The Revolutionary War

1
The Revolutionary War
2

• American Colonists now had to decide which side
  to support. This would prove to be a hard
  decision for many. It would literally divide
  towns, villages, even families.
• The Patriots or Whigs those who supported the
  Revolution.
• The Tories or Loyalists those who supported the
  British Empire.
• There was also a swing group that did not care
  either way would support the side that would
  benefit them the most at that particular time.

3

• Many Loyalists fled the American Colonies for
  England British North America (Canada).
• By the end of the War, 35 (over 100,000) of the
  American Colonies population had left in support
  of England.
• Many supporters of the Revolution found that they
  were not treated any better by their fellow
  Patriots than they were by the British.
• The Class structure was well established in the
  Colonies the majority were poor.
• This will hurt the Cont. Army.

4

• The 1st target of the War for the British was to
  take New York. This would separate New England
  from the rest of the Colonies hopefully bring a
  quick decisive end to the situation.
• British troops were sent from Nova Scotia, plus
  they were relying on the very large Pro-British
  (Loyalists) population in NY.
• Gen. Howe knew that Gen. Washington would fight
  for NY. He also knew that Washington had no real
  combat skills or leadership experience. Which
  was evident in the early years of the War.

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• Had Gen. Howe pushed the issue, he would have
  defeated the Cont. Army in that 1st year
  destroyed the rebellion.
• Gen. Washington the Cont. Army were defeated in
  most battles in the beginning. Washington
  managed to keep his troops intact by generally
  avoiding face to face battles with the British.
  This would help him later in the War.
• Both armies headed for NY by the end of July
  1776. The British left Boston attacked New
  York City, as Washington hurried to build
  outposts all over the island.

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• The 1st major battle for New York would be at
  Brooklyn Heights. Washington wanted to hold
  control this area, since they could easily fire
  on New York City.
• Washington did not know where Gen. Howe would
  land his troops, so he split his army placed
  the rest on Manhattan Island.
• Gen. Howe took advantage of this, surrounded the
  Cont. Army, had the British Navy bombard the
  Heights the British Army push the American
  troops back, forcing Gen. Washington to retreat.

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• By doing so, Washington left 3,000 of his men
  behind to be captured by the British at Ft.
  Washington.
• In the process, Gen. Howe almost blocks
  Washingtons retreat in Nov. 1776.
• Had the British pursued the Cont. Army or stopped
  them outright, this would have ended the War.
• Now the British military could use NY as its
  Winter Quarters. Very nice accommodations a
  supportive populace. Good for the British since
  NY stayed under British control the rest of the
  War.

8

• Dec. 1776 - Gen. Howe stationed the Hessians at
  Trenton, NJ.
• Gen. Washington took the Cont. Army, in direct
  violation of accepted warfare of the time, did
  not place his troops in cantonment for the
  winter. But launched an attack!
• Dec. 25, 1776 that Christmas night, Washington
  led 2,500 men on a surprise attack against the
  Hessians at Trenton. Most of the Hessians were
  still drunk from the holiday partying. Over
  1,000 Hessians were killed or captured, only 500
  escaped.
• Washington has only 6 wounded.

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• The British Army lost only 2 minor battles in
  1776, but did not take advantage of the many
  mistakes made by the Americans. This would hurt
  them more than any battlefield defeat.
• For the Americans, they were finding it hard to
  have enough men to even constitute an army. Many
  deserted during the battles or on marches. Even
  more left in the fall because they had to harvest
  the crops. Also, several that had volunteered,
  did not re-new their contracts in Dec. went
  home.
• Washington was lucky to have 5,000 troops at any
  given time it was only getting worse.

10
1777 - A New Beginning

• Washington asks Congress for more troops. The
  Cont. Congress increased the quota from each
  colony, allowed the wealthy to serve, increased
  enlistments to 3 years increased cash (land)
  incentives, unofficially allowed Blacks to
  serve.
• Mass. Conn. Had already sent several hundred
  slaves Free-Blacks to meet their quota.
  Congress asked GA. S.C. to do the same, they
  refused at first but later sent a few 100.
• All total, over 5,000 Blacks, Free slave,
  served in the Cont. Army.

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• Many slaves had mixed feelings about the British.
  
• 1775 Dunmores Proclamation any slave that
  escaped, made it to British lines help the
  British would be set free. Lord Dunmore then
  captured sold them in the West Indies. This
  would hurt British. Because in 1779 the
  Phillipsburg Proclamation stated the same thing
  as Dunmore, but the slaves were set free, many in
  Canada. Over 100,000 slaves went to the British
  between 1779 1783, over 20 of the slave
  population. None fought, but served as Laborers.

