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Battles of the American Revolution

By Jacob Tracy

  • Battles of Lexington and Concord

    1. The British heard Colonists were stockpiling arms. British marched and met 70 minutemen. They killed 8 and injured 10 with only 1 of the 700 British troops injured. British began to march and were assaulted with about 3-4000 minutemen taking cover behind stone walls and trees in tactical positions humiliating the British 2.This battle is first major conflict between the British and Colonists. This gave good morale towards the Colonists and Adams stated, "this is a glorious day for America."

  • Battle at Bunker Hill

    1. British General Thomas Gage attacks near Bunker Hill with 2,400 troops and marched in unison rows which took 3 assaults to overtake militiamen. Colonists lost 450 and British lost +1000.
    2. Second Continental Congress sent Olive Branch Petition to King George III and he refuses. A 50 page book is later published months after the Oliver Branch Petition and is very successful at bashing King George III and persuading more loyalists to join the Minutemen.

  • Battle of New York

    1. General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe amass 32,000 British soldiers including thousands of German mercenaries known as the Hessians while Washington had 23,000, many untrained fighting. Washington suffered a heavy loss.
    2. This vastly reduced Washington's army and the remaining 8,000's enlistments were due within months. This put them in a very desperate position to win any battle to keep his men from going home.

  • Battle of Trenton

    1. On Christmas night Washington made a bold move and lead 2,400 soldiers through the Delaware river. By 8 o'clock the next morning attacked in surprised the drunken Hessians and killed 30, captured 918, and 6 Hessian cannons. 8 days later the Colonists were victorious against 1,200 British stationed at Princeton
    2. This battle gave good morale, much of what they needed to keep fighting in the war and Washington continued to march his army encouraged.

  • Fight for Philadelphia

    1.General Howe began his campaign to capture the American capital of Philadelphia with his troops sailing from the Chesapeake and landing near the capital. The Continental Congress fled Philadelphia while Washington's army unsuccessfully blocked the British at nearby Brandywine Creek.
    2. The British captured Philadelphia and confidence for them grew as well with General Howe enjoying tea with the loyalists and their hospitality.

  • Winter at Valley Forge

    1.Washington's soldiers had to endure primitive conditions such as wind, snow, and low amounts of rations. Soldiers suffered from frostbite and surgeons did what they could to avoid amputation. Of the 10,000 stationed there only 2,000 survived and continued their duty.

  • Battle at Saratoga

    1. General Burgoyne lead an army down the lakes from Canada to Albany and tried to meet up with General Howe's troops to isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. Burgoyne lead 4k troops, 3k mercenaries, and 1k Mohawk warriors. Burgoyne lost hundreds of men to Americans and General Howe couldn't help as he was occupying Philadelphia. He later surrendered to General Gates at Saratoga by being surrounded. 2, This changed Britain's war strategy by now keeping troops close to the coast.

  • British take the South

    1. General Cornwallis sailed south with 8,500 troops and capture Charles Town, South Carolina, and capture 5,500 American soldiers as Prisoners of War. Later Cornwallis and his troops marched towards North Carolina but were continuously harassed and had to retreat to South Carolina.
    2. This would reduce Cornwallis's troops for later battles.

  • British Losses in 1781

    1. Washington had General Nathanael Greene with 600 troops to march south and harass Cornwallis and his troops. Cornwallis sent Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton to chase the Americans away but were defeated. Cornwallis was angered and attacked Greene two months later, though he won the battle it costed 93 lives, over 400 injured, and 26 missing which was nearly 25% of his army.
    2. This would reduce Corwallis's stature to make good decisions and would lose some British manpower.

  • British Surrender at Yorktown

    1. A French naval force defeated a British fleet and blocked the entrance to Chesapeake Bay therefore preventing a British retreat and rescue. When that was going on 17,000 American and French soldiers surrounded General Cornwallis's troops they bombarded the British for 3 weeks day and night. On October 17 Cornwallis surrendered which eliminating any chance at winning the war.
    2. This would lead to peace talks in Paris 2 year later. After negotiations were done America had full independence.