In the summer of 1777, British General John Burgoyne launched the Saratoga Campaign, with the goal of cutting off New England from the rest of the colonies. Burgoyne's plan ultimately fails due to a lack of coordination with other British commanders. The campaign itself takes its toll on Burgoyne's troops which are significantly weakened by the time they arrive at Saratoga, New York. Outside of Albany, Burgoyne engages Patriot forces under command of General Horatio Gates twice with the battles at Freeman's Farm and Bemis Heights. The Patriot victory at Saratoga is widely regarded as the crucial turning point in the entire Revolutionary War.
Saratoga was the proof that French King Louis XVI needed to officially support the United States and enter the war against Great Britain.
