Editing Battles of Saratoga (section)

===British situation===
[[File:Battle of Saratoga map, September 10, 1777.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Position of Continental General [[John Burgoyne]]'s forces, September 10, 1777]]

British Lieutenant General [[John Burgoyne]] moved south from the [[province of Quebec (1763–1791)|province of Quebec]] in June 1777 to gain control of the upper [[Hudson River]] valley. His campaign had become bogged down in difficulties following a [[Battle of Ticonderoga (1777)|victory at Fort Ticonderoga]].<ref name="K348" /> Elements of the army had reached the upper Hudson as early as the end of July, but logistical and supply difficulties delayed the main army at [[Fort Edward (village), New York|Fort Edward]]. One attempt to alleviate these difficulties failed when nearly 1,000 men were killed or captured at the August 16 [[Battle of Bennington]].<ref name="K320">[[#Ketchum|Ketchum (1997)]], p. 320</ref> Furthermore, news reached Burgoyne on August 28 that St. Leger's expedition down the [[Mohawk River]] valley had turned back after the failed [[Siege of Fort Stanwix]].<ref name="K332">[[#Ketchum|Ketchum (1997)]], p. 332</ref>

General [[William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe|William Howe]] had taken his army from New York City by sea on a [[Philadelphia campaign|campaign to capture Philadelphia]] instead of moving north to meet Burgoyne.<ref name="N189">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 189</ref> Most of Burgoyne's Indian support had fled following the loss at Bennington, and his situation was becoming difficult.<ref name="N265">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 265</ref> He needed to reach defensible winter quarters, requiring either retreat back to Ticonderoga or advance to Albany, and he decided to advance. He then deliberately cut communications to the north so that he would not need to maintain a chain of heavily fortified outposts between his position and Ticonderoga, and he decided to cross the Hudson River while he was in a relatively strong position.<ref name="N290_5">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], pp. 290–295</ref> He ordered [[Friedrich Adolf Riedesel|Baron Riedesel]], who commanded the rear of the army, to abandon outposts from Skenesboro south, and then had the army cross the Hudson just north of Saratoga between September 13 and 15.<ref name="N296">[[#Nickerson|Nickerson (1967)]], p. 296</ref>
{|style="margin:1em auto;"
| [[File:HoratioGatesByStuart.jpeg |thumb |upright=0.9 |left |''[[Portrait of Horatio Gates]]'' by [[Gilbert Stuart]], 1794]]
| [[File:BurgoyneByReynolds.jpg |thumb |right |upright=0.85 |''[[Portrait of John Burgoyne]]''{{efn|Referred to by some as "Gentleman Johnny" for his manners}} by Sir [[Joshua Reynolds]], 1766]]
|}