General John Burgoyne was born in 1722 in Sutton, Bedfordshire, England. After eloping with his wife, he navigated several military captaincies and finding his father-in-law's approval. He played an incredibly important role for the British military forces during the Seven Years War against the French. The way in which Burgoyne led his men earned him the nickname "Gentleman Johnny" during the war. From the end of the Seven Years War and on, he served as a respected member of Parliament despite his growing reputation of being a profligate. He also began a career as a notable playwright, with titles such as "The Heiress" (1786) and "The Maid of the Oaks" (1774).
Once American Revolution began, Burgoyne was shipped off to help with the war efforts in Boston harbor before returning to England for only a few months. Upon arriving in the colonies once more, he was instrumental in halting the American invasion of Quebec in 1776. Then Burgoyne sought permission from Lord Germain, the British Minister, to launch a campaign to launch a three-pronged attack on Albany in an effort to separate the New England Colonies from the rest. Permission was granted in 1776, and the campaign began in spring of 1777. Part of Burgoyne's plan relied on support from General Howe. But the two generals had a rocky relationship and Lord Germain did not communicate orders clearly so the campaign did not begin smoothly. While Burgoyne was marching with troops south from Quebec to Saratoga and onwards, Howe was embarking on a mission for Philadelphia.
On their journey south, Burgoyne's army passed through Chazy leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Among the burned homesteads was that of Chazy's first settler, Jean La Framboise, who planted of the first apple trees of the North Country. The defending American forces included over double the number of the advancing British troops, plus General Benedict Arnold insisted on a very aggressive strategy. In the end, Burgoyne's impulsive attempts to regain control of a losing battle and a huge lack of military resources contributed to a shame-filled surrender on October 17, 1777. However, he was eventually able to insist that much of the blame should not be attributed to him but to several others for a lack of planning and poor circumstances. Burgoyne negotiated with American General Horatio gates for him and his men to be released back to England on parole. For the remainder of his life, he stayed away from the public eye and focused on his career as a playwright. General Burgoyne died June 4, 1792 and was buried at Westminster Abbey. This historical marker was put up as an initiative of the Chazy Public Library Friends of the Library in 1980.
Click Here For Related Material
Comments