(TL) For King and Country

Genghis Kawaii

Gone Fishin'
4 October, 1777
14 and a half kilometres south of Saratoga
New York Colony

"My lord, we do not have sufficient strength to breach the rebel lines. We need to fall back, and strike when we are stronger and the rebels more vulnerable."

General John Burgoyne massaged his temple while he considered General Riedesel's statement. It wasn't without merit. Though he had won several victories so far, each had left him with fewer men, and the desertions weren't helping. Though he held Freeman's Farm, the battle cost him over a thousand men, and he now had just over four thousand ready for battle, with another fifteen hundred sick and wounded. The rebels now had two battle ready soldiers to each of his, and the force sent to reconnoiter the rebel flank reported the terrain to be against his troops. He sighed deeply, exasperated by the situation. Loathe as he was to admit it, General Riedesel was correct. There would be no victory on this field. After several minutes of contemplation, he decided upon a course of action.

"Prepare the troops to withdraw to Saratoga. We'll hold it as best we can, or fall back to Fort Miller if we can't. Hopefully, Clinton's men will show up soon so we get back onto the attack. We'll start the withdrawal with the German Regiments in the vanguard, then the artillery, followed by the rest. 24th foot and our light troops will take the rear guard."

With that, he excused his officers to carry out their commands, and prepared to oversee the march. Hopefully this campaign would start to turn around soon. He didn't want to think of the outcome if it didn't.
 
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Genghis Kawaii

Gone Fishin'
4 October, 1777
14 and a half kilometres south of Saratoga
New York Colony

This war was finally starting to look up. The British may have taken Freeman's Farm, but they were bled white in the effort. Recent reports from deserters had it that the British were in full withdrawal back towards Saratoga. General Horatio Gates had them well outnumbered, and far better fed. The only problem was that damned insubordinate Arnold. Gates would have him replaced, but there was nobody suitable available.

Arnold would march ahead as quick as possible with Morgan's Riflemen and the New Hampshire regiments, bypassing the British column and making for Saratoga to prevent the British from using the fortifications there. There, he was to hold in place until Gates arrived with the main force to crush Burgoyne from the rear. With that done, France would have all the proof it needed that the Colonials actually stood a chance in this war.
 
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Genghis Kawaii

Gone Fishin'
4 October, 1777
12 kilometres south of Saratoga
New York Colony

General Benedict Arnold was not a happy man. He was doing all the work in this campaign while General Gates sat in his tent, yet Gates was getting all the credit and accolades. He'd confronted the man, but to no avail. All that resulted was a shouting match and denial of his request to transfer to another command for lack of a suitable replacement. Yet more proof that Gates needed him, like it or not.

Now he had the skills and resources to handle Burgoyne on his own, and yet Gates was holding him back to take all the glory for himself. Arnold wouldn't have it. He wouldn't have it at all. He'd catch up to Burgoyne and crush him, all without Gates anywhere nearby to take responsibility again. He'd finally get the recognition he deserved.
 

Genghis Kawaii

Gone Fishin'
This timeline has two main points of diversion:

The first is that Morgan's forces did not charge without orders at Freeman's Farm. Without this, Gates never moved to reinforce him. While Morgan was able to do much damage to the British forces, eventually he ended up facing the main force of the British, and was scattered into the woods with heavy casualties. After this Gates moved upon the main force, and broke their lines. At this point British Generals Riedesel and Phillips arrived with reinforcements and beat the Colonials back in heavy fighting, scoring a tactical victory for the British but at greater losses than IRL. Since the battle Morgan has been less effective due to the casualties taken. In the aftermath, Gates decides that he wants to transfer Arnold out, but not until a suitable replacement is found.

The second is that Lincoln has not had so much success in Vermont, and is still up there trying to make trouble rather than marching thousands of troops, many rescued prisoners, south to Gates's camp. Gates still has a large numerical advantage, especially after Freeman's Farm, but not so large as IRL.
 
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Look forward to seeing where you take this, you seem to have Arnold's characterisation spot on but your Gates seems a bit to competent.
 

Genghis Kawaii

Gone Fishin'
I wouldn't call my Gates too competent. The British currently stand at 4000 able bodied and 1500 infirm. Burgoyne sees the withdrawal as a disgrace, and doesn't want to further that disgrace by abandoning the sick and wounded. With so many disabled, the march will be relatively slow going.

This means that Gates can easily outmarch Burgoyne. He could sneak up around both flanks and hit the column from both sides and the rear. Instead, he's going for a more conventional approach, because he wants the glory of a well orchestrated battle. Do to the plan's reliance on Arnold, and Gates having given the very haughty Arnold a couple of direct slaps to the face, this will come back to bite him.

I do have to make a retcon. It makes more sense for Burgoyne to make for Saratoga than Fort Miller, so Arnold's orders are to set up in front of Saratoga to prevent Burgoyne from reoccupying the fortifications there while Gates slams into the rear. It makes more sense on everyone's end, though Gates is still ignoring the easier but less "glorious" option of catching up to the column and slamming into it from both sides, then sweeping it up from the rear.
 
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