152 Saratoga ,1777

152. Saratoga ,1777

Marching southward , on the western side of the Hudson , Burgoyne and his army came upon the Americans in a forest clearing caled Free - man ＇ s Farm . Led by Daniel Morgan and Benedict Arnold the Ameri - cans fought so hard that Burgoyne stopped where he was and for - tified the position . This was on September 19. The American army posted itself near by on Bemis ＇ Heights . For weeks the two armies faced each other . Then , on Oc - tober 7, the Americans attacked . Again Arnold led his men to vic - tory . They captured a fort in the centre of the British line , and Burgoyne was obliged to retreat . But when he reached the crossing place of the Hudson , to his dismay he found a strong body of New Englanders with artillery on the opposite bank . Gates had followed the retiring British , and soon Bur - goyne was practically surrounded . His men were starving , and on Oc - tober 17 he surrendered .