American Revolutionary War Sites
The East
Coast of the United States is filled with history, particularly with respect to
the American Revolution. Along the eastern seaboard from New
England to the Deep South, one can find battlegrounds where colonists fought for
independence against British “regulars.”
In April I was able to visit two memorable sites: where the revolution
began in Boston and its turning point at Saratoga battlefield in upstate New
York.

The Old
North Church is notable for its beauty as well as its historical significance. Its classic white
interior, with huge windows and beautiful brass chandeliers and sconces, is truly striking. The stable-like pews (called "box pubs"), which were purchased by
wealthy parishioners in colonial times, served the purpose of keeping in the heat from foot warmers to ward off the cold New England winters.
Poorer members of the congregation had to sit in the upstairs balcony. The clock hanging at the rear of the room, which
dates from 1726, is the oldest working American-made clock in existence. The pipe organ, installed in 1759, was the first instrument of its type to be entirely created in the colony; only the case is original. Four lovely hand-carved wooden angels from Belgium stand around the organ.
Just a
few weeks after our trip to Boston, I made my first excursion to the Saratoga battlefield, now a national park. In 1777 colonial forces—against
all odds—defeated British troops and changed the tide of the American Revolution. British General John Burgogne led 10,000
troops south from Lake Champlain to the Hudson River; at the same time Colonel Barry
St. Leger was to bring his soldiers east from Buffalo along the Mohawk to
rendezvous with Burgogne and his men near Albany. Part three of the British plan was to have General
William Howe and his soldiers drive north from New York City, but Howe decided
to attack George Washington and his army in Philadelphia. Meanwhile in Saratoga, the number of patriots was doubling in size and, aided by wise fortifications and the fact that Burgogne’s men had been on
half-rations for several weeks, they were able to surround the British and force
their surrender on October 17th.
The Saratoga National Historical Park
stretches over miles of rolling hills and contains John Freeman’s farm, the
Barber wheat field, and many other historically important sites of revolutionary battles. Various activities for adults and children take place throughout the year. It’s really worth a visit.
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