Freeman's Farm:
99-432: Shays may refer to: Daniel Shays (c. 1747 – 1825), post-colonial leader of Shays' Rebellion Chris Shays (born 1945), American politician and former United States Congressman from Connecticut Rosalind Shays, a fictional attorney in several seasons of L.A. Law , portrayed by Diana Muldaur See also [ edit ] Shay (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
198-833: A Massachusetts man noted for his influence with the New England militia. He ordered 750 men from Israel Putnam 's forces defending the New York highlands to join Gates' army in August, before he was certain that Howe had indeed sailed south. He also sent some of the best forces from his own army: Colonel Daniel Morgan and the newly formed Provisional Rifle Corps, which comprised about 500 specially selected riflemen from Pennsylvania , Maryland , and Virginia , chosen for their sharpshooting ability. This unit came to be known as Morgan's Riflemen . On September 7, Gates ordered his army to march north. A site
297-615: A camp at Petersham . Along the way they raided the shops of local merchants for supplies, taking some of them hostage. Lincoln pursued them, reaching Pelham , around 10 miles (16 km) from Petersham, on February 2. On the night of February 3–4, he led his militia on a forced march to Petersham through a bitter snowstorm. Arriving early in the morning, they surprised the rebel camp so thoroughly that they scattered "without time to call in their out parties or even their guards." Although Lincoln claimed to capture 150 men, none of them were officers, leading historian Leonard Richards to suspect
396-466: A few ringleaders. Eighteen men, including Shays, were convicted and sentenced to death. Most of these either had their convictions overturned on appeal, were pardoned, or had their sentences commuted. Two of the condemned men, John Bly and Charles Rose, were hanged on December 6, 1787. Shays was pardoned in 1788 and he returned to Massachusetts from hiding in the Vermont woods. He was, however, vilified by
495-521: A great deal of credit as the commanding general for the greatest American victory of the war to date. He may have conspired with others to replace George Washington as the commander-in-chief. Instead, he received the command of the main American army in the South. He led it to a disastrous defeat at the 1780 Battle of Camden , where he was at the forefront of a panicked retreat. Gates never commanded troops in
594-522: A great turning point of the war because it won for Americans the foreign assistance which was the last element needed for victory." Burgoyne's strategy to divide New England from the southern colonies had started well but slowed due to logistical problems. He won a small tactical victory over American General Horatio Gates and the Continental Army in the September 19 Battle of Freeman's Farm at
693-487: A mile (1 km) to Barber's wheat field on a rise above Mill Brook, where they stopped to observe the American position. While the field afforded some room for artillery to work, the flanks were dangerously close to the surrounding woods. Gates, following the removal of Arnold from the field command, assumed command of the American left and gave the right to General Lincoln. When American scouts brought news of Burgoyne's movement to Gates, he ordered Morgan's riflemen out to
792-418: A petition signed by line officers convinced Arnold to stay in camp. During this period there were almost daily clashes between pickets and patrols of the two armies. Morgan's sharpshooters, familiar with the strategy and tactics of woodland warfare, constantly harassed British patrols on the western flank. As September passed into October it became clear that Clinton was not coming to help Burgoyne, who put
891-556: A push at [Fort] Montgomery in about ten days." (Fort Montgomery was an American post on the Hudson River, in the New York Highlands south of West Point ). If Clinton left New York on September 22, "about ten days" after he wrote the letter, he still could not hope to arrive in the vicinity of Saratoga before the end of the month. Burgoyne, running low on men and food, was still in a very difficult position, but he decided to wait in
990-539: A reference to the Regulator movement of North Carolina that sought to reform corrupt practices in the late 1760s. On September 2, Governor Bowdoin issued a proclamation denouncing such mob action, but took no military measures in response beyond planning militia response to future actions. When the court in Worcester was shut-down by similar action on September 5, the county militia (composed mainly of men sympathetic to
1089-467: A regular engagement and that they would only fight behind strong and powerful works. In recognition of his contribution to the battles at Saratoga, General Arnold had his seniority restored (he had lost it after being passed over for promotion earlier in 1777). However, Arnold's leg wound kept him in bed five months. Later, while still unfit for field service but serving as military governor of Philadelphia, Arnold entered into treasonous correspondence with
