The British had a goal of dividing the states. They tried this several times. The first attempts came in the North. The British tried to separate New England from the rest of the nation. After Burgoyne was defeated at Saratoga the British changed tactics. They still wanted to divide America, but realized that the North offered stiff resistance. It was believed that the South was home to a large population of Loyalists. Clinton believed that if there was a British Army in the south, the Loyalists would flock to the British cause. The British would then be able to use the Loyalists to augment the army. The bulk of the American forces were in the North. This also played a role. If the British could conquer the south, they would have access to more troops (loyalists), and would be able to remove the south from the war. They would then be able to work from the south to New York, and from New York to the south. After the rest of the nation fell, New England too, it was presumed, would capitulate.