Chapter 6 Lesson 3 Notes “Battlegrounds Shift”
Fighting in the West
The Revolutionary War was of great interest to the Native Americans
Most Native Americans sided with the British because they thought they were less of a threat
The British and Native Americans raided American settlements west of the Appalachian Mtns.
July 1778: VA militia leader George Rogers Clark set out to end attacks in the West
Clark led a force of 175 westward down the Ohio River and over land
Patriots captured the British post at Kaskaskia and the town of Vincennes
British troops under Henry Hamilton recaptured Vincennes in December
. Clark vowed to get the town back and in February 1779, Clark and his troops surprised the British and forced their surrender
. This victory strengthened the American position in the West
The War at Sea
The British enjoyed a major advantage at sea due to their powerful navy
The British were able to blockade American harbors limiting delivery of supplies and troops
The American navy was too weak to operate effectively against the British
Congress allowed 2,000 ships to sail as privateers
Privateer: privately owned merchant ship outfitted with weapons
. Goal was to capture enemy merchant ships and cargo
Sailors from the whaling and fishing ports of New England made up the crews
John Paul Jones
American navy hero
1st successes occurred while raiding British ports
September 1779: Jones’s ship the Bonhomme Richard met the British warship the Serapis
. The ships fought for hours . When asked to surrender, Jones is said to have answered, “I have not yet begun to fight.”
. Eventually, the Serapis surrendered.
. Victory made Jones a hero
Fighting in the South
In the early years of the war, the Americans won several battles in the South
Patriots saved the key port of Charles Town from the British
By 1778, the British had a new plan for ending the war. This plan focused on the South.
British hoped to use their sea power and support from Loyalists to win in the South
Late 1778: British general Henry Clinton sent troops to take Savannah. The British took the city and controlled most of the state.
May 1780: Clinton attacked Charles Town and the city surrendered (British took thousands of prisoners)
Worst American defeat of the war
Clinton returned to New York after victory at Charles Town. He left General Charles Cornwallis in command of British forces in the South
Congress sent troops under Horatio Gates to face Cornwallis
August 1780: the two armies meet at Camden, South Carolina
British won but Cornwallis soon learned he couldn’t control the area he conquered
Hit and Run Tactics
In the South, British troops were attacked by Patriot forces while moving through the countryside
The Patriots would appear, fire, and then disappear
Francis Marion a.k.a. the “Swamp Fox” was a successful Patriot leader that used these tactics
. Operated out of the swamps of eastern South Carolina
. Movie the “Patriot” based off of him
American Successes September 1780: British moved north through the Carolinas after their victory at Camden
Along the way, the British warned people to join the British or else
Americans who received this message were mountain people who were extremely dependent.
. Warning angered them and they formed an army and set out to force the British off their land
Kings Mountain: militia force killed or captured British led force of about 1,000
October 1780: Nathanael Greene replaced Gates as commander of the Continental forces in the South. He divides his forces
January 1781: once section of Greene’s army defeat British at Cowpens, South Carolina
. Other section joined Francis Marion on his raids
March 1781: Greene joins his forces and met Cornwallis at Guilford Courthouse.
. Greene forced to retreat but the British sustained heavy losses and gave up the campaign to conquer the Carolinas
Cornwallis Retreats
April 1781: Cornwallis marched north to Virginia
Washington sent Lafayette to push Cornwallis back and Cornwallis took shelter at Yorktown