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Retreat From New York
In the mid-1776, the heavy fighting moved from New England to the Middle States. There, the Continental army suffered through the worst days of the war. So as you may see, the colonists were dealing with hard times in the battle against the British. -
Attack and Retreat
In June 1776, just as the Continental Congress was considering independence, a large British fleet arrived off New York. Sir William Howe, the British commander, gathered his forces on Staten Island, at the southern edge of New York harbor. Washington expected Howe's attack. He already had led his forces south from Boston to Brooklyn on Long Island. However, his army was no match for the British. -
Nathan Hale
During the fight for New York, Nathan Hale became a American legend. Hale was a Connecticut officer, and he volunteered for dangerous spy duty. His mission was to collect information about British battle plans on Long Island. Caught behind British lines, Hale was tried and condemned to death. -
Crossing the Delaware
Oh Christmas night, 1776, Washington led 2,400 men across the river in small boats. Soldiers huddled in the boats as the spray from the river froze on their faces. So poorly supplied were the troops that some had no shoes. On the far bank, the men trudged several miles with Washington urging them on. Then they attacked Trenton from two sides, achieving complete surprise, -
European Alliance
France was eager to defeat Britain. So they decided to secretly supply the Americans with money and arms. Also, Spain and the Netherlands went to war with Britain. Even the Mexicans allied with the Americans. So a bunch of alliance happened then at that point of time. -
Valley Forge
General Washington's army was starving and naked. Most died from coldness, starvation, and other dreadful situations. A quarter of them died before spring. There was 12,000 total there at Valley Forge with George Washington. Some soldiers found food such as deer, and animals like that wandering around in the woods. The winter improved later on those days and then the British lost and the Americans won the Revolutionary War.
