battles battles september october marked climax campaign giving decisive victory americans british american revolutionary war british general led large invasion army canada hoping meet similar force marching northward new_york_city southern force arrived surrounded american forces upstate new_york fought small battles break took place eighteen days apart ground miles south new_york failed trapped superior american forces relief sight surrendered entire army october surrender says historian great turning point war won americans foreign assistance element needed victory strategy divide new_england southern colonies started slowed logistical problems won small tactical victory general continental_army september battle cost significant casualties gains erased attacked americans october battle americans captured portion british defenses compelled retreat army surrounded larger american force forcing surrender october news surrender instrumental formally bringing france war american ally previously given supplies ammunition guns notably cannon played important role battle resulted spain joining france war britain battle september began moved troops attempt flank entrenched american position anticipating maneuver placed significant forces way gain control came cost significant casualties continued days following battle waited hope reinforcements arrive new_york_city militia forces continued arrive swelling size american army disputes american camp led gates strip arnold command british general sir moving new_york_city attempted divert american attention capturing forts hudson_river highlands october efforts late help attacked october apparent receive relieving aid time heavy fighting marked arnold spirited rallying american troops forces thrown positions held september battle americans captured portion entrenched british defenses background american revolutionary war approached year point british changed plans giving rebellious new_england colonies decided split new_england british believed loyal middle southern colonies british command devised grand plan divide colonies way movement western command progress ontario western new_york following southern progress hudson_river valley new_york_city northern proceed southward montreal forces meet vicinity albany new_york new_england colonies british situation june british general known manners moved south province quebec gain control upper hudson_river valley early capture campaign difficulties elements army reached upper hudson early end july logistical supply difficulties delayed main army attempt alleviate difficulties failed nearly men killed captured august battle furthermore news reached august expedition valley turned failed siege fort combined earlier news general sailed army new_york_city campaign capture philadelphia instead moving north meet departure native american support following loss situation difficult faced need reach winter quarters require retreat advance albany decided consequent decision crucial decisions decided deliberately cut communications north need maintain chain heavily fortified outposts position decided cross hudson_river relatively strong position ordered baron commanded rear army abandon outposts south army cross hudson north september american situation continental_army slow steady state retreat capture early july mid august army command major general south new_york august assumed command political fortunes fallen loss ensuing retreat gates different backgrounds previously argued command issues army gates army growing size result increased militia turnout following calls state governors success widespread outrage fiancée loyalist army native americans command strategic decisions american commander chief general george_washington improved situation gates army washington concerned movements goal aware moving took risks july sent aid north form major general aggressive field commander major general massachusetts man noted influence new_england militia august certain howe sailed south ordered men israel forces defending new_york highlands join gates army sent best forces army colonel newly formed comprised specially selected pennsylvania maryland virginia chosen ability unit came known september gates ordered army march north site known north miles south selected defensive potential army spent week constructing defensive works designed polish engineer heights commanding view area commanded road albany passed heights hudson west heights lay heavily forested present significant challenge heavily equipped army battle september prelude moving departure native american support deprived reliable reports american position advanced south crossing hudson september vanguard army reached position north miles american defensive line skirmishes occurred american scouting parties leading elements army american camp bed intrigue arnold return fort gates previously reasonably good terms spite arnold managed turn gates taking staff officers friendly dragging ongoing feud conditions reached september day events contributed situation gates assigned left wing defenses arnold assumed command right nominally assigned general lincoln gates detached august troops harass british positions army arnold understood importance american left need control heights morning fog lifted ordered army advance columns baron led left column consisting german troops 47th foot river road bringing main artillery guarding supplies boats river general commanded center column consisting 9th 20th 21st 62nd regiments attack heights general led right wing 24th regiment light infantry companies turn american left flank negotiating heavily wooded high ground north west arnold realized flanking maneuver likely petitioned gates permission forces heights meet potential movements american skill woodlands combat advantage gates preferred strategy sit wait expected frontal assault permitted reconnaissance force consisting men light infantry morgan men reached open field northwest belonging loyalist spotted british advance troops field column slightly delayed reached field hamilton column way approaching field east dense forest difficult terrain force road delayed obstacles thrown americans sound gunfire west prompted send artillery track direction troops morgan men saw advance company hamilton column battle morgan placed strategic positions picked virtually officer advance company morgan men charged unaware headed directly main army succeeded driving advance company leading edge arrived time attack morgan left scattering men woods ridden forward observe fire returned american camp reinforcements british company fell main column leading edge column opened fire killing number men fighting hamilton men began form north field american reinforcements began arrive south learning morgan trouble gates ordered regiments 1st 3rd new hampshire support additional regiments 2nd new_york 4th new_york 1st canadian connecticut militia brigade poor follow hamilton men 21st right 20th left 62nd center 9th held reserve battle went phases alternating intense fighting breaks action morgan men woods picked officers effective reducing americans times gained brief control british field pieces lose british charge point believed taken instead aides riding richly dressed horse victim center british line nearly broken point intervention general phillips leading 20th possible 62nd reform final stroke battle belonged british sent messenger instructions returned hours later orders guard baggage train send men spare american right flank calculated risk left men guard vital supply train marched action rest column companies advanced double opened vicious fire american right force threatened turn american left flank response threat arnold requested forces gates allowed dispatch brigade 2nd 8th 9th massachusetts arnold field forces instead faced larger danger posed force fortunately american right darkness set bringing end battle americans retreated defenses leaving british field gained field battle suffered nearly casualties hamilton center column 62nd reduced size single company quarters artillery men killed wounded american losses nearly killed seriously wounded widely recounted histories battle general arnold field directing action park historian carefully