The Revolutionary War

Washington’s Army

Lexington and Concord

Paul Revere, William Dawes & Samuel Prescott Revere and Dawes

rode from Charlestown (by Boston) to Lexington

Warn Sam Adams & John Hancock of British attack

Only Prescott made it to Concord

Paul Revere’s Ride – Longfellow (1860)… So through the night rode Paul Revere;And so through the night went his cry of alarmTo every Middlesex village and farm, -A cry of defiance, and not of fear,A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,And a word that shall echo for evermore!For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,Through all our history, to the last,In the hour of darkness and peril and need,The people will waken and listen to hearThe hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

Battle of Bunker Hill June 17, 1775 Charleston Peninsula on

North side of Boston Harbor Boston British garrison

(2400) vs. American Continental army (1500)

General Gage blockaded in Boston by the American army

British want to take the Charlestown peninsula

Americans occupied Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill

Bunker Hill

British ship “Lively” opened fire General Howe landed for frontal attack No preceding bombardment due to the wrong size cannon balls American success despite fewer troops and ammunition After three attacks the Americans were forced to retreat due to lack of

ammunition

After Bunker Hill… British casualties –

1150 American casualties –

450 British fortified both hills British use flanking

techniques in all future battles

Death of American General Warren

Invasion of Canada

Ethan Allan & Benedict Arnold capture British Forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point May 1775

Montgomery captured Montreal Nov. 1775

Montgomery & Arnold attacked Quebec Dec 1776 but were forced to retreat to Ticonderoga

June 17 Battle of Bunker Hill: The British drive the Americans from Breed's Hill

July 3 Washington assumes command of the Continental Army

Nov. 13 The patriots under Montgomery occupy Montreal in Canada

Dec. 31 American forces under Benedict Arnold fail to seize Quebec

Revolutionary Timeline

Jan. 15 Paine's "Common Sense" published

Mar 17 The British evacuate Boston; British Navy moves to Halifax, Canada

June 8 Patriots fail to take Three Rivers, Quebec

June 12 The Virginia Declaration of Rights

June 29 The First Virginia Constitution

June 28 Patriots decisively defeat the British Navy at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina

July 1 At the instigation of British agents, the Cherokee attack along the entire southern frontier

July 4 Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence

Aug. 27 Redcoats defeat Washington's army in the Battle of Long Island. Washington's army escapes.

Sep 15 The British occupy New York City

Sep 16 Generals George Washington, Nathanael Greene, and Israel Putnam triumphantly hold their ground at the Battle of Harlem Heights

Oct. 11 Benedict Arnold defeated at the Battle of Valcour Island (Lake Champlain), but delayed British advance

Oct. 28 The Americans retreat from White Plains, New York. British casualties (~300) higher than American (~200).

Nov. 16 The Hessians capture Fort Washington, NY

Nov. 20 Lord Cornwallis captures Fort Lee from Nathanael Greene

Battle of Long Island Aug 27, 1776, New York British vs. American Continental Army Major General Lord Howe vs. Washington

Battle of Long Island

Battle of Long Island

British withdrew from Boston Mar. 17, 1776 Howe landed at Staten Island July 3, 1776 Brooklyn Heights commanded by Major General

Putnam to defend Manhattan Aug 22 British landed on Long Island Howe brought troops along unguarded northern

roads on Aug. 26 to attack from rear while the German mercenaries attacked from the front

Aug 28 American reinforcements Aug 29 Americans withdrew

Aftermath at New York Howe again did not

chase the American army, losing the chance to capture Washington

British casualties 400 American casualties

2000 Collapse of American

morale

Battle of Trenton Dec 31, 1776 Washington

would lose over ½ his troops Washington crossed the

Delaware River north of Trenton at night Dec. 25 during a storm to attack on the morning of Dec 26

Colonel Rall & the Hessians were hung over

Washington and Sullivan divided the attack starting at 8:00 am

Hessians retreated and Rall died

Battle was over by 9:30 am Increased American morale

Battle of Oriskany

Colonel Leger (Br) attacked General Herkimer (Am)

Herkimer was ambushed by the Iroquois under Joseph Brant and losing badly

Major rainstorm forced all to take cover in the trees and Indians felt this was a sign from the Great Spirit to retreat from battle

British retreated

Treaty of Alliance with France General Howe won the

battles of Brandywine and Germantown

British set up winter quarters in Philadelphia

Continental army in Valley Forge

Trained by Baron von Steuben

Feb 6, 1778 B. Franklin negotiated a treaty with Louis XVI against the Br.

May 1778 French army & fleet arrived

Battle of Yorktown George Washington (Am) –

8800 soldiers Lieutenant General de

Rochambeau (Fr) - 7800 Major Gen. Lord Cornwallis

(Br.) – 6000 Cornwallis was losing so he

took Yorktown Virginia Am & Fr marched to attack

Sept 28, 1781 Sept 30 American siege of

Yorktown Oct 14 American attack Oct 16 Br. tried to cross river

but stopped by a storm Oct 19 Cornwallis surrendered

Treaty of Paris

Sept 3 1783 Br. acknowledges American

independence Br. signed peace agreement

with France John Jay, John Adams, Ben

Franklin signed for America