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#17328446455151188-497: A request to issue paper currency. Such inflationary issues would depreciate the currency, making it possible to meet obligations made at high values with lower-valued paper. Merchants, among them James Bowdoin , were opposed to these proposals because they were generally lenders who stood to lose. The proposals were repeatedly rejected. Governor John Hancock , accused by some of anticipating trouble, abruptly resigned in early 1785. When Bowdoin (a loser to Hancock in earlier elections)
1287-469: A similar number, but chose only to demonstrate, exercising their troops outside Shepard's lines, rather than attempt to seize the building. The judges first postponed the hearings, and then adjourned on the 28th without hearing any cases. Shepard withdrew his force, which had grown to around 800 men (to the Regulators' 1,200), to the federal armory , which was then only rumored to be the target of seizure by
1386-621: A sixty-eight acre farm and they had six children. Shays joined the militia immediately prior to the American Revolution and attained the rank of sergeant in the regiment commanded by Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge . The Battles of Lexington and Concord took place on April 19, 1775, and the next day Shays's unit was mobilized and marched to Boston . His company took part in the Boston campaign and Siege of Boston , and Shays fought at
1485-475: A track in that direction. The troops Morgan's men saw were an advance company from Hamilton's column. Morgan placed marksmen at strategic positions, who then picked off virtually every officer in the advance company. Morgan and his men then charged, unaware that they were headed directly for Burgoyne's main army. While they succeeded in driving back the advance company, Fraser's leading edge arrived just in time to attack Morgan's left, scattering his men back into
1584-495: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Daniel Shays Daniel Shays (August 1747 – September 29, 1825) was an American soldier, revolutionary and farmer famous for allegedly leading Shays' Rebellion , a populist uprising against controversial debt collection and tax policies that took place in Massachusetts between 1786 and 1787. The actual role played by Shays in
1683-509: Is now Hampden County (but was then part of Hampshire County) organized an attempt to shut it down. They were anticipated by William Shepard , the local militia commander, who began gathering government-supporting militia the Saturday before the court was to sit. By the time the court was ready to open, Shepard had 300 men protecting the Springfield courthouse. Shays and Day were able to recruit
1782-585: The Battle of Bunker Hill . Shortly after Bunker Hill, Shays was commissioned as a second lieutenant in recognition of the bravery and skill he demonstrated during the fighting. In late 1776, Shays joined Varnum's Regiment of the Continental Army , with which he served during fighting in New York and New Jersey . After performing temporary recruiting duty in Massachusetts during late 1776, on January 1, 1777, Shays
1881-475: The Champlain Valley , hoping to meet a similar British force marching northward from New York City and another British force marching eastward from Lake Ontario ; the goal was to take Albany, New York . The southern and western forces never arrived, and Burgoyne was surrounded by American forces in upstate New York 15 miles (24 km) short of his goal. He fought two battles which took place 18 days apart on
1980-633: The National Park Service as the Saratoga National Historical Park , which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The park preserves a number of the buildings in the area and contains a variety of monuments. The Saratoga Monument obelisk has four niches, three of which hold statues of American commanders: Gates and Schuyler and of Colonel Daniel Morgan. The fourth niche, where Arnold's statue would go,
2079-451: The 9th held in reserve. The battle then went through phases alternating between intense fighting and breaks in the action. Morgan's men had regrouped in the woods, and picked off officers and artillerymen. They were so effective at reducing the latter that the Americans several times gained brief control of British field pieces , only to lose them in the next British charge. At one point it
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#17328446455152178-435: The American defensive line, and skirmishes occurred between American scouting parties and the leading elements of his army. The American camp had become a bed of rising intrigue ever since Arnold's return from Fort Stanwix. While he and Gates had previously been on reasonably good terms in spite of their prickly egos, Arnold managed to turn Gates against him by taking on officers friendly to Schuyler as staff, dragging him into
2277-505: The American revolution, were attracted to the profession of arms. Three subalterns of the 20th regiment on this occasion, the oldest of whom did not exceed the age of seventeen years, were buried together The final stroke of the battle belonged to the British. Around 3 pm, Riedesel sent a messenger to Burgoyne for instructions. He returned two hours later with orders to guard the baggage train, but also to send as many men as he could spare toward
