Answer: General Burgoyne took so long to meet up with St. Leger and Howe because he decided to take shortcuts which led the men through swamps and forests and ultimately slowed them down.
Step-by-step explanation: General Burgoyne planned to surprise attack Colonel Barry St. Leger and General William Howe by reaching the battlefield well before their prediction of the British Army's arrival. In order to reach the battlefield early, General Burgoyne directed his army to walk through swamps and deep forests. The army blindly followed the order of their General and ended up late and tired. The British Army was completely out of energy by the time it reached the battlefield and this finally led them to the loss in the war.