The Revolutionary War
Washington’s Army
Lexington and Concord
Paul Revere, William Dawes & Samuel Prescott Revere and Dawes
rode from Charlestown (by Boston) to Lexington
Warn Sam Adams & John Hancock of British attack
Only Prescott made it to Concord
Paul Revere’s Ride – Longfellow (1860)… So through the night rode Paul Revere;And so through the night went his cry of alarmTo every Middlesex village and farm, -A cry of defiance, and not of fear,A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,And a word that shall echo for evermore!For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,Through all our history, to the last,In the hour of darkness and peril and need,The people will waken and listen to hearThe hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,And the midnight message of Paul Revere.
Battle of Bunker Hill June 17, 1775 Charleston Peninsula on
North side of Boston Harbor Boston British garrison
(2400) vs. American Continental army (1500)
General Gage blockaded in Boston by the American army
British want to take the Charlestown peninsula
Americans occupied Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill
British ship “Lively” opened fire General Howe landed for frontal attack No preceding bombardment due to the wrong size cannon balls American success despite fewer troops and ammunition After three attacks the Americans were forced to retreat due to lack of
ammunition
After Bunker Hill… British casualties –
1150 American casualties –
450 British fortified both hills British use flanking
techniques in all future battles
Death of American General Warren
Invasion of Canada
Ethan Allan & Benedict Arnold capture British Forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point May 1775
Montgomery captured Montreal Nov. 1775
Montgomery & Arnold attacked Quebec Dec 1776 but were forced to retreat to Ticonderoga
June 17 Battle of Bunker Hill: The British drive the Americans from Breed's Hill
July 3 Washington assumes command of the Continental Army
Nov. 13 The patriots under Montgomery occupy Montreal in Canada
Dec. 31 American forces under Benedict Arnold fail to seize Quebec
Revolutionary Timeline
Jan. 15 Paine's "Common Sense" published
Mar 17 The British evacuate Boston; British Navy moves to Halifax, Canada
June 8 Patriots fail to take Three Rivers, Quebec
June 12 The Virginia Declaration of Rights
June 29 The First Virginia Constitution
June 28 Patriots decisively defeat the British Navy at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina
July 1 At the instigation of British agents, the Cherokee attack along the entire southern frontier
July 4 Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence
Aug. 27 Redcoats defeat Washington's army in the Battle of Long Island. Washington's army escapes.
Sep 15 The British occupy New York City
Sep 16 Generals George Washington, Nathanael Greene, and Israel Putnam triumphantly hold their ground at the Battle of Harlem Heights
Oct. 11 Benedict Arnold defeated at the Battle of Valcour Island (Lake Champlain), but delayed British advance
Oct. 28 The Americans retreat from White Plains, New York. British casualties (~300) higher than American (~200).
Nov. 16 The Hessians capture Fort Washington, NY
Nov. 20 Lord Cornwallis captures Fort Lee from Nathanael Greene
Battle of Long Island Aug 27, 1776, New York British vs. American Continental Army Major General Lord Howe vs. Washington
Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island
British withdrew from Boston Mar. 17, 1776 Howe landed at Staten Island July 3, 1776 Brooklyn Heights commanded by Major General
Putnam to defend Manhattan Aug 22 British landed on Long Island Howe brought troops along unguarded northern
roads on Aug. 26 to attack from rear while the German mercenaries attacked from the front
Aug 28 American reinforcements Aug 29 Americans withdrew
Aftermath at New York Howe again did not
chase the American army, losing the chance to capture Washington
British casualties 400 American casualties
2000 Collapse of American
morale
Battle of Trenton Dec 31, 1776 Washington
would lose over ½ his troops Washington crossed the
Delaware River north of Trenton at night Dec. 25 during a storm to attack on the morning of Dec 26
Colonel Rall & the Hessians were hung over
Washington and Sullivan divided the attack starting at 8:00 am
Hessians retreated and Rall died
Battle was over by 9:30 am Increased American morale
Battle of Oriskany
Colonel Leger (Br) attacked General Herkimer (Am)
Herkimer was ambushed by the Iroquois under Joseph Brant and losing badly
Major rainstorm forced all to take cover in the trees and Indians felt this was a sign from the Great Spirit to retreat from battle
British retreated
Treaty of Alliance with France General Howe won the
battles of Brandywine and Germantown
British set up winter quarters in Philadelphia
Continental army in Valley Forge
Trained by Baron von Steuben
Feb 6, 1778 B. Franklin negotiated a treaty with Louis XVI against the Br.
May 1778 French army & fleet arrived
Battle of Yorktown George Washington (Am) –
8800 soldiers Lieutenant General de
Rochambeau (Fr) - 7800 Major Gen. Lord Cornwallis
(Br.) – 6000 Cornwallis was losing so he
took Yorktown Virginia Am & Fr marched to attack
Sept 28, 1781 Sept 30 American siege of
Yorktown Oct 14 American attack Oct 16 Br. tried to cross river
but stopped by a storm Oct 19 Cornwallis surrendered
Treaty of Paris
Sept 3 1783 Br. acknowledges American
independence Br. signed peace agreement
with France John Jay, John Adams, Ben
Franklin signed for America