-
Victory at Saratoga boosted the French's trust in the Continental Army. France agreed to help with the American Revolution.
-
The British retreat of the British in Boston led the war to take center stage in the Middle States. This was part of a big plan to put an end to the rebellion by quarantining New England. The overall objective was to capture New York City.
-
General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe came together with their forces on Staten Island and sailed to New York Harbor. This was the largest British expiditionary force to ever be assembled. It included 32,000 soldiers in all among them were thousands of German mercanaries.
-
Washington gathered 23,000 men to defend New York. But, he was greatly outnumbered by the British. Most of the troops were untrained recruits with poor weaponry. The battle for New York ended with defeat on behalf of the Americans retrating. The Continental Army expirienced heavy losses.
-
The British have pushed Washington's army accross the Delaware River into Pennsylvannia. Most of Washington's men had either been deserted, killed or captured. Washinton remained with fewer than 8,000 men.
-
George Washington put it all on the line on Christmas night. Although there was a harsh storm he led 2,400 men in small rowbats in the Delaware River chock full of ice. By 8 o'clock the next morning the troops had marched 9 miles to Trenton, New Jersey. It was held by a command post of Hessians. Most of the Hessians were not prepared for a surprise attack and were hungover from drinking too much rum the night before. The Patriots killed 30 Hessians and took 918 captive and 6 of their cannons.
-
Enlistment was due to end on December 31. Washington needed a confidence boost for his men, a victory of some sort to keep them from going home. And boy, did he get one after ambushing the Hessians.
-
Another victory was put in the pockets of the Continental Army against 1,200 British soldiers at Princeton. This uplifted spirits and boosted confidence for the colonists. Washington marched his army to somewhere near Morristown, New Jersey to a winter camp.
-
General Howe begins to make a plan to seize the capital of the colonies, Philidelphia. His soldiers sailed from New York to the head of the Chesapeale Bay and landed near Philidephia in late August. The Continental congress fled the city while Washington tried to stop the Recdcoats from taking over with no success nearby at Brandywine. The British successfully captured Philidelphia.
-
Thousands of American troops had Burgyone and his men surronded at Saratoga. His battered army caused him to surrender to General Gates. This surrencer changed the British's war strategies, they kept their troops along the coast where they could be supplied much faster and easier.
-
The Britsh troops at this point occupied Philidelphia and made themselves cozy inside the homes of loyalists. Meanwhile the Patrots were underfed and underclothed had to huddle to keep warm in makedhift huts in the freezing cold woods in Pennsylvannia.
-
In the middle of the freezing winter at Valley Forge, Americans began a war changing transformation. An exceptional Prussian captain and drillmaster, Friedrich von Steuben volunteered his services to General George Washington. He taught the Continetal Army how to stabnd at attention, execute field maneuvers, fire and reload weapons and wield bayonettes.
-
After facing defeat at the Battle of Saratoga the British decided to change their tactics. They began to move thier focus towards the South. While in the south the British anticipated to gather Loyalist support and take back their former colonies in the region and work their way up to the north.
-
The British easily capture Savannah, Gerogia.
-
An alliance between the French and colonists was signed. The terms stated the the French could not make peace with the British until American independence was delcared by Britain.
-
Shortly after von Steuben another military leader, Marquis de Lafayette aided Washington and the colonial army. He joined Washington at Valley Forge and lobbied for French reinforcements. He also, led a command in Virgina in the final years of the war.
-
A British governer once again commands Georgia.
-
General Henry Clinton and General Charles Cornwallis sailed south with 8,500 men. The British's most triumphant victory in the war was capturing Charles Town, SC.
-
The French army of 6,000 men landed in Newport, Rhode Island, after the British left the city to turn their center of attention on the South. The French had one fleet stationed there and another one in the West Indies. When Marquis de Lafayette heard of Cornwallis' plan he suggested that the Continental and French army meet with the two French fleets and attack the British at Yorktown together.
-
The British marched 5,500 Continental soldiers off as prisoner of war. General Henry Clinton then left for New York leaving Cornwallis with the British army under his cimmand in the South in order to conquer North Carolina and the South.
-
under Cornwallis' control the British army obliterated American forces at Camden, SC. In about 3 months the Redcoats had established forts throughout the state. However, as Cornwallis and his men moved farther into North Carolina they were attacked by Patriots who cut off their communication lines. This caused the British to retreat to SC.
-
Congress elected a rich Philadeplphian merchant, Robert Morris as superintendent of finance. His associate, Haym Salomon was a Jewish political refugee from Poland. Morris and Solomon pleased and asked for money from many sources on their personal credit to raise profit and to be able to pay soldiers from the Continental Army.
-
General Morgan and his men led the British on a difficult chase through the countryside when the armies finally met at Cowpens, SC. The British assumed the Patriots would flee because of their low numbers compared to the redcoats. But, the Americans fought back and strained the Redcoats so much that they surrendered.
-
Cornwallis was sore about the defeat at Cowpens, SC. Cornwallis attacked Greene and his troops two months later at the Guilford Court House, North Carolina. Although Cornwallis won the battle he lost 93 men, had over 400 wonded and 26 missing.
-
Greene knew that undoubtedly he had weaked the redcoats but, he still worried about the South being seized by the British. He wrote a letter to French General Lafayette asking for help.
-
The troops were finally paid in specie also known as gold coins.
-
Cornwallis' troops were outnumbered by a ratio of more than 2:1 and were extremely exhausted from nonstop shelling. Cornwallis raised the white flag of surrender for Britain.
-
Washington, French generals, and their troops all assembled to accept England's surrender. General Charles O'hara represented Cornwallis and handed over his sword, following him the British laid down their arms.
-
Colonel William Fontaine stoof with American and French armies on a road near Yorktown, VA in the afternoon to sitness the British surrender.
-
The Treaty of Paris was signed by delegates. this document confirmed the independence of the U.S and set it's boundaries.
