 Burgoyne decided to reconnoiter the American left flank to see if an attack was possible.As an escort, the generals took Fraser's Advanced Corps, with light troops and the 24th Foot on the right and the combined British grenadiers on the left, and a force drawn from all the German regiments in the army in the center.There were eight British cannon under Major Williams and two Hesse-Hanau cannon under Captain Pausch.