The Battle of Long Island
Early in the American Revolutionary War, the patriots took the city of Boston from the British, and waited for reinforcements in Canada. When new troops and supplies arrived from Great Britain, the British moved down the Atlantic Coast and sought to take New York City from the Americans. The reason that they did this was to take a large port city from the Americans, so it would be harder for the Americans to ship supplies by water.
George Washington and his Continental Army knew that the British would do this so he started building defenses on Long Island. It was the first major battle between the British and American full-time soldiers (instead of just militia/minutemen). Washington had around 17,000 troops, and the British had about 22,000.
In late August of 1776 the British arrived on Long Island and crushed Washington’s army, but he got very lucky... His troops were being chased off of the island and the British had a chance to annihilate his army, but a thick fog appeared and he was able to evacuate his troops off of the island by boat.
The British took New York City soon after, and held it until the war was over, but they would regret not being able to crush Washington and his Continental Army…
The Battle of Trenton, New Jersey
After the Battle of Long Island, Washington moved south and was defeated several more times by better trained British soldiers. His army would often run away when they saw the British. He knew that his whole army might give up if he did not win a large victory.
In late December of 1776, he was in south eastern Pennsylvania 10 miles from the city of Trenton, New Jersey. The German mercenaries, fighting for the British were aware of Washington’s army, but they thought that it was far too wet and cold for him to cross his entire army across the Delaware River and mount an attack.
Christmas night, during a snowstorm, Washington’s men crossed the Delaware River and marched 10 miles for a surprise attack on the Hessians (the name of the mercenary army). The fighting was over within an hour. It was such a surprise to the Hessians, that they were not able to kill one American soldier. Washington’s Continental Army had their first major victory and took many supplies and prisoners. This showed the people of America that they could win, and that Washington was a truly smart and good general.
The Battle of Saratoga, New York
In the fall of 1777, the British had a plan to finish off the colonists. With Washington’s army stuck and losing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the British planned an attack that would cut the 13 colonies off from each other. They planned to cut through New York and separate the northern colonies off from the southern ones. This is a plan known as “Divide and Conquer”.
However, while the British were marching to central New York from Canada, they were constantly attacked and ambushed by militia and this slowed their journey. Meanwhile, this gave American generals Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold time to prepare defenses and gather men in the town of Saratoga - - right near Albany.
By the time the British arrived, they saw a very large, prepared and rested army waiting for them. The Americans won, and this is known as the turning point in the American Revolutionary War. After this battle, the French joined the Americans by sending money, troops and navy ships to help the Americans.
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Later that year (1777) Washington’s troops, far south of Saratoga, were beaten again. His army had lost many more battles and the British had taken the important city of Philadelphia in southeastern Pennsylvania. During the winter, the British army rested in the city, while Washington’s men were forced to stay at a place called Valley Forge, 22 miles from Philadelphia. The winter of 1777-1778 was one of the coldest winters ever, and Washington’s troops were forced to live in tents and wood shacks.
Washington took this opportunity to turn his rag-tag bunch into a real army. Even though they were short on supplies like food and boots, Washington showed them that their toughness would turn out to be a blessing. He brought in a German named Baron Friedrich Von Steuben to train his men. Also, Washington hung men that tried to run away, or steal food.
When winter ended, his men were finally a true army, ready to take on the British, also, they had renewed confidence in their general who had stayed with them the entire time in Valley Forge, even though he could have stayed in a nice warm house far away during the winter.
The Battle of Yorktown, Virginia
By 1781, the American and British had been even. Both sides were winning battles, but the British were becoming tired of the expensive war that seemed lost. Britain’s main army, commanded by General Cornwallis, was in the city of Yorktown, Virginia, near the Chesapeake Bay.
Washington’s army, along with French soldiers surrounded them on land, while the French navy defeated the British and surrounded them by water. Cornwallis tried to wait them out, and then tried to fight them, but it was useless, and he surrendered.
This was the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, officially ending the war and the Americans had defeated the British and truly now had an independent nation.
1.) Had you been one of Washington’s soldiers, do you think you would have stayed with him throughout the entire war? Explain.
2.) Do you think the Americans could have won without Washington? Why or why not?
3.) Which of these events do you find the most interesting? Why?
Source: https://www.southbuffalocs.org/cms/lib/NY01001376/Centricity/Domain/17/revwarbattles.doc
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