Saratoga National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the Town of Stillwater in eastern New York, 30 miles north of Albany. The park preserves the site of the Battles of Saratoga. In 2015, the

United States Mint The United States Mint is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury, Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce, as well as controlling the movement of bull ...

released a commemorative quarter as part of the America the Beautiful series honoring the park.

Description

The park preserves the site of the Battles of Saratoga, the first significant American military victory of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. Here in 1777, American forces met, defeated, and forced a major

British army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

to surrender, an event which led France to recognize the independence of the United States, and enter the war as a decisive military ally of the struggling Americans. First authorized as a New York state historic preserve in 1927 on the sesquicentennial of the Battles, the Battlefield was made part of the National Park System in 1938 when Saratoga National Historical Park was authorized by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

. The Visitors Center offers a 20-minute orientation film,

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light map, timeline and artifact displays. A brochure is available for a self-guided tour of sites in the battlefield in Stillwater. General

Philip Schuyler Philip John Schuyler (; November 20, 1733 - November 18, 1804) was an American general in the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War and a United States Senate, United States Senator from New York (state), New York. He is usually known as ...

's Schuyler House is located north in Schuylerville. It is a restored house museum open by tour. The Saratoga Battle Monument is in the nearby village of

Victory The term victory (from ) originally applied to warfare, and denotes success achieved in personal duel, combat, after military operations in general or, by extension, in any competition. Success in a military campaign constitutes a strategic vi ...

. The park is located on the upper

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

southeast of Saratoga Springs. It contains the famous Boot Monument to

Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold (#Brandt, Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American-born British military officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of ...

, the only

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in the United States that does not bear the name of its honoree. The memorial was donated by John Watts de Peyster, a former major general for the New York State Militia during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

who wrote several military histories about the Battle of Saratoga.

Saratoga Surrender Site Memorial Park

In 2021, management of the site where the British Army surrendered was transferred to the National Park Service. The Saratoga Surrender Site Memorial Park marks the precise location where British General John Burgoyne surrendered his army to General Horatio Gates on October 17, 1777. The 19-acre park is located nine miles north of the Saratoga Battlefield Park, and a half mile south of Schuylerville on U.S. Route 4. The park includes explanatory plaques and signage, and two cannon. The land is owned by the Open Space Institute and managed by the National Park Service, and is open to visitors from dawn to dusk year-round.

Nearby Battles of Saratoga locations not included in the SNHP

The Marshall House, on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

, lies north of the main entrance to the park on US 4 and NY 32 north of the village of Schuylerville. It was made famous by Baroness Frederika Riedesel in her ''Letters and Journals relating to the War of the American Revolution, and the Capture of the German Troops at Saratoga''. This house was built in 1770–1773. During the closing days of the Battles of Saratoga, Baroness Riedesel sheltered there together with the wives of officers of the British army and wounded personnel. Her account of the travails of those around her, her keen insight into the personalities of the principal officers of both the British and American armies and her devotion to her husband in peril have led some commentators to name her as the first woman

war correspondent A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories first-hand from a war, war zone. War correspondence stands as one of journalism's most important and impactful forms. War correspondents operate in the most conflict-ridden parts of the wor ...

. The Marshall House was bombarded by the Americans who supposed it an enemy headquarters. Within are conserved cannonballs and other reminders of the ordeal suffered by those who took refuge there. The Marshall House is the sole surviving structure in the battles' area. The property is privately owned. As of mid-2023, the American Battlefield Trust and its partners have acquired and preserved 26 acres of the battlefield outside of the national park.

Gallery

Image:Saratoga Battlefied.jpg, View of the battlefield Image:15 23 0804 saratoga.jpg, Trophy Cannon from the Battle of Saratoga Image:GeneralSchylerHouse.JPG, General

House Image:Saratoga-tower.jpg, Masonic Saratoga Monument Image:15 23 0769 saratoga.jpg, View from middle level of monument Image:15 23 0778 saratoga.jpg, View from top of monument Image:15 23 0786 saratoga.jpg, View from top of monument

References

External links