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Period: to
American Revolutionary War
Was also called United States War of Independence. Thirteen of Great Britain's North American colonies won political independence and formed United States of America. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Initial skirmishes between British regulars and American provincials. Marked the beginning of the war. The British were acting on orders from London to suppress the rebellious colonists. General Thomas Gage was the appointed royal governor of Massachusetts who ordered his troops to seize the colonists' military stores at Concord. The British force of 700 men was met on Lexington Green by 77 local minutemen. -
The Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill
The Americans provoked the assault by entrenching on Breed's Hill. The American artillery placement on the heights would have made the British position on Boston untenable, Howe led a British frontal assault on the American fortifications. The British eventually cleared the hill but at the cost of more than 40% of the assault force. Leaving the battle a moral victory for the Americans. -
Washington takes command
Washington took command of the American forces at Cambridge. He had to contain the British in Boston and recruit a Continental Army. During the winter of 1775-76 recruitment lagged so badly that fresh drafts of militia were called up to maintain the siege. -
The battle for New York
British government sent Howe and his brother with a large fleet and 34,000 British and German troops to New York. It also gave the Howe's a commission to treat with the Americans. The British force sailed in June from Halifax to New York and July encamped on Staten Island. The Continental Congress, which had proclaimed the independence on the colonies, at first thought that the Howes were empowered to negotiate peace terms. -
The surrender at Saratoga and French involvement
Britain's strategy in 1777 was to drive a wedge between New England and other colonies. Burgoyne took his army by sea to the head of Chesapeake Bay. He defeated Washington badly but not decisively at Brandywine Creek on Sep. 11. Feinting westward he entered Philadelphia on Sep. 25. The Continental Congress fled to York. Washington struck back at Germantown on Oct. 4 but compelled to withdraw and went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. -
Land Campaigns to 1778
The war was fought on land with two types of organizations. The Continental (national) Army and the state militias. The war was fought by small field armies. Militias were poorly disciplined and with elected officers summoned for periods usually not exceeding three months. The Continental Army was only gradually increased from one to three years.
