British General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne was born on February 24, 1722. He was born in the United Kingdom in Sutton Bedforshire. John was the oldest child in his family. Burgoyne's parents were John Burgoyne and Anna Maria Burgoyne. He received a first-class education at Westminster School. He was also called Johnny. Johnny enjoyed Greek and Roman classical literature. John grew up to be handsome and tall, getting the attention of many young girls. He was smart, fun-loving, and attractive. He also cared about the well-being of other people. Everybody liked Johnny. The Redcoats, or common soldiers, who served under him in war respected him more than most of the other officers. Johnny joined the army when he was 15 years old. John was known as "Gentleman Johnny" to British soldiers and noblemen alike. John's troops also nicknamed him "Gentleman Johnny", and his nickname became a court favorite. He fell in love with Charlotte Stanley, the daughter of the 11th Earl of Derby. John Burgoyne convinced Charlotte Stanley to run away with him and he got married with her in 1743. John had a son named John Fox Burgoyne and a daughter named Charlotte Elizabeth. In 1764, his ten year old daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth, died. He was made an officer in the 1st Royal Dragoons. An officer's commission was a valuable title in the 18th century. Officers who did not want to fight usually sold their commissions to people who did want to fight. Due to Johnny's careless lifestyle, he was forced to sell his commission and leave the army. After his family forgave him for running away with his wife, they bought him a new commission as a captain in the 11th Dragoons. John was mature enough this time to focus on his career. Burgoyne drilled his men until they earned a reputation as one of the sharpest fighting units in the Royal Army. They caught the attention of King George III and they became known as Burgoyne's Light Horse.
During John Burgoyne's life, he made many accomplishments and was involved in many events. John was part of the Seven Years War, or the French and Indian War, in Europe. Burgoyne became involved in raids on the French coast. In his raids, he took the town of Cherbourg and participated in the failed attempt to take St. Malo. On the day of May, 1759, John was appointed as the Captain-Lieutenant of the Coldstream Guards. John was elected to Parliament three years later. Not long after, Burgoyne had a hand in matters with India. John was finally promoted to the rank of Major General on May 25, 1772. After John was promoted, he was sent to America and arrived at Boston. In America, he witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill. Burgoyne moved back to England a year later because he was upset about being under a certain officer named Carleton. John convinced the king and prime minister of England in 1776 to let him take a force to Canada and work his way down until he had the whole of America. They trusted Johnny and put him in charge of what might have been the best and mostly skilled army Britain had ever put together.
When he was in America, he took place in a major battle called the Battle of Saratoga. Here are the events that led to the Battle of Saratoga. John easily captured Fort Ticonderoga as he marched down the Hudson River. Burgoyne started to get trouble as he started to move southward. John was running out of supplies so he sent Colonel Barry St. Leger a message to give him support from the west. Colonel Barry St. Leger was stopped by the American forces. General William Howe, one of the most known British generals from the Revolutionary War, failed to send anyone else to bring supplies to John and his army. When John and his forces ran into American fortifications at Bemis Heights, New York, south of Saratoga, he was short on supplies. Burgoyne's fellow officers suggested retreat. He refused because he believed that would be disgraceful. An attempt to get around the Americans led to a battle at the farm of a Loyalist named Freeman, called the Battle of Freeman's Farm. Even though the British managed to drive the Americans off, the British suffered massive losses that they could not afford. John decided to wait for promised supplies and reinforcements to come from General Henry Clinton, a British general, in New York. The supplies and reinforcements never came so on October 3, 1777, John was forced to put his men on rations. Four days later, his forces attacked the American fortifications at Bemis Heights out of desperation, and got defeated. The British retreated to Saratoga, but they were surrounded by the Americans. On the day of October 17, Burgoyne suffered a greater embarrassment than retreat. General John Burgoyne was forced to surrender himself and his troops to the Patriots. General John Burgoyne returned to England after his defeat at the Battle of Saratoga in disgrace. John was picked on by many people after he returned from his loss. No matter how hard Burgoyne tried, he could not seem to clear his name of defeat. General John Burgoyne died on August 4, 1792. Johnny died in the United Kingdom in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Harmon, Daniel E. John Burgoyne British General. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2002. Print.
Kline, Pamela. "General John Burgoyne." http://www.revolutionary-war.net. N.p.. Web. 25 Oct 2013. <http://www.revolutionary-war.net/john-burgoyne.htmlgoyne.html>.
During John Burgoyne's life, he made many accomplishments and was involved in many events. John was part of the Seven Years War, or the French and Indian War, in Europe. Burgoyne became involved in raids on the French coast. In his raids, he took the town of Cherbourg and participated in the failed attempt to take St. Malo. On the day of May, 1759, John was appointed as the Captain-Lieutenant of the Coldstream Guards. John was elected to Parliament three years later. Not long after, Burgoyne had a hand in matters with India. John was finally promoted to the rank of Major General on May 25, 1772. After John was promoted, he was sent to America and arrived at Boston. In America, he witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill. Burgoyne moved back to England a year later because he was upset about being under a certain officer named Carleton. John convinced the king and prime minister of England in 1776 to let him take a force to Canada and work his way down until he had the whole of America. They trusted Johnny and put him in charge of what might have been the best and mostly skilled army Britain had ever put together.
When he was in America, he took place in a major battle called the Battle of Saratoga. Here are the events that led to the Battle of Saratoga. John easily captured Fort Ticonderoga as he marched down the Hudson River. Burgoyne started to get trouble as he started to move southward. John was running out of supplies so he sent Colonel Barry St. Leger a message to give him support from the west. Colonel Barry St. Leger was stopped by the American forces. General William Howe, one of the most known British generals from the Revolutionary War, failed to send anyone else to bring supplies to John and his army. When John and his forces ran into American fortifications at Bemis Heights, New York, south of Saratoga, he was short on supplies. Burgoyne's fellow officers suggested retreat. He refused because he believed that would be disgraceful. An attempt to get around the Americans led to a battle at the farm of a Loyalist named Freeman, called the Battle of Freeman's Farm. Even though the British managed to drive the Americans off, the British suffered massive losses that they could not afford. John decided to wait for promised supplies and reinforcements to come from General Henry Clinton, a British general, in New York. The supplies and reinforcements never came so on October 3, 1777, John was forced to put his men on rations. Four days later, his forces attacked the American fortifications at Bemis Heights out of desperation, and got defeated. The British retreated to Saratoga, but they were surrounded by the Americans. On the day of October 17, Burgoyne suffered a greater embarrassment than retreat. General John Burgoyne was forced to surrender himself and his troops to the Patriots. General John Burgoyne returned to England after his defeat at the Battle of Saratoga in disgrace. John was picked on by many people after he returned from his loss. No matter how hard Burgoyne tried, he could not seem to clear his name of defeat. General John Burgoyne died on August 4, 1792. Johnny died in the United Kingdom in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Harmon, Daniel E. John Burgoyne British General. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2002. Print.
Kline, Pamela. "General John Burgoyne." http://www.revolutionary-war.net. N.p.. Web. 25 Oct 2013. <http://www.revolutionary-war.net/john-burgoyne.htmlgoyne.html>.