The surrender
On October 17, 1777, British General John Burgoyne surrendered to the colonial army. Nearly 6,000 troops were surrendered to the colonial General, Horatio Gates, (which was about one fourth of the British troops in North America). "The fortunes of war have made me your prisoner," said British General John Burgoyne as he handed over his sword to his American counterpart, Horatio Gates. "I shall always be ready to testify that it was through no fault of your excellency," Gates replied. When John Burgoyne returned to Britain, he was met with criticism and he never held another active command. The surrender of the British army convinced France to begin talks about allying with the colonists, which without help from France, the colonists may not have won the Revolutionary War.