<P> The courage and obstinacy with which the Americans fought were the astonishment of everyone, and we now became fully convinced that they are not that contemptible enemy we had hitherto imagined them, incapable of standing a regular engagement and that they would only fight behind strong and powerful works . </P> <P> In recognition of his contribution to the battles at Saratoga, General Arnold had his seniority restored (he had lost it after being passed over for promotion earlier in 1777). His leg wound left Arnold bedridden for five months . Later, while still unfit for field service but serving as military governor of Philadelphia, Arnold entered into treasonous correspondence with the British . He received command of the fort at West Point and plotted to hand it over to the British, only to flee into the British lines when the capture of his contact John Andre led to the exposure of the plot . Arnold went on to serve under William Phillips, the commander of Burgoyne's right wing, in a 1781 expedition into Virginia . </P> <P> Although he left the direction of the battle to subordinates, General Gates received a great deal of credit as the commanding general for the greatest American victory of the war to date . He may have conspired with others to replace George Washington as the commander - in - chief . Instead, he received the command of the main American army in the South . He led it to a disastrous defeat at the 1780 Battle of Camden, where he was at the forefront of a panicked retreat . Gates never commanded troops in the field again . </P> <P> In response to Burgoyne's surrender, Congress declared December 18, 1777, as a national day "for solemn Thanksgiving and praise"; it was the nation's first official observance of a holiday with that name . </P>

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