Burgoyne had been in America before the day of Bunker Hill and knew a great deal about the country.

He thought the "insurgents" good enough fighters when protected by trees and stones and swampy ground.

But he thought, too, that they had no real knowledge of the science of war and could not fight a pitched battle.

He himself had not shown the prevision required by sound military knowledge.

If the British were going to abandon the advantage of sea power and fight where they could not fall back on their fleet, they needed to pay special attention to land transport.