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Detail 1

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British General John Burgoyne invaded the United States from Canada in 1777 as part of an ambitious plan to end the American rebellion by splitting the colonies in two. His 5,000 man army consisted of crack British troops, Hessian mercenaries and Native American allies. A non-existent supply line and bushwacking through dense forests while overloaded with baggage was Burgoyne's undoing. Morale sagged as the army slogged on. Meanwhile, hundreds of New Englanders raced to intercept the invasion. This badly damaged German Brunswick musket (1760-1777) is likely one of those taken from the Brunswick troops at the battle of Saratoga in 1778 or at the battle of Bennington, Vermont that preceded it. It is very close in form to the muskets sent as trophies to Massachusetts by the commander of the American forces at Bennington.

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