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1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga
1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga covers the history of the thirty-three days of the Saratoga campaign. Utilizing historical archaeology and the words of the men and women that served in both armies, words taken directly from their letters, journals, diaries, and memoirs, of which many remain unpublished, Snow weaves an intimate and personal telling of the battles.
It was for both sides a story of endurance. The Americans fielded an improvised and inexperienced army under Horatio Gates to face the highly trained British and German forces led by John Burgoyne. In addition to these initial inequalities were the advantages of short distances, regular supply, and fresh reinforcements enjoyed by the Americans and the disadvantages of long inadequate supply lines and thinning ranks endured by the British and German forces. There were painful losses on both sides, tragic deaths, and the combination of relief and protracted pain that always accompanies armed conflict. But in the end, the stark fact remained that one of the world's finest armies had been beaten by a force of amateurs, changing the direction of the American insurrection and making eventual independence inevitable.
The skein of personal stories that comprise the bigger story of Saratoga has many threads, including that of Benedict Arnold, whose flawed personality was not yet fully evident. The contrasting personalities and fates of the commanding generals, Gates and Burgoyne, are better known, but these are but a few of the threads that form the larger story of Saratoga. By bringing together the stories of both the famous and the anonymous on both sides, Snow's narrative presents a thorough micro-history of the battles that tipped the balance of the American War of Independence.
It was for both sides a story of endurance. The Americans fielded an improvised and inexperienced army under Horatio Gates to face the highly trained British and German forces led by John Burgoyne. In addition to these initial inequalities were the advantages of short distances, regular supply, and fresh reinforcements enjoyed by the Americans and the disadvantages of long inadequate supply lines and thinning ranks endured by the British and German forces. There were painful losses on both sides, tragic deaths, and the combination of relief and protracted pain that always accompanies armed conflict. But in the end, the stark fact remained that one of the world's finest armies had been beaten by a force of amateurs, changing the direction of the American insurrection and making eventual independence inevitable.
The skein of personal stories that comprise the bigger story of Saratoga has many threads, including that of Benedict Arnold, whose flawed personality was not yet fully evident. The contrasting personalities and fates of the commanding generals, Gates and Burgoyne, are better known, but these are but a few of the threads that form the larger story of Saratoga. By bringing together the stories of both the famous and the anonymous on both sides, Snow's narrative presents a thorough micro-history of the battles that tipped the balance of the American War of Independence.
454 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2016
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May 6, 2021
“In a single motion all the muskets went from vertical to horizontal, all the 42-inch barrels parallel, all the butts brought up to shoulders. Right hands gripped polished walnut stocks, their index fingers poised over triggers, not quite touching them yet. Bodies leaned slightly forward to take the recoil, right knee stiff in the second rank, left knee slightly bent. It was more important to keep muzzles level than it was to take careful aim, so faces were not pressed against stocks, and unlike hunters, the soldiers were not squinting along the tops of their musket barrels. Sixty-nine-caliber balls rested loosely at the bottom of their 75-caliber bores, allowing enough windage to make individual aiming a waste of time and effort. The object was to throw a cloud of lead in the direction of the enemy…”
- Dean Snow, 1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga
The American Revolution is one of the great object lessons of perseverance in the face of defeat. When we think of George Washington, we typically think first and foremost about his ability to keep an army together, despite humiliating and costly losses. When we look down the tally of battles fought and towns occupied, we see that the British gave as good as they got. When we think of the patched-together American army, suffering at Valley Forge, we see that endurance was the young nation’s greatest attribute. America eventually won the war, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that Great Britain simply couldn’t occupy a huge territory already occupied by a lot of people who weren’t about to quit.
In a war marked by Washington’s grand strategy of “survive until the French arrive,” the Battle of Saratoga in September and October of 1777 stands out. If not literally a decisive American victory (though often declared a turning point, the war would not end for six more years), it was certainly complete, and unlike the final blow delivered at Yorktown, it came without France’s direct intervention.
Having finished Dean Snow’s 1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga, it is hard to imagine there being a more thorough and complete book on this rarest of Revolutionary battles: an absolute and unambiguous American triumph.
Weighing in at 390-pages of text, 1777 feels longer, if only because it is closely focused on the battle itself. Snow gives you some overall context, but for the most part, he does not let his eye wander. This is not a big-picture history; it is a battle-monograph.
In short, Saratoga came about as part of a British plan to flip New York state back to the Empire. A three-pronged strategy was devised, wherein General John Burgoyne (a lover of champagne, playwriting, and open marriages) would head south from Montreal, while Barry St. Leger came east from Lake Ontario, and General Henry Clinton surged north from New York City, all three armies to meet at Albany. As often occurred when three-pronged strategies were devised, two of the prongs came stillborn, leaving Burgoyne’s army mostly alone.
Waiting for him was General Horatio Gates with a sizeable army and a strong defensive position. In two separate battles, Freeman’s Farm (on September 19) and Bemis Heights (on October 7), the Americans – including pre-infamy General Benedict Arnold, and famed British-despiser Dan Morgan – fought Burgoyne’s combined force of regulars, German mercenaries, Loyalists, and Indians to a standstill. Heavily outnumbered and poorly provisioned, Burgoyne dithered, Hamlet-like, instead of beating a hasty retreat back to Canada. When he finally made his move, the American forces quickly surrounded him, eventually forcing him to surrender.
Snow tells this tale in a day-by-day, hour-by-hour fashion. And when I say day-by-day and hour-by-hour, I am not trafficking in hyperbole. Snow actually structures his narrative in this manner, methodically taking us through the preparations for battle, the first battle, the lull between fights, the second battle, and the final surrender. For example, the first chapter starts on September 15, 1777, at 6:05 a.m., with an “American Scout, South of Saratoga.” Under this subhead, we get a page and a half devoted to the perspective of Alexander Bryan, an innkeeper turned spy. The next subhead takes us to John Burgoyne himself, at his camp in Saratoga, at 8:00 a.m.
This style is maintained throughout the entire book, though – thankfully – not every hour is accounted for. The points-of-view encompass the whole array of participants (with the exception of the Indians), including Burgoyne and Gates and Arnold, the doomed Simon Frasier, various infantrymen and artilleryman on both sides, Loyalist spies, and the wife of a German general.
The upside to this approach is the way it allows you to see how the battle unfolded for those who lived it. Snow takes care to highlight the information that each person had, or did not have, and to show how those imperfect impressions guided their also-imperfect decision-making. The downside, of course, is occasional tedium and repetition, especially during the chapter on what Snow calls “the Middle Game,” between Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights.
