Revolutionary War Battles

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Revolutionary War Battles
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• 1775

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Fort TiconderogaMay 1775

• During the American Revolution, Fort Ticonderoga
  (located on the western side of Lake Champlain in
  New York) was an important post on the route from
  Canada to the colonies.
• Colonel Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen with his
  Green Mountain Boys led a surprise attack on the
  British fort in May of 1775. The Americans took
  the fort without firing a shot.
• In mid-winter of January 1776, Colonel Henry Knox
  led an expedition to Fort Ticonderoga to bring
  back the cannons that Arnold and Allen had
  captured. The cannons were lined up to face the
  British ships that were blockading the port of
  Boston. The British were forced to evacuate
  Boston, leaving the city and port to the
  Americans.

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Battle of Bunker HillJune 1775

• Actually took place at Breeds Hill
• The colonists build earthworks to protect
  themselves in battle
• The British rush the hill 3 times
• The Colonists are forced to retreat due to lack
  of ammunition and supplies

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These are the times that try mens souls
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• 1776

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American Invasion of Canada

• June 1776
• First major military initiative of the
  Continental Army
• Plan gain control of Quebec, convince French
  speaking Canadians to join the cause
• One expedition left Fort Ti (led by Montgomery)
  and captured Ft. St. Johns, then went on to take
  Montreal
• Second expedition (led by Arnold) traveled
  through the Maine wilderness to Quebec.
• The armies joined forces, but were defeated at
  the Battle of Quebec in a snowstorm.

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American Invasion of Canada (2)

• Montgomery was killed Arnold was wounded
• The British sent Burgoyne and Hessians to Quebec
  in May 1776 as reinforcements.
• Americans were driven back to Fort Ticonderoga
• Burgoyne made plans to take control of the Hudson
  River Valley in 1777.

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Declaration of Independence

• Right about now is when it was signed
• July 4, 1776

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Battle of Long Island/Brooklyn Heights

• When the British army abandoned Boston, they
  sailed to New York City
• Late August, 1776 battle is fought
• In terms of troop size, largest battle of the war
  
• Washington trying to defend port city of New York
  from British navy
• British general Howe landed across the harbor on
  Staten Island to prepare for attack. Howe
  attacked from the front, but brought his main
  army and flanked the rear of the colonial army.
  1,000 Americans were killed.
• Howe dug in for a siege of New York, but
  Washington retreated through New Jersey into
  Pennsylvania.
• Snuck men across the East River to Manhattan in
  boats at dark. Some men stayed behind to burn
  campfires.

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Who were the Hessians?

• Hessians are soldiers from Germany. King George
  hired these soldiers to fight the colonists.
• They came from a region in Germany called the
  Hesse region.

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Surprising Them in their Undies!

• Battle of Trenton

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Battle of Trenton, December 1776

• Continental army continued fighting and
  retreating through October and November. The
  British chased them across the Hudson River and
  south into New Jersey.
• Lots of soldiers began to desert Washingtons
  army. 3,000 men left by the end of November. He
  crossed the Delaware and set up camp in PA.
• On the night of December 25, 1776, George
  Washington crossed the freezing Delaware River to
  attack the British and Hessians.
• Washingtons troops marched nine miles in the
  early morning hours to reach Trenton at eight
  o'clock.
• The American troops surprised the Hessian
  mercenary soldiers in an early morning raid and
  the Americans captured nearly 1000 men. There
  were no American casualties.
• This victory was a turning point in the war of
  independence for the Americans.

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• 1777

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Battle of Princeton

• January 3, 1777
• On January 2, the American army repulsed a
  British attack at Assunpink Creek in Trenton
• Washington then circled around Cornwalliss army
  and attacked outside of Princeton
• Mercer (colonial army) clashed with Mahwood
  (British army)
• Washington sent reinforcements, and both groups
  tried to flee. Washington rallied the men and
  they were able to drive Mahwoods forces back to
  Cornwallis.
• In Princeton, British troops hiding in Nassau
  Hall surrendered.
• Washington moved his army to Morristown, and the
  British evacuated New Jersey after their third
  defeat in 10 days.
• Morale was boosted and more men began enlisting
  in the American army.

