Upper%20New%20York/Philadelphia

1
1777

• Upper New York/Philadelphia
• A Tale of Two Armies

2
Ben Franklin goes to France

• On Dec. 28th, 1776 Benjamin Franklin arrives in
  France
• Attempt to negotiate alliance with France
• Weapons already being sent
• Needed military, naval support
• Although France is eager to defeat its arch
  nemesis, Britain, it doesnt want to back a loser
  
• Franklin needs to prove that the Americans can
  win the war
• Franklin needs a decisive American victory

3
British split their forces

• As the campaigning season of 1777 would begin,
  the British would split their army
• John Burgoyne would lead an effort to take Upper
  New York (Northern army)
• Tried to isolate New England from rest of states
• Howe would lead an effort to take Philadelphia
  (Southern army )
• Most important, populous American city

4
Howes route to Philly

• Howe decided to take a sea route
• Much longer
• Wasted valuable time, supplies
• Was only 40 miles closer than when he started
• Landed in Chesapeake Bay in August 1777

5
Battle of Brandywine Creek

• Washingtons 11,000 soldiers positioned
  themselves between Howes 15,000 and Philadelphia
  
• At Chads Ford, PA near Brandywine River
• On Sept. 11, Howe split his forces
• Engaged Washington near Chads Ford
• Took other half up river on a day long march,
  crossing at Jefferies Ford
• Outflanked Americans and forced retreat

6
Brandywine Results

• British victory, but strong American resistance
• 1400 American casualties, 500 British
• Americans put up hard fight for 8 hours
• Morale not broken

7
Howe takes Philadelphia

• Sept. 26 Howe and his army marches into and takes
  Philadelphia
• Continental Congress eludes capture and moves to
  York, PA

A
8
Germantown

• Oct. 4, 1777
• Washington goes on the offensive
• Attacks Howes 9,000 troops stationed outside
  Philly in Germantown
• Supposed to be a surprising, simultaneous, four
  prong attack
• Americans were not in-synch, but the element of
  surprise still works
• After initial success, the Americans two
  flanking units fire on each other in heavy
  fog/smoke
• Withdraw
• With his flanks unsupported, Washington retreats
  some 16 miles to White Marsh
• Howe does not pursue
• French are impressed with audacity of attack

9
Germantown
Americans attacking the British occupied Chew
House in Germantown, 1777
B
10
White Marsh

• Howe tries one last time to finish Washington at
  White Marsh, PA
• Marched 14,000 troops on Dec. 5
• Howe sends detachments to test American lines
• Washingtons men repel each attack
• Howe never amounts a full scale attack, decides
  to return to PA for Winter
• American Victory
• Last major engagement of 1777
• On Dec. 11, Washington would retire troops to
  Valley Forge for winter

"Washington at the George Emlen House,
Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania" by Henry Ogden Alexander
Video Clips A B
11
Burgoynes Saratoga Campaign

• Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne plans to sail down
  Hudson taking Albany, NY
• St. Ledger sails down St. Lawrence
• Take all land in between Hudson and Lake Ontario
• Completely cut off New England

12
Americans in the North

• Burgoyne would face mostly local militias
• Washington was busy in Philly
• Washington would reinforce militias with some
  battle-tested regulars, especially towards the
  end of the campaign
• General Horatio Gates appointed American
  commander of Northern Forces

General Horatio Gates
13
Burgoynes New York Campaign

• Burgoyne departs from Montreal and sails down the
  Hudson, reclaiming Fort Ticonderoga on July 6,
  1777
• American forces abandon fort after Burgoyne
  stations his men and guns on Defiance Hill,
  overlooking the fort

Fort Ticonderoga
14
Burgoyne Rolls

• Burgoyne continues down Hudson claiming American
  Forts and defeating American resistance as he
  goes
• Hubberton, Vt.
• Strong American resistance, slows British
• Fort Anne
• Burgoyne leaves troops to garrison each fort, and
  begins overland march
• Americans chopped trees in his path to slow
  progress

15
Battle of Bennington

• Aug. 16, 1777
• Burgoyne sends 1,250 troops (Hessians, Canadians,
  Tories) to raid Bennington, VT ammunition stores
• 2,000 New Hampshire, Vermont Massachusetts
  militia met British outside city
• British quickly fortified small hill
• American General John Stark
• led a successful 3 prong attack
• Enveloped British
• Over 1000 British causalities (700 captured)

Bennington Battle Monument in Bennington, Vt.
Aug 16 is a legal holiday in Vt.
16
Saratoga (Freemans Farm)

• As Burgoyne moves towards Albany with 6,000
  troops, American Forces get in the way
• American General Horatio Gates had fortified
  Bemis Heights in Saratoga County, NY with over
  9,000 men
• Militia and reinforcements from Washington
• Hearing that the British were moving toward the
  Heights, on Sept. 19th, Gates sends Benedict
  Arnold to check on British advance
• Arnold takes elite riflemen led by Daniel Morgan
• Arnold turns reconnaissance into a battle and
  attacks the British in Freemans Farm
• Americans fight hard but are outnumbered
• Gates refuses to provide enough men to continue
  battle
• Arnold retreats back to Heights
• British fortify field
• Heavy British casualties
• 600 British casualties, 300 Americans

17
Saratoga (Bemis Heights)

• Gates removes Arnold from command after
  Freemans Farm
• Turning reconnaissance into Battle
• Gates had taken all credit for British casualties
  at Freemans Field
• Hated each other
• After weeks of fortification, on Oct. 7th, the
  British (6,000) decide to attack Americans on
  Bemis Heights
• Americans backed by thousands of local militia
• Now over 12,000 men
• Americans led by Benedict Arnold
• Against orders
• Instructs riflemen to aim for officers
• Leads charge and rallies men
• Falls wounded leg
• Americans take field and British retreat North

18
Saratoga

• Burgoyne and his troops are stopped and
  surrounded when trying to retreat back across
  Hudson
• American General Horatio Gates demands surrender
• Burgoyne surrenders his entire Northern army of
  6,000 on Oct. 17, 1777

Tower at Victory, New York where the surrender
occurred. There are pedestals for four American
heroes at the base above the doors. One of the
pedestals is left empty to signify Benedict
Arnold.
19
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold plays an instrumental role in the
battle, but Gates accepts all credit for
successes, leaving Arnold no glory as he healed
in an Albany hospital
Monument to Arnolds wounded leg at Saratoga
National Park
Arnold rallies troops at Saratoga
20
Surrender
Surrender of General Burgoyne by John Trumbull.
It hangs in the United States Capitol Rotunda.
21
The End of 1777

• American morale is high with surrender
• Starting to perform more like a disciplined army
• Strong showings at Brandywine Creek, Germantown,
  and Saratoga surrender impress French
• Franklin is close to delivering France
• Washington and his troops winter in Valley Forge,
  PA