Snow is an archaeologist by training, who has done work at the Saratoga battlefield. He is a professor first, a historian second, and a writer third. Which is to say, he is not the most graceful prose stylist. (Though I admit I read this on the heels of Rick Atkinson’s The British Are Coming and Nathaniel Philbrick’s Valiant Ambition, which is not really fair to Snow). Frankly, 1777 lacks literary flare, monumental set-pieces, or sharp characterizations.
Instead, you get an extremely competent and coherent presentation of an important battle, that takes care to cover all the maneuvers, marches, countermarches, charges, and retreats. I especially liked his descriptions on the roles of various units, including their weaponry, and how those units could be used (or not) to best advantage. Clearly, Snow has read his 18th century manual-of-arms.
(There are a lot of maps to help guide you through this process. I found the maps of dubious value, however. They appear to be taken from the National Park Service, meaning there is an overlay of the present-day Park System. It was hard to tell what features on the map were there in 1777, and which were modern. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of a legend and a dearth of geographic designators).
Perhaps my biggest criticism is that Snow is so insistent on telling the story through the eyes of the participants that he forgets to step in and make any judgments. Thus, it’s hard to leave with any conclusions about whether the Americans won or the British lost. Horatio Gates, for instance, comes across as fussy, risk-averse, and petty, yet he also prepared strong defensive lines, and had the patience to make Burgoyne come to him. So is he the hero? On the other hand, Benedict Arnold, who is almost universally lauded for his role in this battle (and others), is described as an unhinged lunatic, riding around the battlefield like Irving’s headless Hessian, grabbing muskets out of the hands of soldiers and knocking officers on the head with his sword. So is he overrated? Snow is coy on these points, and others.
There is also the question of sources. I am not an expert in the American Revolution (though I am an expert in cheap wine, the Civil War, and love), so I cannot say with certainty that this is unimpeachably researched. Snow’s resume is certainly impressive, yet in perusing the notes, I saw that he made some odd choices. One example: the identity of the American who shot General Simon Frasier. Snow accepts the story of Ebenezer Mattoon, who aside from having a legendary name, also claimed to have seen an ancient militiaman with a musket (and not one of Morgan’s long-riflemen) shoot the portly British officer. The thing is, Mattoon wasn’t listed on the rolls, and might not have been present at the battle at all, a worrying possibility that Snow hand-waves aside. Snow also relies heavily on the memoir of one James Wilkinson, one of the foremost liars in the history of these United States. Wilkinson’s suspect credibility is briefly acknowledged, but Snow gives no indication how he separated truth from lie in this man’s account.
That said, this is a sturdy battle-history, and a must-read for students of the American Revolution. Or, in my case, those who are thinking of becoming students of the American Revolution.
- Dean Snow, 1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga
The American Revolution is one of the great object lessons of perseverance in the face of defeat. When we think of George Washington, we typically think first and foremost about his ability to keep an army together, despite humiliating and costly losses. When we look down the tally of battles fought and towns occupied, we see that the British gave as good as they got. When we think of the patched-together American army, suffering at Valley Forge, we see that endurance was the young nation’s greatest attribute. America eventually won the war, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that Great Britain simply couldn’t occupy a huge territory already occupied by a lot of people who weren’t about to quit.
In a war marked by Washington’s grand strategy of “survive until the French arrive,” the Battle of Saratoga in September and October of 1777 stands out. If not literally a decisive American victory (though often declared a turning point, the war would not end for six more years), it was certainly complete, and unlike the final blow delivered at Yorktown, it came without France’s direct intervention.
Having finished Dean Snow’s 1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga, it is hard to imagine there being a more thorough and complete book on this rarest of Revolutionary battles: an absolute and unambiguous American triumph.
Weighing in at 390-pages of text, 1777 feels longer, if only because it is closely focused on the battle itself. Snow gives you some overall context, but for the most part, he does not let his eye wander. This is not a big-picture history; it is a battle-monograph.
In short, Saratoga came about as part of a British plan to flip New York state back to the Empire. A three-pronged strategy was devised, wherein General John Burgoyne (a lover of champagne, playwriting, and open marriages) would head south from Montreal, while Barry St. Leger came east from Lake Ontario, and General Henry Clinton surged north from New York City, all three armies to meet at Albany. As often occurred when three-pronged strategies were devised, two of the prongs came stillborn, leaving Burgoyne’s army mostly alone.
Waiting for him was General Horatio Gates with a sizeable army and a strong defensive position. In two separate battles, Freeman’s Farm (on September 19) and Bemis Heights (on October 7), the Americans – including pre-infamy General Benedict Arnold, and famed British-despiser Dan Morgan – fought Burgoyne’s combined force of regulars, German mercenaries, Loyalists, and Indians to a standstill. Heavily outnumbered and poorly provisioned, Burgoyne dithered, Hamlet-like, instead of beating a hasty retreat back to Canada. When he finally made his move, the American forces quickly surrounded him, eventually forcing him to surrender.
Snow tells this tale in a day-by-day, hour-by-hour fashion. And when I say day-by-day and hour-by-hour, I am not trafficking in hyperbole. Snow actually structures his narrative in this manner, methodically taking us through the preparations for battle, the first battle, the lull between fights, the second battle, and the final surrender. For example, the first chapter starts on September 15, 1777, at 6:05 a.m., with an “American Scout, South of Saratoga.” Under this subhead, we get a page and a half devoted to the perspective of Alexander Bryan, an innkeeper turned spy. The next subhead takes us to John Burgoyne himself, at his camp in Saratoga, at 8:00 a.m.
This style is maintained throughout the entire book, though – thankfully – not every hour is accounted for. The points-of-view encompass the whole array of participants (with the exception of the Indians), including Burgoyne and Gates and Arnold, the doomed Simon Frasier, various infantrymen and artilleryman on both sides, Loyalist spies, and the wife of a German general.
The upside to this approach is the way it allows you to see how the battle unfolded for those who lived it. Snow takes care to highlight the information that each person had, or did not have, and to show how those imperfect impressions guided their also-imperfect decision-making. The downside, of course, is occasional tedium and repetition, especially during the chapter on what Snow calls “the Middle Game,” between Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights.