2376-511: The American right flank. In a calculated risk, Riedesel left 500 men to guard the vital supply train and marched off toward the action with the rest of his column. Two of his companies advanced on the double and opened vicious fire on the American right, and Fraser's force threatened to turn the American left flank. In response to the latter threat, Arnold requested more forces, and Gates allowed him to dispatch Ebenezer Learned 's brigade ( 2nd , 8th and 9th Massachusetts ). (If Arnold had been on
2475-464: The August 16 Battle of Bennington . 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 . General William Howe had taken his army from New York City by sea on a campaign to capture Philadelphia instead of moving north to meet Burgoyne. Most of Burgoyne's Indian support had fled following
2574-508: The Boston press, who painted him as an archetypal radical opposed to the government. Shays was later granted a pension by the federal government for the five years he served in the Continental Army without pay. Shays lived the last few years of his life in poverty, a heavy drinker. He supported himself on his pension and by working a small parcel of land. Shays died at age 78 in Sparta, New York and
2673-452: 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. In furious battle, the redoubt was taken and Breymann was killed. Arnold's horse was hit in one of
2772-416: The British position at Fort Ticonderoga. Lincoln had collected 2,000 men at Bennington by early September. Brown and a detachment of 500 men captured poorly defended positions between Ticonderoga and Lake George , and then spent several days ineffectually bombarding the fort. These men, and some of the prisoners they freed along the way, were back in the American camp by September 29. In the American camp,
2871-432: The British. He received command of the fort at West Point and plotted to hand it over to the British, only to flee into the British lines when the capture of his contact John André led to the exposure of the plot. Arnold went on to serve under William Phillips, the commander of Burgoyne's right wing, in a 1781 expedition into Virginia. Although he left the direction of the battle to subordinates, General Gates received
2970-536: The Connecticut River in West Springfield , and the third force, under Eli Parsons , was to the north at Chicopee . The rebels had planned their assault for January 25, but Luke Day changed this at the last minute, sending Shays a message indicating he would not be ready to attack until the 26th. Day's message was intercepted by Shepard's men, so the militia of Shays and Parsons, around 1,500 men, approached
3069-419: The Hudson River highlands on October 6, and Kingston on October 13, but his efforts were too late to help Burgoyne. Burgoyne attacked Bemis Heights again on October 7 after it became apparent that he would not receive relieving aid in time. This battle culminated in heavy fighting marked by Arnold's spirited rallying of the American troops. Burgoyne's forces were thrown back to the positions that they held before
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3168-629: The July 1779 Battle of Stony Point . He subsequently served as commander of a company under the Marquis de Lafayette , which patrolled farmland on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River to prevent British troops from foraging. In 1780, Lafayette presented several officers, including Shays, with ornamental swords in honor of their military service. Shays sold his for cash to help pay off debts; he argued that there
3267-462: The September 19 battle, and the Americans captured a portion of the entrenched British defenses. The American Revolutionary War was approaching the two-year point, and the British changed their plans. They decided to split the Thirteen Colonies and isolate New England from what they believed to be the more Loyalist middle and southern colonies. The British command devised a plan to divide
3366-401: The activists. On November 28, a posse of around 300 men rode to Groton to arrest Job Shattuck and other protest leaders in the area. Shattuck was chased-down and arrested on the 30th, and was wounded by a sword slash in the process. This action and the arrest of other protest leaders in the eastern parts of the state radicalized those in the west, and they began to organize an overthrow of
3465-412: The armory on the 25th not knowing they would have no support from the west. When Shays and his forces neared the armory, they found Shepard's militia waiting for them. Shepard first ordered warning shots fired over the approaching Shaysites' heads, and then ordered two cannons to fire grapeshot at Shays' men. Four Shaysites were killed and twenty wounded. There was no musket fire from either side, and
3564-460: The army on short rations on October 3. The next day, Burgoyne called a war council in which several options were discussed, but no conclusive decisions were made. When the council resumed the next day, Riedesel proposed retreat, in which he was supported by Fraser. Burgoyne refused to consider it, insisting that retreat would be disgraceful. They finally agreed to conduct an assault on the American left flank with two thousand men, more than one-third of
3663-621: The army retreat. Burgoyne decided to reconnoiter the American left flank to see if an attack was possible. As an escort, the generals took Fraser's Advanced Corps, with light troops and the 24th Foot on the right and the combined British grenadiers on the left, and a force drawn from all the German regiments in the army in the center. There were eight British cannon under Major Williams and two Hesse-Hanau cannon under Captain Pausch. Leaving their camp between 10 and 11 am, they advanced about three-quarters of
