On January 15, 1777, in Saratoga along the “Fish Kill” in the cold of winter, General Philip Schuyler wrote a heartfelt letter to his friend General George Washington. “The pleasure I felt on Learning your Success At Trentown Occassioned Feelings… I very Sincerely congratulate you on that Event and the Succeding ones.”
Schuyler wrote. “May Heaven Continue To Crown you with a Succession of Laurels, and make you the happy Instrument of preserving Liberty to this much Injured Country.” His words captured the fragile hope that Washington’s victories at Trenton and Princeton brought to a war-weary army and country.
In December of 1776, the Continental Army was at its breaking point. Winter claimed lives, morale was crushed, and hunger gnawed at each camp. As Thomas Paine famously wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”
Yet, against all odds, Washington’s forces rebounded, reviving the dream of independence. This spirit would soon send part of the Continental Army north, ultimately to Saratoga.
Among the elite forces veterans from Trenton, Washington, dispatched were Daniel Morgan’s renowned riflemen — backwoods sharpshooters celebrated for their deadly accuracy — and Glover and Learned’s seasoned Massachusetts brigades.
These Massachusetts units, comprised of experienced soldiers and integrated with European, African, and Native American men, would prove instrumental in the pivotal Saratoga campaign, a crucial turning point in the fight for American independence.
Schuyler’s and Washington’s lives reflected the contradictions of their time. Schuyler, a member of one of New York’s most prominent Dutch families, was a complex figure. A shrewd strategist and staunch patriot, he was deeply committed to the cause of American independence. However, his aristocratic background and cautious nature often clashed with the more radical elements within the Continental Congress.
Despite his significant contributions to the war effort, he faced criticism and was ultimately replaced by General Horatio Gates as commander of the Northern Department. Washington, a Virginia plantation owner, fought for liberty while grappling with the contradictions of a new nation where some leaders — including both men — still owned slaves.
Yet, through mutual sacrifice and shared vision, Washington and Schuyler’s friendship became a pillar of the Continental Army’s success throughout the eight years of the war.
The American victory at Saratoga, achieved through unity and sacrifice, ultimately convinced France to enter the war on the American side. General John Burgoyne’s surrender was a testament to the courage and resilience of individuals who believed in freedom, even those who might never fully experience it.
In the quiet candlelit room at Saratoga where he wrote his letter, Schuyler may have paused, watching shadows stretch and retreat across his desk. His words resonated with a hard-won optimism — an acknowledgment that victory was within reach even in the darkest hours.
Schuyler’s words lingered in the air as the candle dimmed, a reminder of strength born from hope, unity, and the enduring pursuit of freedom.
Illustration: The Schuyler House from 2001, an earlier version of the Schuyler House was where Schuyler wrote this letter. British General John Burgoyne burned that house 9 months after the letter to Washington was written.
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