Snow is an archaeologist by training, who has done work at the Saratoga battlefield. He is a professor first, a historian second, and a writer third. Which is to say, he is not the most graceful prose stylist. (Though I admit I read this on the heels of Rick Atkinson’s The British Are Coming and Nathaniel Philbrick’s Valiant Ambition, which is not really fair to Snow). Frankly, 1777 lacks literary flare, monumental set-pieces, or sharp characterizations.
Instead, you get an extremely competent and coherent presentation of an important battle, that takes care to cover all the maneuvers, marches, countermarches, charges, and retreats. I especially liked his descriptions on the roles of various units, including their weaponry, and how those units could be used (or not) to best advantage. Clearly, Snow has read his 18th century manual-of-arms.
(There are a lot of maps to help guide you through this process. I found the maps of dubious value, however. They appear to be taken from the National Park Service, meaning there is an overlay of the present-day Park System. It was hard to tell what features on the map were there in 1777, and which were modern. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of a legend and a dearth of geographic designators).
Perhaps my biggest criticism is that Snow is so insistent on telling the story through the eyes of the participants that he forgets to step in and make any judgments. Thus, it’s hard to leave with any conclusions about whether the Americans won or the British lost. Horatio Gates, for instance, comes across as fussy, risk-averse, and petty, yet he also prepared strong defensive lines, and had the patience to make Burgoyne come to him. So is he the hero? On the other hand, Benedict Arnold, who is almost universally lauded for his role in this battle (and others), is described as an unhinged lunatic, riding around the battlefield like Irving’s headless Hessian, grabbing muskets out of the hands of soldiers and knocking officers on the head with his sword. So is he overrated? Snow is coy on these points, and others.
There is also the question of sources. I am not an expert in the American Revolution (though I am an expert in cheap wine, the Civil War, and love), so I cannot say with certainty that this is unimpeachably researched. Snow’s resume is certainly impressive, yet in perusing the notes, I saw that he made some odd choices. One example: the identity of the American who shot General Simon Frasier. Snow accepts the story of Ebenezer Mattoon, who aside from having a legendary name, also claimed to have seen an ancient militiaman with a musket (and not one of Morgan’s long-riflemen) shoot the portly British officer. The thing is, Mattoon wasn’t listed on the rolls, and might not have been present at the battle at all, a worrying possibility that Snow hand-waves aside. Snow also relies heavily on the memoir of one James Wilkinson, one of the foremost liars in the history of these United States. Wilkinson’s suspect credibility is briefly acknowledged, but Snow gives no indication how he separated truth from lie in this man’s account.
That said, this is a sturdy battle-history, and a must-read for students of the American Revolution. Or, in my case, those who are thinking of becoming students of the American Revolution.
December 11, 2016
This is a fine book on the critical Revolutionary War battle at Saratoga. The battle opened the way for support from France and others.
The strength of this book is its detail and its chronological approach. The author (an anthropologist--not an historian) takes a chronological approach (not necessarily revolutionary in fact). He describes the unfolding of British General John Burgoyne's plan, pitched to the British government while he was in London. He thought that a strong force marching down from Canada, taking Fort Ticonderoga, marching down the Hudson to Albany (with concurrent advances from the south and west of two other forces) would cut the American states in two and, hence, lead to victory. This is probably, in fact, not an efficacious strategy. It depends on securing geography rather than destroying enemy forces (Abraham Lincoln came to understand this during the Civil War).
The book discusses the failure of the three force approach to securing the Hudson, leaving Burgoyne hanging, as it were. As his supply lines increased, his difficulties grew. Sending a party out to secure food and horses led to him losing a substantial portion of his army. When he arrived near Saratoga, he was beginning to grow short on food and munitions. In front of him, a force began gathering, in the end under the leadership of General Horatio Gates. With him were such generals as Benedict Arnold and other officers such as Daniel Morgan. Burgoyne tried battle in September and was repulsed. He set up camp to determine his next move. In the meantime. militia began arriving ti support Gates. Over time, the American forces came to outnumber Burgoyne's forces.
The final battle occurred and the denouement came about fairly quickly. We get a good sense of the various generals' modes of operation and how these factors may have affected the final outcome. Aftereffects of the battle are also addressed.
All in all, a good solid book on this key battle during the Revolutionary War.
The strength of this book is its detail and its chronological approach. The author (an anthropologist--not an historian) takes a chronological approach (not necessarily revolutionary in fact). He describes the unfolding of British General John Burgoyne's plan, pitched to the British government while he was in London. He thought that a strong force marching down from Canada, taking Fort Ticonderoga, marching down the Hudson to Albany (with concurrent advances from the south and west of two other forces) would cut the American states in two and, hence, lead to victory. This is probably, in fact, not an efficacious strategy. It depends on securing geography rather than destroying enemy forces (Abraham Lincoln came to understand this during the Civil War).
The book discusses the failure of the three force approach to securing the Hudson, leaving Burgoyne hanging, as it were. As his supply lines increased, his difficulties grew. Sending a party out to secure food and horses led to him losing a substantial portion of his army. When he arrived near Saratoga, he was beginning to grow short on food and munitions. In front of him, a force began gathering, in the end under the leadership of General Horatio Gates. With him were such generals as Benedict Arnold and other officers such as Daniel Morgan. Burgoyne tried battle in September and was repulsed. He set up camp to determine his next move. In the meantime. militia began arriving ti support Gates. Over time, the American forces came to outnumber Burgoyne's forces.
The final battle occurred and the denouement came about fairly quickly. We get a good sense of the various generals' modes of operation and how these factors may have affected the final outcome. Aftereffects of the battle are also addressed.
All in all, a good solid book on this key battle during the Revolutionary War.
June 11, 2017
I received this book through a Goodreads "First-Reads" giveaway. This is a first-rate account of two American Revolution battles (Freeman's Farm and Bemis Heights) that are collectively known as the Saratoga campaign. The book also deftly covers the lull between the two battles and then the retreat and eventual surrender of the British army. If you are a fan of military history in general or just enjoy reading about American Revolution, I think you will enjoy this book.
Dean Snow provides an excellent description of these battles themselves. He doesn't overwhelm the narrative with archaic military terms or technical jargon that can have a numbing effect on all but the most hard-core military history fans. But he provides plenty of detail (and maps, I love maps!) that make it very easy for the reader to follow exactly how the battle is unfolding and to grasp the tactics, key decisions, and main actions that ultimately determined the outcome.
