British General. Born to John and Anna Maria Burneston Burgoyne in Sutton, England, he attended the prestigious Westminster School and in 1740 he purchased a commission in the 13th Light Dragoons. He attained the rank of lieutenant in just one year. It was at this time he first earned the nickname Gentleman Johnny. In 1743 Burgoyne eloped with Charlotte Stanley with whom he ran up almost insurmountable debt which necessitated the selling of his commission. They spent several years of self exile in France. At the outbreak of the French and Indian War in 1756 he was reinstated, promoted to captain in 1758, and then to lieutenant-colonel in the Foot Guards. In 1761, he sat as a member of parliament for Midhurst. The following year he won distinction in Portugal where he served as a Brigadier-general against Spanish forces. In 1768 he again sat as an MP while simultaneously working as a playwright, with his first play, ‘The Maid of the Oaks,' being produced in 1775. That same year saw the outbreak of the American Revolution and he was posted to America. In 1776 he aided in the relief of Quebec. In 1777 he was given command of the British forces in Canada with which he thrust southward into New York State. His campaign was initially successful and he gained possession of Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Edwards for which he was promoted to lieutenant-general. His overconfident push, however, was broken at Saratoga by the American forces led by Horatio Gates. On October 17, 1777 almost 6,000 British troops surrendered in their greatest defeat of the war to that date. Following Saratoga, he was deprived of his regiment and recalled to England to defend his conduct. It wasn't until 1782 when political friends came into office was he restored to his rank, named commander-in-chief in Ireland, and appointed privy councilor. Widowed, he apparently married his mistress, Susan Caulfield that same year and with her had four children. His last public act was his participation in the impeachment of Warren Hastings. After the fall of the government in 1783, he became more involved in literary and dramatic work and won acclaim for his comedy, ‘The Heiress,' which was produced in 1786. He died suddenly at age 70 in London and was buried in the North Walk of the Cloisters in Westminster Abbey.