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American Revolution Battles
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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
These battles were the first military engagements of the American Revolution. In Lexington, minutemen intercepted British troops from marching from Boston to Concord and many minutemen were killed in the process. With the British marching to Concord to destroy military supplies, an American army got situated and awaited their semi-victory against the British. -
The Siege of Fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold joined Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont in an attack set for dawn of May 10, 1775 in order to capture the sleeping British fort. This battle was the first victory for the Continental Army and would later give the American army the artillery needed for future battles. -
The Battle of Chelsea Creek
The Battle of Chelsea Creek started when militiamen raided Chelsea on the northern shore of the Boston Harbor for livestock and other supplies found there.The American militiamen were pursued by a British shipped called the HMS Diana. When the HMS Diana got stuck in the marshes, the militiamen saw it to be the perfect opportunity to attack the ship, making this battle the first naval engagement of the American Revolution. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill resulted in a loss for the Americans, but gave them a much-needed confidence boost. British troops had planned to occupy the hills surrounding Boston. American troops learned of the plans and were ordered to build a fort upon Bunker Hill but ultimately built it upon the smaller hill of Breed's Hill which was closer to Boston. American troops fired upon the British until they were out of ammunition, forcing them to retreat. -
The Battle of Quebec
Patriot forces under Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery attempted to capture the city of Quebec from the British Army. American troops wanted the city for support of the American cause in Canada. This attack failed and cost General Richard Montgomery his life. This was the first major defeat for the Americans in the American Revolutionary War. -
The Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn Heights)
This battle was a success for the British Army and a loss for George Washington and the Continental Army. The British Army started this battle as a way to isolate the upper portion of the colonies from the rest of the war. Though the Continental Army was defeated in this battle, George Washington refused to surrender his forces and escaped to continue the fight for freedom. -
The Battle of White Plains
Another successful battle for the British Army as they attacked American troops. George Washington had troops positioned in two separate locations. British forces took advantage of this and started battling with the troops located on Chatterton's Hill. Sending a second force to flank the American troops, the British Army forced the Americans to retreat back to Washington. -
The Battle of Fort Washington
Another loss for the Continental Army as the British Army stormed Fort Washington. With George Washington stuck on the other side of the Hudson, Fort Washington was only left with 3,000 defenders which did not stand a chance against the British forces consisting of 8,000 men. With the realization that they were outnumbered and would eventually be defeated, Colonel Robert Magaw surrendered the fort and the 2,800 American troops left. -
The Battle of Trenton
A victory for the Continental Army was claimed during this battle. As Washington's troops were soon to have their enlistments expire, he came up with a daring plan to attack the Hessian garrison stationed in Trenton on Christmas. Due to unforeseen weather, two columns of Washington's army had to turn back. What was left attacked the Hessian garrison from two directions and claimed their victory. -
The Battle of Princeton
This battle was another victory over the British. General Cornwallis was dispatched to Trenton to try and capture Washington. When he got there, he sent troops to guard the Delaware River to ensure there be no escaping. Instead, Washington muffled the wheels of his wagons and snuck around the side of the British army. He ran into the British rear guard and outnumbered them 5 to 1. -
The Battle of Oriskany
A sort of stand-still for the British and the Americans. In a battle that consisted of only people from North America on both sides, the British Army was ordered to attack Fort Stanwix. After attacking the American troops, and those said troops fighting back, the British troops retreated. Meanwhile St. Leger had stopped the American relief column. This resulted in semi-victories on both ends. -
The Battle of Bennington
Another victory for the Americans against the British. After hearing about a group of British troops heading towards Bennington, militiamen of the Continental Army attacked after a day of non-stop rain. Constructing a small redoubt on a hill, Lt. Col. Baum thought he could sit and wait for reinforcements. After one more day, Continentals attacked again and came out victorious. -
The Battle of Brandywine