What further sets this book apart is how effortlessly Snow weaves the personal experiences and perspectives of various participants throughout his narrative. I know paying a history book the compliment of "bringing history alive" is a terrible cliche but Snow truly succeeds in doing so. And it is the highest compliment I can give a history book (at least for those of us reading for entertainment as well as educational purposes) so there it is, cliche or no. Thanks to Snow's skill as a researcher and sensitivity as a writer, we are able to empathize on a personal level not only with members of both the American and British high commands, but also other participants (lower ranks and civilians), whose individual experiences and suffering often remains nothing more than an afterthought when we analyze the grand strategies and political ramifications of a long-ago military campaign.
P.S. In addition to being liberal with maps, the author also includes simple, easy to follow charts that outline the organization of the two armies. I highly doubt the inclusion of these charts would be at all distracting for the casual reader, and for those who really like to try to visualize "who-is-going-where-and-what-is-their-chain-of-command" during the battle, it was so helpful I have to call it out and again credit the author (and the layout editor who helped with the formatting/organization of the book). Well done!
Dean Snow provides an excellent description of these battles themselves. He doesn't overwhelm the narrative with archaic military terms or technical jargon that can have a numbing effect on all but the most hard-core military history fans. But he provides plenty of detail (and maps, I love maps!) that make it very easy for the reader to follow exactly how the battle is unfolding and to grasp the tactics, key decisions, and main actions that ultimately determined the outcome.
What further sets this book apart is how effortlessly Snow weaves the personal experiences and perspectives of various participants throughout his narrative. I know paying a history book the compliment of "bringing history alive" is a terrible cliche but Snow truly succeeds in doing so. And it is the highest compliment I can give a history book (at least for those of us reading for entertainment as well as educational purposes) so there it is, cliche or no. Thanks to Snow's skill as a researcher and sensitivity as a writer, we are able to empathize on a personal level not only with members of both the American and British high commands, but also other participants (lower ranks and civilians), whose individual experiences and suffering often remains nothing more than an afterthought when we analyze the grand strategies and political ramifications of a long-ago military campaign.
P.S. In addition to being liberal with maps, the author also includes simple, easy to follow charts that outline the organization of the two armies. I highly doubt the inclusion of these charts would be at all distracting for the casual reader, and for those who really like to try to visualize "who-is-going-where-and-what-is-their-chain-of-command" during the battle, it was so helpful I have to call it out and again credit the author (and the layout editor who helped with the formatting/organization of the book). Well done!
December 19, 2023
This detailed history of the battle of Saratoga attempts to capture what happened from multiple perspectives - from British and American, generals and lowly infantry and everyone in between. The author's knowledge of the sources is apparent, and I particularly enjoyed learning about Frederika Riedesel, the wife of a German officer serving in the British army, who kept a journal during the battle as she and her daughters struggled to stay safe and tend to the wounded. Details like this and tales like that of the spy Daniel Taylor give this text an immediacy and help the reader stay engaged in what might be an otherwise dry read. Overall, a good history of the Saratoga campaign, with a heavy military emphasis.
January 14, 2017
I received a free PDF of this book courtesy of Net Galley and Oxford University Press, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review to Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my history book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.
I requested this book because I am an avid reader of american history and I grew up in upstate New York. I have read several books on the revolutionary war, but this is the first solely dedicated to the battle of Saratoga. This is the first book by Dean Snow that I have read.
The book is well researched and written. It is not a dry history narrative, but an engaging read that addresses the battle and the roles of John Burgoyne and Horatio Gates in a straightforward chronological way. He clearly addresses the failure of Burgoyne's approach and the strategy that Gates uses to defeat him.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in american history and in particular the Revolutionary War and this specific battle.
I requested this book because I am an avid reader of american history and I grew up in upstate New York. I have read several books on the revolutionary war, but this is the first solely dedicated to the battle of Saratoga. This is the first book by Dean Snow that I have read.
The book is well researched and written. It is not a dry history narrative, but an engaging read that addresses the battle and the roles of John Burgoyne and Horatio Gates in a straightforward chronological way. He clearly addresses the failure of Burgoyne's approach and the strategy that Gates uses to defeat him.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in american history and in particular the Revolutionary War and this specific battle.
August 22, 2016
I very much enjoyed reading this book. I have read quite a few books about the Revolutionary War but never one specifically devoted to the Campaign and Battles of Saratoga. The importance of this victory cannot be overstated in terms of effectuating French involvement, raising American morale, increasing enlistment and bolstering popular support. British General John Burgoyne lobbied hard to command the forces eager to separate the quarrelsome New England colonies from the less volatile northeastern and southern colonies. The British believed they could accomplish this if they could control the Hudson River from its, "head" in Albany to its "mouth" in already occupied New York City by cutting off the navigation of this major waterway of the rebel snake. Thereby, putting an end to this expensive and irksome rebellion. Mr. Snow's book details how the most powerful armies are often incapable of accomplishing such an endeavor.
Mr. Snow begins his book with an Introduction assessing the War to this point between the two sides, Washington's troops and troops of the Northern Army of America under General Horatio Gates vs. the British troops and those under General John Burgoyne including the Hessian troops he commanded. I liked that the author was very detailed in his assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each command and provided an objective outline of why each party was in the circumstances they now found themselves. The text contains a fair number of maps and organizational charts.
Mr. Snow's style of approaching the history of the Saratoga campaign is not groundbreaking but he gainfully applies it. He recognizes that battles and their planning, execution and logistics are not merely decided by those at the top making brilliant or disastrous decisions deemed so now by a contemporary view aided by hindsight and finality. Rather and more accurately that military outcomes are often just as likely the fruits of fear as courage, skill as blind luck, the small seemingly innocuous, the bluff and bluster, the hesitation, the blind charge, the decisions and actions of countless individuals in a macabre, chaotic dance of ebb and flow. The author illustrates that so often victory and defeat are snatched equally from the jaws of triumph as from disaster and we are left shaking our heads to thank or curse Providence at the close calls and seemingly inexplicable twists of fate. Outcomes are rarely as black and white as we would have them and that any misstep along the way can bring down disaster. Professional historians know this, amateurs like myself sometimes need reminding.