3762-431: The army, on October 7. The army he was attacking, however, had grown in the interval. In addition to the return of Lincoln's detachment, militiamen and supplies continued to pour into the American camp, including critical increases in ammunition, which had been severely depleted in the first battle. The army Burgoyne faced on October 7 was more than 12,000 men strong and was led by a man who knew how much trouble Burgoyne
3861-470: The center column, consisting of the 9th , 20th , 21st , and 62nd regiments , which would attack the heights, and General Simon Fraser led the right wing with the 24th Regiment and the light infantry and grenadier companies, to turn the American left flank by negotiating the heavily wooded high ground north and west of Bemis Heights. Arnold also realized such a flanking maneuver was likely, and petitioned Gates for permission to move his forces from
3960-502: The colonies with a three-way pincer movement in 1777. The western pincer under the command of Barry St. Leger was to progress from Ontario through western New York, following the Mohawk River, and the southern pincer was to progress up the Hudson River valley from New York City. The northern pincer was to proceed southward from Montreal, and the three forces were to meet in the vicinity of Albany, New York , severing New England from
4059-638: The colonists throughout the Revolutionary War . Prior to the Battle of Saratoga, France did not fully aid the colonists. However, after the Battles of Saratoga were conclusively won by the colonists, France realized that the Americans had the hope of winning the war, and began fully aiding the colonists by sending soldiers, donations, loans, military arms, and supplies. The battlefield and the site of Burgoyne's surrender have been preserved, and are now administered by
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4158-488: The cost of significant casualties. His gains were erased when he again attacked the Americans in the October 7 Battle of Bemis Heights and the Americans captured a portion of the British defenses. Burgoyne was therefore compelled to retreat, and his army was surrounded by the much larger American force at Saratoga, forcing him to surrender on October 17. News of Burgoyne's surrender was instrumental in formally bringing France into
4257-505: The cost of significant casualties. Skirmishing continued in the days following the battle, while Burgoyne waited in the hope that reinforcements would arrive from New York City. Patriot militia forces continued to arrive, meanwhile, swelling the size of the American army. Disputes within the American camp led Gates to strip Arnold of his command. British General Sir Henry Clinton moved up from New York City and attempted to divert American attention by capturing Forts Clinton and Montgomery in
4356-451: The early action. 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". Seeing that the advance was checked, and that Learned was preparing to attack
4455-540: The end of the battle, Burgoyne's army totaled 5,791, and the effective colonial force was about 12,000 men. General George Washington 's strategic decisions also improved the situation for Gates' army. Washington was most concerned about the movements of General Howe. He was aware that Burgoyne was also moving, and he took some risks in July. He sent aid north in the form of Major General Benedict Arnold , his most aggressive field commander, and Major General Benjamin Lincoln ,
4554-647: The evolution of this story and believes it is without foundation in contemporary materials, and that Arnold remained at Gates' headquarters, receiving news and dispatching orders through messengers. Arnold biographer James Kirby Martin, however, disagrees with Luzader, arguing that Arnold played a more active role at Freeman's Farm by directing patriot troops into position and possibly leading some charges before being ordered back to headquarters by Gates. … an attack or even menace of an attack on Fort Montgomery must be of great use ... Burgoyne to Clinton, September 23, 1777 Burgoyne's council discussed whether to attack
4653-435: The far left, with Poor's men ( 1st , 2nd , and 3rd New Hampshire ) on the left; the 2nd and 4th New York Regiments on the right, and Learned's 1st New York , 1st Canadian , 2nd , 8th and 9th Massachusetts Regiments, plus militia companies, in the center. A force of 1,200 New York militia under Brigadier General Abraham Ten Broeck was held in reserve behind Learned's line. In all, more than 8,000 Americans took
4752-470: The field that day, including about 1,400 men from Lincoln ' s command that were deployed when the action became particularly fierce. The opening fire came between 2 and 2:30 pm from the British grenadiers. Poor's men held their fire, and the terrain made the British shooting largely ineffective. When Major Acland led the British grenadiers in a bayonet charge, the Americans finally began shooting at close range. Acland fell, shot in both legs, and many of
