Loyalist Widow & Mother Desperately Appeals to England for Relief.

Mary McAlpin and her husband Major Daniel McAlpin purchased a 600-acre estate on the west side of Saratoga Lake in 1773. Two years later, local militia asked McAlpin to train their soldiers. He refused to become involved, was jailed multiple times in Albany, and eventually escaped and joined Burgoyne’s army at Fort Edward.

While her husband was in jail, Mary McAlpin stayed at home with her three children. The McAlpin home was placed under guard by local Patriots, who felt free to use the home as their own. In May of 1777, the Albany Committee of Safety ordered the McAlpin family from their home. They were brought first to Stillwater and then to Albany. Penniless and without proper clothing, the family relied on friends to provide food and shelter.

After the War for Independence, Mary McAlpin applied for reparations from the British government for their losses. Her husband had died in Canada during the war and she was now a widow with children to support. Her claim included 900 acres on Saratoga Lake. The property was one among 13 belonging to Loyalist families in what is now Saratoga County that had been seized by the State of New York after the war.

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In her “Memoir of a Hessian Officer’s Wife,” a baroness and wife of a Hessian commander fighting for the British provides a unique a glimpse into the daily life, struggles and triumphs of a woman living in a war-torn land.

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While the play Hamilton has made the three-peas-in-a-pod “Schuyler Sisters” a household name, their father, Philip, may not enjoy the same 21st century fame despite playing a key role in the ultimate success of the Battles of Saratoga.

While the play Hamilton has made the three-peas-in-a-pod “Schuyler Sisters” a household name, their father, Philip, gets just one quick cameo in the musical—giving Founding Father Alexander Hamilton his blessing to marry daughter Eliza.

In real life, however, the prominent politician and Army general played a key role in the ultimate success of the Battles of Saratoga. As the commander of the Northern Department of the Continental Army, he was responsible for organizing and leading American forces during the campaign.

The Schuyler House, located in Schuylerville, New York, served as the headquarters for General Schuyler during the Battles of Saratoga. A prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War, Schuyler used the house as a strategic center for planning military operations in the region. The strategic location of the house provided Schuyler with a vantage point to oversee the battles and make crucial decisions.

Today, the Schuyler House has become a historical landmark and a museum that preserves the memory of the American Revolution. It offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of General Philip Schuyler and his family during this significant period in American history.

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An infamous American traitor, Gen. Benedict Arnold ironically played a heroic role in the Battles of Saratoga. Read about why he is remembered at the battlefield with a boot.

An infamous American traitor, Gen. Benedict Arnold ironically played a heroic role in the turning point of the American Revolution. Read about why he is remembered at the battlefield with a boot. At Saratoga’s Battle at Freeman’s Farm, British forces far outnumbered the Patriot troops. Arnold devised a daring plan to engage the enemy head-on, unleashing a relentless assault that inflicted heavy casualties upon the British. His bravery and resolve inspired his men to rally in the face of adversity.

In the second battle, at Bemis Heights, Arnold led a fierce assault that caught the British off guard. With sword in hand, he personally led his troops into the thick of the fighting, driving back the British. Arnold’s bold maneuvers and audacious exploits helped to ultimately force Burgoyne’s surrender, securing a resounding victory that would become the turning point in the war.

The second battle left Arnold severely wounded in the leg and, even more lasting, bitterly resentful when General Gates took credit before Congress for the Battles of Saratoga’s success. Ultimately, Arnold turned against the Patriots and became famous for being a traitor.

Today, at Saratoga National Park, Arnold’s contribution to the Battles of Saratoga is marked by a monument of a single boot and a two-star epaulet draped over a howitzer barrel. There is no mention of Arnold by name. It reads:

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