The Revolution's
Early Stages and
Battles, 1776-1778
Sasso
US I
Early Stages and Battles, 17761778
• Washington will take
command of the Continental
Army shortly after Bunker Hill
• Immediately gets to work
training his inexperienced
army
• There will be some minor
conflicts with the British
during this time
• The British begin to realize
that Boston probably isn't the
best base of operations
• By March of 1776, the British
will pack up shop and head to
NYC
Early Stages and Battles, 17761778
• Even though England
had to vacate Boston,
they are still in a
great position to end
the war quickly
• Still dealing with
sizable advantages
over the Americans
• Both the British and
the Americans will
head down to NYC
Early Stages and Battles, 17761778
• The British will now be lead
by two brothers: General
William Howe and Admiral
Richard Howe
• William will lead the ground
troops, while Richard is
responsible for naval affairs
• Two different personalities:
William was somewhat
overconfident, while Richard
was a bit more attentive to
detail
• Knowing that Washington and
his troops had headed to NYC,
the Howes decided to launch
a massive invasion of NYC
The Battle for New York (Summer
1776)
• NYC was not the best
environment for
Washington’s soldiers
• Too many distractions
• They are also seriously
outnumbered
• 32,000 British soldiers
• 19,000 American soldiers
• General Howe simply
wants to “shock and awe”
the American soldiers
• Howe actually offers GW
terms of surrender before
the battle begins
• GW rejects the offer
The Battle for New York (Summer
1776)
• A few weeks after the reading of
the Dec. of Independence, the
Howes will begin their attack
• After meeting up on Staten
Island, the British begin their
advance up the Hudson and East
Rivers
• The British will send large forces
through Long Island and Brooklyn
• They hammer the American
forces, forcing them to retreat
back through Manhattan
• Ultimately, GW’s forces have to
retreat across the Hudson in to
NJ, all the way across NJ, before
finally settling down in PA
• The British will give chase before
settling in Central NJ for the fall
and winter months
The Battle for New York (Summer
1776)
• Not exactly the start that
GW was hoping for
• Total number of soldiers
dwindles to about 5,000
(result of desertions and
casualties)
• Even bigger
complication: most
enlistment terms are up
on 12/31/76
• In order to keep the
soldiers he already has,
GW badly needs a
victory
Trenton (December 2526,1776)
• GW decides to roll the dice on a
risky move
• On Christmas Night , GW crosses
the Delaware River through a
fierce storm
• Marched his troops (2,400) 9
miles through sleet and snow to
ambush a British controlled fort
at Trenton
• Hessian soldiers occupied the
fort, but had a little too much fun
on Christmas
• GW and his men stormed the fort
in the early morning hours
• Captured or killed nearly 1,000
Hessian soldiers
• The irony is that the Hessians had
been warned that GW was
coming and they ignored it
HUGE VICTORY…sort of.
• Important victory for GW
• First of all, it’s a victory (can’t underestimate that)
• The victory can be used as a propaganda piece; spread the
word like the Boston Massacre
• Hopefully this will be enough to encourage soldiers to reenlist
or motivate new recruits
• 8 days later, GW will replicate the attack, only this time he will
attack British soldiers at Princeton
• GW can’t secure either fort, but the brief victories will be
monumentally important for the Americans
• GW managed to keep his main army intact, and the British
were no closer to total victory than at the start of the year
• After Princeton, GW will march his troops to Morristown for
the rest of the winter
Philadelphia (Spring 1777)
• Once the fields began to dry
out in the spring, General
Howe went back on the
offensive
• Decided to attack the
American Capital of
Philadelphia
• Moved his troops from NYC to
Philadelphia by boat
• Slapped GW around at
Brandywine Creek and
Germantown
• Took Philadelphia with almost
no resistance
• Continental Congress had to
escape to York, PA
Saratoga (Fall 1777)
• “Gentleman” John
Burgoyne- British
General
• Devises a complex
strategy to isolate New
England from the rest of
the colonies
• Calls for a multiple-front
assault throughout
northern and central NY
• Burgoyne from Canada,
Barry St. Ledger from
Western NY, Howe from
NYC
• All three units would
meet up in Albany
• Plan looks fantastic on
Saratoga (Fall 1777)
• Problems
• #1- Howe isn’t coming from
NYC; he is in Philadelphia
• He actually isn’t coming at all
• #2- Interesting mix of soldiers:
4,000 British; 3,000
mercenaries; 1,000 Mohawk
• #3- Burgoyne really didn’t
know the territory he would
be marching through going to
Albany
• Thought it would take three
weeks; took him nearly three
months
• #4- Burgoyne never expected
to face constant American
harassment
• Continually falls victim to
guerilla attacks (Ethan Allen
and the Green Mountain
Saratoga (Fall 1777)
• Burgoyne’s army gets
worn down: tired,
weakened, cut off from
supply lines
• Eventually head to
Saratoga
• Burgoyne’s army will
be surrounded by
American forces under
the command of
Horatio Gates
• After several weeks of
fighting, Burgoyne will
be forced to surrender
his army to Gates
Saratoga (Fall 1777)
• Saratoga is the turning
point
• Greatly alters the course of
the war
• First time the Americans
will defeat a major British
regiment
• They won without GW
having to be there
• The loss will drastically
alter British war strategy
• Most importantly, the
victory at Saratoga will
secure us a big time ally:
France
• The French had been
secretly helping us since
1776, but now they will
Valley Forge (Winter 17771778)
• The British will settle down comfortably for the winter in
Philadelphia
• The Americans will have to brave it in the extreme conditions
of Valley Forge
• Many American soldiers lack provisions; very tough to get
resources in the given economic climate
• Harsh conditions and climate; Americans will lose 20% of their
soldiers as a result of exposure to the elements
• Two important additions to the military: Marquis de Lafayette
and Friedrich von Steuben