Historical Look: The American Revolutionary War

In the year 1775, before the Continental Congress had organized an army and a declaration of independence, the revolution was in full swing in the city of Boston. Numerous militias and protests had spread throughout the region, and it was only a matter of time before the British sent in their full army to squash these uprisings.

On April 18th, 1775 the British Armies began arriving on the eastern coast to siege the city of Boston. Patriots such as Paul Revere, rode through the night, warning all the locals that the British were coming and to take arms. Militias and Minutemen quickly assembled to stand against the British army and the first engagement of the American Revolutionary War began, at the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Siege of Boston

The British had sent an army of 700 soldiers to seize Colonial military supplies in the Province of Massachusetts, however were thwarted along a bridge by local militiamen. The British Army had underestimated the militia's intent, and were forced to retreat to the city of Boston. This Colonial victory marked the beginning of the war, and soon all were speaking of the victorious "shot heard around the world".

The battle ensued however a few months later at Bunker Hill. The British general, Thomas Gage had sieged the city of Boston, and was thus able to resupply and reinforce his army by sea. On June 13, 1775 the Colonial army arrived with a force of over 2000 soldiers to drive the British away from the port. The Colonists made a strong stand at Bunker Hull, yet were eventually forced to retreat. Although it was a British victory, it came with heavy losses, and the end of Thomas Gage's command. The Colonists were able to keep their spirits high, with the arrival of General George Washington and his Continental Army.

By November of 1775, Gen Washington and Henry Knox began a fierce artillery campaign to drive the British out of Boston. They especially focused on the British navy supply line, which was the final straw for Commander William Howe. On March 17th the British army evacuated the city of Boston, and the Colonials had won a major victory.

New York Campaign

Having loss the city of Boston, General William Howe arrived with a much larger British army of 30,000 to capture the city of New York. General George Washington spread his forces throughout the region, and made a stand with 10,000 soldiers at the New York harbor. On August 27th of 1776, a month after the Declaration of Independence, The Battle of Long Island took place. It resulted in a decisive British victory, driving the Continental army to New Jersey and was the largest battle of the war.

The British armies, led by William Howe and Henry Clinton, began sweeping through Continental strongholds along the New York area, achieving numerous victories. Meanwhile British Gen Cornwallis continued to chase George Washington's army out of New Jersey. It was also during this time that the British kept many Continental prisoners on ships, and let them die of neglect. It was no-doubt the most hopeless time for the Continental Army. However things would finally take a turn for the Continental army during the Winter of 1776-1777.

This sudden turn of morale was thanks to Gen George Washington's strategic yet bold tactic of crossing the frozen Delaware River to surprise the German Hessian soldiers at the Battle of Trenton. This Colonial victory during the harsh winter, inspired a new wave of patriotic moral and enlistment. The Continental Army was able to carry on this successful drive with victories at Princeton and Assunpink Creek.

 
Philadelphia and Saratoga Campaigns

As the Continental army, began to gain momentum near the Chesapeake Bay, the war began to split into two theaters. The British led a campaign from northern Canada to control the Hudson River, known as the Saratoga Campaign. Meanwhile General Howe began a simultaneous campaign to assault the Congressional capital of Philadelphia. In June of 1777, George Washington put Gen Horatio Gates in charge of the Saratoga Campaign while he led his Continental army to face Gen. Howe's army at Philadelphia.

The Saratoga Campaign was split into two major battles during the autumn of 1777. Continental Generals Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold coordinated a tactical war against the Canadian-British General John Burgoyne and Henry Clinton. Following both battles, the Continental Army were victorious in controlling the Hudson River, improving their morale, and encouraging France to join the war.

Meanwhile the campaign in Philadelphia was not as successful for the Continentals. It began in the cold winter of 1777, where George Washington had stationed his troops at Valley Forge. On September 11th, the Continental Army was defeated at the Battle of Brandywine, which opened the city of Philadelphia for British occupation. On October 4th, Washington lost another assault at the Battle of Germantown, and retreated once again to Valley Forge. It was as this time however, that the Continentals had achieved a turning point in the war with their victory at Saratoga. The British army had no choice but to relinquish their control of Philadelphia, and shift their focus back on New York.

At this point General William Howe relieved his command, and was replaced by General Clinton. As Gen Clinton marched his army eastward towards New York, he was followed by Gen Washington's army. The two sides then engaged at the Battle of Monmouth in June of 1778. This was another victory for Gen Washington, Gen Nathaniel Green, and the Continental Army.

Global War and Civil War

From the onset of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress had began numerous diplomatic envoys to aid their cause. The Continental Army had support from the French, Spanish, and Dutch all of whom were enemies of the British empire. Yet in order to defeat the British army, they would need more than just supplies,; they would need experienced European soldiers, arms, and especially a navy.

Of all the diplomats in the early years of the American Revolutionary War, there is no one else who could quite compare to the cunning style of Benjamin Franklin. At the time of the war, he was already a well known inventor, writer, and polymath, making his presence in the French court all the more appealing. He was able to convince the French monarchy that victory in America was possible, and that French alliance would make it certain. Therefore, finally in February of 1778, France officially signed an alliance with the Americans, and entered war against the British.


By 1778, King George III realized this revolution had now become a world war, and had to reconsider his strategy. He therefore shifted his attention against the French and Spanish fleets, while hoping that America would destroy itself through civil war. In achieving this, he began to supply and encourage resistance amongst British loyalists, Native-Americans and African-Americans. At this time, Continental Gen Benedict Arnold notoriously switched sides because he had not been appreciated by Congress. In 1779 George Washington responded to this new conflict of civil struggle with the Sullivan Expedition, led by Gen John Sullivan. The Continental army easily defeated the loyalist and Iroquois armies, and drove them out to Canada.

The Siege of Yorktown

By 1781 the Northern and Southern continental armies began squeezing the British army into Yorktown, Virginia. By this point the French fleets had arrived on the eastern coasts of Virginia, and had defeated the British army, led by Gen Cornwallis, at the Battle of the Chesapeake. Gen Washington arrived a few days later to lay siege on the dwindling British army at Yorktown. Having nowhere to escape, Gen Cornwallis had no other choice but to surrender to George Washington, however was to proud to show up in person. This was the final decisive victory of the American Revolutionary War. In 1783, the war finally came to an end and the Treaty of Paris acknowledged the United States of America as a free state. The next step was to establish a transitional democratic government.