he United States of America declared its independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, and chose Philadelphia as its capital. Fresh from their major victory in New York City, the British looked to crush the fledgling nation in 1777 with a two-pronged offensive—Maj. Gen. John Burgoyne would advance from Canada to gain control of the Hudson River valley and isolate New England, while Maj. Gen. Sir William Howe, the British commander in