documents evolution story believes foundation contemporary materials arnold remained gates headquarters receiving news orders arnold biographer arguing arnold played active role directing patriot troops position possibly leading charges ordered headquarters gates interlude council discussed attack day decision reached delay action day september army moved consolidate position closer american line men collected dead attack 21st called received letter dated september commanding british garrison new_york_city clinton suggested push fort montgomery days fort montgomery american post hudson_river new york highlands south west_point clinton left new_york september days wrote letter hope arrive vicinity end month running low men food difficult position decided wait hope clinton arrive save army wrote clinton september requesting sort assistance diversion draw gates army away clinton sailed new_york october captured clinton october north troops reached raided estate prominent family october unknown general lincoln colonel staged attack british position fort lincoln collected men early september brown detachment men captured poorly defended positions spent days bombarding fort men prisoners freed way american camp september american camp mutual resentment finally exploded open hostility gates quickly reported action september congress governor new_york failed mention arnold field commanders men universally credited arnold success troops involved arnold command arnold directing battle gates sat tent arnold protested dispute escalated shouting match ended gates relieving arnold command giving arnold asked transfer washington command gates granted instead leaving remained tent documentary evidence commonly recounted petition signed line officers convinced arnold stay camp period daily clashes patrols armies morgan familiar strategy tactics woodland warfare constantly harassed british patrols western flank september passed october clear clinton coming help army short rations october day called war council options discussed conclusive decisions council resumed day proposed retreat supported refused consider insisting retreat finally agreed conduct assault american left flank thousand men army october army attacking grown interval addition return lincoln detachment supplies continued pour american camp including critical increases ammunition severely depleted battle army faced october men strong led man knew trouble gates received consistent intelligence stream leaving british lines intercepted clinton response plea help second battle heights october british foray troop strength nominally higher likely effective battle ready troops october losses earlier battles campaign following september battle reduced forces general advised army retreat decided american left flank attack possible escort generals took light troops 24th foot right combined british left force drawn german regiments army center british cannon major williams cannon captain leaving camp advanced quarters mile barber wheat field rise stopped observe american position field afforded room artillery work flanks dangerously close surrounding woods gates following removal arnold field command assumed command american left gave right general lincoln american scouts brought news movement gates ordered morgan far left poor men 1st 2nd 3rd new_hampshire left 2nd right learned 1st new_york 1st canadian 2nd 8th 9th massachusetts regiments plus militia companies center force new_york militia brigadier general held reserve learned line americans took field day including men lincoln command deployed action particularly fierce opening fire came british poor men held fire terrain british shooting largely ineffective major led british bayonet charge americans finally began shooting close range fell shot legs went column total rout poor men advanced williams prisoner capture artillery american left things going british morgan men swept aside canadians native americans engage regulars slightly outnumbered morgan managed break british attempts west general mortally wounded phase battle frequently told story claiming work morgan men appears 19th century arrival large militia brigade roughly entire british reconnaissance force size broke british began disorganized retreat nearly killed morgan shots hit horse hat phase battle lasted hour cost nearly men including capture command field pieces brought action american attack point americans joined unexpected participant general arnold great wrath american camp drinking rode join action gates immediately sent major armstrong orders return armstrong catch arnold action effectively letter written witness proceedings camp suggests arnold fact authorization gates engage action defenses right british camp anchored defended men command command lord small contingent canadians occupied ground fortifications retreating force headed position slightly north away early action arnold led american chase led poor men attack set defenses held action fierce wrote determined showed officer experience seeing advance checked learned preparing attack arnold moved action riding lines remarkably emerging led charge learned men gap exposed rear position morgan men far furious battle taken killed arnold horse hit final arnold leg broken shot falling horse major armstrong finally caught arnold officially order headquarters carried litter capture exposed british camp darkness setting attempt germans retake ended capture darkness fell unreliable guide led american line aftermath failed campaign seen titles books cover detail marked major turning point war battle withdrew men miles north near present day new_york general returned england given commanding position british_army armies casualties lost men battles leaving outnumbered roughly american losses came killed wounded lost effective leaders attempts capture american position failed forward line breached night lit fires remaining forward positions withdrew cover darkness morning october fortified positions held september october surrounded october surrendered army remnants expedition retreated quebec british learned americans fight effectively said british officer courage americans fought fully convinced enemy hitherto imagined incapable standing regular engagement fight strong powerful works recognition contribution battles general arnold restored lost passed promotion earlier leg wound left arnold months later unfit field service serving military governor philadelphia arnold entered correspondence british received command fort west_point plotted hand british flee british lines capture contact led exposure plot arnold went serve commander right wing expedition virginia left direction battle subordinates received great deal credit commanding general greatest american victory war date replace george_washington commander chief instead received command main american army south led disastrous defeat battle forefront panicked retreat gates commanded troops field response surrender congress declared december national day thanksgiving praise nation official holiday french aid news surrender reached france king louis decided enter negotiations americans resulted formal alliance french entry war moved conflict global stage consequence britain forced divert resources fight war north_america theaters west_indies europe rely turned loyalist support north american operations defeated british french indian war decade earlier france found opportunity revenge aiding colonists revolutionary war prior france didn fully aid colonists won colonists france realized americans hope winning war began fully aiding colonists sending soldiers donations loans military arms supplies legacy battlefield site surrender preserved administered national_park_service listed national_register_of_historic_places park preserves number buildings area contains variety monuments monument hold statues american generals gates colonel fourth niche arnold statue dramatic memorial arnold heroism boot monument donated civil war general shows boot spurs stars major general stands spot arnold shot october charging dedicated brilliant soldier continental_army units derived american units participated thirty units colonial era number ships named battles including uss uss uss
Battles of Saratoga