-
Fort Ticonderoga
The British had launched a massive unsuccessful assault on Fort Ticonderoga, which was controlled by the French, because it was a constant threat to New York and the Hudson River Valley. They attacked the high walls of the fort but never were able to take it. They suffered 1,900 casualties and were not able to use Fort Ticonderoga during the war. -
Lexington and Concord
These battles were a series of clashes between British regulars and the Massachusetts Minutemen. The Intolerable Acts in 1774 grew tension in Boston. Thomas Gage formed plans to seize the military stores at Concord. The British saw these forces forming and Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to warn Minutemen the British were coming. These battles were the first American victory. The untrained militia had caused much more casualties than they took. -
Bunker (Breed's Hill)
Thomas Gage had troops move to Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. He had heard the British were going to attack and both of these locations were easy to defend. The British ended up taking Breed's hill with bayonets and the colonists retreated to Bunker Hill. The colonists held it and the British had suffered major casualties. This battle convinced the patriots that a regular military was not necessary and that now the British had to get mercenaries because of their large number of losses. -
Trenton/Princeton (The New Jersey Campaign)
George Washington devised a plan to attack both Trenton and Princeton in the middle of winter, catching the Hessians off guard. They caught the Hessian forces offguard and captured both the forts and putting men and artililery there. The British attempted to get Trenton back but Washington led soldiers to Princeton and fought and defeated Mahwood. The British ended up giving up New Jersey and the colonists now controlled the land surrounding New York. -
Saratoga (Bemis Heights, the second battle)
American General Horatio Gates decided to prepare a defensive position at Bemis Heights. He set Major General Benedict Arnold in charge there. British General Burgoyne attacked and was defeated both times. The British were outnumbered and short of supplies and decided to retreat. This was the worst defeat for the British army and it was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War. It convinced France to sign a treaty of alliance with the rebels. -
Siege of Charleston
British forces under Sir Henry Clinton decided to take Charleston. This was one of America's largest port cities in South Carolina. The British were easily able to take boats and cut off Charleston's communications and help and forced the Continental Army to lay down their weapons and leave the city. This helped the British's southern strategy and cut off supplies gained from the port. -
King's Mountain
Major Patrick Ferguson, a Loyalist commander, gather British troops and loyalists to defeat patriots where ever he could. He gathered his troops on King's Mountain, a position he though he could defend easily. The Patriots surrounded the hill and ascended it quickly. They were able to make it over the top and defeat the Loyalist forces. This ended the British's attempts to rally Loyalist support and he withdrew from his expedition into North Carolina. -
Battle of Yorktown
Lord Cornwallis moved his entire force to Yorktown after abandoning his attacks in North Carolina. George Washington had a huge allied army and troops and artillery from the French troops that had arrived to help the colonists. They had French engineers dig trenches for their artillery and bombarded the British town over and over. Cornwallis was unable to escape the town and they signaled a surrender. This was the end of the Revolution and America's Independance had been won.
