The War in the Mid-Atlantic Region Second Phase of the War The War in the Mid-Atlantic Region

The British Advantage 1776-1778, the British were in the best possible position to win the war Struggle became, for the most part, a conventional war, in which the Patriots were greatly outmatched Immediately following the Declaration and retreat from Boston the British regrouped Sent nearly 32,000 troops to New York

William Howe Hoped to “awe” the troops into submission Offered a royal pardon to opponents instead of fighting Washington could only muster about 19,000 troops and still chose to fight none the less Patriots refused the offer and were driven across the Delaware River and into Pennsylvania

British begin to lose their advantage For most Europeans, war was a seasonal activity, and the British and Hessians began to settle for the winter Christmas night, 1776, Washington crosses the Delaware back into enemy territory and conquers Hessian troops around Trenton Would continue on and take Princeton Though Washington was unable to hold either of these cities, it is an example of one of the many flaws of the British

British Strategy In 1777 Howe adopted what he called a pincer’s strategy Howe would divide the colonies along the Hudson River, disconnecting New England from the Middle and Southern Colonies Howe was to meet General John Burgoyne, stationed to the north, in the middle of New England However, Howe decided to attack the Patriot capital of Pennsylvania to boost his men’s own moral and crush the Patriots

Securing Aid from Abroad When fighting first began in America, diplomats went abroad to enlist support France provided minimal covert aid to the colonies, but was not convinced of a possible victory Saratoga, along with the diplomacy of Benjamin Franklin, changed that This caused King Louis XVI to recognize America as a sovereign nation Sent immediate military aid to the colonies