Download or read book Battles of the Revolutionary War 1775 1781 written by William J. Wood and published by Algonquin Books. This book was released on 2012-05-21 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Americans didn't simply outlast the British, nor was the war just a glorified guerrilla action with sporadic skirmishes, says W. J. Wood. Americans won their independence on the battlefield by employing superior strategies, tactics, and leadership in the battles of Bunker Hill, Quebec, Trenton, Princeton, Saratoga, and Cowpens, among many others. Here in this groundbreaking book are detailed accounts of attempts by commanders to adapt their forces to the ever-shifting battlefield of the Revolutionary War, as well as analyses of the factors that determined the eventual American victory. Battles of the Revolutionary War is designed for "armchair strategist," with dozens of illustrations and maps--many specially prepared for this volume--of the weapons, battle plans, and combatants. It's an insider's look at the dramatic times and colorful personalities that accompanied the birth of this country.

Download or read book The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-15 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the fighting around New York City *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents After the siege of Boston forced the British to evacuate that city in March 1776, Continental Army commander George Washington suspected that the British would move by sea to New York City, the next logical target in an attempt to end a colonial insurrection. He thus rushed his army south to defend the city. Washington guessed correctly, but it would be to no avail. Unlike Boston, New York City's terrain featured few defensible positions. The city lacked a high point from which to launch a siege, as the peninsula of Boston was fortunate to have. Moreover, Washington wasn't sure defending the city was necessary, hoping that an expedition launched toward Quebec like the one Benedict Arnold had led in late 1775 would keep the British away from New York anyway. However, Congress thought otherwise, and demanded that Washington defend New York. