WEBVTT

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They stood to attention , dressed in

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clothes that they were accustomed to

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wearing in the tavern , the church and

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in everyday life , there was absolute

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silence in those regiments as can only

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be demanded from the best disciplined

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troops . An observation by a

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defeated British officer

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comprised of both regular soldiers and

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militiamen from various New England

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states . Continental Army's Northern

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Department exemplified for its time ,

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what General Mark Milley has described

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as today's total army . This

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combined force consisting of regular

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soldiers and state militias working

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together serve the same purpose then as

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now to answer the nation's call

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anywhere and any time with little or no

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notice since the first shot fired by

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revolutionary colonists in April of 17

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75 America's pursuit of independence

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from Britain had teetered back and

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forth on the edge of failure . But the

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goal seemed within reach on the morning

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of October 17 17 77 when Lieutenant

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General John Burgoyne's British Field

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Army officially surrendered to the

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commander of the Continental Army's

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Northern Department , Major General

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Horatio Gates . Ironically , the road

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to this unprecedented American victory

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began in defeat , acting on a long

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considered but never successfully

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executed plan utilizing the route of

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rivers and lakes known as the Hudson

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Champagne passage . General Burgoyne

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intended to invade America's New

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England colonies from Canada seizing

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continental strong points along the way .

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Burgoyne's final goal was to capture

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the Northern Department's supply depot

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in Albany , New York there . His forces

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would link up with the troops of Sir

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William Howe , commander in chief of

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all British land forces in the colonies

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as part of the general's overall

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campaign to quell the colonists

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rebellion . When how embarked on his

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campaign for Philadelphia . This had

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been originally envisioned as part of a

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much larger operation with the British

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column advancing southward from Canada .

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His column taking Philadelphia . How

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was then supposed to advance northward

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and join with and from there to

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control this north , south axis of

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advance but also to cut off New England

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from the rest of the colonies in

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British thought New England was the

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cancer that was infecting all of

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America if we can cut out the cancer .

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So they believe we can save the rest of

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British North America . Burgoyne's army

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left ST John's Canada by ship and boat

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on June 13 , 17 77 and sailed south

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along the Riley River to Lake Champlain .

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His forces included approximately 4000

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British infantry soldiers with

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artillery and another 3000 German

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troops often referred to as Hessians ,

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a battalion of dragoons without horses

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accompanied their countrymen . British

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loyalists who were familiar with the

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area and Native American scouts were

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also expected to join the advance on

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Albany to swell the British ranks .

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General Washington was aware of the

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British invasion plan but requiring all

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his troops for the defense of

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Philadelphia . He denied the Northern

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Department's request for reinforcements .

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Instead , he ordered Major General

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Philip Schuyler , its commander to

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defend the Hudson Champagne Waterway by

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using Fort Taco AOA as the primary

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defensive position . General Bego

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commenced his attack on Fort

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Ticonderoga on June 30 major General

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Arthur Sinclair , commander of Fort

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Ticonderoga faced several challenges in

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mounting an effective defense . Not

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only was the fort built to command the

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river's southern approach . It was also

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seriously undermanned and dangerously

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exposed to fire from the area's high

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point mount defiance . After only

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five days of fighting , Sinclair

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ordered a withdrawal on the night of

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July at dawn . The next day , the

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British occupied the fort recognizing

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that he was outgunned and outmanned as

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well . General Skyler decided that

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instead of occupying nearby Fort Edward ,

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he would focus his efforts on extensive

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counter mobility operations . These

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included burning local crops and

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scattering livestock , felling trees

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across roadways leading to Albany and

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damming brooks and streams to muddy the

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drinking water . He then linked up with

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soldiers from Fort George and withdrew

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across the Hudson river to the town of

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Saratoga on July 30 advancing

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as he does is taking the most

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expeditious way to advance southward .

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At the same time , he's also advancing

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further and further away from his base

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of support . And so his lines of

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communication become extended . This

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means that they're much more subject to

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attack by colonial militias as he moves

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further . He's also forced to send out

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foraging parties to look for food as

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far as ammunition . He's got what he's

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got . He was reliant upon supplies

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coming southward from Canada if he can

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get me as he advances southward and the

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season begins to turn , it becomes much

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more difficult . After occupying Fort

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Edward , General Bego planned to solve

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his supply problems by ordering Colonel

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Friedrich Baum to lead a forging

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expedition south towards Bennington

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Vermont . However , Baum was killed

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during the expedition and his forces

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dispersed leaving Bego short of horses

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and rations . Over the next month .

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Northern Department troops also cut

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General Burgoyne's line of

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communication with Fort Tao . Seeing no

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other choice . General Bego ordered his

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troops to cross the Hudson river on

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September 13 and advanced south to

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Albany in search of desperately needed

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supplies . Anticipating Burgoyne's

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movements . Major General Horatio Gates ,

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the newly appointed commander of the

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Northern Department had prepared

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defenses along the road to Albany at

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Bema Heights , a location 14 kilometers

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south of Saratoga . This naturally

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defensible terrain consisted of steep

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bluffs and ravines that extended to

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within 180 m of the Hudson river ,

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providing the Americans with ample

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cover and a significant elevation

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advantage . General Gates's engineers

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fortified his eastern flank with an

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artillery battery behind a line of

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earthworks that crossed the road to

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Albany . Another line of earth works

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with a battery of guns was positioned

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further north near a small stream named

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Milk Creek . General Gates established

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his headquarters at the base of Bemis

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Heights surrounded by a three sided

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defensive breastwork that faced north

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batteries were replaced in the center

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and at each corner with the open south

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side protected by a ravine . He named

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the position Fort Nielsen after the

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farmer who owned the property , it was

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approximately one kilometer from the

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Hudson River to the summit of Bemis

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Heights . Among the hills , deep forest

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growth clearings were rare except where

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a few farms had been established . One

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of them known as Freeman's farm stood

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atop a forested ridge to the north of

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gates' position . Its roughly cleared

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field was bordered on three sides by

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trees with its open northern approach

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facing a steep draw known as the Great

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ravine . Recognizing he would have to

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outmaneuver gates his defenses in order

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to reach Albany . General Bego planned

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to divide his forces into three columns .

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He planned to send the first column led

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by Brigadier General Simon Fraser West

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up be heights and then south along its

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ridge to attack gates from behind his

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position . The second column of troops

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under the command of Brigadier General

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James Hamilton would also advance west

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up be heights , then turn south and

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launch a frontal attack on the

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Americans defenses . Begoun expected

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the two columns to roll up Gates's line

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east where major General Baron

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Friedrich Von Riel's third column of

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German troops would defeat the routed

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force on Friday . September 1917

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77 American pickets patrolling on the

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eastern bank of the Hudson River

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reported that the British were

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preparing an attack . Major General

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Benedict Arnold , whose forces defended

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Gates's western flank , recognized that

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Burgoyne's best chance of success would

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be to outflank his position , unwilling

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to let the British make the first move .

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Arnold dispatched the 11 th Virginia

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rifleman under Colonel Daniel Morgan

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with five companies of New Hampshire

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Light Infantry under Lieutenant Colonel

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Henry Dearborn to recon order the area

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around Freeman's farm . General Arnold

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also tasked Brigadier General Enic

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Pore's Brigade to follow and support

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the militia at Saratoga . Cannot be

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underestimated without them . There

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would have been no American victory so

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they , they fight alongside the

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Continentals . They're valuable in

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holding many of the defensive positions .

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In many cases , they are willing , they

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were willing to advance and assume the

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offensive without them . No victory .

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As British General Simon Frazier's

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column advanced on Freeman's farm from

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the north along the ridge line of Beam

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heights . Brigadier General James

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Hamilton's pickets approached the farm

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from the east attempting to advance

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across Freeman's Field . They were

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surprised by the advanced guard of

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Colonels Dearborn and Morgan who had

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arrived only moments before to occupy

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positions along the facing tree line as

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the Virginia riflemen inflicted heavy

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losses on the British pickets . General

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Hamilton's main force arrived to

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reinforce their numbers . General

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Frazier's column also arrived and

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attacked the Continentals , driving the

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sharpshooters back from the farm and

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into the dense woods to the South

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Hamilton's troops then took the field

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and held it shortly thereafter .

