Battlegrounds Shift

Fighting in the West More Native Americans sided with British British Commander Henry Hamilton paid Native Americans for colonists’ scalps Warfare was more brutal

War at Sea Great Britain had major naval advantage Blockaded several colonial ports Congress authorized the use of privateers John Paul Jones - American naval hero Raided British ports Won a battle against British warship right off Great Britain’s coast When asked if he wanted to surrender Jones said, “I have not yet begun to fight.”

Fighting in the South Early on, Americans had several victories in the South British realized war would be tough and shifted strategy to the South Done because there were more Loyalists in the South Wanted to use seapower and Loyalist support to win key battles Worked initially

Early British Success Late 1778, British General Henry Clinton sent thousands of troops to Georgia On way down he took Charles Town in South Carolina One of the worst defeats by the colonists in the war Clinton returned to New York and General Cornwallis took over Cornwallis fought Gen. Horatio Gates in SC and beat Gates

Hit-and-Run Tactics Not as many Loyalists in the South as British thought As British marched through the South, Patriot forces would pop up, fire, and then disappear Guerilla Warfare Francis Marion a.k.a. “Swamp Fox” was a successful guerilla warfare commander and had a base in the swamps in South Carolina

American Successes British forces started to move North Told citizens to stop fighting for independence or they would burn their country to the ground They told this to people who lived in the mountains and were neutral until the British said this Mountain people allied with the Patriots Nathaniel Greene became new leader of the Southern Continental Army. Divided his forces in half and still beat the British Biggest win was at Guilford Courthouse (even though colonists lost, the British suffered great losses)

Cornwallis Retreats Cornwallis wanted to end the war quickly 1781 - Cornwallis marched to Virginia Lafayette led continental forces and pushed Cornwallis back Cornwallis retreated to Yorktown, VA