Key Battles of the American Revolution

Key Battles of the American Revolution Copy these notes onto outline America – Ready to fight? American strengths American weaknesses • Great leader – George • 1/3 of citizens opposed the Washington rebellion • Fighting for homes and • Inadequate financial freedom resources • Used to hardships • No factories • Financial and military • Shortage of supplies and aid from foreign ammunition countries • Continuous turnover of • Used to guns men in army • Gained experience in F • Not used to military & I War discipline • Fighting on own land • Lacked a strong navy Britain – Always Ready British strengths British weaknesses • Unaccustomed to • Well-equipped and wilderness warfare well-trained forces • Leaders underestimated America’s military ability • Professional military • Separated from leadership battlefronts by 3,000 • Able to hire foreign miles; took months to send reinforcements and soldiers war orders • Had the money and • Hired soldiers had factories to supply nothing at stake except pay needed materials • Attention divided • Had support of between other conflicts American loyalists • Some British leaders sympathized with American cause Major battles and results • 1775 • Battle of Lexington and Concord – British attempted to rob American arsenal (storehouse for weapons) at Concord; Americans found out and met British at Lexington and skirmished again at Concord; British had 273 casualties while the Patriots had 93; known as the shot heard ‘round the world and as the beginning of the Revolution. • 1776 • British increased number of forces to 32,000 troops. • Summer and Fall – Washington commanded colonial troops in Battle of Long Island. Patriots were defeated and retreated to Manhattan. By late Nov., Patriots had lost New Jersey and retreated into Pennsylvania 1776 – cont. • Battle of Trenton (NJ) • Huge Patriot victory; Washington crossed the Delaware River Christmas night into New Jersey and surprised British troops; captured 900 Hessians (paid German soldiers) • 1777 • British planned to push further into New York state with a 3-pronged attack ending in Albany, NY. American troops surrounded British troops and defeated them at Saratoga – this is considered the turning point of the war for the Americans. • British captured Philadelphia – American capital - 1778 • France openly allies themselves with America. Many European countries had been sending supplies to America in secret but the French alliance was the first in the open. Benjamin Franklin traveled to France to secure the alliance. Winter at Valley Forge • After British captured Philadelphia, Washington chose Valley Forge as the site for the Continental Army to spend the winter of 1777-78. More than 2,000 soldiers died of disease and starvation. Many soldiers thought about leaving due to the hardships. Maintaining the morale of the troops was considered one of Washington’s biggest challenges at this time. War turns south • With no clear upper hand in the New England and middle colonies, Britain turned its focus south by capturing the region’s 2 major ports - Savannah in 1778 and Charleston in 1780. War turns South • 1780 – Patriot sharpshooters forced British loyalists to retreat at Kings Mtn., NC; victory brought new support for Revolution into the south • Other southern battles included Cowpens, SC and Guilford Courthouse in NC • Southern campaign was headed up by Nathaniel Greene 1781 – The end approaches • Lord Cornwallis (British commander) retreated into Virginia after abandoning the Carolina campaign • Washington secretly sent more troops to Virginia after learning of French reinforcements coming toward Chesapeake Bay • 17,000 American and French troops surrounded Cornwallis’ 8,000 British and Hessians on the Yorktown peninsula, forcing Cornwallis’ eventual surrender on Oct. 19, 1781 Key Georgia events • 1778 – British captured key cities of Savannah, Sunbury, and Augusta • Feb. 1779 – Battle of Kettle Creek; Georgia militia with Col. Elijah Clarke defeated more than 800 British troops; lifted spirits of Georgia troops and gave them weapons and horses from defeated British troops Siege of Savannah • Sept. 1779 –The French began bombarding Savannah after the British would not surrender. It lasted for three weeks. • The siege had not ended by Oct. 9, so a Patriot attack began. • The British had strengthened defenses around Savannah and held off the attack. • The battle of Savannah was the 2nd bloodiest battle of the Revolution. 2 key Patriot fatalities William Jasper Casimir Pulaski • South Carolina militia • Polish cavalry leader leader • Saved George • Famous for saving his Washington’s life regimental flag before • Considered father of being killed American cavalry Key Georgians • Austin Dabney • freeborn mulatto who took the place of his owner in the Georgia militia • Wounded at Battle of Kettle Creek • Most patriots were promised land in return for their service but many did not want Dabney – a man of color- to receive his land • Ultimately, he got land in Madison County and died on that property in 1834. Key Georgians • Nancy Hart • Legendary war woman who hanged a number of Tory soldiers • Hart county is named after her – the only county named after a woman • Elijah Clarke • Started out as a Loyalist (Tory) but took up the Patriot cause and led a number of battles; most famous for leading the militia attack at the Battle of Kettle Creek • Clarke Co. is named after him Key Georgians • Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton • Georgia’s signers of the Declaration of Independence • All have counties named for them End of the war? • Even though the British surrendered, small battles were still fought. • The treaty to end the war took two years to write. • The Treaty of Paris (1783) ended the American Revolution. .

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