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Battles/Events of the American Revolution
Table of Contents
Revolutionary War Battle/Event
April 19, 1775 - The Battle of Lexington and Concord
May 11, 1775 - The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
June 17, 1775 - The Battle of Bunker Hill
December 31, 1775 – The Battle of Quebec
July 1775 - March 1776 – The Siege of Boston
July - August 1776 – The Battle for New York
October 11, 1776 - The Battle of Valcour Bay
1776 – Washington’s Retreat through New Jersey
December 26, 1776 – The Battle of Trenton
January 3, 1777 – The Battle of Princeton
September 10, 1777 – The Battle of Brandywine
September 22, 1777 – The Battle of Germantown
August 6, 1777 – The Battle of Oriskany
August 16, 1777 – The Battle of Bennington
October 13, 1777 – The Battle of Saratoga
The Winter of 1777-1778 – Valley Forge
June 28, 1778 - The Battle of Monmouth
February 23, 1779 – George Rogers Clark and The Battle of Vincennes
July 15, 1779- The Battle of Stony Point
September 23, 1779 - Bonne Homme Richard vs. Serapis
1779-1780 - The Siege of Charleston
August 16, 1780 – The Battle of Camden
September 21, 1780 – The Treason of Benedict Arnold
October 7, 1780 – The Battle of King’s Mountain
January 17, 1781 – The Battle of Cowpens
March 15, 1781 – The Battle of Guilford Court House
September 8, 1781 – The Battle of Eutaw Springs
October 6-19, 1781 - The Battle of Yorktown
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“The Battle of Lexington and Concord”
April 19, 1775
On April 19, 1775, British General Thomas Gage
dispatched 700 British troops commanded by Lt.
Col. Francis Smith to Concord, Massachusettes, 16
miles northwest of Boston, to seize munitions that
the Patriots had been stockpiling. Word of the
British departure from Boston was quickly spread
by Paul Revere in his famous ride, and by the time
the British reached the village green at Lexington,
through which they had to pass, they found 70
Minutemen waiting for them under the command
of Capt. John Parker . When ordered by the British
to disperse, “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
was fired and the American Revolution was begun.
The British then fired upon the Minutemen, killing
8 and wounding 10. The British suffered 1
wounded.
The British continued the 6 miles to Concord and
the Americans retreated to the North Bridge just outside the town. While the main body of soldiers
accomplished their mission of seizing the gunpowder, a small contingent of British troops skirmished
again with the colonists, now numbering several hundred. 3 British soldiers and 2 Americans were killed
in this battle. As they returned to Boston, the British were under constant assault from Massachusettes
militiamen, who inflicted 273 casualties.
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
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The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
May ll, 1775
Fort Ticonderoga lay on the shores of Lake Champlain. Called Fort Carillon by the French, it was renamed
Ticonderoga by the British after it was captured in 1759. The fort was positioned to cut the colonies in
half, and two Americans, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, were determined to capture the fort. Allen was
approached by Connecticut citizens to lead his men known as the Green Mountain men to take the fort.
Meanwhile Benedict Arnold had himself been appointed to the same task by the Massachusetts committee
of safety. The two men argued over command, but this did not deter them from attacking the fort. On May
11th, all the men who could fit were loaded in boats and set off for the fort. The men defending the
garrison of Ticonderoga were surprised in their beds. Allen called out to Lieutenant Joceyln Feltham,
"Come out of there you dammed old rat!" When Feltham asked on whose authority, Allen stated,"in the
name of Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." The fort, with its heavy artillery, fell without a
shot being fired.
4
"The Battle of Bunker Hill”
June 17, 1775
After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, two armies faced one another in Boston, the Army of New
England, and the British Army. The New England Militia had surrounded Boston and the British army
occupied it. Neither side had occupied Dorshester Heights or Bunker Hill which had clear strategic
importance. In early June General Gage ordered the occupation of the Heights beginning June 16th. Word
of Gages plans reached the Colonist and they decided to act first. On the evening of June 16th Colonel
William Prescott on orders of General Artemas Ward led two massachusetts regiments and his own
artillery company plus a large work detail headed out of Cambridge and occupied Bunker Hill. There they
decided to dig in and fortify Breed Hill. Through the night the American troops worked to created a
fortified position. With first light the British ships at anchor in the harbor noticed the American forces on
the hills and began firing. General Gage ordered an attack on the American forces. The attack was led by
General Howe with a force of 2200 men. They embarked on twenty eight large barges, a formidable force
of redcoats. They landed unopposed on Moultons point. Howe had a complicated plan for a two pronged
attack. The plan complexity and disregard for the capabilities of the Americans were its undoing. The 23rd
Regiment, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, headed for the redoubt. The Americans who had limited gunpowder
held their fire until the British were within fifty feet, then they opened fire on the thick column of British
soldiers before them. A British officer described it: "Our Light Infantry were served up in companies, and
were devoured by musket fire." The British attack broke. Meanwhile the attack above on the railed fence
by the Grenadiers ran into similar trouble. Once again the Americans held their fire until the British were
close by. Two attacks of the Grenadiers were successfully turned back. However, the Americans were
soon running out of ammunition. On the third attack the British succeeded in overrunning the redoubt.
Most of the Americans succeeded in withdrawing. Thirty were caught in the redoubt and killed by the
British. The Americans were forced to withdraw, Bunker Hill was in British hands, but 226 British soldiers
died taking the Hill and 828 were wounded. The Americans lost 140 killed and 271 wounded.
5
"The Battle of Quebec"
December 31, 1775
In late June, Congress directed that action be taken against the British in Canada. Washington detailed
the task to Benedict Arnold to attack Quebec. Arnold collected supplies and troops and, on September 11,
set off. Arnold believed that he would be able to travel by river to Quebec in twenty days. Unfortunately,
he underestimated the time and difficulty of getting to Quebec, and it took Arnold 45 days of arduous
traveling to reach Quebec. Many of his men died or turned back along the way. By the end of October they
had neared Quebec, but a storm kept them away until November 13th. Arnold's army was in no condition
to attack, so they pulled away to recoup. They were joined by 300 men led by Richard Montgomery,
General Schuyler's second in command who had just captured Montreal. On December 31, the American
forces assaulted Quebec, with 600 men led by Arnold from the North and 300 men led by Montgomery
from the South. The British were waiting between successive barriers. The Americans broke through the
first line, but were stopped by the second. Arnold was wounded in the leg and carried from the battle
field. Montgomery was killed by a bullet to the head, and the American assault failed. Six hundred men
were captured and 60 died in the attempt to take Quebec.
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"The Siege of Boston"
July 1775 – March 1776
On June 15th, 1775, the Continental Congress appointed George Washington to be the commander of the
Continental Army. In the course of a few meetings in June, the Congress passed a series of resolutions
that not only created the army-delineated ranks but included a 50 article code of military conduct.