After the Introduction the book is divided into the campaigns five stages, the stage setting of, "The Opening," the first engagement of September 19, "Battle of Freeman's Farm," the ensuing stand off, "The Middle Game, " the second engagement of October 7, "the Battle of Bemin's Hill," and the British surrender of, "The End Game." Throughout, Mr. Snow uses journals, diary entries, and military and private historical documents to unfold the story related in sequential daily, sometimes hourly timelines and from various points of view. Because he has created no fictional characters nor generated any inauthentic dialogue the narrative has a freshness and immediacy. Not only did Mr. Snow relay very specific battle information but also provided his readers an intimate look at the individuals behind the headlines, a humanity sometimes lost in the historical narrative. Perhaps because Mr. Snow is an archaeologist and not strictly a military historian he is able to approach this subject from this fresh, new angle. The narrative is not jingoistic but fairly assesses the temperament of the commanders, their staffs and armies including the women who followed their men on these campaigns and even the native Americans who fought on both sides.
One drawback for me is that Mr. Snow is somewhat critical of certain individuals based on future histories and past events briefly alluded to and I did find this distracting. One such individual so maligned is James Wilkinson of General Gates' staff. I found the author's abasing comments distracting. I doubt it was Mr. Snow's intent but the whole effect comes across as peevish and more an attack of a personal nature as none of the author's comments regarding this officer's moral shortcomings figured negatively into the outcome of the Saratoga campaign or battles. His service during this engagement was as far as I am aware untarnished and in this instance was of significant service to the often short-sighted Gates. Most who study history of this period are well aware of Wilkinson's future treachery but to allow those events that had not yet played out to color the narrative of 1777 is to me spurious.
I only have one other negative and truthfully it's more a disappointment than a negative. I expected since Mr. Snow is an archaeologist and he mentions his involvement in the subject began from a request for his skills as an archaeologist that there would be some discussion of an archaeological nature. But other than one mention of discovering the skeleton of an elderly women in a redoubt there is no other mention of what I believe would be a very interesting emphasis. Perhaps Mr. Snow is contemplating another book on this subject. If he is I most certainly would read it as I did thoroughly enjoy, 1777 Tipping Point at Saratoga.
This would be a great book for Revolutionary War enthusiasts, re-enactors, history book clubs and anyone interested in eighteenth century battle tactics and weaponry.
A four of five star read.
I thank the publisher, Oxford University Press and the author for the opportunity to review this book and provide my unbiased review.
Mr. Snow begins his book with an Introduction assessing the War to this point between the two sides, Washington's troops and troops of the Northern Army of America under General Horatio Gates vs. the British troops and those under General John Burgoyne including the Hessian troops he commanded. I liked that the author was very detailed in his assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each command and provided an objective outline of why each party was in the circumstances they now found themselves. The text contains a fair number of maps and organizational charts.
Mr. Snow's style of approaching the history of the Saratoga campaign is not groundbreaking but he gainfully applies it. He recognizes that battles and their planning, execution and logistics are not merely decided by those at the top making brilliant or disastrous decisions deemed so now by a contemporary view aided by hindsight and finality. Rather and more accurately that military outcomes are often just as likely the fruits of fear as courage, skill as blind luck, the small seemingly innocuous, the bluff and bluster, the hesitation, the blind charge, the decisions and actions of countless individuals in a macabre, chaotic dance of ebb and flow. The author illustrates that so often victory and defeat are snatched equally from the jaws of triumph as from disaster and we are left shaking our heads to thank or curse Providence at the close calls and seemingly inexplicable twists of fate. Outcomes are rarely as black and white as we would have them and that any misstep along the way can bring down disaster. Professional historians know this, amateurs like myself sometimes need reminding.
After the Introduction the book is divided into the campaigns five stages, the stage setting of, "The Opening," the first engagement of September 19, "Battle of Freeman's Farm," the ensuing stand off, "The Middle Game, " the second engagement of October 7, "the Battle of Bemin's Hill," and the British surrender of, "The End Game." Throughout, Mr. Snow uses journals, diary entries, and military and private historical documents to unfold the story related in sequential daily, sometimes hourly timelines and from various points of view. Because he has created no fictional characters nor generated any inauthentic dialogue the narrative has a freshness and immediacy. Not only did Mr. Snow relay very specific battle information but also provided his readers an intimate look at the individuals behind the headlines, a humanity sometimes lost in the historical narrative. Perhaps because Mr. Snow is an archaeologist and not strictly a military historian he is able to approach this subject from this fresh, new angle. The narrative is not jingoistic but fairly assesses the temperament of the commanders, their staffs and armies including the women who followed their men on these campaigns and even the native Americans who fought on both sides.
One drawback for me is that Mr. Snow is somewhat critical of certain individuals based on future histories and past events briefly alluded to and I did find this distracting. One such individual so maligned is James Wilkinson of General Gates' staff. I found the author's abasing comments distracting. I doubt it was Mr. Snow's intent but the whole effect comes across as peevish and more an attack of a personal nature as none of the author's comments regarding this officer's moral shortcomings figured negatively into the outcome of the Saratoga campaign or battles. His service during this engagement was as far as I am aware untarnished and in this instance was of significant service to the often short-sighted Gates. Most who study history of this period are well aware of Wilkinson's future treachery but to allow those events that had not yet played out to color the narrative of 1777 is to me spurious.
I only have one other negative and truthfully it's more a disappointment than a negative. I expected since Mr. Snow is an archaeologist and he mentions his involvement in the subject began from a request for his skills as an archaeologist that there would be some discussion of an archaeological nature. But other than one mention of discovering the skeleton of an elderly women in a redoubt there is no other mention of what I believe would be a very interesting emphasis. Perhaps Mr. Snow is contemplating another book on this subject. If he is I most certainly would read it as I did thoroughly enjoy, 1777 Tipping Point at Saratoga.
This would be a great book for Revolutionary War enthusiasts, re-enactors, history book clubs and anyone interested in eighteenth century battle tactics and weaponry.
A four of five star read.
I thank the publisher, Oxford University Press and the author for the opportunity to review this book and provide my unbiased review.
August 2, 2025
An incredibly well researched and documented historical text that provides extensive information about the British and German participation in the battles of Saratoga. A riveting account of the battle of Saratoga. The author is a talented narrator, the setting is vividly described, likewise the main characters and the action.
November 20, 2019
The grumpus23 (23-word commentary)
Slow to start and probably better in print as maps would have enhanced the experience. Like a great wine, has a great finish.
Slow to start and probably better in print as maps would have enhanced the experience. Like a great wine, has a great finish.
March 25, 2019
Fascinating inside look at a battle that is pivital to our history. I loved the personal aspects of the war and wish there were more of these. What struck me was the vast differences in the ways battles were fought- bringing an entourage of servants and wives along. However, human nature and personalities remain the same. I also enjoyed a deeper perspective on Benedict Arnold.
At times I felt there was minutia that bogged story down.
