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The Early Years of the Revolutionary War

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Revolutionary War Beginnings

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The Battle of Lexington and Concord was when the famous “Shot heard round the world” was fired. British troops from Boston had been ordered to Concord to destroy what General Gage believed was a storage of weapons created to supply rebels.

British troops instead marched first to Lexington Green where assembled militia members, warned by messengers from Boston during the night, waited.


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It is likely that both sides were reluctant to fire on one another. From somewhere a shot was fired. About one in five colonials were wounded or killed during the engagement. British losses were minimal.

Later, on their return to Boston, British forces were attacked by local militia men who utilized the rocks and trees along the road for cover.

British losses on the return to Boston were very high.

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The attack on Fort Ticonderoga Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold bickered frequently over who should lead the attack on the British fort on Lake Champlain. A band under the command of Allen crossed Lake George and marched silently to the fort when they were astounded to see the gate open and the sentry asleep. No shots needed to be fired. The defenders were confused by the attack because they had not received word about the outbreak of fighting in Massachusetts.


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Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys celebrated their victory by breaking open the fort's casks of rum and by looting the possessions of the British soldiers. At great risk to his life, Arnold managed to restore order.The American haul in this nearly bloodless victory was impressive: six mortars, three howitzers, 78 cannon and supplies of cannon balls, powder and flints.


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Some of these items would later be transported in the depths of winter to the siege of Boston.

Two days later, the rebel forces took nearby Crown Point; on May 16, St. John’s in Canada fell. The victory at Ticonderoga was significant for several reasons. Most important was the fact that the Americans had gained control, albeit temporarily, over the invasion route from Canada.


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While Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold were attacking British forts to the north, the Second Continental Congress was meeting far to the south in Philadelphia.

By the time the Second Continental Congress met, the American Revolutionary War had already started with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Congress was to take charge of the war effort.


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For the first few months of the struggle, the Patriots had carried on their struggle in an uncoordinated manner. They had seized arsenals, driven out royal officials, and besieged the British army in the city of Boston. On June 14, 1775, Congress voted to create the Continental Army out of the militia units around Boston and quickly appointed Congressman George Washington of Virginia as commanding general of the Continental Army.


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Although it had no explicit legal authority to govern, it assumed all the functions of a national government, such as appointing ambassadors, signing treaties, raising armies, appointing generals, obtaining loans from Europe, issuing paper money (called "Continentals"), and disbursing funds. The Congress had no authority to levy taxes, and was required to request money, supplies, and troops from the states to support the war effort. Individual states frequently ignored these requests.


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The Battle of Bunker Hill At daybreak on the 17th gazing through the morning fog, British General Howe was astonished to see a six-foot high earthwork a mushroom fortress that seemingly appeared overnight. "The rebels," he exclaimed, "have done more work in one night than my whole army would have done in one month." British cannons immediately opened fire from the ships offshore but the patriots continued work on the entrenchments without harm.


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By mid-afternoon General Howe ordered his troops to advance and open fire. As the British moved forward, the Americans remained as silent as the tomb. "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes," was the order passed along the lines. When that moment came, the word "FIRE!" was shouted, and whole enemy platoons were mowed down and shattered, retreating to the foot of the hill.


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In all of the twenty battles of the Revolution, Bunker Hill exacted a heavy toll on British officers. In this one battle alone one-eighth of the British officers in the entire War were killed and one-sixth were wounded on that day. Following the earlier skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, the battle of Bunker Hill was significant in that it overruled any real hope of conciliation. The outcome of the battle rallied the colonies and moved a lethargic Congress to take action.


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Bunker Hill showed the Americans that the British were not invincible. It showed the British Government that the "rebels" were a serious opponent, that "the mightiest army in all of Europe" had a real fight on its hands.


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Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation Far to the south in Virginia, the royal governor, Lord Dunmore believed the rebellions to the north should not be allowed to spread.

He believed he had the right to declare martial law in Virginia. This meant that he could use the military to enforce laws and crush rebellions.


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Dunmore also believed that slaves and servants would join the royal cause and stop the rebellious patriots. His proclamation stated that everyone in Virginia who did not join with the royal army was a traitor to the king. The proclamation offered freedom

to slaves who fought for the King. It created fear and unrest in Virginia and served to align undecided and moderate Virginians against the British.


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Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense Thomas Paine had not been particularly successful in his career choices in England. In fact, things had gone quite badly for him until Benjamin Franklin supported his move to America.


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In his pamphlet, published in January, 1776, Thomas Paine explained why America should separate from Britain. He called King George III a “royal brute” and explained that monarchies, in general, led to trouble.


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He also said that America suffered by its allegiance with Britain and that America should be allowed to trade independently with other nations and not be tied to European rules and conflicts.


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Common Sense was unbelievably popular. It was read across America. Whether it led the Second Continental Congress to declare independence is up to debate. Undoubtedly, it caused people across America to discuss the issue of independence as opposed to reconciling difference with Britain.


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The Declaration of Independence is published Despite the number of battles that had been waged between the colonial forces and the British, many in America still hoped to resolve their differences with England.


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By publishing the Declaration of Independence, Congress stated their goal for the conflict: independence from Britain.


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The Declaration of Independence contains three sections. The first is a declaration of the rights of man and a statement about the rights of government. The second is a list of grievances against King George II. The third is a statement of separation from England.