Washington arrived in Cambridge on July 2, two weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill. Washington's task
was to convert the rag tag militia surrounding Boston into an army, while at the same time tightening the
noose around the British troops occupying Boston. The siege had continued for many months when
finally, in February 1776, with much of Boston Harbor frozen, Washington proposed a direct attack on the
British forces in Boston. The Massachusetts committee on safety rejected Washington's plans, and instead
proposed that the still unoccupied Dorchester Heights be seized. On the night of March 4th, after an
extensive exchange of artillery, much of it coming from Fort Ticonderoga, American troops under the
command of General Thomas seized the Heights. The Americans brought with them prefabricated
fortifications. Thus the British awoke the morning of the March 5th to find American troops with artillery
fortified in the Heights overlooking Boston. The British commander General Howe was then informed by
his naval commander, Rear Admiral Molyneaux, that he would not be able to keep his ships in the harbor
with American artillery on Dorchester Heights. Howe had two choices - attack the Americans or withdraw
from Boston. After giving serious consideration to attacking, he decided to withdraw. By March 17th, the
last of the British troops were loaded and, on the 27th, they sailed out of the harbor. Boston was now in
American hands.
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"The Battle for New York"
July - August 1776
On July 3, 1776, British troops landed on Staten Island. Over a period of six weeks, British troop strength
was increased so that it number over 32,000 by the end of August. Meanwhile, General Washington was
preparing his men as well as he could under the circumstances. Washington was hampered by the British
control of the sea, which allowed them to conceivably attack either Long Island or Manhattan.
Washington decided to defend both vulnerable areas. On August 22, General Howe, the British
commander, began transporting troops across the bay from Staten Island to Long Island. Washington
decided to defend Brooklyn Heights by digging in around Brooklyn Village. Washington fortified the
Heights of Guan, a range of hills 100 to 150 feet in height and covered by heavy brush and woods. The
heights were broken by four passes. The furthest away was the Jamaica pass. Only five soldiers were
detailed to defend the pass. On August 26th, Howe's troops quietly made their way to the Jamaica pass
and seized the five American guards there. The British advanced behind American lines undetected until
they reached the settlement of Bedford, where they opened fire. At that point, British troops rushed
through the Bedford pass. Two hundred fifty American troops, under General Stirling, were surrounded on
three sides. They fought bravely, but were soon overwhelmed. American troops were forced back into
Brooklyn Heights. Cornwalis did not follow-up with an immediate attack on Brooklyn Heights.
Washington's advisors recommended a withdrawal before British frigates could block the East River and
any available means of escape. On the night of August 30th, Washington successfully withdrew his troops
across the East River to Manhattan. Washington turned his attention to rebuilding his army. He was given
instruction by the Continental Congress that allowed him to withdraw from New York. Washington began
moving his supplies and wounded soldiers north from Manhattan. Meanwhile, Howe had decided not
attack the heavily fortified Manhattan, but instead to outflank Washington and trap him. On September
13, Howe began to move his army across the East River to Kips Bay, there he hoped to cut Washington
off. The landing was successful, and met only limited opposition. Washington's army, however, was able
to successfully move North to Harlem Heights. The next day, a brief skirmish took place at Harlem Heights
that became known as the Battle of Harlem. In this brief battle, several hundred British light infantry
were badly mauled by Colonel Thomas Knowlton's Connecticut regiment. The Americans and the British
began digging in. On October 12, Howe once again moved his army to the north to outflank Washington,
this time at Throgs Neck. He landed there successfully, but his forces were bottled up on the Neck, which,
depending on the tides, was sometimes an island. Washington decided to withdraw north to White Plains.
The British slowly followed. It took Howe ten days to arrive in White Plains. There, on October 28th, the
British troops captured Chattertons Hill, to the right of American lines. Washington soon withdrew to New
Castle, and Howe did not follow.
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"The Battle of Valcour Bay"
October 11, 1776
Ever since the failure of the American invasion of
Canada, it had been the intention of Sir Guy Carleton,
in accordance with the wishes of the ministry, to
invade New York by way of Lake Champlain, and to
secure the Mohawk valley and the upper waters of
the Hudson. The summer of 1776 had been employed
by Carleton in getting together a fleet with which to
obtain control of the lake. It was an arduous task.
Three large York vessels were sent over from
England, and proceeded up the St. Lawrence as far as
the rapids, where they were taken to pieces, carried
overland to St. John's, and there put together again.
Twenty gunboats and more than two hundred flatbottomed transports were built at Montreal, and
manned with 700 picked seamen and gunners; and
upon this flotilla Carleton embarked his army of
12,000 men. To oppose the threatened invasion,
Benedict Arnold had been working all the summer with desperate energy. In June the materials for his
navy were growing in the forests of Vermont, while his carpenters with their tools, his sailmakers with
their canvas, and his gunners with their guns had mostly to be brought from the coast towns of
Connecticut and Massachusetts. By the end of September he had built a little fleet of three schooners, two
sloops, three galleys, and eight gondolas, and fitted it out with seventy guns and such seamen and
gunners as he could get together. With this flotilla he could not hope to prevent the advance of such an
overwhelming force as that of the prepared enemy. The most he could do would be to worry and delay it,
besides raising the spirits of the people by the example of an obstinate and furious resistance. To allow
Carleton to reach Ticonderoga without opposition would be disheartening, whereas by delay and vexation
he might hope to dampen the enthusiasm of the invader. With this end in view, Arnold proceeded down
the lake far to the north of Crown Point, and taking up a strong position between Valcour Island and the
western shore, so that both his wings were covered and he could be attacked only in front, he lay in wait
for the enemy. James Wilkinson, who twenty years afterward became commander-in-chief of the
American army, and survived the second war with England, was then at Ticonderoga, on Gates's staff.
Though personally hostile to Arnold, he calls attention in his Memoirs to the remarkable skill exhibited in
the disposition of the little fleet at Valcour Island, which was the same in principle as that by which
Macdonough won his brilliant victory, not far from the same spot, in 1814. On the 11th of October, Sir Guy
Carleton's squadron approached, and there ensued the first battle fought between an American and a
British fleet. At sundown, after a desperate fight of seven hours' duration, the British withdrew out of
range, intending to renew the struggle in the morning. Both fleets had suffered severely, but the
Americans were so badly cut up that Carleton expected to force them to surrender the next day. But
Arnold during the hazy night contrived to slip through the British line with all that was left of his crippled
flotilla, and made away for Crown Point with all possible speed. Though he once had to stop to mend
leaks, and once to take off the men and guns from two gondolas which were sinking, he nevertheless, by
dint of sailing and kedging, got such a start that the enemy did not overtake him until the next day, when
he was nearing Crown Point. While the rest of the fleet, by Arnold's orders, now crowded sail for their
haven, he in his schooner sustained an ugly fight for four hours with the three largest British vessels, one
of which mounted eighteen twelve pounders. His vessel was woefully cut up, and her deck covered with
dead and dying men, when, having sufficiently delayed the enemy, he succeeded in running her aground
in a small creek, where he set her on fire, and she perished gloriously, with her flag flying till the flames
brought it down. Then marching through woodland paths to Crown Point, where his other vessels had
now disembarked their men, he brought away his whole force in safety to Ticonderoga. When Carleton
appeared before that celebrated fortress, finding it strongly defended, and doubting his ability to reduce it
before the setting in of cold weather, he decided to take his army back to Canada, satisfied for the present
with having gained control of Lake Champlain This sudden retreat of Carleton astonished both friend and
foe. He was blamed for it by his generals, Burgoyne, Phillips, and Riedesel, as well as by the king; and
when we see how easily the fortress was seized by Phillips in the following summer, we can hardly doubt
that it was a grave mistake.
