The Victory at Saratoga Committee is seeking the names and addresses
of living descendants of soldiers who fought at the Battles of Saratoga in September
and October of 1777. These individuals will lead the citizens surrender march
from the Saratoga monument to Fort Hardy Park on Saturday, 19 October, in commemoration
of the 225th anniversary of the battles of Saratoga.
On 17 October 1777, British General Burgoyne surrendered to the
American General Gates in Schuylerville. Over 6,000 British and German soldiers
marched out of the camps located through out the village to Fort Hardy, where
they stacked their guns. The surrendering troops were then marched through the
American Lines and past the 20,000 patriot soldiers amassed after the two Battles
of Saratoga. This was the first time that a British Army had surrendered in
over 200 years and was the first large-scale victory for the Americans in the
Revolution. In addition, this "turning point" proved to the French
that the Americans could fight. Within months, the French came to the Americans’
aid with badly needed supplies and weapons, troops, and the French Navy.
The program this fall at Fort Hardy Park will be a recreation
of the famous "Surrender of General Burgoyne" painting by John Trumbull,
which hangs in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capital. Members of the Schuylerville
community will portray the depicted American and British officers. The living
tableau harkens back to earlier surrender commemorations of 1877 and 1927. A
patriotic fireworks display will conclude the 225th anniversary celebration.
Please send names, addresses, and phone numbers of descendants
of these soldiers to: Pat Peck, 178 Wagman’s Ridge, Saratoga Springs NY 12866.
Telephone: 518-584-4129. E-mail ppeck1@juno.com
For a list of activities during the next month, visit the 225th
Anniversary of the Surrender of Burgoyne, look at: www.victoryatsaratoga.com
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