At times I felt there was minutia that bogged story down.
September 24, 2022
While Professor Snow attempts to take a fresh look and use a unique POV at the campaign that set the fledgling United States on the way to eventual triumph in its revolution, the editing is so poor that I could not get through it.
The idea is to use archaeology and contemporary sources to tell the story of the campaign through the eyes of the participants, with the former filling in the gaps of the latter. This is an interesting concept.
Unfortunately, the execution is badly marred. Dr. Snow has a full introductory chapter but does not transition so that when he starts with the first person accounts, one is bewildered as to where one is. He does not introduce the people well, nor tie them together. An innkeeper is scouting the British army for days, even though he is a great source of information at his inn and hastens back to the American lines, all in the same two paragraphs.
Right after a paragraph detailing how no supplies could be expected there is a paragraph about sailors using boats on the lake, even though the army is now beyond the lake.
Clearly this is in the editing. There are typos and word ommissions. While the concept is a good one, I'm afraid it is too hard to connect the dots.
The idea is to use archaeology and contemporary sources to tell the story of the campaign through the eyes of the participants, with the former filling in the gaps of the latter. This is an interesting concept.
Unfortunately, the execution is badly marred. Dr. Snow has a full introductory chapter but does not transition so that when he starts with the first person accounts, one is bewildered as to where one is. He does not introduce the people well, nor tie them together. An innkeeper is scouting the British army for days, even though he is a great source of information at his inn and hastens back to the American lines, all in the same two paragraphs.
Right after a paragraph detailing how no supplies could be expected there is a paragraph about sailors using boats on the lake, even though the army is now beyond the lake.
Clearly this is in the editing. There are typos and word ommissions. While the concept is a good one, I'm afraid it is too hard to connect the dots.
January 31, 2024
A very solid book on the Saratoga Campaign, the background and deep look into the various players is excellent, the negotiations on the surrender when Burgoyne finally realizes he moved too slowly to breakout is very detailed and excellent. I feel that the actual fighting however is given a bit of short shrift by the author and should have been expanded on.
Burgoyne the gambler took an unnecessary gamble, by forcing battle at Saratoga instead of retreating back north when the pressure of Clinton at Albany never came, shows the false hope that a gambler can get by lying to himself is often disastrous.
Burgoyne the gambler took an unnecessary gamble, by forcing battle at Saratoga instead of retreating back north when the pressure of Clinton at Albany never came, shows the false hope that a gambler can get by lying to himself is often disastrous.
May 23, 2017
One of my favorite ways to learn history is by reading books that focus on an individual event in that history. I like overviews too, but I especially like to "zoom in", as it were. One of the ways in which I like to do that is by reading biographies of individuals in that time. One of the other ways is to read books that focus on various individuals experiencing the same event. 1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga, by Dean Snow, is one of the latter.
The time period is that of the American War of Independence, the year is 1777. General Burgoyne is heading toward Albany in an attempt to cut off New England from the other Colonies. It is a risky move that may end up with him being cut off from supplies. General Horatio Gates is waiting for him to show up. The two armies end up clashing and Burgoyne finds that he is cut off from supplies and that all his enemy has to do is wait for him and his men to get hungry enough to either surrender. The whole while the continental army is growing day by day.
It is quite an interesting read, switching in between the perspectives of various people on both sides. There are the two opposing generals, there are other officers of both sides, and several couples on the British side (some women joined their husbands and followed the army around). The narrative generally moves day by day, showing you particular characters in certain hours of the day and what had led up to that hour. All in all, it's quite intriguing and carries one along - you really want to know what is going to happen to the various people,
There are a few problems that I had with the book. First, take a look at this paragraph: "The founders tended to be Deists, or at least sympathetic to Deism, people who were skeptical of religious ideology, skeptical of institutionalized religion in general and of Christian doctrines in particular." I feel wary about those statements, I have never gotten that impression from the history that I've read, but perhaps I just haven't delved into it enough. Anyway, he goes on to say, "This predisposed them to favor flexible democratic processes over rigid absolutes. The Constitution eventually accomplished the intended objective, emerging as an amendable document subject to improvement." That makes the constitution seem more like a suggestion than a standard of law.
Also there was one instance that I know of fiction, an elderly woman helping her husband by loading muskets who then cannot resist peeking over the top of the rampart and gets hit in the face by a musket ball. The beginning of the book mentions that a skeleton of an elderly woman had been found with her face blown out. The theory of how she died is, of course, a plausible theory but not known fact. I would rather that that that would have been incorporated as theory in the narrative, not stated as fact. It just makes me wonder if there are other places in the book that are fictional guesses as to what happened. I do believe in rigid absolutes in certain areas, including the topic of history, and something factual happened to that woman, it isn't up to those who follow her in history to make up their own story of her death and present it as fact.
One more thing, I had some trouble understanding the maps with indicators of where the armies were in the map. It's probably just me though, others will probably understand it well.
Otherwise I really enjoyed reading it. I liked seeing the different perspectives and events of that section of days in 1777.
I won an advanced reading copy of this book in a LibraryThing Giveaway (from Oxford University Press), I was not required to review the book (at all, either positively or negatively). Many thanks to LibraryThing and Oxford University Press!!
The time period is that of the American War of Independence, the year is 1777. General Burgoyne is heading toward Albany in an attempt to cut off New England from the other Colonies. It is a risky move that may end up with him being cut off from supplies. General Horatio Gates is waiting for him to show up. The two armies end up clashing and Burgoyne finds that he is cut off from supplies and that all his enemy has to do is wait for him and his men to get hungry enough to either surrender. The whole while the continental army is growing day by day.
It is quite an interesting read, switching in between the perspectives of various people on both sides. There are the two opposing generals, there are other officers of both sides, and several couples on the British side (some women joined their husbands and followed the army around). The narrative generally moves day by day, showing you particular characters in certain hours of the day and what had led up to that hour. All in all, it's quite intriguing and carries one along - you really want to know what is going to happen to the various people,
There are a few problems that I had with the book. First, take a look at this paragraph: "The founders tended to be Deists, or at least sympathetic to Deism, people who were skeptical of religious ideology, skeptical of institutionalized religion in general and of Christian doctrines in particular." I feel wary about those statements, I have never gotten that impression from the history that I've read, but perhaps I just haven't delved into it enough. Anyway, he goes on to say, "This predisposed them to favor flexible democratic processes over rigid absolutes. The Constitution eventually accomplished the intended objective, emerging as an amendable document subject to improvement." That makes the constitution seem more like a suggestion than a standard of law.