4851-433: The field thereafter. In response to Burgoyne's surrender, Congress declared December 18, 1777, as a national day "for solemn Thanksgiving and praise"; it was the nation's first official observance of a holiday with that name. Once news of Burgoyne's surrender reached France , King Louis XVI decided to enter into negotiations with the Americans that resulted in a formal Franco-American alliance and French entry into
4950-404: The field, these forces might have instead faced the larger danger posed by Riedesel's force.) Fortunately for the American right, darkness set in, bringing an end to the battle. The Americans retreated back to their defenses, leaving the British on the field. Burgoyne had gained the field of battle, but suffered nearly 600 casualties. Most of these were to Hamilton's center column, where the 62nd
5049-417: The field. Fraser's column was slightly delayed and had not yet reached the field, while Hamilton's column had also made its way across a ravine and was approaching the field from the east through dense forest and difficult terrain. Riedesel's force, while it was on the road, was delayed by obstacles thrown down by the Americans. The sound of gunfire to the west prompted Riedesel to send some of his artillery down
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#17328446455155148-415: 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. 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
5247-483: The grenadiers also went down. Their column was a total rout, and Poor's men advanced to take Acland and Williams prisoner and capture their artillery. On the American left, things were also not going well for the British. Morgan's men swept aside the Canadians and Native Americans to engage Fraser's regulars. Although slightly outnumbered, Morgan managed to break up several British attempts to move west. While General Fraser
5346-463: The heights to meet potential movements, where the American skill at woodlands combat would be at an advantage. Gates, whose preferred strategy was to sit and wait for the expected frontal assault, grudgingly permitted a reconnaissance in force consisting of Daniel Morgan's men and Henry Dearborn 's light infantry. When Morgan's men reached an open field northwest of Bemis Heights belonging to Loyalist John Freeman, they spotted British advance troops in
5445-535: The hope that Clinton would arrive to save his army. Burgoyne wrote to Clinton on September 23, requesting some sort of assistance or diversion to draw Gates' army away. Clinton sailed from New York on October 3, and captured Forts Montgomery and Clinton on October 6. The furthest north any of his troops reached was Clermont , where they raided the estate of the prominent Patriot Livingston family on October 16. Unknown to either side at Saratoga, General Lincoln and Colonel John Brown had staged an attack against
5544-405: The importance of the American left, and the need to control the heights there. After the morning fog lifted around 10 am, Burgoyne ordered the army to advance in three columns. Baron Riedesel led the left column, consisting of the German troops and the 47th Foot , on the river road, bringing the main artillery and guarding supplies and the boats on the river. General James Inglis Hamilton commanded
5643-424: The loss at Bennington, and his situation was becoming difficult. 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
5742-451: The mutual resentment between Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold finally exploded into open hostility. Gates quickly reported the action of September 19 to the Congress and Governor George Clinton of New York, but he failed to mention Arnold at all. The field commanders and men universally credited Arnold for their success. Almost all the troops involved were from Arnold's command and Arnold was
5841-471: The next day, and a decision was reached to delay further action at least one day, to September 21. The army moved to consolidate the position closer to the American line while some men collected their dead. The attack on the 21st was called off when Burgoyne received a letter dated September 12 from Henry Clinton , who was commanding the British garrison in New York City. Clinton suggested that he could "make
5940-407: The one directing the battle while Gates sat in his tent. Arnold protested, and the dispute escalated into a shouting match that ended with Gates relieving Arnold of his command and giving it to Benjamin Lincoln. Arnold asked for a transfer to Washington's command, which Gates granted, but instead of leaving he remained in his tent. There is no documentary evidence for a commonly recounted anecdote that
6039-443: The ongoing feud between the two. These conditions had not yet reached a boil on September 19, but the day's events contributed to the situation. Gates had assigned the left wing of the defenses to Arnold, and assumed command himself of the right, which was nominally assigned to General Lincoln, whom Gates had detached in August with some troops to harass the British positions behind Burgoyne's army. Both Burgoyne and Arnold understood
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#17328446455156138-573: The other colonies. British Lieutenant General John Burgoyne moved south from the 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 victory at Fort Ticonderoga . 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 . One attempt to alleviate these difficulties failed when nearly 1,000 men were killed or captured at