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Washington’s Retreat through New Jersey
1776
The final act of the Battles of New York was the British capture of Fort Washington. The Hudson River was
guarded by Fort Washington and Fort Lee, but the British managed to send ships past the forts without
difficulty, thus limiting their usefulness. The commander on the scene, Colonel Nathaniel Greene, believed
that he could hold the fort with the 3,000 men that he had. On November 27th, Howe struck the outer
defenses of the fort. They were too far away from the fort itself, and the British broke through. After
suffering heavy losses but acquitting themselves well, the fort surrendered. Two thousand seven hundred
twenty-two American were captured. Howe soon took Fort Lee on the New Jersey side and pursued
Washington's forces all the way down New Jersey. He did not catch up, however, and Washington was
able to get away with his army more or less intact across the Delaware River.
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The Battle of Trenton
December 26, 1776
On December 26th, Washington's Army crossed the Delaware and surprised the British at Trenton. The
main attack was made by 2,400 troops under Washington on the Hessian Garrison. Washington's troops
acheived total surprise and defeated the British forces. The American victory was the first of the war, and
helped to restore American morale.
Despite Washington's defeats in New York, he was not willing to sit idly by while the British occupied all
of New Jersey. The front lines of the British were occupied by Hessians troops who held positions along
the Delaware River opposite Washington's troops in Pennsylvania. On Christmas Night, Washington
surprised the British by leading a group of 2400 troops across the Delaware. At the same time, James
Ewing was to seize the ferry just south of the city. Despite the ice floating down the river, Washington
succeeded in crossing the river and leading his men and their artillery ashore. At a few minutes before
8:00, Washington and Ewing's troops converged on Trenton. The Americans set up artillery that
commanded the streets of the city. As the Hessians who had been up late celebrating Christmas took to
the streets, they were struck down. The British commander, Colonel Rall, was soon killed. Within an hour,
the battle was over, 22 Hessians were dead, 98 were wounded and almost a thousand were being held
prisoner. Only four Americans, however, were wounded. Washington returned with his triumphant forces
to Pennsylvania. The next day, Colonel Caldwater who had failed to cross the river the day before, crossed
the Delaware with his troops and occupied the empty town of Burlington. Two days later, Washington
followed with his men. As the year ended, Washington had 5000 men and 40 howitzers in Trenton.
11
The Battle of Princeton
January 3, 1777
Gen. Howe responded to the fall of Trenton by sending 5,550 troops south from New York through
Princeton toward Trenton. Gen. Cornwalis' troops arrived in Trenton late on the afternoon of the 2nd of
January. Cornwalis found Gen. Washington's troops along the ridge of the Assunpink Creek, and decided
to wait until the next day to attack. Overnight, Washington moved his troops out of Trenton and into
Princeton to the north. There, his advance force met a British blocking force commanded by Lieutenant
Colonel Charles Mawhood. A desperate fight ensued in Princeton, in which the Americans almost lost.
Washington's timely arrival on horseback, however, served to rally the Americans, and the Colonial army
defeated Mawhood's troops, forcing them to retreat to Trenton. Both armies were spent, and Washington
took his army into winter quarters in Morristown, while Cornwalis withdrew to New Brunswick.
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The Battle of Brandywine
September 10, 1777
On August 25, 1777, Gen. Howe moved his troops south by sea to threaten Philadelphia. He landed his
troops on the west side of the Elk River. After a week of rest, Howe marched his troops north toward
Philadelphia. George Washington responded by marching his army south through Philadelphia to meet
Howe. After harassing Howe's advance for a few days, Washington placed his army behind Brandywine
Creek. The creek was crossable only at a number of fords. At 4:00 AM on the 10th of September, while
part of his army was engaged in a diversionary attack against Chads Ford, Howe took the bulk of his army
on a long march through back roads to cross at Trimble and Jeffries Fords at the end of Washington's
unanchored lines. Howe successfully crossed the fords and brought his troops to Osborne Hill, outflanking
Washington's troops. The American troops redeployed, trying to block the British. At 4:00 PM, the British
troops set off down the hill to the music of the British Grenadier. They marched through a hole in the
American lines, but the Americans quickly converged on them. The battle raged for hours. Desperate hand
to hand fighting ensued. By nightfall, Washington was forced to withdraw. The British had won the day,
but Washington's army was still intact.
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The Battle of Germantown
September 22, 1777
After the Battle of Brandywine, British Gen. Howe managed to outflank Gen. Washington and make his
way into Philadelphia. Nevertheless, Washington was not willing to allow Howe to remain in Philadelphia
unmolested. Early on the morning of October 4th, Washington's troops attacked the British troops in
Germantown. There were 8,000 troops bivouacked there, and Washington's plans called for a
simultaneous attack by four converging forces. The Americans planned to attack without firing, but
shooting broke out very quickly from both sides. The air around Germantown that early October morning
was laden with a fog so thick that American troops soon began firing on each other. Coordination between
the various attacking forces became impossible. As American forces fired on one another, Howe
counterattacked. The initiative moved to the British and the American forces were forced to withdraw.
14
The Battle of Oriskany
August 6, 1777
The British Northern Campaign called for the convergence of three separate forces: Burgonyne's troops
coming down via Fort Ticonderoga and Lake Champlain; Colonel St. Leger's troops attempting to envelope
the Mohawk valley; and 1,000 Native American warriors. St. Leger expected to overwhelm the small
dilapidated fort called Fort Stanwix easily, since it was garrisoned by only a few Americans. What he
found instead was a rebuilt force with 550 Americans commanded by an energetic Colonel Peter
Gansevoort. That group was reinforced as he arrived by an additional 200 Massachusetts volunteers. St.
Leger demanded the immediate surrender of the fort, a demand that was summarily rejected. St. Leger
started to lay siege to the fort. Meanwhile, American Brigadier General Herkimer led a force of over 800
men in a relief expedition to the fort. As the relief force noisily approached, St. Leger sent a force
primarily made up of Native Americans to ambush the approaching relief column. Six miles from Fort
Stanwix, near the village of Oriskany, they were attacked as the column was traversing a deep ravine. The
Americans were surrounded, but they held their ground and fought bravely. Faced with no option but to
fight or die, they fought the enemy until they reached a standstill. Each side lost over 150 men that day,
and the American commander General Herkimer was soon to die from his wounds. All thoughts of
relieving the fort were forgotten. St. Leger continued his investment of the fort with renewed vigor after
the arrival of his cannons. He once again demanded the surrender of the fort, threatening that, if they did
not surrender, he and the Native Americans would massacre not only the defenders but the entire patriot
population of the valley. The Americans once again indignantly refused. Two men however snuck through
the enemy lines to appeal for help. Help was indeed coming, in the form of Benedict Arnold leading part of
Schuyler's army. Before he could arrive however, the dispirited Native Americans had learned of his
pending arrival, and revolted. St. Leger had no choice but withdraw.
15
The Battle of Bennington
August 16, 1777
General Burgoyne's first major defeat occurred when he sent a force of Hessians west of the Connecticut
River to seize cattle and other supplies. The force, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Fredrich Baum, was
ordered to head to Bennington and seize rebel supplies. Awaiting Baum near Bennington were nearly
2,000 American militia men led by John Stark of New Hampshire. At Van Schaick Mill, Baum's forces ran
into the advance guard of the American forces, and both sides prepared for battle the next day, next to
the Wallomsac River. The British were in makeshift fortifications on a height north of the river. On August
16, after a rain delay, Stark's men attacked. In a complicated multi-pronged attack, they captured or
killed the entire British force. By late in the afternoon, a British relief expedition arrived. The relief
expedition was met by Warner's Green Mountain Boys. They forced the British to pull back. With the help
of Stark's forces, the withdrawal turned to a route. By the end of the battle, 207 Hessians lay dead and
700 were captured. The Americans lost 20 dead and another 40 wounded.
16
The Battle of Saratoga
October 13, 1777
General Burgoyne continued southward, even as his options and support began to crumble. On September
13th, he crossed the Hudson, heading towards Albany. He was down to 6,500 troops. Waiting for
Burgoyne was American General Gates with 7,000 men. Gates was entrenched in Bemis Heights, and
Burgoyne elected to attack. Burgoyne sent 2,000 men under General Fraser on a flanking movement to
the west, and then towards the American line. The main attack was to take place by General Hamilton's
forces in the center, and a third attack was to proceed straight down the river road. Burgoyne was
handicapped by his limited knowledge of American positions. Early in morning of the 19th of September,
the British troops set off. The Americans became aware of the British movements and, at the insistence of
Arnold, Gates agreed to send a force out from the fortification to determine British intentions. Thus, in a
clearing near Freeman's Farm, the battle developed. First, Morganos riflemen ran into Fraser's left flank,
cutting them down. They were in turn decimated by part of Hamilton's brigade. Thus it went for most of
the day, with piecemeal parts of the American and British forces being thrown at each other. At the end of
the day, however, the Americans still held the Heights, and the British had lost 600 killed, wounded or
captured. Time was not on Burgoyne's side, with the nights getting longer and colder, food beginning to
run low, and no option of local foraging. He had lost his Native American scouts, and the ranks of the
American forces were swelling every day. Finally, in a desperate move to break out, Burgoyne sent 1,500
of his men on an attack on the western flank of the American forces. They were immediately attacked by
Morgan's men, and a general British retreat soon ensued. The Americans were not content with driving
the British back, and soon a force under Arnold was attacking a section of the British defensive lines
known as the Horseshoe. After a fierce fight, it was captured. Burgoyne's position thus became untenable
and, that night, he pulled his forces back toward Saratoga, leaving behind his wounded and much of his
supplies, and losing another 600 men. Once he arrived in Saratoga, it became clear that he would not be
able to sustain his position. Gates had followed him, and soon had him surrounded. On October 12th,
Burgoyne called a council of war with his officers, which unanimously agreed that there was no choice but
to surrender. The next day, Burgoyne asked for terms, to which the parties agreed, and Burgyone
surrendered. One quarter of the British troops in North America had been captured. The effects were far
reaching, for the American victory had convinced the other European powers that an American victory
was possible, and aid was soon forthcoming.
17
Valley Forge
The Winter of 1777-1778
Valley Forge, 25 miles west of Philadelphia, was the campground of 11,000 troops of George
Washington's Continental Army from Dec. 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. Because of the suffering endured
there by the hungry, poorly clothed, and badly housed troops, 2,500 of whom died during the harsh
winter, Valley Forge came to symbolize the heroism of the American revolutionaries.
The soldiers represented every state in the new
union. Some were still boys -- as young as 12 -others in their 50s and 60s. They were described
as fair, pale, freckled, brown, swarthy and black.
While the majority were white, the army included
both Negroes and American Indians. Each man had
few possessions and these he carried with him. His
musket -- by far the most popular weapon -- a
cartouche or cartridge box. If he had neither, the
infantryman carried a powder horn, hunting bag
and bullet pouch. His knapsack or haversack held
his extra clothing (if he was fortunate enough to
have any), a blanket, a plate and spoon, perhaps a
knife, fork and tumbler. Canteens were often
shared with others and six to eight men shared
cooking utensils.
The first order of business was shelter. An active field officer was appointed for each brigade to
superintend the business of hutting. Twelve men were to occupy each hut. The officers' hut, located to the
rear, would house fewer men. Each brigade would also build a hospital, 15x25 feet. Many of the Brigadier
Generals used local farmhouses as their quarters. Some, including Henry Knox, later moved into huts to
be closer to their men. The huts provided greater comfort than the tents used by the men when on
campaign. But after months of housing unwashed men and food waste, these cramped quarters fostered
discomfort and disease. Albigence Waldo complained, "my Skin & eyes are almost spoil'd with continual
smoke." Putrid fever, the itch, diarrhea, dysentery and rheumatism were some of the other afflictions
suffered by the Continental troops.
Little is known about the women but there were women at Valley Forge. Junior officers' wives probably
remained in the homes of their husbands and socialized among themselves. The enlisted men's wives
lived and labored among the troops, some working as housekeepers for the officers; others as cooks. The
most common positions were nurse and laundress. A washerwoman might work for wages or charge by
the piece.
The army was continually plagued with shortages of food, clothing and equipment. Soldiers relied both on
their home states and on the Continental Congress for these necessities. Poor organization, a shortage of
wagoners, lack of forage for the horses, the devaluation of the Continental currency spoilage, and capture
by the British all contributed to prevent these critical supplies from arriving at camp. An estimated 34,577
pounds of meat and 168 barrels of flour per day were needed to feed the army. Shortages were
particularly acute in December and February. Foraging expeditions were sent into the surrounding
countryside to round up cattle and other supplies. In February three public markets opened. Farmers
were encouraged to sell their produce. Fresh Pork, Fat Turkey, Goose, Rough skinned Potatoes, Turnips,
Indian Meal, Sour-Crout, Leaf Tobacco, New Milk, Cyder, and Small Beer were included in the list of
articles published in the Pennsylvania Packet and circulated in hand bills.
Entertainment at Valley Forge took many forms. The officers liked to play cricket (known also as wicket)
and on at least one occasion were joined by His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief. Several plays were
staged including Joseph Addison's "Cato" which played to a packed audience. A common recreation was
drinking, when spirits were available. And the soldiers liked to sing.
18
Throughout the winter and early spring, men were frequently "on command," leaving camp on a variety
of assignments. Units were formed to forage for food, some were granted furloughs, and individuals
regularly returned to their home states to recruit new troops. In January Jeremiah Greenman reported,
"all ye spayr officers sent home to recrute a nother regiment & sum on furlow."
On February 23, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, Baron von Steuben, arrived at Valley Forge to
offer his military skills to the patriot cause. Washington assigned him the duties of Acting Inspector
General and gave him the task of developing and carrying out a practical training program. Despite
adverse circumstances, Baron Friedrich von Steuben drilled the soldiers regularly and improved their
discipline.
Foreign officers were an essential part of the Continental Army. They provided military skills which the
Americans lacked. Some, including Steuben, the Marquis de Lafayette and the Baron de Kalb came as
volunteers. Kalb quickly proved himself to Washington and Congress commissioned him a major general.
Lafayette was given the command of a division of Virginia light troops in December 1777 and later took
command of additional troops. Others, such as Engineer Louis Lebèque de Presle Duportail were "covert"
aid given leave from the French Army to provide assistance to the Americans. It was Duportail who
designed the Valley Forge Encampment.
With spring the balance shifted. New recruits arrived daily. Reluctantly, Nathanael Greene accepted the
appointment as Quarter Master General and began to correct the problems with supplies. Under Steuben's
direction the Continentals had become professionals, if not career soldiers. Morale improved as
confidence grew.
General Orders, Tuesday. May 5, 1778 announced the alliance with France and plans "to set apart a day
for gratefully acknowledging the divine Goodness."
On June 19, 1778, six months to the day following their arrival, the Commander-in-Chief General George
Washington and the Continental Army departed Valley Forge and marched to Monmouth, New Jersey to
engage the British in battle just nine days later.
This was the army that would continue to victory at Yorktown.
19
The Battle of Monmouth
June 28, 1778
On June 28, 1778, the American Army fought the British in the last northern battle of the Revolutionary
War. The British withdrew from Philadelphia with a large train of supplies. General Washington carefully
followed the British and, near Monmouth, New Jersey, ordered an attack on the rear of their train. The
fight soon turned into a major engagement between the British and American forces. The American lines
broke until General Washington arrived and single-handedly rallied the American troops. Although it was
tactically a draw, this battle served as an important moral victory for the Americans, and they did indeed
claim it as a victory. Although it can be claimed that they missed the chance for a great victory, it showed
that the hard work that Washington, von Stueben and others had built at Valley Forge was used with
success; and that for the first time, the discipline in the American Army created at Valley Forge helped to
save them on the battlefield.
20
George Rogers Clark and The Battle of Vincennes
February 23, 1779
King George III's Proclamation of 1763 gave the
Indians the land west Appalachian Mountains for their
Hunting Grounds. The British used this to their
advantage. Colonel Henry Hamilton of the British Army
paid the Indians for any colonist scalps. This, of
course, encouraged the Indians to attack the white
colonists and at the same time protected the British
because they did not want to lose the money they
were receiving. Colonel Hamilton's nickname was
"hair buyer."
Colonel Hamilton was in command of Detroit, but
Kaskaskia and Vincennes were two other towns with a
lot of British power. In all three towns the British
would supply the Indians with arms and ammunition
that would be used against the Colonists. George
Rogers Clark convinced the Virginia assembly to give
him money to put a militia together to capture these
three British strongholds.
On June 24, 1778, Clark and 120 men left Redstone,
Virginia and arrived at Kaskaskia on July 4th. Without
firing a shot, Clark was able to take control of Kaskaskia and all the French Canadians living there pledged
allegiance to the Colonies. Clark was able to convince Father Gibault, the French priest of Kaskaskia, to
travel to Vincennes and ask the people there to also pledge allegiance to the Colonies. Father Gibault told
the residents of Vincennes of the spiritual value in uniting with the Colonists. Somehow, he was able to
get all the residents to pledge allegiance to the Colonies and soon an American flag was flying in every
home.
Soon Colonel Hamilton in Detroit heard how Kaskaskia had fallen to the Colonists and then how the
Vincennes' residents had turned against Britain. He left Detroit in December 1778 with thirty soldiers,
fifty French volunteers and four hundred Indians and had taken back control of the Fort.
Clark was in Kaskaskia, Indiana just east of the Mississippi River. It was 240 miles almost directly
eastward to reach Vincennes. The winter was cold and Clark knew that the Wabash River would probably
be flooded, but in early February Clark and his men set out for Vincennes with forty-six men.
On February 23, 1779 Clark and his group were within three miles of the Fort at Vincennes. They were
able to take a British prisoner who told them everything they needed to know. Clark knew he was
outnumbered, so he devised a plan to make it seem that there were a lot more men than forty-seven
storming the Fort. Vincennes sat on the top of a mountain. He had his men march around in a circle
around the fort. The British and the Indians thought there were thousands of soldiers outside. The
Indians ran for their safety. That left about 150 British soldiers inside the fort.
Finally, Clark sent in a flag of truce and asked Colonel Hamilton to surrender. Clark would not accept
Hamilton's terms, because he thought Hamilton to be a barbarian. To convince Hamilton that surrendering
would be his only choice, he took two Indian prisoners and with a tomahawk killed them in front of the
Fort. Colonel Hamilton and his men surrendered. One of Clark's French volunteers from Kaskaskia, St.
Croix, was put in charge of killing the prisoners sentenced to death. When St. Croix lifted the tomahawk
to kill a prisoner, a boy cried out "Save me." St. Croix recognized the voice of his son, who was covered
with Indian war paint. George Rogers Clark spared his life.
George Rogers Clark was a young man, who was more of a frontiersman than a soldier, but he led his
small Army to a victory that would prevent the British from ever having control over the Midwest.
21
The Battle of Stony Point
July 15, 1779
By 1778, the war had settled into a stalemate. Washington was encamped around British-occupied New
York. The British were unable to attack Washington, and New York was too strongly defended for
Washington to attack. In the meantime, a war of plunder took place, with British troops taking part in
various attacks on civilians that began to turn even many of the royalist supporters against them. General
Conway, speaking to the House of Commons in 1779, stated: “O the robe and the mitre animating us in
concert t massacre, we plunged ourselves into rivers of blood, spreading terror, devastation, and death
over the whole continents of America; exhausting ourselves at home became the objective of horror in the
eyes of indignant Europe! It was our reverend prelates who led on this dance, which may be justly styled
the dance of death!…Such is the horrid war which we have maintained for five years." In May 1779,
General Clinton led his troops up the Hudson River, capturing the fort at Stony Point as well as the one at
Verplanck. In response, Washington personally prepared an assault to retake Stony Point. In the early
morning hours of July 15th, three columns of continental soldiers, 1200 men in all, converged on the fort.
The fort was swiftly overwhelmed. Fifteen American soldiers were killed and 83 were wounded . Of the
redcoats troops, 63 were killed, 74 were wounded and 543 were taken prisoner.
22
Bonne Homme Richard vs. Serapis
September 23, 1779
The most remarkable single ship duel of the American Revolution was between the Bonne Homme Richard
commanded by John Paul Jones and the HMS Serapis. Early in 1779, the French King gave Jones an
ancient East Indiaman Duc de Duras, which Jones refitted, repaired, and renamed Bon Homme Richard as
a compliment to his patron Benjamin Franklin. Commanding four other ships and two French privateers,
he sailed 14 August 1779 to raid English shipping. On 23 September 1779, his ship engaged the HMS
Serapis in the North Sea off Famborough Head, England. Richard was blasted in the initial broadside the
two ships exchanged, loosing much of her firepower and many of her gunners. Captain Richard Pearson,
commanding Serapis, called out to Jones, asking if he surrendered. Jones' reply: "I have not yet begun to
fight!" It was a bloody battle with the two ship literally locked in combat. Sharpshooting Marines and
seamen in Richard's tops raked Serapis with gunfire, clearing the weather decks. Jones and his crew
tenaciously fought on , even though their ship was sinking beneath them. Finally, Capt. Pearson tore
down his colors and Serapis surrendered. Bon Homme Richard sunk the next day and Jones was forced to
transfer to Serapis.
23
The Siege of Charleston
1779-1780
The British began a southern strategy by beginning a seige of Charleston, South Carolina. The siege lasted
until May 9th when British artillery fire was close enough to set the town on fire and force a surrender. A
perception continued among the British that the South was full of loyalists just awaiting the call from the
British. At the end of December 1779 General Clinton succumbed to this view and headed south with a
small army. His goal was to capture Charelston, South Carolina. Clinton approached steadily, arriving
opposite Charleston on April 1. He then began a classic European siege. The British dug siege trenches
ever closer to the wall of the city. Day by day, week by week, the British got ever closer to the wall of the
city. In the meantime both sides exchanged artillery fire, the Americans trying to make the British task as
difficult as possible, while the British hoped to terrify the Americans into submission. By the beginning of
May, the British had advanced within a few feet of the American lines. Their artillery fire was soon
becoming deadly and on May 9th many of the wooden houses in Charleston were set on fire by the
artillery fire. The city elders had enough and requested that the American commander Lincoln surrender,
which he did. The British victory in Charleston was pyrrhic. There was no popular uprising and instead
South Carolina degenerated into a period of chaos.
24
The Battle of Camden
August 16, 1780
Early in the dawn hours of 16 August 1780, Otho Williams,
surveying the American line, noticed the British advancing up
the road. He consulted Captain Singleton of the artillery and it
was determined that the British could be no more than 200
yards off. Williams gave the order for an artillery barrage and
the British quickly unlimbered their guns and replied. The
Battle of Camden had begun in earnest.
Stevens, on the left, was ordered to move the Virginians
forward and the inexperienced and seldom reliable militia
responded with hesitation. Williams called for volunteers, led
80 or 90 troops to within 40 yards of the deploying British,
and delivered a harassing fire from behind trees. Lord
Cornwallis, positioned near the action and always alert, had
noticed the Virginians' hesitation and ordered Webster to
advance on the right. In what was one of the worst
mismatches in military history, two of the best regiments to
ever serve in the British Army, the 33rd Regiment and the
23rd Regiment, with the best trained light infantry in the
world, came up against untrained and unreliable troops on the American left. Seeing the perfectly formed line sweep
toward them with a mighty cheer then terrible silence, save the clanking of cold steel bayonet on musket barrel, the
Virginians broke and ran. A few managed to get off a few shots and several of the British troops went down. However,
the pell-mell panic quickly spread to the North Carolina militia near the road and soon the militia broke through the
Maryland Continentals, stationed in reserve, and threw that normally reliable troop into disarray.
Seeing the wholesale panic of his entire left wing, Gates mounted a swift horse and took to the road with his militia,
leaving the battle to be decided by his more brave and capable officers. Incidentally, Gates covered sixty miles in just a
few short hours! Although the Congress later exonerated him for his misconduct and cowardice, Gates never held a
field command again.
Johann de Kalb and Mordecai Gist, on the American right wing, and the Maryland Continentals were still in the field.
One regiment of North Carolina militia did not take part in the flight and fell back into the fighting alongside the
Delaware Continentals. Williams and de Kalb tried to bring Smallwood's reserve to the left of the 2nd Brigade to form
an "L." However, Smallwood had fled the battle and the troop was without leadership. In the meantime, Cornwallis had
advanced strong troops into the gap and between the two brigades. At this point Lord Cornwallis sent Webster and his
veteran troops against the First Maryland troops. Much to the credit of the Americans, they stood fast and went toe to
toe with the best regiments in the world for quite some time. However, after several breaks and rallies, they were
forced from the field and into the swamps. Most of the Maryland troops, because of the inability of Tarleton's horse to
pursue in the terrain, escaped to fight another day.
Only the Second Maryland Brigade, the Delaware Continentals and Dixon's North Carolina militia continued the battle.
At this point, it was some 600 men against 2000. They had managed to check Rawdon's left and had even taken a few
prisoners. It should be noted here that in one of those strange battlefield occurrences, the American's most
experienced Continentals were facing the British army's most inexperienced troops, the Royal NC Regiment. Johann de
Kalb personally led bayonet charge after bayonet charge for over an hour. His horse had been shot out from under him
and he had suffered a saber cut to the head. In a final assault he killed a British soldier and then went down to bayonet
wounds and bullet wounds. His troops closed around him and opposed yet another bayonet charge from the British.
However, at this point, Tarleton returned with his horsemen from the pursuit of the fleeing militias and Cornwallis
threw his horse troops on the American rear. The remaining American troops stood for a few minutes and fought the
onslaught from all sides but finally broke and ran. The Battle of Camden was complete. About 60 men rallied as a rear
guard and managed to protect the retreating troops through the surrounding woods and swamps. It should be noted
that in the manner of warfare in the 18th Century, Lord Cornwallis took Baron de Kalb back to Camden and had him
seen after by his personal physician. Unfortunately, the Baron succumbed to his wounds. He is buried in Camden and a
monument has been erected to his memory on the old battlefield. Casualties for the Battle of Camden for the British
were 331 out of all ranks for 2,239 engaged. This included 2 officers and 66 men killed, 18 officers and 227 enlisted
wounded, and 18 missing. The American casualties have never been fully reckoned; however 3 officers died in battle
and 30 were captured. Approximately 650-700 of Gates soldiers were either killed or taken prisoner out of 3,052
effectives engaged. The loss of arms and equipment was devastating to the American cause.
25
The Treason of Benedict Arnold
September 21, 1780
Benedict Arnold was an embittered man, disdainful of his fellow
officers and resentful toward Congress for not promoting him more
quickly and to even higher rank. A widower, he threw himself into the
social life of the city, holding grand parties, courting and marrying
Margaret Shippen, "a talented young woman of good family, who at
nineteen, was half his age" and failing deeply into debt. Arnold's
extravagance drew him into shady financial schemes and into
disrepute with Congress, which investigated his accounts and
recommended a court-martial. "Having ... become a cripple in the
service of my country, I little expected to meet [such] ungrateful
returns," he complained to Washington.
Faced with financial ruin, uncertain of future promotion, and
disgusted with congressional politics, Arnold made a fateful decision:
he would seek fortune and fame in the service of Great Britain. With
cool calculation, he initiated correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton,
the British commander, promising to deliver West Point and its 3,000
defenders for 2O,OOO sterling (about $1 million today), a momentous
act that he hoped would spark the collapse of the American cause.
Persuading Washington to place the fort under his command, Arnold moved in September 1780 to execute
his audacious plan. On September 21, British Major Andre came ashore in full uniform near Havestraw
from the HM Vulture. There, he met Arnold to finalize the agreement. Unfortunately for them, the Vulture
then came under American fire and headed away, leaving Andre stranded. Andre reluctantly donned
civilian clothes and headed down the Hudson with a safe conduct pass from Arnold. Near Tarrytown,
Andre was captured by three militiamen, who turned him over to the commander at North Castle. Andre
was found carrying incriminating papers. When Arnold was notified at breakfast on April 23 that a British
officer had been captured, he fled by boat to the Vulture. Andre was later hung as a spy. Arnold received
6,000 Sterling from the British government and an appointment as a brigadier general.
Arnold served George III with the same skill and daring he had shown in the Patriot cause. In 1781 he led
devastating strikes on Patriot supply depots: In Virginia he looted Richmond and destroyed munitions and
grain intended for the American army opposing Lord Cornwallis; in Connecticut he burned ships,
warehouses, and much of the town of New London, a major port for Patriot privateers.
In the end, Benedict Arnold's "moral failure lay not in his disenchantment with the American cause" for
many other officers returned to civilian life disgusted with the decline in republican virtue and angry over
their failure to win a guaranteed pension from Congress. Nor did his infamy stem from his transfer of
allegiance to the British side, for other Patriots chose to become Loyalists, sometimes out of principle but
just as often for personal gain. Arnold's perfidy lay in the abuse of his position of authority and trust: he
would betray West Point and its garrison "and if necessary the entire American war effort" to secure his
own success. His treason was not that of a principled man but that of a selfish one, and he never lived
that down. Hated in America as a consort of "Beelzebub ... the Devil," Arnold was treated with coldness
and even contempt in Britain. He died as he lived, a man without a country.
26
The Battle of King's Mountain
October 7, 1780
In North Carolina, Major Ferguson was patrolling with a force of over 1,000 Tory supporters attempting to
pacify the countryside. With violence and atrocities rising on both sides, 1,200 militia men, most from
North Carolina but with some Virginians and South Carolinians, gathered to stop Ferguson and his troops.
When Ferguson became aware of the large contingent of militia gathering, he decided it would be prudent
to move back toward Cornwalis' larger forces. The militia followed rapidly and, when Ferguson realized
that they were overtaking him, he organized his defenses atop King's Mountain, a wooded hill with a clear
top. On October 7, 1780 the militia arrived at the base of the mountain and surrounded it. Soon they
began scaling it on all sides. The patriots had the advantage that the slopes of the mountain were very
wooded, while the summit was not, exposing the Tory troops to attack by the concealed Americans. The
defenders' losses quickly mounted and, when Ferguson was killed, the fight went out of the remaining
soldiers. Of the Tory troops, 157 were killed, 163 were severely wounded and 698 were captured. The
patriot militia lost only 28 killed and 62 wounded.
27
The Battle of Cowpens
January 17, 1781
After Gates had been defeated at Camden, the Continental Congress authorized General Washington to
appoint a new commander of the Southern armies. Washington selected General Greene, who had
recently resigned as Quartermaster General. Greene headed south. Upon his arrival, Greene split his small
army, sending General Morgan to western South Carolina to menace the British troops and attempt to
threaten British Post 96. Cornwalis responded by sending Colonel Tarleton, with about 1,000 soldiers, to
Post 96. There, he received further orders from Cornwalis to seek out and destroy Morgan's forces.
Morgan had 600 Continental soldiers and seasoned Virginia militia men, together with another 500
untrained militia men. He decided to remain and fight Tarleton. Morgan placed his soldiers on a gentle but
commanding hill, deploying them in three lines. The most reliable soldiers among the Continental troops
and Virginia militia were placed just forward of the crest. Below were two lines of militia, the furthest
forward being the best sharpshooters. Morgan did not expect that they would be able to stand against a
line of British regulars, so he gave them explicit orders that they were to fire three rounds and then run to
the place were the horses were being held. Morgan placed 130 mounted men in reserve under Colonel
Washington. At 4:00 AM, Tarleton's forces broke camp, and Morgan was duly notified. At 8:00 AM,
Tarleton reached American lines. Morgan went up and down the line repeating the famous words: ÒDonÕt
fire until you see the white of their eyes! A fierce cry went out from the British forces: Morgan responded
loudly, ÒThey give us the British Hallo, boys. Give them the Indian Hallo, by God! A wild cry went out from
the Americans. The sharpshooters took aim and fired. They did their job, firing two or three times and
running back to the second line. The British continued to advance and, as the second line began to fire,
the British began to run up the hill with bayonets ready. The second line fled. British dragoons then tried
to cut down the fleeing Americans. Just then, Washington's cavalry appeared and chased away the British
cavalry. Morgan was awaiting the militia men where the horses were, and he managed to turn them back
around toward the battle. Meanwhile, the final line of Continentals was holding off the British. The tactical
situation forced them to retreat slightly. Tarleton thought the battle had been won, and he ordered a
general charge. As they charged, Morgan ordered the retiring force of Continentals to turn and fire. At the
same time, the militia men were coming up on the left. Once the British were halted in their tracks, the
Americans began charging with bayonets. Just then, the militia attacked from the left, and Washington's
cavalry attacked from the right. In what would become a classic military victory, one of the most famous
of the war, the entire British force was captured. The British had lost 910 men, 110 killed and 800 taken
prisoner, as well as all of their supplies. The American lost only 73 people, 12 killed and 61 wounded.
28
The Battle of Guilford Court House
March 15, 1781
After Morgan's victory in the Battle of Cowpens, both Morgan and Greene knew that Cornwalis would not
allow the victory to go unavenged. At the same time, Morgan did not want to give up his prisoners or
supplies. Greene thus directed his army north, while at the same time taking direct control over the
troops of the badly ailing Morgan. Greene then masterly withdrew northward, skillfully delaying Cornwalis
all the way. In order to catch up with the Americans, Cornwalis burned his supply train and extra
supplies. Greene retreated all the way back to Virginia, pulling Cornwalis the whole way. When it became
clear that Greene and the Americans had gotten away, Cornwalis realized how exposed he was, with no
supplies in hostile territory. He began withdrawing southward. Greene and the Americans followed. When
the British arrived at Guilford Court House, Greene felt the time was right to fight. Green had 4,300
troops, of which 1,600 were Continental regulars, facing 2,200 British regulars. The battle lasted for most
of the day. The result was a British victory in the sense that the Americans were dislodged from their
positions and forced to withdraw. The cost to the British, however, was too high. The British lost 93 killed
and 439 wounded, while the Americans lost 78 killed and 183 wounded. Cornwalis' army was now in
tatters.
29
The Battle of Eutaw Springs
September 8, 1781
The last important engagement in the Carolina campaign of the American Revolution was fought in Eutaw
Springs 30 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina. The American forces under General Nathanael
Greene attacked at 4 AM, driving British troops under Colonel Alexander Stewart from the field. Greene
believed that if he could destroy Stewart he could end the British threat to the south once and for all. The
American attack floundered when the men stopped to plunder the camp. The British then rallied and
repulsed the Americans. The end result however, was that the British were too weak to hold the field
anymore. After sunset, Stewart retreated toward Charleston. The battle was an important victory for the
Americans; it forced the British to remain within Charleston and prepared the way for the siege of
Yorktown.
30
The Battle of Yorktown
October 6-19, 1781
The Battle of Yorktown began after the Battle of
Guilford Court House. At that time, British
General Cornwallis moved his battered army to
the North Carolina coast, then, disobeying
orders from General Clinton to protect the
British position in the Carolinas, he marched
north to Virginia and took command from
Loyalist (Tory) General Benedict Arnold.
At the same time, General Washington was
planning to attack New York with the help of the
French, who had been convinced by Benjamin
Franklin to join the Patriots. Because the British
knew of the Patriots' plan to attack New York,
they did not send reinforcements to General
Cornwallis in Yorktown. General Cornwallis had
been ordered to bring all his men to New York,
but again he did not obey orders. Instead,
Cornwallis kept all of his troops, totaling about
7,500, and began fortifying Yorktown and Gloucester, across the York River.
Washington sent his French aide, the Marquis de Lafayette, to Virginia in the spring of 1781 with a few
Continental troops. Lafayette observed Cornwallis’s troop movements up the Carolina coast and their
settling in at Yorktown. Upon hearing this news, Washington abandoned his plans to attack New York and
Washington and French General Rochambeau, with 2,500 Continental and 4,000 French troops, started
their march to Philadelphia. General Clinton realised the Americans were not going to attack New York,
and ordered the British fleet to the Chesapeake Bay.
On August 30, Admiral de Grasse, with the French fleet arrived at the Chesapeake Bay and the British
fleet from New York arrived on September 5. A naval battle ensued, with the French navy driving off the
British fleet. 3,000 French troops from the naval fleet joined with General Washington’s army. After
waiting a few days while the British admirals Graves and Hood sailed back to New York, the Americans
attacked. Cornwallis was besieged by a Franco-American force of 16,000 troops. They captured two main
redoubts on October 14. The British launched a counterattack but it failed. Cornwallis was outnumbered,
outgunned, and was running out of food. Realizing that his situation was hopeless, Cornwallis asked for a
truce on October 17. He surrendered to George Washington on October 19, 1781.
Back in New York, the British admirals had been deciding on how and when to rescue Cornwallis. On
October 17th a British fleet finally set sail out of New York, but it was too late. And when General Clinton,
who had been marching towardsYorktown with 7,000 reinforcement troops, learned of the surrender, he
turned back to New York.
The surrender of Yorktown ended the fighting in the War for American Independence, except for some
minor fighting that continued in the south, and other battles that still went on overseas. Losses on both
sides were light: British and Hessian 156 killed and 326 wounded; French, 52 killed and 134 wounded;
American, 20 killed and 56 wounded.
The Battle of Yorktown, is recognized as one of the most skillful military actions in history. The British
prime minister, Lord Frederick North, resigned after Cornwallis's surrender. The new leaders signed the
Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, which officially ended the American Revolution.
31
Battles of the American Revolution
Battle –
Location and
Date
April 19,
1775 - The
Battle of
Lexington
and Concord
May 11, 1775
- The
Capture of
Fort
Ticonderoga
June 17,
1775 - The
Battle of
Bunker Hill
Combatants/Major
Players/Significant
Personalities
Name: _________________________
Battle Details
Results/Consequences/
Significance
32
December
31, 1775 –
The Battle of
Quebec
July 1775 March 1776
– The Siege
of Boston
July - August
1776 – The
Battle for
New York
33
October 11,
1776 - The
Battle of
Valcour Bay
1776 –
Washington’s
Retreat
through New
Jersey
December
26, 1776 –
The Battle of
Trenton
34
January 3,
1777 – The
Battle of
Princeton
September
10, 1777 –
The Battle of
Brandywine
September
22, 1777 –
The Battle of
Germantown
35
August 6,
1777 – The
Battle of
Oriskany
August 16,
1777 – The
Battle of
Bennington
October 13,
1777 – The
Battle of
Saratoga
36
The Winter
of 1777-1778
– Valley
Forge
June 28,
1778 - The
Battle of
Monmouth
February 23,
1779 –
George
Rogers Clark
and The
Battle of
Vincennes
37
July 15,
1779- The
Battle of
Stony Point
September
23, 1779 Bonne
Homme
Richard vs.
Serapis
1779-1780 The Siege of
Charleston
38
August 16,
1780 – The
Battle of
Camden
September
21, 1780 –
The Treason
of Benedict
Arnold
October 7,
1780 – The
Battle of
King’s
Mountain
39
January 17,
1781 – The
Battle of
Cowpens
March 15,
1781 – The
Battle of
Guilford
Court House
September 8,
1781 – The
Battle of
Eutaw
Springs
40
October 619, 1781 The Battle of
Yorktown
41