A defeat for the Continental Army as Generals Howe and Cornwallis launched a full scale attack of 18,000 troops on General Washington's 11,000 troops at Brandywine. Howe and Cornwallis split the 18,000 troops into two divisions, one to attack from the front and one to attack from the right flank. This forced the Americans to retreat to Germantown, PA. -
The Battle of Saratoga (Freeman's Farm)
Officially a win for the British, the battle stood at a standstill. British forces went to loyalist John Freeman's farm and it was there that they ran into Continental troops. During this battle, the British Army lost two men to each rebel. American sharpshooters picked off British soldiers but were driven away from the battle field due to the German reinforcements that arrived for the British. -
The Battle of Germantown
Yet another defeat for the Continental Army. Washington launched a surprise attack on the British camp in Germantown, His army failed to pull off his battle plan to defeat the British in this battle. The British drove away the Americans, inflicting twice as many casualties as they suffered. The defeat led many Americans to question Washington's leadership. -
The Battle of Saratoga (Bemis Heights)
A victory for the American forces as the British surrendered at Bemis Heights. American forces, now reinforced by Gen. Lincoln and militiamen, easily withheld the British Attack. With British troops being killed quickly, they gathered behind redoubts. It was there that Gen. Arnold rode wildly into battle and led an attack against the British redoubts. -
The Battle of Monmouth
What resulted in a tactical draw, Washington and Charles Lee attacked the rearguard of Gen. Clinton's British Army. Even though the Americans outnumbers the British troops, Lee doubted the work his soldiers could do and failed to press an advantage. This resulted in a potential disaster for the Americans. Gaining Lafayette and other reinforcements, they pressed an attack. After hours of battle, both parties believed their men to be fatigued and overheated. Both parties withdrew from this battle. -
The Capture of Savannah
Another victory for the British, American troops were severely outnumbered as the British forces launched a surprise attack. After finding a path through the swamp to the right of the American's position, the British forces battled and killed 83 men and captured another 483 men from the American forces. British forces did not leave Savannah until July of 1782. -
The Siege of Charleston
On this day, the Americans suffered their worst defeat of the revolution. Due to Gen. Lincoln's surrender to British Gen. Clinton, 3,000+ patriots were captured. British presence in South Carolina brought about a civil war among the population. Eventually, guerrilla warfare strategies led by the Patriots resulted in British forces being forced into Virginia. -
The Battle of Camden
Another victory for the British against the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Illness had depleted the number of troops in the Continental Army. Gen. Gates of the American forces decided to engage Gen. Cornwallis's force. Nearly 2,000 Patriots were killed or taken prison by the British. -
The Battle of King's Mountain
Patriot irregulars under Col. Campbell defeated Tories under Major Ferguson at this battle. One thousand American frontiersmen under Colonel Campbell of Virginia gathered in the back country to resist Ferguson’s advance. The Patriots charged the hillside multiple times, demonstrating lethal marksmanship against the surrounded Loyalists. The Tories suffered 157 killed, 163 wounded, and 698 captured. -
The Battle of Cowpens
The Americans inflicted heavy casualties on the British, and the battle was a turning point in the war’s Southern campaign. Cornwallis dispatched Banastre Tarleton with 1,100 Redcoats and Loyalists to catch Morgan, whom he feared might instigate a broad-based backcountry Patriot uprising. More than 800 British troops were killed, wounded or captured. The Americans suffered less than 100 casualties. -
The Battle of Guilford Courthouse
Gen. Cornwallis scored a tactical victory at Guilford Courthouse over American forces under Major General Nathanael Greene, the British suffered significant troop losses during the battle. Cornwallis abandoned his campaign for the Carolinas and instead took his army into Virginia, where in October of that year he surrendered to General George Washington. This was considered a win for the Americans. -
The Battle of Eutaw Springs
Resulting in victories on both ends, the Americans drew the British guards into an ambush back in Wantoot Woods and then returned for the foragers, capturing more than 400 men. Gen. Greene deployed his infantry in two lines, militia in front of regulars, and advanced towards the sound of the guns. During the battle, 579 Americans and 882 British and loyalists were killed, wounded, or captured. -
The Battle of Yorktown
A major victory for the Continental Army as Gen. Washington commanded a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops against a force of 9,000 British troops. Washington ordered for Continental troops to cover the ground and force Cornwallis to stay in Yorktown. French troops stayed on the water to ensure no escape from Cornwallis through the sea. Because of this, the war was won by the Americans.
