Spotlight on America American Revolution Standard E-Book

Revolutionary Soldiers George Washington George Rogers Clark As commander of the Virginia militia during A major in the Virginia militia, George the French and Indian War, George Rogers Clark led a group of frontiersmen to Washington had been only moderately attack British-controlled settlements on the successful in battle. However, he did acquire Illinois frontier. British-led attacks had put military experience and the respect of his severe pressure on American frontier fellow Virginians for his efforts. Washington settlements. Clark captured a British inherited extensive land holdings and later garrison in Kaskaskia and later captured the married a very wealthy widow, making him settlement of Vincennes on two occasions. one of the wealthiest men in America when Except for the British stronghold at Detroit, the war started. Clark held control of the western frontier for the duration of the war. Tall, powerfully built, self-confident, and having a commanding presence, Washington Nathan Hale was able to inspire the tattered soldiers of the A patriot schoolteacher who became a Continental Army to hold out against the commander of a company of rangers, Nathan stronger and better-trained British forces. As Hale volunteered to go behind British lines to commander in chief of the army, Washington secure essential information for General was often defeated, always short of supplies, Washington before the Battle of Harlem and led poorly trained troops and officers. In Heights. Hale was captured in his disguise spite of those odds, he was able to force the as a Dutch schoolteacher. He was carrying British to spend large sums of money to fight documents that clearly indicated he was an the war and then eventually to surrender. In American spy. Hale was hanged as a spy the later years, Washington presided over the next day. His last words were: “I regret that Constitutional Convention and became the I have but one life to give for my country.” first President of the United States. He is known as the “Father of His Country.” ©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 17 #3212 American Revolution Revolutionary Soldiers (cont.) Alexander Hamilton Margaret Corbin (“Captain Molly”) An immigrant orphan from the British West Margaret “Molly” Corbin followed her Indies, Alexander Hamilton attended King’s husband John, an artilleryman, from camp to College in New York and started writing camp. When he was killed in the battle of pamphlets opposing British policies in the Fort Washington in November 1776, she took colonies. In 1775 he created a volunteer over his cannon and continued firing until artillery company and served with distinction she was wounded and captured by the in battles at Long Island, Trenton, and British. Princeton. At the age of 20, he became a personal aide and close friend to General Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee Washington whom he served as a military Henry Lee was the greatest American cavalry and political advisor. He later fought with leader of the Revolutionary War. General the Marquis de Lafayette in the battle of Washington quickly recognized Lee’s superb Yorktown. He served in the Continental horsemanship and superior battle tactics. In Congress after the war and at the the early years of the war, Lee fought in the Constitutional Convention. north with Washington’s forces and in 1780 went south to battle in Virginia and the “Mad” Anthony Wayne Carolinas. His hit-and-run tactics bedeviled Anthony Wayne received his nickname the British units, and his daring attacks in because of his ferocious skill on the larger battles often saved American troops battlefield and his willingness to take big from defeat, especially at the Battle of Eutaw chances. In the Battle of Green Spring in Springs in 1781. Lee managed to squander a 1781, his small force ended up facing the fortune through bad investments and entire army of British General Charles gambling after the war. He was the father of Cornwallis. Wayne ordered his troops to Robert E. Lee, the commander of the attack against these overwhelming odds, a Confederate Army during the Civil War. maneuver which allowed most of his men to escape. He was one of the most reliable and successful American generals during the war. #3212 American Revolution 18 ©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. Revolutionary Soldiers (cont.) Mary “Molly Pitcher” Hays Nathanael Greene Mary Hays was a cleaning woman who One of the unsung heroes of the American accompanied her husband when he left his Revolution, Nathanael Greene was the barbering business to fight in a Pennsylvania youngest brigadier general in the Continental artillery regiment in 1775. During the battle Army. He raised companies of militia that of Monmouth, New Jersey, in 1778, she was fought in the battle of Long Island. Later he carrying water to the men when her husband was defeated at Fort Washington but won at was wounded at his gun. She took his place Trenton with General Washington. Greene as cannon loader for the duration of the battle served as quartermaster general of the army and later received a pension from Congress for a time and helped to improve the army’s for her services during the war. supply and transportation system, despite the severe financial problems of the new nation. Marquis de Lafayette Later Greene commanded the troops in the Born to the wealth and privilege of the southern theater of the war, where he was French aristocracy, the 19-year-old Marquis successful in reducing the effectiveness of de Lafayette came to America to help the the British forces under Cornwallis. U.S. colonies achieve their freedom from Great Britain. He volunteered in General Deborah Sampson Washington’s army and was wounded at Using the name Robert Shurtlieff, Deborah Brandywine. Later he became a field Sampson disguised herself as a man and commander and led his troops with enlisted in the Continental army as a private. distinction and success. Lafayette She fought in skirmishes at West Point and commanded one of the three American Tarrytown and was wounded by a saber. She divisions that forced the surrender of treated her own wound to avoid discovery. Cornwallis at Yorktown. After going home Wounded by a bullet in a later raid and to France, Lafayette fought in the French suffering from a fever, her identity was Revolution. He returned to the United States finally discovered. She was honorably in 1824 for a tour of the nation he had fought discharged and later awarded a pension by to create. Congress. ©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 19 #3212 American Revolution.

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