Editing Battles of Saratoga (section)

=== American attack ===
[[File:Second Battle of Saratoga.USMA.edu.history.gif|thumb|right|Troop dispositions and initial movements at the Battle of Bemis Heights.  The only known contemporary American map showing the positions of the two armies was made by [[Rufus Putnam]], who commanded the 5th Massachusetts Regiment in Nixon's Brigade.<ref>Hubbard, Robert Ernest.  ''General Rufus Putnam: George Washington's Chief Military Engineer and the "Father of Ohio,"'' pp. 61–62, McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, North Carolina.  {{ISBN|978-1476678627}}.</ref>]]

At this point, the Americans were joined by an unexpected participant. General Arnold, who was "betraying great agitation and wrath" in the American camp, and may have been drinking, rode out to join the action.<ref name="L285">[[#Luzader|Luzader (2008)]], p. 285</ref><ref name="N362">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 362</ref>  Gates immediately sent Major Armstrong after him with orders to return; Armstrong did not catch up with Arnold until the action was effectively over.<ref name="N362" /> (A letter, written by a witness to proceedings in the camp, suggests that Arnold did in fact have authorization from Gates to engage in this action.)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/mar/26/letters-change-view-benedict-arnold-gen-gates/|title=Letters change view of Benedict Arnold, Gen. Gates|last=Williams|first=Stephen|newspaper=The Daily Gazette|date=March 26, 2016|access-date=2016-03-28|archive-date=2016-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331040539/http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/mar/26/letters-change-view-benedict-arnold-gen-gates/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The defenses on the right side of the British camp were anchored by two redoubts. The outermost one was defended by about 300 men under the command of the Hessian [[Heinrich von Breymann]], while the other was under the command of [[Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres|Lord Balcarres]]. A small contingent of Canadians occupied the ground between these two fortifications.  Most of the retreating force headed for Balcarres' position, as Breymann's was slightly north and further away from the early action.<ref name="N365">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 365</ref>

Arnold led the American chase, and then led Poor's men in an attack on the Balcarres redoubt. Balcarres had set up his defenses well, and the redoubt was held, in action so fierce that Burgoyne afterwards wrote, "A more determined perseverance than they showed … is not in any officer's experience".<ref name="L287">[[#Luzader|Luzader (2008)]], p. 287</ref> Seeing that the advance was checked, and that Learned was preparing to attack the Breymann redoubt, Arnold moved toward that action, recklessly riding between the lines and remarkably emerging unhurt. He led the charge of Learned's men through the gap between the redoubts, which exposed the rear of Breymann's position, where Morgan's men had circled around from the far side.<ref name="L291_5">[[#Luzader|Luzader (2008)]], pp. 291–295</ref>  In furious battle, the redoubt was taken and Breymann was killed.<ref name="N366">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 366</ref> Arnold's horse was hit in one of the final volleys, and Arnold's leg was broken by both shot and the falling horse. Major Armstrong finally caught up with Arnold to officially order him back to headquarters; he was carried back in a litter.<ref name="N367">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 367</ref> Arnold wished that he was shot in the heart, knowing that if he died in the battle, he would have kept the fame as a heroic martyr.

The capture of Breymann's redoubt exposed the British camp, but darkness was setting in.  An attempt by some Germans to retake the redoubt ended in capture as darkness fell and an unreliable guide led them to the American line.<ref name="N368">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 368</ref>