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• British military had a lot of in-fighting,
  numerous change of commands, poor communication,
  etc. caused a lot of problems for the military.
• Gen. Gage was replaced by Gen. John Burgoyne, who
  would take command of the British forces in
  Canada, sweep down into NY attack Philadelphia.
• Gen. Howe wanted Philadelphia also since it was
  the Capital of the Revolutionary Government
  it would force Washington into a fight.

13

• June 1777 Gen. Burgoynes troops easily took
  Ft. Ticonderoga from the Colonial troops, then
  marched to Albany. American troops placed
  boulders trees in their way to slow them down.
  It took the British 24 days to march 23 miles.
• Aug. 16, 1777 Gen. Burgoyne sent 800 of his men
  to Bennington, Vermont, where American troops,
  led by Col. John Stark, pretended to be Loyalists
  slaughtering 500 of them.
• This will force the British to go back to
  Saratoga, where Gen. Horatio Gates was waiting
  for him.

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• The Battle of Saratoga Oct. 1777 Burgoynes
  army crosses the Hudson River is attacked by
  Gen. Gates troops. Gates keeps the British
  pinned down at Bemis Heights, NY, finally
  surrounds the British. Burgoyne believes that he
  would be rescued by the British forces in NY,
  this would break the morale of the Americans
  redirect the battle.
• Gen. Howe had forgotten about Burgoyne so no
  reinforcements were sent, also, British Gen.
  Clinton refused to send his troops to help
  Burgoyne.
• Oct. 17, 1777 Gen. Burgoyne surrenders to Gen.
  Gates. 5,700 British soldiers were held as
  prisoners while Burgoyne was allowed to return to
  England. He did not receive a heros welcome,
  many shunned him for giving up to the Colonists.

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• The Colonial victory at Saratoga would be a
  crushing defeat for the British a major victory
  for the Americans. Some considered this the
  turning point of the war in the North.
• After the American victory, the French agree to
  help the Americans.
• Treaty of Amity Commerce 1778 recognized
  the independence of America established trade
  concessions.
• Treaty of Alliance both agreed to fight until
  America was free, neither side would enter a
  separate peace without the other a guarantee
  of possessions in North America.

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• The Battle of Brandywine Creek Sept. 11, 1777
  Washington removed his troops, 11,000 men from
  NJ, to try stop the British from taking
  Philadelphia. Gen. Howe easily forced the Cont.
  Army back by Sept. 26, the British controlled
  Philadelphia.
• Oct. 4, 1777 Washington led a counter-attack at
  Germantown, Penn.
• British reinforcements led by Gen. Lord
  Cornwallis, pushed Washingtons troops back out
  of town.

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• This forced Washington to seek winter quarters at
  Valley Forge, Penn. Possibly the harshest winter
  for the men. Most officers were allowed to
  return home for the winter, while the enlisted
  troops had to stay. Many men died from exposure,
  starvation, sickness. Very demoralizing for
  the troops. Another example of the class
  separation of the men.
• British troops stayed in nice, warm houses in
  town with lots of good food female company.

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• Spring 1778 Washington wanted an organized,
  disciplined army.
• Frederick William Augustus Henry Ferdinand, Baron
  Von Steuben a Prussian officer mercenary, was
  hired by Washington to teach the Cont. Army how
  to fight a European style war, D C, close-order
  drill, manual arms, etc. They would soon look
  like a professional army.
• Going into 1778, the morale of the American
  troops was high, the French were going to help,
  the victories at Saratoga, Congress promised
  extra pay bonuses (80), etc.

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1778 An American War

• Now the war had spread to all areas of the
  American Colonies. So the fighting is no longer
  concentrated in the New England area.
• George Rogers Clark led 175 men against the
  British under the command of Col. William
  Hamilton in the Indian lands, now Illinois, Ohio,
  Indiana Missouri.
• July 4, 1778 Clarks troops take Kaskaskia,
  near St. Louis. This would be the start of his
  campaign in what is now Illinois.

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• Clarks attempt to retake Ft. Vincennes would
  leave a lasting impression on the British the
  Indians of the area.
• His troops used their woodland skills to launch a
  surprise attack on the British, beheading the
  Indians they captured to show what would happen
  to those that opposed him. Causing many of the
  Indians that were loyal to the British to flee.
• Clark will be credited with winning the Frontier
  Campaign winning this territory for America.

