The Revolutionary War

Don’t Tread of Me “We must all hang together, or we shall surely all hang together” ~Ben Franklin

Advantages British American No limit on ammunition Guerilla tactics Largest army in the world – professional army! Strong central government More people  Powerful navy Well financed American Guerilla tactics Fighting on their own soil No central area to be captured French allies Close to supply lines

Disadvantages British American Not fighting for a cause Officers are careless and poor leaders Have a to cross the Atlantic Ocean to send men and supplies for the war The support at home is rather weak Not a trained army nlist for months instead of years Short on money, weapons and supplies to fight a war No central government

Battle of Bunker Hill First major battle where both armies met on a “battlefield” American troops have the high ground at Breed's Hill (the actual location) and are attacked by a frontal assault of over 2000 British soldiers who storm up the hill. The Americans are ordered not to fire until they can see "the whites of their eyes.", the Americans let loose a deadly volley of rifle fire and halt the British advance, the British then regroup and attack again with the same result. A third attack, however, succeeds as the Americans run out of ammunition and are left only with bayonets and stones to defend themselves. The British succeed in taking the hill, but at a loss of half their force, over a thousand casualties, with the Americans losing about 400, including important colonial leader, General Joseph Warren.

Battle of Trenton-December 25-26, 1776 Christmas night of 1776, General Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River into Trenton, New Jersey. Three groups of soldiers crossed during different times through the night, reaching the other side early in the next morning, the Continental Army led by Washington joined together. And with a surprise attacked on the Hessians (German Mercenaries who were paid by the British) Gave troops a much needed morale boost and enough supplies(food, clothing and ammunition) to survive the winter of 1777

Valley Forge

Valley Forge Washington’s winter encampment during 1777-1778 Bitter cold, little supplies, food, and low morale German commander named Baron von Stuben helped Washington train his “rag-tag” army into a fighting unit come spring.

Saratoga— “The Turning Point” The British planned a three-pronged attacked on the Americans. “Divide and Conquer” One British unit would attack from Canada, one from the west in Pennsylvania, and another from the south in New Jersey. All three units failed in their mission! Benjamin Franklin was in France when word came that the Americans had defeated the British! He convinced the French to come to the aid of the Americans. Britain turned their attention toward the south. Look out Georgia: Here come the British!!!!

Battle of Kettle Creek (1779) Colonel Elijah Clarke led Georgia militia, defeated 800 British troops near Washington, Georgia Great victory for morale of the militia and Georgians seeking independence Won badly-needed weapons and horses from the British

Siege of Savannah (1779) 15,000 Americans and 4,000 French laid siege to Savannah Attack on October 9 resulted in 1,000 American and French deaths in less than an hour; only 40 British troops died Polish Count Casimir Pulaski killed Savannah remained under British control, and the leadership of James Wright, for nearly four more years Guerrilla warfare (small scale fighting; sneak attacks) continued in the Georgia backcountry

Georgia Wartime Heroes Nancy Hart single-handedly captured a group of British loyalists who bragged of murdering an American colonel; Hart County is the only county named for a woman Austin Dabney an African American who fought with distinction and was wounded at Kettle Creek; he also saved Elijah Clarke’s life during that battle

The Battle of Yorktown, October 1781 The Americans and the French will corner the British on a small peninsula and bombard them with cannon fire. The British will surrender and end the American Revolution. The colonists will win the American Revolution with this victory.

The War Ends Elijah Clarke, the Georgia Militia,and the Continental Army regain Augusta from British in June 1781; 11 battles or skirmishes fought in Georgia during the war George Washington, with French help, force British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia in October 1781 British leave Savannah in the spring of 1782 Treaty of Paris (September 1783) ends war; treaty is signed by United States, Great Britain, and France