Here we have a few significant artifacts pertaining to the American Revolution.

We have a picture of major general Philip Schuyler who was in charge of the northern continental army at the time.

We also have Colonel Peter Gansevoort, although he wasn't at the mansion during the planning of the battles of Saratoga.

He was here out at Fort Stanwix holding the fort and he also was here and he was married to Catherine Van Schaick.

We also have a copy of George Washington's inventory.

He was noted to come through this area to take a survey of upstate New York to look at what kind of damage was done in the state of the New York state at the time.

After the revolution when an important dignitary came to your house, they signed a window pane with a diamond ring and this window pane was signed.

There is the initials GW on this window pane in the upper third quadrant of the window.

We also have a promissory note.

This is a copy.

This was given to Anna and John g Van Schaick, and it was a promissory note that says we will pay you back after they donated $10,000 worth of gold to the cause.

And as you would imagine, that did not happen, but that's a copy.

Something else that's noteworthy is Benjamin Franklin came and stayed at this mansion in 1775, on his way to Canada, to convince Canada to become our fourth colony.

Unfortunately that didn't happen, but he was here and he did spend the night.

The historic Van Schaick Mansion sits atop a hill overlooking the Hudson River.

The home was constructed from 1737 to 1755 by Anthony Van Schaick, whose ancestor Goose and Van Schaick immigrated to America in the 1640s.

As one of Albany's original settlers, a thriving farm, occupied most of the surrounding property.

The house incorporates many Dutch architectural features of the period, including an unusual but very functional front door.

The mansion was constructed out of primarily brick.

There are a few support beams that are wrought iron that are in it, but they are well covered and they are attached to the beams that are in the attic.

So this is basic, a fortress of very thick stone.

The mansion and its owners at the time, John and Anna Van Schaick, played a very significant role in the American Revolution.

In August, 1777, the mansion became the headquarters for the Northern Continental Army.

It was here that the historic and game-changing battles of Saratoga were planned.

General Phillips Skyler was in charge of the northern continental army.

The plan was for the British to cut off the American troops and the insurgency so that they could end the Revolutionary War, so to speak.

So you had a general coming from the North General Burgoyne coming from Montreal, you had a general coming down south from New York City General Howe, and the third British General was General St.

Leger, or Sileger, coming out from the east from Ontario.

General Phillip Skyler had contacted his acquaintances, the Van Schaicks, to set up an encampment here.

So when it came to the point where they needed to have a strategy to defend themselves against the British plan, then you had General Skyler here in this room.

And General Benedict Arnold, they primarily planned the battles of Saratoga.

In addition to the generals who stayed at the mansion between 5,000 and 8,000 militia and their families and camped on the property's 8,000 acres.

The van Schaick's families were committed to the cause.

John G. and Anna were very committed, so they probably slept in the attic so the generals would have a more comfortable place to sleep.

There was really no questions asked.

You know, general Skyler contacted the Van Schaicks and said, "I need your help."

and they willingly did this.

The Van Schaicks gave up their whole property and they also had to support the troops.

Skyler was running out of money and the Van Schaicks, Anna and John G, who were living here at the time donated $10,000 worth of gold, which would be equivalent to 1.3 million in today's currency.

So that's really significant.

So there was really a commitment to defend the troops per the American Revolution.

There was two battles.

The first battle was September 19th and the troops had left here by the beginning of September to go up.

Now the second battle was October 7th.

Part of that success of the battle was won on the second date, which was October 7th, was because Benedict Arnold, who led the troops also had contacted Colonel Morgan from Virginia.

Colonel Morgan came up with 800 men.

At least 95 of those men were considered sharpshooters.

They carried the Kentucky rifle.

The Kentucky rifle was a different rifle than a musket.

It was very accurate.

So what happened on October 7th is the British leaders were taken out.

So once that second battle, which happened primarily at Beamus Heights was won, so to speak, then General Burgoyne surrendered.

The reason it was significant and considered the turning point because after the battles of Saratoga were won, the French decided they would support us.

The French Marquis de Lafayette and other French generals decided that the Americans were worth supporting and the battle of Yorktown was won in 1781 because the French defeated the strongest naval force in the world, which was the British naval force that happened at Yorktown in 1781.

The mansion was sold around the early 19 hundreds.

Since 2001, the mansion has been cared for by the General Peter Gansfort chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

So the purpose of the mansion at this point is to provide ongoing open houses, tours of the mansion, and also historical events.

So we're just committed to continue to share the story that has to do with the Van Schaicks and their contribution to the American Revolution.

To plan your visit, go online to vanschaickmansion.org.