I’m something of a US Revolutionary War buff. I’ve had a particular interest in the battle of Saratoga, partly because it provides numerous examples of why the British could never have won this war (e.g. difficult communications; long supply lines; ready access by the US to militias etc.) but also because it was to my mind the most significant battle of the war. It finally convinced the French the the US had a chance of winning and brought them in on the US side. Saratoga is not too far (about three hours) from where I live. My wife was travelling somewhere so I thought I’d go up there. It turned out to be a gloomy rainy day. I had my then quite new Panasonic Lumix LX3 with me but didn’t want to damage it in the rain. So instead I used my old iPhone 3GS.

Battlefield landscape: a view from the ramparts.

Cannon

Benedict Arnold boot monument. I’ve always been fascinated by Benedict Arnold. If he’d died at the Battle of Saratoga (as he almost dig) he would have gone down in history as one of the US’s greatest heros. As it turned out he later turned against the US and his name is now synonymous with ‘traitor’. Not everyone gets to be a general on both sides in the same war.

Site of US Headquarters. Note the interesting flag, which combines the bars of the later US flag with the Union Jack. Apparently it’s called the Grand Union flag.

Site of British Headquarters