6237-516: The protestors) refused to turn out, much to Bowdoin's amazement. Shays, who had participated in the Northampton action, became involved in the uprising in November; though the precise role that Shays played is unclear and, as scholars have suggested, appears to have been exaggerated by contemporary elites. Historian Leonard Richards observes that "much of the backlash [against Shays and the protestors]
6336-471: The rebel advance collapsed. Most of the rebel force fled north, eventually regrouping at Amherst . On the opposite side of the river, Day's forces also fled north, also eventually reaching Amherst. General Benjamin Lincoln had mustered 3,000 men at Worcester to deal with the rebels. When he heard of the Springfield incident, they immediately began marching west. Shays led the rebel force generally north and east to avoid Lincoln, eventually establishing
6435-566: The rebellion is disputed by scholars. Daniel Ogden Shays was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts , sometime between April and August 1747 to Irish immigrants Patrick Shays and Margaret Dempsey. Daniel was the second of seven siblings; his siblings were Margaret, James, Roger, Phebe, Mary, and Polly. He spent his early years as a landless farm laborer. In 1772, he married Abigail Gilbert, and they settled in Shutesbury, Massachusetts , where he owned
6534-492: 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 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
6633-452: The same financial situation. At commoners' meetings veterans asserted that they were treated unfairly upon release, and that businessmen were trying to squeeze money out of smallholders in order to pay their own debts to European war investors. Many Massachusetts rural communities first tried to petition the legislature in Boston, but the legislature did not respond substantively to those petitions. The petitions and proposals often included
6732-453: The same ground 9 miles (14 km) south of Saratoga, New York . He gained a victory in the first battle despite being outnumbered, but lost the second battle after the Americans returned with an even larger force. Burgoyne found himself trapped by much larger American forces with no relief, so he retreated to Saratoga (now Schuylerville ) and surrendered his entire army there on October 17. His surrender, says historian Edmund Morgan , "was
6831-460: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Shays . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shays&oldid=857615619 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description
6930-400: The south. Learning that Morgan was in trouble, Gates ordered out two more regiments ( 1st and 3rd New Hampshire ) to support him, with additional regiments ( 2nd New York , 4th New York , the 1st Canadian , and Connecticut militia ) from the brigade of Enoch Poor to follow. Burgoyne arrayed Hamilton's men with the 21st on the right, the 20th on the left, and the 62nd in the center, with
7029-491: The state government. "The seeds of war are now sown", wrote one correspondent in Shrewsbury , and by mid-January rebel leaders spoke of smashing the "tyrannical government of Massachusetts." While government forces organized in the east, Shays, Day, and other rebel leaders in the west organized their forces, establishing regional regimental organizations that were run by democratically elected committees. Their first major target
7128-472: The state legislature adjourned without considering the many petitions that had been sent to Boston. On August 29, a well-organized force of protestors, Shays among them, marched on Northampton and successfully prevented the county court from sitting. The leaders of this and later forces proclaimed that they were seeking relief from the burdensome judicial processes that were depriving the people of their land and possessions. They called themselves Regulators ,
7227-581: The two sides signed the capitulation. On October 17, Burgoyne surrendered his army to Gates. The British and German troops were accorded the traditional honors of war as they marched out to surrender. The troops formed the Convention Army , named after the convention that granted them safe passage back to Europe. However, the Continental Congress revoked the convention, and the Convention Army
7326-410: The veracity of the report. Shays and some of the other leaders escaped north into New Hampshire and Vermont. Around four thousand people signed confessions acknowledging participation in the events of the rebellion (in exchange for amnesty); several hundred participants were eventually indicted on charges relating to the rebellion. Most of these were pardoned under a general amnesty that only excluded
7425-542: The war as an American ally, although it had previously given supplies, ammunition, and guns , notably the de Valliere cannon which played an important role in Saratoga. The battle on September 19 began when Burgoyne moved some of his troops in an attempt to flank the entrenched American position on Bemis Heights. American Major General Benedict Arnold anticipated the maneuver and placed significant forces in his way. Burgoyne did gain control of Freeman's Farm, but it came at
