Neilson's Farm
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
This reconstructed home is located at the site of John Neilson's farmhouse and was built to resemble the home that was located here during the Saratoga campaign that culminated in a decisive American victory. In October of 1777, this home became the quarters for American Generals Benedict Arnold and Enoch Poor during the multiple battles around Saratoga. Following the American Revolution, Neilson returned with his wife Lydia to their home and grew their family in the newly created United States of America.
Images
Neilson House
Neilson House circa 1920
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Generals Benedict Arnold and Enoch Poor used the Neilson home as their headquarters in 1777 during the pivotal American Revolution campaign known as the Battle of Saratoga. The small red house is open to the public on most days, along with exhibits around the house. Items within the house are personal items from officers in the field during the American Revolution that help demonstrate how officers lived and how their accommodations differed from that of enlisted men.
The location of the Neilson house is on the westernmost flank of the American forces that concentrated around Bemis Heights. This flank was General Burgoyne's primary objective for both offensive actions on September 19 (Battle of Freeman's Farm) and October 7th (Battle of Bemis Heights). Burgoyne planned to move further inland from the Hudson River to avoid American defensive fortifications along the river, which Burgoyne believed would cause more casualties than the route over land. If Burgoyne was successful, he believed that the British would be able to march on Albany with little resistance and split the New England colonies from the rest of the colonies.
Roughly a mile north of the Neilson Home is Freeman's Farm, the location where the first fighting between the Americans and British occurred in the Saratoga campaign. The fighting at Freeman's Farm started the Battles of Saratoga, which became a major turning point in the American Revolution by surrounding one of Britain's armies before it could meet up with other British forces. The victory was pivotal in preventing an anticipated British offensive. After Saratoga, the war ground on for an additional six years concluding with the British surrender and the establishment of the United States.
Sources
John Neilson House, National Park Services. Accessed May 4th, 2023. https://sara.oncell.com/en/2-john-neilson-house-56947.html.
Saratoga: Neilson House, National Park Services. Accessed May 4th, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/sara/planyourvisit/neilson-house.htm.
https://www.nps.gov/sara/planyourvisit/neilson-house.htm
https://www.nps.gov/sara/planyourvisit/neilson-house.htm