In June 1777 British General John Burgoyne began an attempt to divide the rebellious United States in the American Revolutionary War by moving south from the British province of Quebec to gain control of the Hudson River valley, separating the New England states from those to the south.
On July 7, when Burgoyne occupied Fort Ticonderoga, Ten Broeck indicated that, on receipt of that news, he had sent some of his forces forward.
[4] These forces probably did not include the 7th Albany County Regiment of Abraham van Alstyne, based in Kinderhook, New York.
On September 18, one day before the Battle of Freeman's Farm, Governor Clinton wrote to the state's militia commander, General Abraham Ten Broeck, indicating he had ordered the remaining Albany County north to support Gates, issuing orders to Van Alstyne and other regimental leaders directly to speed their movement.
"[8] This suggests that Van Alstyne's and other Albany County regiments were not present at Burgoyne's surrender, and were probably released after the British threat from New York City had subsided.