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• Following Clarks victories, Gen. Washington
  turned his attention to the Indians that posed a
  threat to the Revolution.
• From 1778-1779, Loyalists Pro-British Indians
  attacked American villages, farms etc., burning,
  looting killing settlers on the Frontier.
• Summer 1779 Washington sent Gen. John Sullivan
  with 4,000 troops to attack kill all Indians
  (mainly Iroquois), burn their villages, crops,
  orchards, until nothing was left.
• Indians that allied with the Patriots were even
  attacked the most ruthless expedition of
  Scorched Earth policy in American history

22
War in the South 1778-1781

• England hoped that the many Loyalists in the
  South would assist them in the War.
• 1778 England planned to arm the Loyalists for
  the British Army. Then pacify the South lead
  them into the North to put an end to the War.
• Nov. 1778 Gen. Clinton attacks Savannah, GA.
  easily defeating the Patriots there. Moved up
  took Augusta by Dec. Clinton then pulls back to
  Savannah for the winter.
• Most of 1779, Britain would be moving troops from
  the North to the South.

23

• Battle of Charleston April May 1780 Gen.
  Clinton ordered the rest of his army naval
  forces to leave NY, launch an amphibious attack
  against Charleston. American Gen. Benjamin
  Lincoln had occupied Charleston with about 6,000
  troops. He was not a skilled defensive
  commander, but anticipated a sea attack. But,
  did not plan for a simultaneous land assault.
• May 12, 1780 Gen. Lincoln 5,500 men
  surrendered Charleston to Gen. Clinton. This
  would be the single, biggest loss for the
  Americans during the War.

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• Congress sent Gen. Horatio Gates to command the
  American Army in the South.
• Gen. Clinton returned to NY, leaving Gen.
  Cornwallis to command the British troops in the
  South.
• Cornwallis would have had an easier time of
  subduing the South, had it not been for Banastre
  Bloody Tarleton Patrick Ferguson.
• These 2 subordinates of Cornwallis caused many of
  the back-country neutrals the Patriots to
  join forces against the brutal British.

25

• The Battle of Kings Mountain Oct. 7, 1780
• Those that opposed the brutal tactics of the
  British attacked Ferguson at Kings Mountain, SC.
  The back-country frontiersmen the Patriots
  devastated the British killed many Loyalists as
  they surrendered. Later, they turned on the
  Loyalist prisoners.
• This was the turning point of the War in the
  South. It proved that the small farmers
  militiamen could stand up to the British Army, by
  fighting a guerrilla war.
• These groups were led by Francis Marion the
  Swamp Fox Thomas Sumter the Gamecock.

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• Nathanael Greene The Fighting Quaker was
  selected by Congress to be the new Commander in
  the South.
• Jan. 17, 1780 the Battle of Cowpens. Banastre
  Tarleton attacked Gen. Daniel Morgan, one of
  Greenes officers. Morgan purposely boxed his
  men in at Broad River, to force them to fight.
  Tarleton advanced his troops thinking the militia
  was retreating. He lost over 800 men.
• Morgan Cornwallis pretty much played Tag from
  1780-1781.

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• March 15, 1781 The Battle of Guilford
  Courthouse.
• Morgan utilized a series of strategic retreats
  to inflict heavy losses on Cornwallis.
• Although not winning defeating Cornwallis out
  right, it did cause Cornwallis to pull back to
  Wilmington, NC to regroup re-supply, thus
  giving the Americans a chance to do the same.
• By May 1781, Cornwallis abandoned his campaign
  against the Carolinas in order to attack
  Virginia. He felt this was the only way to take
  the Carolinas.

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• The American bravado was almost solidified due to
  the heavy losses the British were taking in the
  South. Plus, in the summer of 1780 the French
  Army arrives. American leadership on the
  battlefield is improving, Washington is getting
  his Professional Army thanks to Baron Von
  Steuben. While in the South they are using
  bloody small unit tactics, ambushes guerrilla
  raids.
• Many Loyalists are starting to re-think their
  allegiances. They made up about 20 of the
  entire American population, 350,000-400,000.
• Many are fleeing to Canada England, the rest
  stay fight.

29
Benedict Arnold

• One of the best officers soldiers to serve
  under Gen. Washington.
• Brilliant commander on the battlefield, feared
  nothing no one.
• He had fought with Daniel Morgan in the Canadian
  Campaign, actually caused Gen. Barry St. Leger
  his men to retreat run back to Canada when they
  heard he was coming for them. Once Philadelphia
  was recaptured, he was the Commander of the
  American Forces stationed there.
• This is where the trouble began.
• Many rumors as to why he betrayed his country.

30

• One of the most prominent was that his wife was
  very High Maintenance while they were in
  Philadelphia, they were living too extravagantly.
  Washington gave him an official reprimand.
  Arnold felt he was being singled out since many
  officers, including Washington, was living the
  Good Life. England made him an offer, his wife
  pushed the issue, when he became Commander of
  West Point, he was going to surrender it to the
  British troops. One of his Lt. found out
  reported him. He escaped before he could be
  arrested. England made him a Gen. in their Army,
  but he was never accepted.