Also there was one instance that I know of fiction, an elderly woman helping her husband by loading muskets who then cannot resist peeking over the top of the rampart and gets hit in the face by a musket ball. The beginning of the book mentions that a skeleton of an elderly woman had been found with her face blown out. The theory of how she died is, of course, a plausible theory but not known fact. I would rather that that that would have been incorporated as theory in the narrative, not stated as fact. It just makes me wonder if there are other places in the book that are fictional guesses as to what happened. I do believe in rigid absolutes in certain areas, including the topic of history, and something factual happened to that woman, it isn't up to those who follow her in history to make up their own story of her death and present it as fact.
One more thing, I had some trouble understanding the maps with indicators of where the armies were in the map. It's probably just me though, others will probably understand it well.
Otherwise I really enjoyed reading it. I liked seeing the different perspectives and events of that section of days in 1777.
I won an advanced reading copy of this book in a LibraryThing Giveaway (from Oxford University Press), I was not required to review the book (at all, either positively or negatively). Many thanks to LibraryThing and Oxford University Press!!
July 16, 2023
A tense, compelling and detailed history of the campaign.
The narrative is not a complete history, and the focus is on the September and October battles around Saratoga. Snow provides a sympathetic portrait of Burgoyne and his officers. He portrays Arnold’s role as not that decisive; in this version of the story he comes off as almost insane. Other times he is portrayed as a scheming careerist who got lucky a lot of the time; most of his decisions seem hasty.
The narrative is vivid, straightforward, fluid, and very readable, and Snow does a great job bringing the story to life. The book’s arguments aren’t terribly revisionist. There are a few drawbacks. Occasionally the story bogs down in minutiae, and the way Snow puts together the chronology feels a little repetitive at times. The narrative isn’t literally minute-by-minute, but some parts of the narrative can feel like it, which some might find annoying. The maps could have been a lot better; they’re small and don’t reveal much.
Also, if you look through the bibliography, there’s a lot of secondary sources, many of them dated. This might explain some of Snow’s odd assertions throughout the book. Snow claims that colonial sentiment was about one-third revolutionary, one-third loyalist, and one-third neutral (debatable, of course) He also portrays Burgoyne’s army as having a good amount of supplies but doesn’t elaborate on their difficulties in that area. He also repeats the old tale that a large portion of the British army was made up of convicts. At one point Snow refers to the “1784 Treaty of Paris.”
A thorough, well-written and mostly well-researched work.
The narrative is not a complete history, and the focus is on the September and October battles around Saratoga. Snow provides a sympathetic portrait of Burgoyne and his officers. He portrays Arnold’s role as not that decisive; in this version of the story he comes off as almost insane. Other times he is portrayed as a scheming careerist who got lucky a lot of the time; most of his decisions seem hasty.
The narrative is vivid, straightforward, fluid, and very readable, and Snow does a great job bringing the story to life. The book’s arguments aren’t terribly revisionist. There are a few drawbacks. Occasionally the story bogs down in minutiae, and the way Snow puts together the chronology feels a little repetitive at times. The narrative isn’t literally minute-by-minute, but some parts of the narrative can feel like it, which some might find annoying. The maps could have been a lot better; they’re small and don’t reveal much.
Also, if you look through the bibliography, there’s a lot of secondary sources, many of them dated. This might explain some of Snow’s odd assertions throughout the book. Snow claims that colonial sentiment was about one-third revolutionary, one-third loyalist, and one-third neutral (debatable, of course) He also portrays Burgoyne’s army as having a good amount of supplies but doesn’t elaborate on their difficulties in that area. He also repeats the old tale that a large portion of the British army was made up of convicts. At one point Snow refers to the “1784 Treaty of Paris.”
A thorough, well-written and mostly well-researched work.
December 12, 2022
In an interesting approach to this pivotal Revolutionary War battle, the author, an anthropologist, drills down to present individuals' real time views of the battle, and the maneuvering leading up to it. But he does so not just for the generals but also other officers, enlisted men, and women who were present. This last was not uncommon for armies of the time, with many camp followers and their families, while officers’ wives were accorded every courtesy. Frederika Riedesel’s diary (a general’s wife) is quoted at length. He helpfully presents these different experiences chronologically for each day.
I think this book would be of great interest to those passionate about the Revolutionary War, and to general readers who would like to understand more of individuals’ experiences. He succeeded in his stated aim, but personally I found it rather long and the maps of marginal use. He seemed to, understandably, limit his maps largely to the boundaries of the current National Park (where he tried to corrobate diarists' accounts with each other and the topography. But it was frustrating to have features continuously referred to, e.g., the wheat field or great redoubt, which were not marked on any map. And the last chapter covers the British retreat north to Saratoga, but there is no corresponding map to follow. But I think it a valuable book.
I think this book would be of great interest to those passionate about the Revolutionary War, and to general readers who would like to understand more of individuals’ experiences. He succeeded in his stated aim, but personally I found it rather long and the maps of marginal use. He seemed to, understandably, limit his maps largely to the boundaries of the current National Park (where he tried to corrobate diarists' accounts with each other and the topography. But it was frustrating to have features continuously referred to, e.g., the wheat field or great redoubt, which were not marked on any map. And the last chapter covers the British retreat north to Saratoga, but there is no corresponding map to follow. But I think it a valuable book.
October 27, 2017
Goodreads Giveaway - This is one of the most well written and readable battle histories I've every read. Most books recounting battles tend to be a poorly written, confusing, jumbled messes. However, this one reads with clarity and easy to follow narrative. If Revolutionary War/War for Independence is an interest, this book is a must read. I will mention, the title may be slightly misleading - the focus is not on the year of 1777 in the War - it is on the battles around Saratoga as lead by Gates and Burgoyne, which happened in 1777. Kudos to Dean Snow and OUP on this fantastic book. Highly recommended.
November 28, 2023
This is a very good but not a great read, Ideally, I would give it a 4.5 star rating, but since 0.5 stars are not possible, I rounded it up to a 5. I knew the basics of the Battle of Saratoga but this was my first in depth reading of it. One aspect I never appreciated was how long it took from when it began to the final capitulation. While I do like most of the side anecdotes provided, some of them didn't seem to add anything to the depth of the narrative. I mostly liked the breaking down of each day into hourly subsections. Occasionally, it would seem unnecessary.
Nonetheless, I do recommend the title.