7524-642: The war. This moved the conflict onto a global stage. As a consequence, Britain was forced to divert resources used to fight the war in North America to theaters in the West Indies and Europe , and rely on what turned out to be the chimera of Loyalist support in its North American operations. Having been defeated by the British in the French and Indian War more than a decade earlier, France found an opportunity to undercut British power and ultimately of revenge by aiding
7623-508: The west of the heights lay more heavily forested bluffs that would present a significant challenge to any heavily equipped army. Moving very cautiously, since the departure of his Native American support had deprived him of reliable reports on the American position, Burgoyne advanced to the south after crossing the Hudson. On September 18, the vanguard of his army had finally reached a position just north of Saratoga, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from
7722-433: The woods. James Wilkinson , who had ridden forward to observe the fire, returned to the American camp for reinforcements. As the British company fell back toward the main column, the leading edge of that column opened fire, killing a number of their own men. There was then a lull in the fighting around 1:00 pm as Hamilton's men began to form up on the north side of the field, and American reinforcements began to arrive from
7821-443: Was "betraying great agitation and wrath" in the American camp, and may have been drinking, rode out to join the action. Gates immediately sent Major Armstrong after him with orders to return; Armstrong did not catch up with Arnold until the action was effectively over. (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.) The defenses on
7920-399: Was also very nearly killed by one of Morgan's marksmen; three shots hit his horse, hat, and waistcoat. The first phase of the battle lasted about one hour and cost Burgoyne nearly 400 men, including the capture of most of the grenadiers' command, and six of the ten field pieces brought to the action. At this point, the Americans were joined by an unexpected participant. General Arnold, who
8019-594: Was believed that Burgoyne himself had been taken down by a sharpshooter; it was instead one of Burgoyne's aides, riding a richly dressed horse, who was the victim. The center of the British line was very nearly broken at one point, and only the intervention of General Phillips, leading the 20th, made it possible for the 62nd to reform. In the memoir of Roger Lamb, a British soldier present at the battle, he wrote In this battle an unusual number of officers fell, as our army abounded with young men of respectability at this time, who after several years of general peace anterior to
8118-610: Was dedicated in a ceremony on August 12, 2016. Battles of Saratoga Bemis Heights: [REDACTED] Great Britain The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign , giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War . British General John Burgoyne led an invasion army of 7,200–8,000 men southward from Canada in
8217-663: Was due to the Boston elite. Had they treated Daniel Shays as simply a small-town rebel leader, the aftermath might have been different. But they portrayed him instead as a major villain." On September 19, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts indicted eleven leaders of the rebellion as "disorderly, riotous, and seditious persons." When the supreme judicial court was next scheduled to meet in Springfield on September 26, Shays in Hampshire County and Luke Day in what
8316-533: Was elected governor that year, matters became more severe. Bowdoin stepped up civil actions to collect back taxes, and the legislature exacerbated the situation by levying an additional property tax to raise funds for the state's portion of foreign debt payments. Even comparatively conservative commentators like John Adams observed that these levies were "heavier than the People could bear". Protests in rural Massachusetts turned into direct action in August 1786 after
8415-400: Was encamped south of Stillwater, New York . On August 19, Major General Horatio Gates assumed command from Schuyler, whose political fortunes had fallen over the loss of Ticonderoga and the ensuing retreat. Gates and Schuyler were from very different backgrounds and did not get along with each other. They had previously argued over command issues in the army's Northern Department. The army
8514-468: Was growing in size because of increased militia turnout following calls by state governors, the success at Bennington, and widespread outrage over the slaying of Jane McCrea , the fiancée of a Loyalist in Burgoyne's army by Indians under Burgoyne's command. This massive outpouring of militia continued as the battle progressed (and Burgoyne had no way of obtaining reinforcements). This sealed Burgoyne's fate. By
8613-402: Was in a relatively strong position. He ordered 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. The Continental Army had been in a slow retreat since Burgoyne's capture of Ticonderoga early in July, under the command of Major General Philip Schuyler , and
