Notes Ch. 8 Part 2 -151- 161
Phase 2 - War in the North 1776-1778
Phase 3 - War in the South 1778 – 1783
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of Man and Woman.” Thomas Paine–Dec. 1776
March 7 1776 British evacuation of Boston… after the cannon appear on Dorchester Heights…( timeline above Knox-Allen)…The British go to Nova Scotia to plan phase 2 …and then appear at NYC….
Battle of Long Island:
(500 ships, 35,000 Br. Vs. 18,000 Am.)
· G.B. destroys colonist
· G.W. returns across Hudson R. to NY to Pennsylvania
· Howe hesitates to crash G.W. and allows escape (winter approaching)
· A very low point in American morale… the New Jersey campaign upcoming is a major turning point due to the boost received from the twin victories…
***Battles of New Jersey 12/76 to 1/77***
· 1777 (picture page 151) G.W in his famous Ride across the Delaware R. attacks Trenton.
· The American victories in the battles of Trenton and Princeton
· Huge colonial victories “saves” moral…”old Fox GW” at his best… We just had to Survive to win…The American Strategy…*****
Br. Strategy changes: (Map page 152)
- Gen. Burgoyne from Canada down Lake Champlain
- Gen. Howe from NYC up Hudson River
- Col. St. Leger from west to Albany
Goal: to cut off N.E. from colonies……*****
Results: Burgoyne delayed (key)….(Delayed by B. Arnold on L. Champlain/ Had to return to Canada and start much later….) Eventually the rebels are waiting and the fight at Saratoga is THE TURNING POINT OF THE WAR. *** - Howe goes wrong way… to philly? *** and St. Leger defeated at Oriskany, NY …They were all supposed to meet at Albany… effectively cutting off the NE Colonies… OOPS
* Burgoyne left alone at SARATOGA – where B. Arnold…(Gen. H. Gates receives credit for the victory but was actually in his tent and tried to stop BA and Rodgers Rangers (Birth of Special Forces) from attacking… We slaughter them…9,000 British surrender (ouch)
Saratoga effects: ************* Turning point of war…
-Br. offers colonies “home rule” – (Am. Refused)
- France signs 1778 Treaty of Alliance with America à (HUGE) The single most important factor in our winning the war they provide 90% of Gunpowder lots of money equipment, almost all-naval strength NOTE: THIS TREATY IS SIGNIFICANT…WE PROMISE TO SEND TROOPS TO HELP FRANCE AT ANY TIME..OUR LAST TREATY OF ALLIANCE TO PROMISE THIS UNTIL nato IN 1949****THIS COMBINED WITH gw’s LATER RELUCTANCE TO HONOR THIS PLEDGE WHEN HE IS pres.-(neutrality) AND his comments in his farewell address, “no entangling foreign alliances,” LEADS TO AN “isolationist” view of foreign policy for almost 200 years.****
- WORLD WAR- they begin to believe we can win…
- 1779 (Spain) and 1780 (Holland) soon declare war against Great Britain.
- “Armed Neutrality” formed (Catherine the Great of Russia) Rest of European nations “passively against England”
MEANWHILE… J
(1777- 1778) Howe takes Philly [ or does Philly take Howe?]
- G.W. defeated at both:
o Brandywine 9/77
o Germantown 10/77
o CC is forced to leave Philly….
Miserable winter at Valley Forge for Americans…. However
o Emerge with/help from Von Steuben- Training soldiers…
o Von Steuben quote p.158 about “unique” American Soldiers
British decides to leave Philly and travel to NYC
- (1778 June) Battle of Monmouth N.J. à A DRAW and the last major battle in north. Gen. Clinton replaces Howe as Br. Commander in chief
Other Theatres of the War:
** George Rogers Clark successful in West à
- Dominates “Illinois” country, 1778-79, floats down Ohio River…takes Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes…(at Treaty of Paris, 1783, these victories are the reason for us acquiring this large area)****
- Treaty of Ft. Stanwix 1784 – With Iroquois allied with Britain…(2 side with USA) 1st treaty by USA with Indians***
The Navy
John Paul Jones (Primary naval Hero) à (Scottish immigrant) Our nondescript infant Navy begins to establish its brilliant tradition by destroying many merchant ships around G.B…. and brought victory when victories were rare and we also use, “privateers”, who capture 600 British ships. These efforts brought in needed Gold, harassed the enemy, and influenced British Shippers to pressure Parliament to end the war….