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Battle of Brandywine

• Washington vs. Howe, September 11, 1777
• British defeated Americans and forced them to
  withdraw toward Philadelphia.
• Howes army sailed from NY to the Chesapeake Bay,
  Maryland
• Howe took his troops on a long march north and
  defeated the Americans.
• Nathaniel Greenes division held off the British
  army so the army could escape to the northeast.

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Battle of Germantown

• British victory here insured the British would
  hold Philadelphia through the winter of 1777
  1778.

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Battle of SaratogaOctober 1777

• The American forces were led by General Horatio
  Gates, General Philip Schuyler and General
  Benedict Arnold.
• General Burgoyne led the British forces.
• Gates lost the first battle and after a
  disagreement with Arnold about battle tactics,
  Gates relieved Arnold of his command. The British
  forces were exhausted but were ordered to attack
  Bemis Heights. While Gates defensive moves were
  effective, it was General Arnold who saw an
  opening to turn the battle into an offensive
  move. Despite having been relieved of his
  command, Arnold joined the battle anyway. His
  efforts were so successful and the British troops
  so beaten down that General Burgoyne was forced
  to surrender a few days at Saratoga.

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Surrender!

• Burgoyne is forced to surrender.

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What do I Need to know about the Battle of
Saratoga?

• The British plan was to cut the colonies in two
  like a snake- when you cut off a snakes head it
  dies!

• This plan did not work because one army for the
  British didnt show up and another was late! The
  only army there was easily defeated.

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Outcomes of the Battle of Saratoga

• The colonial army WON!!!
• France decides to help out the colonists.

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Battle of SaratogaHope for the Colonies!
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Thank You, France!

• Upon hearing of the American victory at Saratoga,
  the French declared recognition of the United
  States of America and fully supported their war
  of independence.

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Valley ForgeSeptember 1777

• When General William Howe and his British troops
  took Philadelphia in September of 1777, General
  Washington was forced to make winter camp about
  20 miles from Philadelphia at Valley Forge.
• It was a miserable winter for the 10,000 soldiers
  of the Continental Army at Valley Forge. Many
  soldiers lacked shoes and warm clothing. Food was
  scarce. Diseases such as smallpox and typhoid
  fever swept through the camp. 2500 men died that
  winter from the cold, disease and malnutrition.
• During this winter, General Lafayette joined the
  Continental Army, without pay, and impressed the
  troops and Washington by living under the same
  conditions as the soldiers.
• Another important addition to the Continental
  Army was Baron Friedrich von Steuben. He knew how
  to train an army. Even under the hardships of the
  camp, he drilled the soldiers repeatedly during
  the winter so that by springtime the Continental
  Army had become a strong and disciplined fighting
  force.

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• 1778

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Clarks Campaign in the Northwest

• George Rogers Clark VA soldier who led the
  Kentucky militia during the war
• Captured key northwestern cities during the war
  and weakened British influence there
• Northwest Territory was ceded to the United
  States in the 1783 Treaty of Paris

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Battle of Monmouth Court House

• June 28, 1778
• France entered the war on the side of the
  Americans.
• British commander Clinton evacuated Philadelphia
  and began marching his forces toward NYC.
• Washington attacked the rear of the British army
  (commanded by Clinton) leaving Monmouth Court
  House
• Groups clashed in 100 degree heat and fought to
  a standstill.
• In the evening, Clintons army withdrew and
  resumed marching toward NYC.

