The Patriot – Things to Watch
Hollywood History
The Battle of Bunker HillJune 17, 1775
• Bunker Hill was the objective, yet most of the fighting was on nearby Breed’s Hill
• Colonial militia vs. British regulars
• British eventually capture the ground
• American casualties – 450
• British casualties – Over 1,000
Weapons of the Eighteenth Century
• Veterans of Indian Wars may have taken tomahawks or knives
• Muskets (guns) were long and heavy
• An average shooter could probably load and fire an accurate shot in around 30 seconds
• Muskets were not that accurate due to the shape of their ammunition
• Tried to compensate by lengthening barrel, making them heavier and tougher to hold
• Ammo for muskets involved melting lead into a mold then forming into a round ball
Mold - Courtesy of Missouri State Historical Museum
Photos from:
•Smithsonian National Museum of American History – Behring Center
•Missouri State Historical Museum
Uniforms and Clothing
• British soldiers were called “Redcoats”
• Not all British wore red, however
• Cavalry units altered colors to distinguish themselves
• The most famous of these were the Green Dragoons
• Continental or Colonial soldiers often wore blue
• Continental militia did not have a standard uniform and wore their own clothes
Smithsonian National Museum of American History – Behring Center
Banastre Tarleton and The Green Dragoons
• Notoriously vicious British cavalry leader
• Routinely burned houses
• In one instance, he supposedly killed Continentals who were surrendering
The Battle of CamdenAugust 16, 1780
• Lord Cornwallis (British) vs. Horatio Gates (Continentals)
• Gates has the numeric advantage in soldiers
• Gates uses a large amount of untrained militia
• When the shooting begins, most of the militia retreat immediately
Different Strategies
• British disagree with aiming for officers– They believe without officers, there is no order
• The British did burn down houses of citizens loyal to the rebels– That was usually as bad as it got
• Most honorable type of war was to stand in the field before your enemy– Ambushes were considered ungentlemanly
and in poor taste
The Battle of the Cowpens andThe Battle of Guilford Courthouse
• Lord Cornwallis, leader of British, has no respect for Colonial militia
• Daniel Morgan tells militia to form at center, fire two shots, and retreat– He hopes British will chase militia
• British advance met with Colonial Regulars waiting– Regulars fire at point blank range
• Major victory for Continental army
• Taxation without representation
• Just because one state is at war, that doesn’t mean they all are