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Brigadier General Enic Poor's New

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Hampshire infantry arrived and engaged

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the British while the Virginians

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reformed and began sniping at British

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officers and gunners . Po's infantry

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was soon overwhelmed by a combined

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force of British and German troops that

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outflanked them and drove them from

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their hasty position on the brink of

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defeat and capture the New Hampshire

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infantry was only saved by the timely

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arrival of Brigadier General Ebenezer

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Leonard's brigade who repulsed the

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British bayonet charges as more

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American reinforcements arrived . Major

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General Benedict Arnold joined the

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battle with the British soldiers

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beginning to falter . General Brigay

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encouraged his troops to hold the line

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having lost 19 of his 22 cannon crew

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members to the Virginia sharpshooters .

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And with more and more British soldiers

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being killed or captured Burgoyne's

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force began to withdraw from Freeman's

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farm . Meanwhile , General Riedesel

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hearing the sounds of heavy fighting

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coming from the farm left 1000 of his

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soldiers to defend the road in front of

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gates' position and led his remaining

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regiments uphill through the woods

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towards the battle . The Germans

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arrived just in time to turn the

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Americans eastern flank , forcing them

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into the woods south of the farm . As

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darkness fell . Arnold's forces

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withdrew over the next two

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weeks while still awaiting

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reinforcements . General Bego

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established a front that extended east

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from Freeman's Farm towards the Hudson

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river . He placed his main camp

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defended by 4000 combined British and

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German soldiers south of the Great

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ravine batteries replaced at regular

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intervals along the front and trees

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fell to establish clear fields of fire

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in front of each guard post . The

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British defense of Freeman's farm was

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anchored around a formidable defensive

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position named Bear's readout that

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faced south and resembled a tall wooden

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fence with slits for muskets and

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oblique passages for moving on and off

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the battlefield to further secure the

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area . A second defensive position

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named Brayman readout had been

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established to the north of the farm by

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gates decision to allow Burgoyne to

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attack first , but also his decision to

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hold where he was gates is actually

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working at the campaign level with a

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strategy of attrition . So what he's

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actually doing because of his own

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cautious , his own conservative nature

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is to cause Gates , excuse me , is to

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cause to eat his supplies

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to starve his men out to wear down

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their uniforms , to let Mother Nature

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work as an ally for the American forces .

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On October 7 , th general rides with a

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battalion of German soldiers led a

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reconnaissance in force and occupied a

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clearing known as Barbara's Wheatfield .

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Located some 700 m in front of Balk

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car's readout . General Frazier's light

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infantry and soldiers of the 24

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supported the Germans at the same time

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to the northeast , 200 German soldiers

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were positioned behind Breman readout

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learning of these developments .

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General Gates decided to attack

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Riedesel and ordered Morgan and

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Dearborn's advanced guard to turn the

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German's weak western flank . While the

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two brigades of generals learned in

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poor , attacked from the south as the

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advance guard attacked Frasier's troops

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poor and learned soldiers attacked

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rides , Cell's force capturing his guns

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while attempting to cut off his line of

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retreat toward Balk's readout . S

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troops regrouped and held off the

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Americans continued assaults with his

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artillery horses targeted by

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sharpshooters and a steady stream of

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wounded , retreating from the field .

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General Prego sent orders for his

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forces to withdraw from Freeman's farm

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to the main camp . Also realizing

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his untenable position , organized his

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troops to fall back behind Bal Kar's

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readout when General Frasier rallied

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his soldiers to form a rear guard . He

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was shot in the stomach and carried off

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the field as General Pore's Brigade

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gave chase to General Frazier's

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retreating soldiers . General Arnold

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arrived unexpectedly taking command of

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Poor's brigade . He led an attack on

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Balk's readout but failed to dislodge

15:16.739 --> 15:18.850
the British from their strong point .

