Hello and welcome to a history of the United States.

Episode 148, Saratoga. After spending the last few

episodes focused on events in the mid-Atlantic states, today we turn north to look at events in Canada.

We last looks at Canada in late 1776. General Carlton had attempted to march down the Lake Champlain corridor, which had been delayed crossing the lake by the activity of Benedict Arnold.

The plan for 1777 was to complete that mission. Carlton was to defeat the Patriot Forces stationed at Fort Taekondroga,

take Albany and then march south to New York.

To accomplish this, he wanted 4,000 extra reinforcements.

John Begoyne, whom colonial secretary Jermaine decided would replace Carlton as commander

in Canada, said he did not need any additional reinforcements. He fully expected a tough fight

from the Patriots at Taekondoroga, but nonetheless thought the British would prevail and make it

to Albany.

Begoin left London at the start of the year and reached Quebec in May 1777.

Carlton was furious, but only with Germain, knowing that this was not Begoin's fault.

He provided Begoin with what assistance he could.

He marched south, met up with his forces, crossed Lake Champlain, and landed on the southern

shore on July 1st, with around 8,500 men, while a small number of around 1,000 reached Oswego,

and met up with about 1,000 Iroquois, who would launch

a simultaneous assault from the west as Begoyne attacked from the north.

The Iroquois had mostly stayed out of the war up to this point, and the Anida and some Tuscaora actually supported the Patriots,

but the other four nations judged Britain to be the more powerful force, and so sided with her.

Not that it actually achieved much. Begoyne didn't want the Iroquois to attack the Americans outside of battle,

which confused the Iroquois, and the end result was that Begoin was criticised for using the Iroquois,

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