British general John Burgoyne surrendered at the Battles of Saratoga in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War.
Burgoyne led a British campaign south from Canada, intending to control the Hudson River Valley and separate New England from the other colonies. His army captured Fort Ticonderoga early in the campaign but encountered increasing resistance as it moved south.
The campaign’s decisive fighting occurred near Saratoga, New York. After the Battles of Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights, Burgoyne’s army became isolated and short of supplies. He surrendered to American forces commanded by General Horatio Gates on October 17, 1777.
The Saratoga victory is often described as a turning point because it encouraged France to openly ally with the United States. Burgoyne should not be confused with Cornwallis, who surrendered at Yorktown in 1781, or Howe, who commanded British forces around Philadelphia.