Andrew J. O’Shaughnessy: "The Old Gamester: General John Burgoyne"

British General John Burgoyne’s theatrical personality, manicured appearance, and work as a playwright perfectly embody the stereotype of the aristocratic dilettante. His portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, painted about 1766, is the inspiration for this lecture, which details Burgoyne’s career as a rising military star before his defeat at Saratoga, a battle often regarded as the turning point of the American Revolution.