Two British armies to work their way along the Hudson


“The ‘Hudson strategy’ was almost unanimously agreed upon by British military and political leaders. Dividing the rebellious American colonies in two would theoretically prevent commerce and movement of men between the warlike New England provinces and the food-producing middle and southern colonies. In order to achieve this deceptively simple goal, the plan was for two British armies to work their way along the Hudson – one marching south from Canada, the other marching north from New York. 

In 1776 Sir Guy Carleton commanded in Canada, but made little progress. Meanwhile, William Howe occupied New York (winning a knighthood for himself in the process) but also failed to make any move up the Hudson. This lack of urgency in the implementation of the strategy forced the British to shelve their plans until the following year.

The strategy would be revisited in 1777, but this time a more vigorous commander was chosen for the army marching southwards. John Burgoyne (known as ‘Gentleman Johnny’) was an amateur playwright but he took his soldiering seriously. He had lobbied hard for the command of the ‘Canada Army’, returning to London to speak personally with ministers and the king over the winter of 1776-77. He had written detailed papers on how the war should be prosecuted and had met with a favourable reception.

No such change had been made to the command structure in New York. Howe, having performed well in 1776, had the confidence of the king and the American Secretary, Lord George Germain. 

However the plans Howe submitted as commander-in-chief in North America ought to have caused concern. A decisive move up the Hudson was part of his original plan, submitted before the end of the 1776 campaign, but before long those plans had morphed into something entirely different. Howe had changed his mind and intent, focusing his efforts on the capture of Philadelphia. Any help offered to Burgoyne would be incidental at best.”
The excerpt is from Great Battle article on the Battles of Saratoga in the UK magazine, History of War (February, 2019).
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.

The best place to learn more about the epic Battles of Saratoga is to visit the Saratoga National Historical Park in the towns of Saratoga and Stillwater. The park website is at https://ift.tt/djZy2US miles north of the battlefield are three sites, located in the villages of Schuylerville and Victory, which are also part of Saratoga National Historical Park. The Schuyler House is the 1777 country home of General Philip Schuyler, a businessman, politician, and entrepreneur, and father-in-law to Alexander Hamilton. Schuyler constructed this home within weeks after the retreating British burned his earlier estate on the property. Nearby is the Gothic style 155-foot tall Saratoga Monument, which hardy visitors can climb for panoramic views of numerous mountain ranges. Then there is Victory Woods, where a fully accessible boardwalk trail passes through the area where the British made their “last stand” during a siege before surrendering.  While in Schuylerville you can walk along the historic Champlain Canal, visit art galleries, and dine in variety of eateries.