At the age of 17 he would also travel to America to join the British forces stationed in America under Sir Guy Carleton to fight in the American Revolution. Gonville served in the Saratoga campaign. First he would fight at the Trois Rivieres. After his regiment captured Mount Independence, he narrowly escaped the explosion of several mines, which the enemy had left on evacuating the place. Shortly afterwards, on 19 of September 1777, he fought in the Battle of Saratoga. During the battle, nearly the whole of his regiment was destroyed, himself and two privates being the only ones who were not killed or wounded. On this occasion, he was attached by Sir Francis Clerke to the 9th Regiment, which was then advancing. He was also present at the disastrous affair of 7 October, after which the army retired to Saratoga. Near Fort Hardy, he was wounded. At this time also, General John Burgoyne, the commander-in-chief, was captured by the enemy while trying to secure provisions for the British army. Gonville Bromhead volunteered to go get the provisions after Burgoyne's failure. He succeeded by cutting the cables of the bateaux, which drifted down with a large quantity of provisions to the British army. Because of this, Bromhead was honoured by George III when he thanked Gonville. During the war, he was captured by the Americans and held as a prisoner of war for upwards of three years.