Posted on 10/22/2012 6:14:20 AM PDT by Pharmboy
Over 150 people gathered Sunday at Trinity Church in Manhattan to honor Gen. Horatio Gates. Mention “the Victor at Saratoga” and people may think that you are talking about a horse. Yet that so-called victor, Gen. Horatio Gates, the commander of the American forces at the Battle of Saratoga, played a crucial role in the triumph there over the British forces of Gen. John Burgoyne in October 1777.
Though other figures of the War of Independence are still widely revered and studied, Gates faded from the national memory. He died in New York in 1806 and was buried at Trinity Churchyard in Lower Manhattan. Precisely where is not known.
snip...
While it was Gates’s strategy that achieved victory, it was Arnold who led that final attack. That is why Arnold, not Gates, is often credited with the victory. “It was his strategy that was successful,” said Mr. Kaplan, referring to Gates. Saratoga was a decisive moment, spurring the French to enter the war on the side of the Americans, which helped secure eventual victory.
“Many people today,” Mr. Kaplan said, would say that “Benedict Arnold won it.
“I say it’s bunk,” he continued. “The whole thing was over before Arnold even jumped in.”
snip
Yet Gates might have helped put himself on the path to relative obscurity. He had a falling out with George Washington. And in 1780, his forces were defeated at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina.
(Excerpt) Read more at cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com ...
General Herkimer managed to stop St Leger from linking up with Burgoyne although he took a bunch of casualties and in fact was mortally wounded himself.
Upstate New York is a wonderful place to explore significant places of the Revolution.
From the site:
There's a wonderful history behind most traditional quilting blocks and Burgoyne Surrounded is obviously a commemoration of his surrender at Saratoga. It's a very geometric pattern, with a sort of thin, single Irish Chain pattern running through the main blocks.
Gates worked hard to earn his obscurity. Rehabilitating him is even siller than rehabilitating McClellan.
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Well, for the progressives, anything they can use in their quest to diminish the Founding Fathers is helpful. Ergo, if Gates was opposed to Washington, he must be revered.
I was killing time in Philly one fine Autumn day while I waited for my passport to be ready and I walked by Christ Church Burial Ground and looked in at the grave of Benjamin Franklin.
Scattered across his grave were pennies thrown in, presumably in reference to his famous statement about a penny saved being a penny earned. While I was there, the officially sanctioned Benjamen Franklin impersonator walked over, picked up a penny and started asking people "My word, who is this fellow on the penny?". Everyone remained silent and he eventually shrugged and shuffled back inside.
When he was gone, one woman asked her husband "Who is it on there anyway?" and he said "I guess Franklin". So sad.
His portrait tells the story about him. His medal is very large and pulled to the left so we can see it well. His eyes look dissatisfied and seem to challenge us to take notice. There seems to be something burning in the background. Envy?
Thanks Pharmboy.
“Granny” Gates was never my favorite American General. Anybody who attacked Washington is unforgivable. I didn’t like the way he cut and ran at Camden either. De Kalb made a real contrast with him at Camden.
Yes...our takes on Gates are similar to our takes on many other issues. Great to hear from you.
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