One of the things I've enjoyed has been touring battlefields with knowledgable leaders. They can help a lot with framing, visualization and context.
Lately I've been working on my own understanding of the Saratoga Campaign of 1777 and it seems to me that a tour which covers the approaches to the battles as well as the battles themselves might make for a worthwhile exercise. I'm considering whether to try for one in early August of this year or the spring of next year.
The tour would entail carpooling with 20 to 25 participants, and the fee for the tour would be a contribution to
Gift of Life. We'd meet for breakfast somewhere in the Glens Falls or Lake George Village area, where I'd do a presentation explaining the British strategy for suppression of the rebellion in 1777, and why Burgoyne led British forces south via Lake Champlain. I'd also provide a brief explanation of the British attempt on Lake Champlain the year before, and what happened at Ticonderoga in 1777 (Ticonderoga is too far north to include on a one day tour.) We'd then head to sites (that fit the schedule) where we'd talk about what happened at these locations and how they influenced the progress of the campaign. These sites would include at a minimum the Bennington Battlefield (in Walloomsac, New York), the Saratoga Battlefield and a number of other spots that influnced the battle (perhaps Fort Miller, the San Coick Mill in North Hoosick, and so forth.)
Topics:
Framing & context- why were the armies here and what were their goals and objectives? who were the commanders and what were their strengths and weaknesses? what were the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign plans?
Interpretation (meta discussion) - what are the issues with how we interpret the campaign? how has the interpretation changed over time?
have we been misled by conventional wisdom into oversimplified pictures of what happened? (e.g., were Burgoyne and Gates really as bad as their reputations would lead us to believe?)
Compare and constrast: the Bennington Battlefield and the Saratoga Battlefield, two very different experiences. How has battlefield preservation & interpretation changed over the past 100 years? Which approach do you think is better?
