed the Atlantic to offer his knowledge to the Americans. His first major accomplishment was at Saratoga, where his fortifications were crucial in giving the Americans the upper hand at the second half of Saratoga, Bemis Heights. He went on to help the Americans win battles in the south, and helped lead the Polish Revolution. He lived in America from 1797 until his death in 1817. (6)
General William Howe
Beginning in 1776, Howe was the commander-in-chief of all the troops of the British Empire in the states. His knowledge and experience came from the French and Indian war, and became a Major General. (7) In the matter of Saratoga, his actions greatly affected the outcome. General Burgoyne was awaiting reinforcements from Howe's army, but Howe thought otherwise and marched his troops south to capture Philadelphia. Burgoyne was left surrounded, and without help he lost the battle.
1. Don Nardo, The Battle of Saratoga (Minneapolis, Minn.: Compass Point Books, 2008), [Page 45].
2. David C. King, Saratoga (Brookfield, Conn.: Twenty-First Century Books, 1998), [Page 24].
3. King, Saratoga, 29.
4. Don Nardo, The Battle of Saratoga (Minneapolis, Minn.: Compass Point Books, 2008), [Page 45].
5. King, Saratoga, 34.
6. King, Saratoga, 27.
7. King, Saratoga, 25.