8712-466: Was in. Gates had received consistent intelligence from the stream of deserters leaving the British lines and had also intercepted Clinton's response to Burgoyne's plea for help. While Burgoyne's troop strength was nominally higher, he likely had only about 5,000 effective, battle-ready troops on October 7, as losses from the earlier battles in the campaign and desertions following the September 19 battle had reduced his forces. General Riedesel advised that
8811-608: Was kept in captivity until the end of the war. Burgoyne's failed campaign marked a major turning point in the war. General Burgoyne returned to England and was never given another commanding position in the British Army . The British learned that the Americans would fight bravely and effectively. One British officer said: The courage and obstinacy with which the Americans fought were the astonishment of everyone, and we now became fully convinced that they are not that contemptible enemy we had hitherto imagined them, incapable of standing
8910-522: Was later buried at the Union Cemetery in Scottsburg . The original gravestone for Shays contained an error; by dropping the "s", Shays was incorrectly spelled as "Shay". Philip R. Shays, of Clarence Center, New York , a descendant of Daniel Shays, led an effort to correct the error. Because the original stone did not contain enough space to add a letter, a new marker was created. The new gravestone
9009-447: Was mortally wounded in this phase of the battle, according to Luzader a frequently told story claiming it to be the work of Timothy Murphy , one of Morgan's men, could be a 19th-century fabrication. The fall of Fraser and the arrival of Ten Broeck's large militia brigade (which roughly equaled the entire British reconnaissance force in size), broke the British will, and they began a disorganized retreat toward their entrenchments. Burgoyne
9108-484: Was nothing wrong with his action, because he already owned a sword, but his decision to sell his was frowned upon by his peers. After British officer John André was captured while collaborating with Continental officer Benedict Arnold 's plot to surrender West Point to the British, Shays was assigned as one of the captains of the guard who oversaw André's imprisonment, a task for which Continental Army commander-in-chief George Washington personally selected him. Shays
9207-702: Was now breached. After the second battle, Burgoyne lit fires at his remaining forward positions and withdrew under the cover of darkness. He withdrew his men 10–15 miles north, near present-day Schuylerville, New York . By the morning of October 8, he was back in the fortified positions he had held on September 16. On October 13, with his army surrounded, Burgoyne held a council of war to propose terms of surrender. Riedesel suggested that they be paroled and allowed to march back to Canada without their weapons. Burgoyne felt that Gates would not even consider such terms, asking instead to be conveyed to Boston, where they would sail back to Europe. After several days of negotiations,
9306-445: Was present when André was executed on October 2, 1780, and was probably the officer who escorted him to the gallows. Shays resigned soon afterwards, and was discharged from the army on October 14, 1780. Upon returning home, Shays was summoned to court for unpaid debts, which he could not pay because he had not been paid in full for his military service. Shays was alarmed to discover that many of his fellow veterans and farmers were in
9405-565: Was promoted to captain as commander of a company in the 5th Massachusetts Regiment . During 1777, Shays took part in several engagements in upstate New York, including the Battles of Saratoga . After Saratoga, Shays continued to serve with the Continental Army in upstate New York. As commander of a company in the Corps of Light Infantry, which was commanded by Anthony Wayne , Shays took part in
9504-409: Was reduced to the size of a single company, and three quarters of the artillerymen were killed or wounded. American losses were nearly 300 killed and seriously wounded. It has been widely recounted in histories of this battle that General Arnold was on the field, directing some of the action. However, John Luzader, a former park historian at the Saratoga National Historical Park , carefully documents
9603-420: Was selected for its defensive potential that was known as Bemis Heights, just north of Stillwater and about 10 miles (16 km) south of Saratoga ; the army spent about a week constructing defensive works designed by Polish engineer Tadeusz Kościuszko . The heights had a clear view of the area and commanded the only road to Albany, where it passed through a defile between the heights and the Hudson River . To
9702-448: 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. Burgoyne had lost over 1,000 men in the two battles, leaving him outnumbered by roughly 3 to 1. American losses came to about 330 killed and wounded. Burgoyne had also lost several of his most effective leaders, his attempts to capture the American position had failed, and his forward line
9801-416: Was the federal armory in Springfield. General Shepard had, however, pursuant to orders from Governor Bowdoin, taken possession of the armory and used its arsenal to arm a force of around 1,200 militia. The insurgents were organized into three major groups, and intended to surround and simultaneously attack the armory. Shays led one group east of Springfield near Palmer , Luke Day had a second force across
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