“the surrender of Lieutenant-General John Burgoyne, on the 17th of October, 1777, formed a niche in the Temple of Liberty which Patriotism will one day fill with an appropriate monument. ” William L. Stone History of the Saratoga Monument Association. William Leete Stone Jr. (4 April 1835 – 11 June 1908) was a United States historical writer and journalist. His biography on Wikipedia says: Born in New York City, Stone was the only son of William Leete Stone Sr., also a historian of the American Revolutionary War. The son entered Brown University, but left college in 1856 and spent several months in Germany in acquiring a knowledge of the German languagewith a view of translating into English several military works bearing upon the history of the American Revolution. On his return in 1858, he graduated at Brown, and in 1859 took the degree of LL.B. at Albany Law School. He practised law at Saratoga Springs during 1860-63, and in 1864-67 was city editor of the New York Journal of Commerce. In 1870-74 he was editor and proprietor of the College Review, a paper published in the interests of American colleges. He has been secretary of the Saratoga Monument Association since its incorporation by the legislature of the state of New York in 1871, and is also one of its original trustees and incorporators. At the laying of the cornerstone of the monument on 17 October 1877, the centennial of Burgoyne’s surrender, he delivered the historical address. Stone died in Mount Vernon, New York. The Saratoga Monument is now part of Saratoga National Historical Park. This 155-foot stone obelisk was built in the last quarter of the 19th century to commemorate the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga. Visitors may climb up its 188 steps to take in amazing views of the surrounding area, with up to 30+ mile visibility on clear days. Details on the schedule can be found https://ift.tt/xe8kC0J Saratoga is known for being the turning point of the American Revolution. In 1777 −− the second year of America’s War for Independence −− the British sought to quell the rebellion with a single decisive military campaign. The British plan depended on using an invading army to divide the colonies along a natural corridor of rivers and lakes stretching from Canada to New York City. The Americans’ determined resistance at Saratoga, coupled with British strategic blunders, resulted in a stunning defeat and surrender for a British army. This timely victory reversed American military fortunes, boosted patriot morale, and gained them international recognition and support, including military assistance. That is why studying the Battles of Saratoga is integral to a good understanding of the American freedoms.
Historian at Saratoga - Town of Saratoga 