Saratoga: A Military History of the Decisive Campaign of the American Revolution

by John Luzader

Overview

Finalist for Operational / Battle History, 2008, Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Book Award

The months-long 1777 Saratoga campaign was one of the most decisive of the entire Revolutionary War. The crushing British defeat prompted France to recognize the American colonies as an independent nation, declare war on England, and commit money, ships, arms, and men to the rebellion. John Luzader’s impressive Saratoga: A Military History of the Decisive Campaign of the American Revolution is the first all-encompassing objective account of these pivotal months in American history.

British General John Burgoyne assembled his command at St. Johns in June 1777. His force consisted of numerous warships, more than 130 pieces of artillery, and 7,800 men including two large divisions of rested veteran British Regulars. Burgoyne intended to capture Albany, New York, wrest control of the vital Hudson River Valley from the colonists, and divide the Northern American colonies in half. Initial colonial opposition included widely separated fixed positions, small garrisons and commands, and feuding American commanders. Burgoyne’s primary opponent was General Horatio Gates, a haughty and divisive leader whose 8,000 men included several capable field commanders, including Benedict Arnold and Daniel Morgan. The series of battles large and small these men would engineer stunned the world and spun the colonial rebellion in an entirely different direction.

The British offensive kicked off with a stunning victory at Fort Ticonderoga, followed by a sharp successful engagement at Hubbardton. Other actions erupted at Fort Stanwix, Oriskany, and Bennington. However, serious supply problems dogged Burgoyne’s column and, assistance from General William Howe failed to materialize. Faced with hungry troops and a powerful gathering of American troops, Burgoyne decided to take the offensive by crossing the Hudson River and moving against Gates. The complicated maneuvers and command frictions that followed sparked two major battles, one at Freeman’s Farm (September 19) and the second at Bemis Heights (October 7). Seared into the public consciousness as “the battle of Saratoga,” the engagements resulted in the humiliating defeat and ultimately the surrender of Burgoyne’s entire army.

Decades in the making, former National Park Service staff historian John Luzader’s Saratoga combines strategic, political, and tactical history into a compelling portrait of this decisive campaign. His sweeping prose relies heavily upon original archival research and the author’s personal expertise with the challenging terrain. Complete with stunning original maps and photos, Saratoga will take its place as one of the important and illuminating campaign studies ever written.

FINALIST / RUNNER-UP: The Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award for Operational / Battle History, 2008

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781932714852
Publisher:	Savas Beatie
Publication date:	08/20/2010
Pages:	512
Sales rank:	439,233
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

A veteran of World War II and graduate of West Virginia University and the University of Texas, John Luzader worked for the U.S. Department of Defense as a research historian. Transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service, he conducted research for the preservation and interpretation of the Saratoga National Historic Park. Luzader planned and researched museum and outdoor exhibits for twelve national historical parks and served as the NPS’s central history office staff historian for the colonial and revolutionary periods. He lives with his wife Jean in a West Virginia retirement community.3866

Table of Contents

Foreword Eric H. Schnitzer ix

Introduction and Acknowledgments xiii

Dramatis Personae xix

Chapter 1 British Plans for 1777: Fight the War "From the Side of Canada" 1

Chapter 2 Invasion from Canada 33

Chapter 3 Fort Ticonderoga and the Battle of Hubbardton 47

Chapter 4 Skenesborough, Forts Anne and Edward, and Beyond 69

Chapter 5 The Bennington Raid 93

Chapter 6 To Control the Mohawk: The Battle of Oriskany and Siege of Fort Stanwix 115

Chapter 7 The Northern Command: Personalities and Politics 141

Chapter 8 The New Commander Rebuilds 185

Chapter 9 Prelude to Bemis Heights and "the Airy Scheme" 201

Chapter 10 Freeman's Farm 221

Chapter 11 Between Battles: Fortifying and Squabbling 247

Chapter 12 The Seventh of October 275

Chapter 13 Retreat, Pursuit, and the Siege of Saratoga 297

Chapter 14 The Convention of Saratoga 319

Epilogue: Saratoga's Fruit: The Strategic Revolution 339

Appendices A - K (including photographic tour) 351

Notes 423

Bibliography 457

Index 468

Editorial Reviews

…provides a very balanced account of the campaign…includes excellent maps to follow along with the battles…an excellent account and analysis of the Saratoga campaign of 1777.

Collected Miscellany

…a must have book for anyone interested in learning more about our American Revolutionary War.

Lone Star Book Review

"…outstanding military history and a great read."

James Durney

…a must have book for anyone interested in learning more about our American Revolutionary War.

LONE STAR