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The British had retreated from Boston and were moving to seize New York.
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General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe came together on Staten Island and sailed into New York harbor along with 32,000 soliers. Thousands of these soldiers were german mercenaries.
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There was a battle in New York which ended inlate August. Americans retreated due to heavy losses.
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The British had pushed Washington's army across the Delware River and into Pennsylvania.
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Washington led 2,400 of his men in small rowboats across the Delaware River.
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By 8 a.m., the men had marched 9 miles through snow to reach Trenton, New Jersey. The Hessians, or German soldiers, had drank too much rum the night before and were still sleeping it off. Because of the storm, none of the Hessians stationed in Trenton thought there would be an atack. During the swift attack, Americans killed 30 of the enemy, took 918 captive, and took 6 cannons.
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The Americans won another battle against 1,200 British at Princeton.
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General Howe began his campaign to seize American capital at Philadelphia.
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General Howe sailed his troops from New York to the Chesapeake Bay. Washingtons troops tried to keep the redcoats away but were unsuccessful and the British captured Philadelphia.
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The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war. American troops surrounded General Burgoyne at Saratoga and after the British surrendered, they ket their troops close to the coast where they had their big guns and supply bases of the British fleet. This victory also encouraged France to send help.
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ALbigense Waldo worked as a surgeon at Valley Forge, desperately trying to save limbsand keep the soldiers from dying. Valley Forge was right outside of Philadelphia and served as the Continental Army's camp.
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The French signed an alliance with the Americans. They wanted revenge since their defeat in the French and Indian War and they secretly sent the Patriots weapons since early 1776.
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American troops began to change. Friedrich von Steuben volunteered to General Washington to make regular soldiers out of his men. With training, the Continental Army was becoming an effective fighting force. Marquis de Lafayette offered his assisstance also.
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Congress made rich merchant Robert Morris superintendent of finance. His associate was Harry Salomon.
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Because of heir defeat at Saratoga, the British started targetting the south, hoping to take back some of their colonies.
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The troops were finally paid in specie, or gold coin, because of the amazing efforts of Morris and Salomon.
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British took Savannah, Georgia.
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By the spring of 1779, a royal governer was once again in command of Georgia.
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He stuck in valley Forge and lobbied for French reinforcements in Frence in 1779, and led a command in Virginia during the last years of the war.
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The British captured Charles Town, South Carolina and marched 5,500 American soldiers as prisoners of war.
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General Henry Clinton and General Cornwallis sailed south with 8,500 men. General Clinton had replaced General Howe in New York.
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For most of 1780, Cornwallis succeeded. The redcoats were joined by thousands of African American slaves hoping to earn their freedom. In August, Cornwallis' army defeated American troops at Camden, South Carolina. Within 3 months, the British had forts across the state.
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A French army of 6,000 men arrived and stationed themselves in New Port, Rhode Island, after the British left for the south.
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When the American and British troops clashed in January, in Cowpens, South Carolina, the British were expecting an easy win but the Continental Army fought back and forced the enemy to surrender.
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Cornwallis attacked Nathanael Greene, who Washington had ordered to march south and harass Cornwallis in January, at Guilford Court House, New Carolina. Cornwallis attacked Greene out of anger for losing in January. He won but had many injuries and casualties.
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Greene was worried about the fight for the south so he wrote to Lafayette pleading for help.
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Cornwallis finally raised the white flag and surrendered. His army was exhausted and outnumbered 2 to 1.
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Colonel William Fontaine of the Virginia militia stood with the American and French armies to witness the British surrender.
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Peace talks began in Paris.
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The Treaty of Paris was signed. This confirmed U.S.'s independence.
