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Battle of Lexington and Concord
British were trying to find the militia's stores of ammunition and arms. 79 militia met 1,000 British troops, 8 militia were killed. This was the first battle in the American Revolution. Paul Revere and William Dawes warned the militia that the British were coming. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The British was in control of the city, with the militia nearby. Militia commanded by Colonel William Prescott set up posts on Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. The Americans opened fire first, forcing the British to retreat. After awhile the Americans ran out of gunpowder and had to withdraw. This was a British victory, 1,000 British died though but the British knew that defeating the Americans would neither be quick nor easy. -
Battle of Long Island
Two sides clashed in the Battle of Long Island in late August 1776. The British badly defeated the outnumbered Continental Army. Nathan Hale showed his bravery at Long Island by disguising himself as a Dutch schoolteacher to spy on British troops. The British caught him and hanged him as punishment. Patriots fought hard during the war and killed. After the defeat, Washington retreated from New York. -
Battle of Trenton
Patriots were struggling through the winter, the British force was settled in New York. British left troops in Princeton and Trenton, New Jersey. Washington saw a chance to catch the British by a surprise. Christmas night 1776, Washington led 2,400 troops across the icy river to surprise at Trenton the next day. Washington managed to escape and marched to Princeton, his army scattered the British force there. -
Battle of Saratoga
July, General Burgoyne captured Fort Ticonderoga, but needed supplies. He sent a force to the American supply base at Bennington, Vermont . The Green Mountain Boys defeated them and Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga, New York. He found himself in serious trouble and alone. Burgoyne made a desperate attack on October 7th. October 17th, 1777, General Burgoyne surrendered. Since the British plan had failed, Continental Army won a victory that changed the course of the war. -
Battle of Monmouth
Washington had sent Lee with a small force ahead of the main body of the Continental Army to harass the British army. He was ordered to engage the redcoats until Washington could bring the rest the army from Valley Forge. Many men have been wounded or killed, while some had collapsed on the 100 degree weather. While the British escaped, the Americans claimed victory of the Battle of Monmouth. -
Battle of Cowpens
British moved northward through the Carolinas in September 1780. British warned local people to give up the fight for independence and join the British, if they refused they threatened to "hang their leaders" and lay their country waste. In January 1781, one section defeated the British at Cowpens, Carolina. British had to act quickly to win the war. -
Battle of Yorktown
There the two leaders,Washington, and Rochambeau, waited for the arrival of a second fleet of French ships. If and when the second French fleet arrived, Washington planned to attack the British army base in New York. The ships were heading toward Chesapeake Bay instead of New York, Washington quickly remade plans, He and Rochambeau would advance on the British at Yorktown rather than at New York. Washington's plan worked perfectly. Patriots had won the Battle of Yorktown.
