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Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold of Massachusetts joined Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain boys of Vermont in a surprise attack against the British. It was a small battle numbers wise but a big win for the colonists. This was also the first American win and it helped the Continental Army because they got much needed artillery for future battles. This was a huge moral booster for the Americans. -
Bunker Hill
British forces were commanded by William Howe and Robert Pigot. The Americans barely had any ammo so General Prescott said to them, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" At first the Americans caught the British off guard and forced them to retreat but then after the British reformed their lines and they would do it again with the same outcome. The third time up the hill the Americans had little to no ammo so they fought with fists.This led to the British defeating the Americans -
Trenton
This battle took place in Trenton New Jersey. George Washington and his men crossed the Delaware the night before on Christmas night for a surprise. After a brief battle nearly the entire Hessian force was captured but there were many losses for the Americans. This was huge for the moral of the American side because they have recently lost many battles. -
Princeton
George Washington and his men escaped from one enemy to attack another. General Charels Cornwallis led the British army and they were poised to deliver a punishing blow the following morning after Trenton. Rather than staying the night and fighting Washington and his officers decided that instead of battling in Trenton for the second battle, the colonists marched east towards Princeton. They marched for 18 miles and fought with the Brits. after many causalities, the British finally surrendered. -
Brandywine
George Washington led the Americans and Sir William Howe led the British army. The British army defeated the American army and they made the US retreat back to Philly. More troops fought in this battle than any other battle and it was also the longest, lasting 11 hours. -
Saratoga
There were two battles of Saratoga and they were turning points in the war. The British were led by John Burgoyne and the Americans by, Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. On Sept. 19 the British army defeated the Americans and made them retreat. Then Burgoyne felt big so he decided to attack them again but this time he lost and surrendered 10 days later. This American victory convinced the French to join the war as their allies because they wouldn't before. -
Monmouth
The American army was led by Washington and the British army was led by Sir Henry Clinton. Heat played a big factor and a lot of men died of heat stroke on this day. Technically it was a tie at first between the two countries but the US held the field the following morning. This battle was considered a major strategic win for the Americans. Casualties were in the 100s -
Cowpens
The American troops were led by Daniel Morgan and the Brits by Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The American army crushed the British and it was the most casualties the British faced in one battle throughout the whole war. This was a big turning point for the Southerners campaign. -
Yorktown
Washington led a group of 17,000 French and American troops against the British and Charles Cornwallis and a troop of 9,000. The US had a blockade set up against the British so they couldn't set up at Yorktown and the cornered then between land and sea because they French fleet blocked the British escape by sea. The British surrendered once and for all and Cornwallis pleaded sick so he didn't attend the formal surrender ceremony so instead his second in charge did all of his duties.
