PreAssessment Activity

1
Pre-Assessment Activity

• What do you know about military tactics? Which
  of these tactics have anything to do with the
  American Revolution?

2
Post-Assessment Activity (handout)
3
Similarities between American and British
Soldiershttp//www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspecti
ves_military.html

• Continental army uniforms were modeled after
  those of the British army.
• Washington based the training of his army on the
  formations and fighting style of the British
  army, since he was familiar with it.
• Washingtons lack of experience prompted him to
  hire French and German soldiers to train his
  troops.

4
Who was Francis Marion?

• Was nicknamed the Swamp Fox by British Colonel
  Tarlton because of Marions ability to use his
  knowledge of the terrain as a war tactic against
  the British.
• "Come my boys! let us go back, and we will soon
  find the game cock, but as for this damned old
  fox, the devil himself could not catch him."
• http//www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/b
  iography/ASketchoftheLifeofBrigGenFrancisMarion/ch
  ap2.html

5

• His popularity led to many legends and myths
  about his use of guerilla warfare.
• http//web.ftc-i.net/gcsummers/swampfoxmurals.htm
  l
• From a letter with an unknown author,
• http//ehistory.osu.edu/uscw/library/letters/hilem
  an/080.cfm
• Here was a fine well dug by General Marion,
  familiarly known as the "Swamp Fox", who greatly
  harassed the British during the Revolutionary
  War. We could still plainly see the ruins of the
  Fort. There was a large hollow sycamore tree
  which was named Marion's Magazine because of his
  storing great quantities of ammunition in it. It
  was always a great surprise to the British to see
  his ammunition replenished without an expedition
  for it.

6
Typical British Strategy

• Regiments and corps assembled
• Marched at daybreak
• Attacked forts
• Ranks and files
• Cannons
• Drummers
• Shouts of hurrah!
• http//www.historycentral.com/Revolt/battleaccount
  s/NewYork/Ftwashington2.html

7
Native American Strategy

• Not until the summer of 1776 did either the
  Americans or British formally and officially
  attempt to involve the Iroquois, the most
  powerful northern nation, on their side. Informal
  approaches, however, were made with increasing
  frequency. In July 1775, Ethan Allen, of Vermont,
  sent a message to the Iroquois urging them to
  shun the King's side. Allen asserted
• I know how to shute and ambush just like the
  Indian and want your Warriors to come and see me
  and help me fight Regulars You know they Stand
  all along close Together Rank and file and my men
  fight so as Indians Do I want your Warriors to
  Join with me and my Warriors like Brothers and
  Ambush the Regulars, if you will I will Give you
  Money Blankets Tomehawks Knives and Paint and the
  Like as much as you say because they first killed
  our men when it was Peace time.
• Barbara Graymont, "The Iroquois in the American
  Revolution" (Syracuse, New York, 1972), pp. 48-50.

8

• The Iroquois sided with the British.
• Brant was certainly not dissuaded or criticized
  by the British or the Tories for his efforts. In
  fact, the intent of the British with respect to
  the use of Indians in the Revolutionary War was
  aptly expressed in the following poetic example
  of Gen. John Burgoyne, Deputy of the British
  forces in Canada, and taken from the Introduction
  to Burgoynes Orderly Book, page xxii
• " I will let loose the dogs of hell,Ten thousand
  Indians, who shall yellAnd foam and tear, and
  grin and roar,And drench their moccasins in
  goreTo these IÂll give full scope and
  playFrom Ticonderog to Florida..."
• http//www.earlyamerica.com/review/1998/brant.html