While Saratoga’s battlefields recall the thunder of cannon and clash of arms, a recent event in Schuylerville reminded audiences that the American Revolution was also fought with words. At the 4th Annual Turning Point & Women in War Symposium on May 3, heritage tourists and historians gathered to honor Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814) — writer, thinker, and patriot — whose pen helped shape the course of independence.
Part of the Saratoga 250 Semiquincentennial commemoration, the event spotlighted Warren through a talk by Michele Gabrielson, a Massachusetts-based living historian and educator. Her presentation “American Calliope: The Words of Mercy Otis Warren” transported audiences into Warren’s Barnstable parlor, where ink and paper became tools of resistance.
“While Knox moved cannons to Saratoga, Mercy moved minds,” Gabrielson told a standing-room-only crowd. Her unscripted performance, based on years of research and original correspondence, explored Warren’s writings during the Revolution, including her 1805 History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution — the first full-length account of the war written by a woman.
Audience members responded emotionally, many admitting they had never heard of Warren before the event.
Mercy’s political activism during times of conflict is a call to action. We’re not just recovering her story — we’re restoring the Revolutionary narrative.
Now in its fourth year, the Turning Point & Women in War Symposium has become one of the cornerstones of experiential heritage tourism in Saratoga County. By elevating under-recognized figures like Warren, the program helps expand the lens through which Revolutionary history is told — shifting the spotlight from generals and battles to pamphleteers, printers, and political thinkers.
The Revolution happened not only on battlefields, but in parlors and print shops. Saratoga is where empires fell — and where silences now break.
The event also marked the debut of the Mercy Otis Warren Society, co-founded by Gabrielson to promote education, research, and preservation related to Warren’s legacy. In partnership with See Plymouth, Revolution250, and other organizations, the Society has launched a website, curriculum initiative, and membership campaign aimed at bringing Warren’s voice to classrooms and communities nationwide.
“Mercy’s writing was viral in her time,” Gabrielson said. “She reminds us that revolutions are won not just by soldiers, but by storytellers.”
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Saratoga’s heritage programming continues to lead in offering inclusive, emotionally resonant experiences for residents and visitors alike.
Upcoming #saratoga250 events will further explore the region’s role in shaping — and reshaping — the American story.
Learn more about Michele Gabrielson and The Mercy Otis Warren Society on their website.
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