15:18.900 --> 15:20.900
General Arnold then took command of

15:20.900 --> 15:22.789
General Leon's brigade and led an

15:22.789 --> 15:25.489
attack on Breman readout as the Germans

15:25.500 --> 15:27.444
scattered to join Bey's retreating

15:27.444 --> 15:29.719
forces . Arnold's horse was shot and

15:29.729 --> 15:33.640
fell on Arnold breaking his leg . You

15:33.650 --> 15:35.928
know , when we look at Benedict Arnold ,

15:35.928 --> 15:38.049
granted , of course his his he's , he

15:38.059 --> 15:40.281
goes down in history and , and , and at

15:40.281 --> 15:42.700
least in American history in before

15:42.710 --> 15:44.543
this . However , one of the most

15:44.543 --> 15:46.599
aggressive American field commanders

15:46.599 --> 15:48.760
there was trusted implicitly by

15:48.770 --> 15:51.929
Washington . He disobeys Gates orders

15:51.940 --> 15:54.799
and he will lead attacks against the

15:54.809 --> 15:57.031
British , he's wounded . Of course , in

15:57.031 --> 15:59.390
battle has a limp for the rest of his

15:59.400 --> 16:02.820
life without Arnold or I rather , I

16:02.830 --> 16:05.429
should say because of Arnold Gates was

16:05.440 --> 16:08.119
able to succeed at Saratoga . Much of

16:08.130 --> 16:10.210
Gates credit is due to men like

16:10.219 --> 16:12.869
Benedict Arnold but also Daniel Morgan

16:12.909 --> 16:15.520
poo and other aggressive field grade

16:15.530 --> 16:19.530
officers on October 8 with

16:19.539 --> 16:21.595
his original force reduced by half .

16:21.960 --> 16:24.127
General Brigay tended to the burial of

16:24.127 --> 16:26.182
his close friend , Brigadier General

16:26.182 --> 16:29.239
Simon Frazer then ordered a retreat

16:29.250 --> 16:32.080
through torrential rain to the town of

16:32.090 --> 16:34.989
Saratoga . General gates' Forces

16:35.000 --> 16:38.739
followed three days later on October

16:38.750 --> 16:42.250
17 , 17 77 Lieutenant General John

16:42.260 --> 16:44.500
Burgoyne formally surrendered his army

16:44.659 --> 16:47.400
to Major General Horatio Gates . Burgos

16:47.500 --> 16:49.950
defeat was due to a number of things .

16:50.340 --> 16:52.729
One , the slowness of his advance

16:52.739 --> 16:55.049
inability or reluctance of how to

16:55.059 --> 16:56.960
support him from the south , but

16:56.969 --> 17:00.140
primarily from the rising of the

17:00.150 --> 17:02.739
militias and their cooperation with the

17:02.750 --> 17:04.917
continental armies and they're holding

17:04.917 --> 17:08.260
fast in the battles at Saratoga . This

17:08.270 --> 17:11.160
hard fought victory won by the combined

17:11.170 --> 17:13.270
effort of continental soldiers and

17:13.280 --> 17:15.949
state's militias marked a turning point

17:15.959 --> 17:19.319
in the war for independence . This was

17:19.329 --> 17:21.329
the first time a British field army

17:21.329 --> 17:23.496
surrendered to an American commander ,

17:23.496 --> 17:25.662
proving that when used as a foundation

17:25.662 --> 17:27.551
for the continental army Militias

17:27.551 --> 17:29.607
assisted in providing for the common

17:29.607 --> 17:31.607
defense . Leaving no doubt that the

17:31.609 --> 17:33.910
roots of the victory at Saratoga lay in

17:33.920 --> 17:37.449
the militias . This early chapter in

17:37.459 --> 17:39.681
our nation's history reveals a strength

17:39.681 --> 17:41.903
that endures today and ensures that the

17:41.903 --> 17:43.760
total army has the capacity ,

17:43.770 --> 17:46.550
capability and endurance to do what the

17:46.560 --> 17:50.040
nation requires together . The regular

17:50.050 --> 17:52.579
army , army National Guard and army

17:52.589 --> 17:55.189
Reserve comprise a lethal and resilient

17:55.199 --> 17:57.270
force ready to meet the security

17:57.280 --> 18:00.020
challenges of the 21st century just as

18:00.030 --> 18:02.270
it did during the revolutionary war at

18:02.280 --> 18:03.739
the battles of Saratoga .