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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington Green was a battle between British regulars and the American militia. On the green, the minutemen suffered extensive casualities and retreated, leaving the British to their victory. Next, the British moved towards Concord, believing there was a store of supplies their to be had. Little did they know,the American army was waiting for them. The Americans struck from higher ground and defeated the British while they weren't expecting it. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was a British victory. The British sent ships over to Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill to throw off the militia, who had Boston under siege. The Americans had higher ground, but the British overwhelmed them through sheer numbers. This battle convinced England that they were facing a full-on rebellion, not some minor uprisings. -
The Battle of Montreal
The Continental Congress decided to launch an invasion of Canada. They thought that the Canadians also wanted to rid themselves of British rule, and hoped to spark a rebellion there as well. General Montgomery led a group of American soldiers to Montreal, which fell with little resistence. -
The Battle of Quebec
Two American forces headed towards Quebec to launch an attack, one coming from along the St. Lawrence river, the other up through Maine. The group coming through Maine arrived first, and attempted an assault on Quebec. It was heavily armed however, and the Americans had to wait for reinforcements. The second group arrived with supplies, but the British still overwhelmed the Americans, forcing them to withdraw back to Fort Ticonderoga. -
British Arrival in New York City
The British now planned an assault on New York. General Howe brothers commanded a large force of soldiers, a third of which were Hessian mercenaries. The plan was to take New York City then proceed north to Canada. General Howe landed on Staten Island, which he planned to use as a base in New York. -
The Battle of Long Island
The British crossed the short channel off of Staten Island, storming the nearby Long Island. The British troops were nearly double the American. The Americans were quickly overpowered. The remaining troops under Putnam fled under the cover of night and joined Washington troops in Manhattan. The next day, the British arrived, and realizing they were no match for the British troops there, the Americans withdrew from the city. -
The Battle of White Plains
Leaving the British in New York, Washington's army set up on higher ground at White Plains. While there, Howe's army missed a chance to obliterate the Continental army once and for all. While his troops were setting up artillery, Washigton took the chance to take his supplies and wounded soldiers farther north, -
The Battle of Trenton
As the winter drew nearer, Howe had his army set up camp for the colder months in Pennsylvania, deciding it wasnt worth persuing Washington. The Americans were in low spirits, as their forces were highly depleted. Washington chose to do the unexpected and take a big risk. On the morning after Christmas, he attacked Trenton, where the Hessian troops were stationed, and overtook the city with ease. -
The Battle of Princeton
Wanting to get in a final attack before stopping for the winter, Washingtons troops navigated around Cornwallis' and up into Princeton, facing a smaller group of British soldiers. The victory was especially important as it inspired another 8,000 men to enlist in the Continental Army. -
The Battle of Fort Ticonderoga
In 1777, the British decided to return to attemping to seperate the New England colonies from the rest of the colonies. General Borgoyne wanted to head south into the colonies, and his biggest obstacle was Fort Ticonderoga. The commander of the fort thought the peaks around the fort were to high to mount a cannon on, which was the main way it would go down. He was wrong. The Americans ordered an evacuation, and the British met no resistence. -
The Battle of Fort Stanwix
A force of British soldiers and Amerindians launched an attack on Fort Stanwix, but the attack soon became a waiting game, as the Americans would not give up. The Amerindians began to desert the British, as they were not used to waiting around to fight. To end the siege, General Benedict Arnold started a rumor that American Troupes were going to invade the Mohawk Valley. The British were fooled, and turned back to defend it. -
The Battle of Brandywine
Having secured New York, the British next set their eyes on Philladelphia, and planned to take it over. The unloading port for their ships was muddy though, which slowed the British down. The Americans used this time to set up defenses. However, the British split into two pods, and quickly overwhelmed the Continenal Army. The British then proceeded to capture Philladelphia, the nation's capital. -
The Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was actually two battles. During the first, General Arnold held of an attack for Burgoyne. The British hoped for troops for New York City to show up, but they had no such luck. During the second battle, the British realized they could not win, and had to open negotiation with the US. They eventually laid down their arms. -
The Battle of Monmouth
The winter of 1777-78 was harsh, but two good things came out of it. First, the Americans were recognized by France, for the first time ever by a foreign country, as a nation. Second, an old Prussian general helped train the American troops. The British became worried their position in Philladelphia was vulnerable to French attack, so they decided to return to New York. The Continental Army intercepted the British forces, but the British held strong against the American soldiers.