Nonetheless, I do recommend the title.
January 25, 2022
1777 tells the story of the Battle of Saratoga (in upstate New York) in September-October 1777. Written by an archaeologist as opposed to a historian, it takes the events at Saratoga chronologically, day by day, hour by hour, from both the British/German side and the Americans. While it's not the most engaging of works, it is listenable without being overly dry and boring. The narrator does a decent job and makes for an interesting listen. The only real downside is that it just seemed to take ages to get through. Still, a good read for those interested in the American Revolution.
July 1, 2019
This battle happened not too far from where we currently live. It's a very detailed chronological recollection of the series of event that occurred during the months of Sep and Oct. The pace of the writing and the way the author describes all kinds of actions from almost insignificant to critical provides a great insight into the actual conditions of life during these times.
February 24, 2021
i don't think you will find a more detailed account of the battle. This guy covered everything and breaks it down to the minutes. it definitely helps to keep a small map and note sheet out to keep track of every detail that is mentioned. This review is really 4.5 out of 5. it almost gives too much detail.
June 5, 2021
This is a most excellent book that describes great detail of the Battle of Saratoga which many consider the turning point or tipping the scales toward the Americans in the Revolution. It should be required reading in higher education!
August 10, 2021
Written in a daily planner style, jumping back and forth between key players of the battles. Highly informative and paints the picture of what the battle must have felt like through different sets of eyes, officers, enlisted men, volunteer militia, camp followers, wives officers, etc.
September 6, 2025
Detailed account of the men and battle(s) at Saratoga NY. How things would have turned out differently if this or that detail was added or subtracted. ex: if Benedict Arnold was shot in the heart instead of his leg, he would have been remembered as a revolutionary hero instead of.......
December 30, 2017
For those who are already familiar with events of the Battle of Saratoga, this book offers a massive amount of context for many people in involved in the campaign on both sides.
July 16, 2023
This was a great story and read.
June 29, 2024
A/UN - Excellent - big picture plus individual stories - interesting take on Arnold
December 1, 2024
It's a great summary of one of the most pivotal campaigns in the American Revolution
August 29, 2016
American schoolchildren, at least of a certain vintage, when studying the Revolution were taught that the Battle of Saratoga was of great importance because the American victory there over the British forces commanded by Lieutenant-General John Burgoyne convinced the French to come into the war on our side, something which helped secure the eventual defeat of the British and with it American independence. Not for nothing did President Obama recently call France, “our oldest friend.” And who can forget the stirring words of General Pershing’s aide Colonel Stanton when the American Expeditionary Force landed in France in 1917, “Lafayette, we are here!”
“1777,” by Dean Snow which is subtitled “Tipping Point at Saratoga,” is a marvelous, almost hour-by-hour account of the thirty-three days and two battles which made up the “Battle of Saratoga.” It was a much more prolonged, intricate dance between two armies than I had ever imagined. Snow’s thesis, based on archeological and documentary evidence, holds that when the inexperienced, cobbled-together American army defeated the disciplined, experienced army of the mighty British, that the “tipping point” of the war occurred, and it made American independence from Great Britain almost inevitable, even without the help of the French.
There is a beautiful quilt pattern called “Burgoyne Surrounded,” quite complicated to execute, which consists of four large red squares, representing the British army at Saratoga, surrounded by a field of white with a series of smaller blue squares forming a large circle around the red squares. By the end of the Saratoga campaign that is what actually happened; General Burgoyne’s much smaller and less well-supplied army was surrounded by the American forces under General Horatio Gates and the British were forced to surrender. We see the negotiations as they happen, hour by hour, back and forth, and very interesting it is, too.
Snow helpfully adds an epilogue telling of the eventual fates of some of the people who took part in the campaign. It is always so odd to read books from this part of the war when Benedict Arnold was still a loyal American officer, but there he was at Saratoga commanding men as an American general.
“1777” is an excellent book, well-written, detailed, fair to both sides, and well worth reading for anyone interested in American or military history. I enjoyed this book very much and award it five stars.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
“1777,” by Dean Snow which is subtitled “Tipping Point at Saratoga,” is a marvelous, almost hour-by-hour account of the thirty-three days and two battles which made up the “Battle of Saratoga.” It was a much more prolonged, intricate dance between two armies than I had ever imagined. Snow’s thesis, based on archeological and documentary evidence, holds that when the inexperienced, cobbled-together American army defeated the disciplined, experienced army of the mighty British, that the “tipping point” of the war occurred, and it made American independence from Great Britain almost inevitable, even without the help of the French.
There is a beautiful quilt pattern called “Burgoyne Surrounded,” quite complicated to execute, which consists of four large red squares, representing the British army at Saratoga, surrounded by a field of white with a series of smaller blue squares forming a large circle around the red squares. By the end of the Saratoga campaign that is what actually happened; General Burgoyne’s much smaller and less well-supplied army was surrounded by the American forces under General Horatio Gates and the British were forced to surrender. We see the negotiations as they happen, hour by hour, back and forth, and very interesting it is, too.
Snow helpfully adds an epilogue telling of the eventual fates of some of the people who took part in the campaign. It is always so odd to read books from this part of the war when Benedict Arnold was still a loyal American officer, but there he was at Saratoga commanding men as an American general.
“1777” is an excellent book, well-written, detailed, fair to both sides, and well worth reading for anyone interested in American or military history. I enjoyed this book very much and award it five stars.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
February 3, 2017
For general readers, the rating is two stars. For historians, or those with a deep interest in American Revolutionary War Military History, it merits four or five stars. The book is a good forensic study of this most critical battle of the war. The primary research is exceptional and this is a nice offering from a university press.
November 20, 2016
With few exceptions prefer longer narratives of an entire campaign or war. Unfortunately this was not one of those exceptions. Do think Saratoga does not get the proper due in narratives of the American Revolution.
March 30, 2017
Dean Snow provides an almost hour by hour account of the battle of Saratoga and the critical decisions made on both the American and British side. For those interested in the revolutionary war this is an excellent addition with great detail and enough explanation of how Saratoga relates to the wider war effort without going into detail on everything else happening in the war. For those who are more casual readers this will probably be overwhelming detail about a single battle. This book has a strong military analysis of what went wrong with Burgoyne’s plan and what went right between the volatile Benedict Arnold and the more cautious Horatio Gates. For those who have been to the Saratoga Battlefield this book does an excellent job of bringing it to life and describing the terrain at the time. Overall a must have for revolutionary war scholars.
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