The Battle convinced King Louis of France that he should support the Americans.  The aid of the French was the catalyst for the eventual victory.  We will be holding an event to commemorate the battles of Saratoga and Yorktown on October 17 at St Paul's Chapel.

Horatio Gates, Military Officer, With the help of the Duke of Bolton for whom his mother was housekeeper, Gates was able to secure a military commission to the 45th Foot.  This enables him to serve in the French & Indian War where he initially met George Washington. It was difficult to advance in the British Army without sufficient and funds to continually purchase better commissions and the contacts to secure them.  Gates was in and out of the army several times.  With the outbreak of war, Gates went to Mount Vernon to offer his services, secured an appointment as a general of the Continental Army.  Excellent at logistics, he lobbied for a field command which he got eventually securing an appointment as Major General of the Northern Division under General Schuyler.  When Schuyler became ill in the summer of 1777, Gates succeeded him.  He led the army during the defeat of General Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga which is considered the turning point of the War.  Trying to capitalize on his victory, he sent his reports directly to Congress instead of reporting to Washington and even found time to pay a secret visit to the Continental Congress to lobby to replace George Washington which wasn't successful.  He had a spectacular failure with the Battle of Camden where he managed to lose 1000 troops and the army's baggage train which ended his field career and almost led to a court martial.  His wife died.  He proposed to General Montgomery's widow Janet; she refused him.  In 1786 he married Mary Valens, settled in West Virginia and then moved to New York City.

John Burgoyne, Military Officer, Playwright, Politician, John Burgoyne was a British Army officer, politician, and playwright, best known for his role in the American Revolutionary War. Born on February 24, 1722, in Sutton, Bedfordshire, England, Burgoyne joined the British Army in 1737 and gained recognition for his service during the Seven Years' War, particularly in Portugal.Burgoyne is most famous for leading the British forces in the Saratoga campaign of 1777. His ambitious plan aimed to isolate New England by advancing south from Canada, but logistical challenges and strong American resistance led to his defeat. Burgoyne surrendered his army of 6,200 men to American forces at Saratoga on October 17, 1777, marking a turning point in the Revolutionary War and securing French support for the American cause.Aside from his military career, Burgoyne was a Member of Parliament and an accomplished playwright, with works such as The Maid of the Oaks and The Heiress. He retired from active service in 1784 and spent his later years in London, where he passed away on August 4, 1792.Burgoyne's legacy is a mix of military ambition, political involvement, and cultural contributions.

Benedict Arnold, Military Officer, Benedict Arnold (1741–1801) was initially a brilliant American general, known for his daring leadership at Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga. However, his name became synonymous with treason after he defected to the British in 1780, attempting to surrender West Point. Arnold's betrayal overshadowed his earlier contributions to the Revolutionary cause.