PHASE 3 ** 1778 à War in the South- Britain changes its strategy for the last time and due to the presence of strong loyalists they believe they can “roll up the colonies from the South,” very violent civil war!!!
One of the darkest periods of the War…inflation, our Gov’t almost Bankrupt, Congress still had not Adopted the Articles of Confederation (our 1st written constitution) (states arguing over western land claims and borders- will do so in 1781), Gov’t almost Bankrupt (“Continental” Dollar – paper $ became worthless…
Georgia crushed 1778-79
War moves to Carolinas…
Charleston captured 1780- loss of 5,000 men…one of worst defeats of the war…
Battle of Camden, SC - August 80’ -Horrible defeat for Americans…. Horatio Gates , “hero” of Saratoga and Commander in the South “Rides Away” never to return…
Nathaniel Greene takes command and leads them to victory! Delays Cornwallis…..
France Marion - “swamp fox” and Nathanael Greene turn the tide for Am. (the movie “Patriot,” the character is actually an amalgamation of a few patriot backcountry leaders who were very successful at harassing the British…like the Battle at Kings Mountain in 1781 and again at Cowpens, 1781, both American victories…eventually crossing the Catawba River Cornwallis and the British meet again at Guilford Courthouse…(last scene in Patriot) …after which Cornwallis retreats to Wilmington for supplies and then attempts to go through Virginia…however…is efforts fail and he is forced to retreat again to the coast to be resupplied at YORKTOWN… (Map p.156 War in the South)
Battle of “Yorktown” October 1781…
-A “pincer” movement eventually destroys Cornwallis who was in Yorktown attempting to join with Br. Navy to get resupplied….
- Adm. DeGrasse in command of the French fleet trapped him by sea
- Conte Rochambeau commander of French army [6,000 troops land in R.I. in summer 1780] G.W comes with French from NY (300 miles) and the combined armies trap him by land…. By October 19th, 1781….
Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 men 25% of all Br. Soldiers in America
Hearing of the news of Yorktown…Lord North, prime minister, cries, “Oh God! It’s all over! It’s all over!.... Fighting continues sporadically for about another year… HOWEVER – HE WAS CORRECT… his time as PM ends in March of 1782…a Whig leader takes over who was much more favorable to the Americans… The remaining Br. troops were stuck in cities: G.W returns to NY to keep eye on British [they still had 54,000 troops in North America and 32,000 in the Colonies…Most are evacuated from NYC] Note: many British troops stay in USA in Forts on Great Lakes after the war due to the failure of the Americans to keep promises made in the Treaty of Paris, 1783… eventually will leave after the War of 1812….
Treaty of Paris, 1783 (ends war)****** French reluctant to help USA after war, they wanted a free America…. but, weak USA…. Which makes it difficult for John Adams, Ben Franklin, and John Jay in Paris… So they turned to Whigs in Britain for favorable terms when John Jay goes to London to negotiate…CONGRESS had ordered them NOT to do this… but he signs a preliminary peace in 1782 and then in Paris the French have no choice but to agree and the formal Treaty is signed in Paris…Details****
1. America receives Independence from England
2. Boundaries. Miss. River in west, Great lakes in north, sp. Florida in south
*** Chapter 9 à Map page 175***
3. America granted fishing rights off New found land
Britain Receives: PROMISES…never kept which leads to the War of 1812…
1. “Loyalists” protected
2. Congress to “recommend” to states to return loyalist property
3. All debts to be re- paid to G.B.
à Why such a Generous peace??
- Britain hoped to revive trade w/USA and weaken French influence…