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Battle of Monmouth Court House (2)

• Americans burned bridges, muddied wells, and
  built abatis across roads to slow down the
  British.
• Washington attacked at Monmouth because he felt
  the British were vulnerable with their long
  supply trains.
• Washington sent General Lee to attack the rear of
  Clintons line. Lee and his men fled from the
  attack, bumping into Washington as they ran.
• Darkness ended the battle.
• The British marched to Sandy Hook and transported
  their troops to Manhattan.
• Tactically a British victory, strategically a
  draw because the Americans kept possession of the
  field.

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• 1779

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John Paul Jones

• Jones was considered the Father of the American
  navy and was a Scottish naval fighter.
• Congress was busy building boats to comprise a
  U.S. navy.
• Jones fought off the coast of England, wreaking
  havoc on English ships.
• His most famous battle was aboard a boat given to
  the U.S. from France (The Bonhomme Richard) vs.
  the English boat, The Serapis

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• 1780

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Battle of Camden

• August 16, 1780
• Major victory for British General Cornwallis vs.
  American General Gates
• Gates (hero of Saratoga) was humiliated in this
  battle
• Once France had entered the war, Britain adopted
  a southern strategy
• The British captured Savannah in 1778 and
  Charleston in 1780.
• The British decided to attack at Camden to gain
  control of the back country of the Carolinas.

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Benedict Arnold Commits Treason

• Arnold (from CT) joined the army and
  distinguished himself at Ticonderoga and
  Saratoga.
• Despite successes, was passed over for promotions
  because other officers claimed credit for his
  accomplishments.
• Spent much of his own money on war efforts.
• Disgusted that colonies rejected a 1778 British
  proposal for self-governance and representation
  in the Parliament.
• Arnold changed sides and schemed to surrender
  West Point to the British but his plan was
  exposed.
• Arnold escaped and led British forces on raids
  against the colonies.

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Battle of Kings Mountain

• October 7, in North Carolina.
• Patriot militia defeated Loyalist militia.
• Patriots had to retreat quickly to avoid
  Cornwalliss advance.
• Pivotal moment after several rebel defeats by
  Lord Cornwallis. Raised Patriot morale.
• Cornwallis had to abandon plan to invade North
  Carolina and he retreated into South Carolina.

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(No Transcript)
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• 1781

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Battle of Cowpens

• Decisive victory by Continental Army
• Turning point in re-conquest of South Carolina,
  which was mostly under British occupation.
• When Cornwallis was told of this American
  victory, he placed his sword tip on the ground
  and leaned on it until the blade snapped.
• Surprise victory for Daniel Morgan and changed
  the psychology of the war.
• This battle set other events in motion that
  changed the wars outcome.

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Battle of Guilford Court House

• March 15, 1781
• Cornwallis abandoned his plans in South Carolina
  and chased American forces into North Carolina.
• Cornwallis, with 2,100 troops, defeated Nathaniel
  Greenes 4,500 American army.
• The British suffered such heavy casualties it is
  considered a strategic victory for the Americans.
• Cornwallis brought his army north to Virginia to
  rest.

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Battle of Yorktown
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Battle of YorktownAugust-October 1781

• The last major battle of the American Revolution
  was fought at Yorktown.
• Washington learned that the French Admiral de
  Grasse was sailing to Virginia to prevent the
  British army under the command of General
  Cornwallis from leaving Yorktown. He and the
  French General Rochambeau rushed their troops to
  Yorktown to trap the British and prevent them
  from escaping over land.
• Cornwallis was surrounded. The American and
  French troops gradually closed in on him.
• Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on Oct 19,
  1781.

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What do I need to know aboutThe Battle of
Yorktown?

• The British army set up camp on a peninsula
• Washingtons army blocks them in to the west and
  the French Navy blocks them to the east.
• They are trapped and help can not arrive

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Outcomes of the Battle Of Yorktown

• The Colonial army wins the WAR!!!
• Colonists are free of British Rule! No more
  King!
• They are their own country

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The World Turned Upside Down

• The British band played this tune when the
  British surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown
• The Six and a half years of war was over.