Battles of Saratoga  Battles of Saratoga, The Surrender of
Burgoyne, postcard after an 1817 painting by John
Trumbull.PoodlesRock/Corbisin the American Revolution, closely
related engagements in the fall of 1777 that are often called
the turning point of the war in favour of the Americans. The
failure of the American invasion of Canada in 1775–76 had left a
large surplus of British troops along the St. Lawrence River. In
1777 these troops were to move south and join forces with
General Sir William Howe’s troops along the Hudson River.
Leading a force of about 8,000 British troops southward, General
John Burgoyne forced the surrender of Fort Ticonderoga (July 6)
and Fort Edward on the upper Hudson (July 31). He left nearly
1,000 men behind to garrison Fort Ticonderoga. Having collected
30 days’ rations, Burgoyne crossed the Hudson and encamped near
Saratoga, New York. General Horatio Gates, the American
commander, was camped four miles away with 12,000 men and was
receiving daily reinforcements.  On September