31

• Gen. Greene returned to the South to try push
  the remaining British troops out of S.C.
  Georgia. Over 8,000 British troops were
  scattered out in several towns forts.
• This made it easier for Greenes 1,500 troops
  the querrilla fighters of Sumter, Pickens
  Marion to pick them off one by one.
• Greene told Washington in May 1781 that if the
  enemy divide their forces, they will fall by
  detachments, and if they operate collectively,
  they cannot command the country.
• By July 1781, the British were pushed into a
  small strip between Savannah Charleston.

32
The Battle of Yorktown

• Lord Cornwallis had moved back to the North, on
  his campaign to subdue Virginia.
• At Petersburg, VA., he linked up with the newly
  commissioned British Gen. Benedict Arnold.
  Cornwallis detested the traitor did not trust
  him. But their combined force was well over
  7,000 men.
• This forced the Americans to try to send
  reinforcements to the area.
• Cornwallis moved to Yorktown prepared to start
  siege warfare.

33

• Cornwallis had requested reinforcements from Gen.
  Clinton of NY, who refused. They did not like
  one another.
• By this time, the French had arrived, but the
  British Navy was able to keep them blocked out
  for a while.
• The French 1st landed a group of about 6,000
  soldiers in Rhode Island. They were able to slip
  past the British Naval blockade, thanks to the
  efforts of the small American Navy privateers
  led by Captain John Paul Jones.
• By May 1781, Washington wanted to link up with
  the French attack NY.

34

• July 1781, as the Americans the French met,
  Washington received word that the French Fleet
  over 3,000 soldiers were inbound to VA.
• Now Lord Cornwallis had Washingtons Northern
  Army, Greenes Southern Army the French Army
  Navy all heading for him.
• Aug. 30, 1781 the French forces led by Admiral
  de Grasse, landed at Yorktown joined the
  American forces there.
• Sept. 5 6, 1781 the British French Navies
  confronted one another. The French were able to
  keep the British from helping Cornwallis in any
  way.

35

• French ships sailed up the Chesapeake Bay to
  bring more American troops to Yorktown.
• Now the American/French forces more than doubled
  Cornwallis (16,000 vs. 7,000).
• The Siege of Yorktown began on Sept. 28, 1781.
• The British had plenty of time to Dig in
  prepare, but they were just out manned! They
  were unable to retake vital areas that allowed
  the American French forces to gain control.

36

• Oct. 17, 1781 - Weather kept Cornwallis from
  escaping into Loyalist territory causing him to
  push for discussing peace.
• Oct. 19, 1781 Lord Cornwallis surrenders by
  Proxy. His army was allowed to leave board
  ships for England.
• The war was effectively over in America.
• A few small skirmishes between Patriots
  Loyalists, some Cont. British forces on the
  Frontier, but for the most part IT WAS OVER!

37
The English Response

• Feb. 27, 1782 the House of Commons voted
  against continuing the war.
• March 5, 1782 the King was authorized to make
  peace with the Americans.
• March 20, 1782 Lord North resigned in shame.
• Now the politics get involved, France was allies
  of America Spain, but Spain was not an ally of
  America. Everyone wanted to get something out of
  the deal. So now the negotiations started.

38

• Sept. 3, 1783 The Peace of Paris officially
  ended the Revolutionary War, recognized America
  as an independent nation separate from England,
  set the American-Canadian Border, est. the
  western border on the Miss. River ceded Florida
  to Spain.
• Nov. 24 Dec. 4, 1783 the last of the British
  troops, those in NY, were allowed to leave.
• Dec. 23, 1783 Gen. Washington appeared before
  the Cont. Congress resigned as Commander of the
  American Forces went home for Christmas.

39

• The Articles of Confederation was established
  in 1777, but did not have any real power.
  Basically maintained the status quo after the
  war. It set up 13 separate republics joined
  loosely by a representative Congress.
• They became effective March 1781.
• Laid the ground work for a constitution to be
  established.
• The Confederation government was the most
  pragmatic structure for the new nation.

40

• Change happened n every aspect of Colonial life.
  
• Religious tolerance transformed into a complete
  separation of Church State.
• The Anglican Church was associated with England
  therefore suffered after the war. After the war,
  they changed their name to Episcopal in
  America.
• Many states now removed all tax support for
  the churches they must rely on the tithes,
  donations generosity of the congregation.
• The Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom,
  written by Thomas Jefferson, stated that no man
  shall be compelled to frequent or support any
  religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever