The War Moves West and South
1778-1781
War in the West
• Objectives
• How the war involved Native Americans.
British Strategy
British would use their Indian allies of the frontier to prevent
westward expansion of the Americans.
George Rogers Clark
Clark led an expedition into the
Northwest Territory to capture
British posts and claim lands
for his home Virginia.
British Frontier Fighters
Henry Hamilton
Joseph Brandt
The “Hair Buyer”
Mohawk Chief
Clark’s Victories
Vincennes
February 23, 1779
Kaskaskia
Captured July 4, 1778
Self Check
• Why did the Native Americans of the West side with the
British?
Glory at Sea
• Objectives
• How privateers help the Patriot cause
• Who was America’s naval hero
Privateers
Merchant vessels armed. Hired by governments to harass enemy
shipping.. Today we would call them pirates.
John Paul Jones
Commander of the Ranger.
He was then given command
of a French ship. He named it
Bonhomme Richard to honor
Benjamin Franklin.. Attacked
a British convoy and fought
the Serapis. When asked to
surrender he replies, “I have
not yet begun to fight!”
Self Check
• Why were privateers so important to the Patriot cause?
• How did John Paul Jones become such a national hero?
Struggles in the South
• Objectives
• Why the British shift their war plans to the South.
• Why their style of fighting after initial success failed in the
South.
British Strategy
With the entrance of France into the war. Great Britain had to reassess its strategy. It now had to divert troops and ships from
North America to protect its other colonies.
Monmouth
June 28, 1778. As British are retreating across New Jersey from
Philadelphia to New York. Washington saw a chance to attack
with his von Steuben trained army.
Key Figures at Monmouth
Charles Lee
Failed to carry out orders.
Molly Pitcher
Took her husbands place.
Savannah GA
To protect their interests in the
West Indies, the British needed
ports. First was Savannah GA.
Sir Henry Clinton led an
expedition that captured the city
December 29, 1778
Charleston S.C.
American forces defended by
Benjamin Lincoln, came under
siege from Clinton beginning
April 1, 1780. Cut off from all
supplies, Lincoln surrendered
May 12, 1780. The 5,000
prisoners taken was the largest
American surrender of the war.
Camden
General Horatio Gates, the hero of
Saratoga, took command of the
Southern Army July 25, 1780. He
attacked the British commanded
by Charles Cornwallis August 16,
1780. The British soundly
defeated Gates. Gates was one of
the first officers to retreat. His
fame gained at Saratoga was lost
at Camden.
Banastre Tarleton
Feared British cavalry officer
commander of a group known as
The Tory Legion. Earned the
nickname “Butcher”.
Guerilla Warfare
Using knowledge of local terrain,
Patriots adopted hit and run
tactics. Francis Marion, “The
Swamp Fox”, Thomas Pinckney,
Thomas Sumter, Andrew Pickens
were some of the leaders.
Spanish Help
Bernardo de Galvez becomes
governor of Louisiana January
1777. Helped keep Mississippi
River open to supply Clark and his
men. Drove the British from
Natchez, Mobile, and Pensacola
FL.
Kings Mountain
October 7, 1780, Kings
Mountain North Carolina.
Patrick Ferguson commanded
1,000 loyalists against Patriots.
Firing rifles, the accuracy of the
weapon led to a decisive victory.
The outcome convinced many
Americans in the south to
become Patriots. Ironically,
Ferguson, inventor of a rifle, fell
to the accuracy of a Patriot.
Nathanael Greene
After Gates was defeated at
Camden, Nathanael Greene
was placed in command of the
Southern Army. He adopted
the hit and run tactics of the
local guerilla bands.
Cowpens
January 17, 1781, American
forces led by Daniel Morgan met
Tarleton’s Legion at The
Cowpens, South Carolina. In the
ensuing battle, 110 British are
killed, 830 are captured.
American casualties: 12 dead,
61 wounded.
Guilford Courthouse
March 15, 1781, near present
day Greensboro, North Carolina,
Americans led by Nathanael
Greene met the British
commanded by Charles
Cornwallis. At the height of the
battle, Cornwallis orders his
cannon to fire on friend and foe
alike. His army suffers heavy
losses: 184 killed, 780 wounded
or missing. He then retreats to
Virginia.
Retreat to Yorktown
The British Army retreats to
Yorktown on the peninsula
between the James and York
rivers. Here American forces
led by Anthony Wayne, von
Steuben, and Lafayette have
Cornwallis trapped. But the
Americans are too weak to
attack.
Self Check
• Why did the British focus their strategy on controlling the
South?
• How were the Americans able to overcome the superior British
numbers, equipment, and experienced leadership in the South