Chapter 4 Section 4

Independence

Savannah and Charles TownBritain moved the war to the south because they believed that most people living in the Southern Colonies were Loyalists

After fighting for 3 years in the North, the British were no closer to victory

Even though the British had captured some cities in the North, they could not control the countryside

Believed that if they gained territory in the South, the Loyalists there would help them hold on to it

Savannah and Charles Town

The British expected that the Southern slaves would also be on their side

Promised to grant slaves willing to fight for the British freedom

Even though thousands of African American slaves did join the British, not all received their freedom

Some British officers sold African Americans into slavery in the West Indies

Savannah and Charles Town

British also moved the war south so that they could be closer to their West Indian colonies

Southern seaports were closer to the West Indies where British troops were stationed

December 1778: British capture the port of Savannah and using it as a base were able to conquer most of GeorgiaIn 1780, General Henry Clinton forces Charles Town (now Charleston) to surrender

Worst American defeat of the war

The Swamp Fox and Guerilla Fighting After the loss of Charles Town, General

Horatio Gates is assigned to form a new Southern army

Hero of Saratoga

Headed for Camden, South Carolina to challenge British General Lord Cornwallis

On the way, met a group of backcountry Patriots Leader was Francis Marion, called “The Swamp Fox”

Provided Gates and his soldiers useful information about the Carolina swamp lands

Gates sent Marion and his men to destroy boats on the Santee River

This cut British communication to Charles Town

The Swamp Fox and Guerilla FightingAugust 1780: Gates army runs into British

troops outside of CamdenAmericans in no shape to fight-out of supplies and starving

Gates put his men on the front lines, which was disastrous

His men fled and so did he

Terrible defeat

Ended Gates’s term as head of an armyMorale reached a new low

The Swamp Fox and Guerilla Fighting After Camden, the British set out for Charles

Town with American prisonersMarion and his men overwhelmed the British and freed the prisoners

From a base in the swamp, Marion’s men were able to cut the British supply line using methods of a guerilla warfare.

Small bands of fighters who weaken the enemy with surprise raids and hit-and-run attacks

Both Patriots and Loyalists formed guerilla bands in the South and both sides conducted vicious raids

The Tide TurnsUnder Greene’s command, Americans avoided larger battles

British had the edge in large battles because of superior firepower

Americans let the British chase them around the countryside and wear them out

When fighting occurred, they made sure that the British suffered heavy losses

War enters sixth year of fightingMany British opposed to the war

Begin to think that American independence isn’t so bad

The End of the War1781: Most of the fighting took place in Virginia

British General Cornwallis set up base at Yorktown along the Chesapeake Bay

From there, the British could receive supplies from New York

Washington seized the opportunity

General Lord Cornwallis

The End of the WarAugust 1781: Large French fleet arrives from the West Indies and blocked Chesapeake Bay

Prevented British from receiving supplies and from escapingWashington and French commander General Jean Rochambeau marched south and trapped Cornwallis on the peninsulaWhen British ships tried to reach Cornwallis, French ships drove them back

The End of the War

The Battle of YorktownAmerican and French troops bombarded Yorktown with cannon fire

Cornwallis was forced to surrender

Continental Army captured 8,000 British soldiers – the largest British Army in America

Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution

Treaty of Paris Britain would officially recognize America

as an independent nation Set America’s borders to the Mississippi

River Britain accepts America's right to settle

and trade west of the Appalachians. Britain returns Florida to Spain