Independence Day: 7 important victories in the American Revolution

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Thursday, July 04, 2024

The Battle of Saratoga – Sept. 19 to Oct. 7, 1777

Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), an American Revolution commander who became infamous for his decision to defect from the Continental Army to the British Army. | Public Domain

Considered the turning point of the war, the Battle of Saratoga took place in New York, and came in response to an offensive headed by British General John Burgoyne.

Burgoyne encounters the defenses of Continental Army General Horatio Gates, who suffers heavy losses trying to take the positions and then has his army captured.

Major General Benedict Arnold, who would later become infamous for betraying the Revolutionary cause, played an important role in capturing a key British position late in the battle.

“One of the most decisive American battles of the Revolutionary War, Saratoga ended British General John Burgoyne's attempt to control the Hudson River Valley,” explained the American Battlefield Trust. “The outcome convinced the Court of King Louis XVI that the Americans could hold their own against the British Army, sealing the alliance between America and France.”