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Make no mistake, the Declaration of Independence was a declaration of war against the most powerful nation on earth.


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The Battle of Trenton After the Battle of Bunker Hill, most engagements between the British and Americans went badly for the Americans.During the winter of 1776 – 77 the American forces were low on food, fuel, and morale.It was near the end of the year andthere was serious doubt that all oftroops Washington needed would re-enlist.


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The Battle of Trenton The British had hired paid soldiers, or mercenaries, from the region of Hess in Germany. These soldiers were known as the Hessians.The Hessians were in control of several key cities along the Delaware River in modern-day New Jersey.Washington decided to attack onChristmas Day.


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The Battle of Trenton The Hessian commander Colonel Rahl had been ordered to construct defensive works around Trenton but had not troubled to do so. On the night before the attack Rahl was at dinner when he was brought information that the Americans were approaching. He ignored the message which was found in his pocket after his death.


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The Battle of Trenton The effect of the battle of Trenton was much more important than the numbers may show. The psychological advantage gained by the British earlier in the year disappeared.


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The Battle of Trenton Washington’s constant problem was to maintain the enthusiasm of his army for the war, particularly with the system of one year recruitment and Trenton proved a much-needed encouragement.


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The Battle of SaratogaThe first major American victory of the Revolutionary War as Gen. Horatio Gates and Gen. Benedict Arnold defeat Gen. Burgoyne, inflicting 600 British casualties.

American losses are only 150.October 17, 1777 - After long negotiations, Gen. Burgoyne officially surrendered his 5700 man army. He was sent back to England in disgrace.


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The Battle of SaratogaIn Paris the victory was celebrated as if it had been a French victory. Ben Franklin is received by the French Royal Court.

France recognized the independence of America and entered the war on the side of the patriots. Money and supplies flowed to the American cause, this provided the Americans with the support to continue.


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The Winter at Valley ForgeThe Continental Army was in at the beginning of the winter of 1777-78. Food and supplies were running dangerously low. Washington had complained to Congress of its disregard for the soldiers’ needs.

The British controlled Philadelphia and took their ease during the harsh winter months.


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The Winter at Valley ForgeMeanwhile, Washington’s troops were suffering bitterly in the cold. The Continental Army expected to find food and supplies at Valley Forge but, early British patrols had found and destroyed the supplies.

The only thing waiting for the army was whatever shelter and food they could find among the trees.


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The Winter at Valley ForgeThe troops were forced to construct small shelters and subsist on what little food they could find. However, it was during this trying time that the Continental Army found its will.

No battles were fought at Valley Forge but it was during that long winter the army became a more disciplined fighting unit.


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The Winter at Valley ForgeThis change was due, in large part, to the military discipline forced upon the soldiers by Baron von Steuben. Von Steuben had approached Ben Franklin in France and asked for a position in the American army.

Von Steuben was a forceful military commander who drilled the army in order and discipline.This was a key in creating order among the ranks.

The Middle Years of the Revolutionary War

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The Battle of King’s MountainCornwallis needed the support of the back country men of North Carolina to support his western flank. He had been quite successful in driving from the south into the colonies.

He ordered Major Ferguson to go to western North Carolina and raise a militia from the Tory sympathizers there.


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The Battle of King’s Mountain Ferguson was successful and rallied a large group of troops from western North Carolina. These were Tory colonists – colonists loyal to England.

Ferguson gathered his troops on a very steep hill name King’s Mountain.


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The Battle of King’s Mountain Patriot troops learned of Ferguson’s position and were eager to engage his troops. Because of earlier, brutal treatment from troops in the same region, patriot troops were looking for revenge. The battle lasted 65 minutes.

The Loyalists suffered 244 killed, 163 wounded, and 668 taken prisoner. The Patriot militia suffered 29 killed and 58 wounded.

The Final Years of the Revolutionary War

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The Battle of Yorktown This was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. After a series of battles chasing Lafayette, General Cornwallis of Britain moved his troops onto the Yorktown Peninsula.


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The Battle of Yorktown At first Washington planned to attack the British at New York but, when he heard of French ships coming in from the south Washington saw an opportunity to isolate the British from their re-supply routes by land and by sea if he could cut Cornwallis off on the Yorktown peninsula.

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The Battle of Yorktown Thus began the siege of Yorktown. The siege was followed by a bitter battle where the French fought at the side of the Americans. Cornwallis knew he was in trouble and the British troops fought with all their might.

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The Battle of Yorktown Legend has it that Washington fired the first gun at the British defenses after the cannon were in place and that it struck a table where the British officers were meeting.

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The Battle of Yorktown Thus began the siege of Yorktown. The siege was followed by a bitter battle where the French fought at the side of the Americans. Cornwallis knew he was in trouble and the British troops fought with all their might.Cornwallis needed to either retreatacross the York River or be re-suppliedby British forces from the north.


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The Battle of Yorktown Cornwallis was without re-supply or escape after a storm scattered his fleet of small boats. Thus, he was forced to surrender to Washington.The fighting at Yorktown cost the French and Americans 72 killed and 180 wounded. British losses included 156 killed, 326 wounded. In addition, Cornwallis' remaining 7,018 men were taken prisoner.

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