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The Hero of Saratoga
Impacting America Tom Hand Impacting America Tom Hand

The Hero of Saratoga

General John Burgoyne had captured Fort Ticonderoga on July 6 and was advancing south. General George Washington requested that Congress send his most trusted field commander, Benedict Arnold to stop Burgoyne. Washington informed Congress that without Arnold “the most disagreeable consequences may be apprehended.”

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The Battle of Oriskany
Impacting America Tom Hand Impacting America Tom Hand

The Battle of Oriskany

The morning of August 6, 1777 found 700 Tryon County New York militiamen encamped at an Oneida Indian village about seven miles from Fort Stanwix, itching for a fight. They planned to make a surprise attack on the British force besieging the fort, but things did not go as expected and most would not survive the day.

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The Siege of Fort Stanwix
Impacting America Tom Hand Impacting America Tom Hand

The Siege of Fort Stanwix

The American Revolution battle with the greatest loss of American lives was not one of the better-known engagements such as Bunker Hill, Brooklyn Heights, or Camden. It was a somewhat forgotten fight in western New York at a place called Oriskany. Although not well-remembered, it had a significant impact on our fight for independence.

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Americans Victorious at Saratoga
Impacting America Tom Hand Impacting America Tom Hand

Americans Victorious at Saratoga

Following the setback at Bemis Heights on October 7, 1777, in which the British had lost another 900 men, and despite the deplorable condition of the British Army, General John Burgoyne still had hope that he could somehow extricate his forces from the grip of the Continental Army. But the noose was tightening, and Burgoyne and his other commanders knew they had to act fast.

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British and Americans Poised for Battle
Impacting America Tom Hand Impacting America Tom Hand

British and Americans Poised for Battle

In the eight short weeks since capturing Fort Ticonderoga without a fight, British General John Burgoyne had seen his army go from being invincible to facing starvation and defeat. More bad news arrived on August 28, when Indians brought word that a relief force under Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger coming from the west down the Mohawk River Valley had turned back.

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Fort Ticonderoga Falls to British
Impacting America Tom Hand Impacting America Tom Hand

Fort Ticonderoga Falls to British

The first objective for the British task force under the command of General John Burgoyne was the capture of Fort Ticonderoga on the south end of Lake Champlain. This fortress had been the key military site in the region since its construction in 1757, and the scene of conflicts both in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.

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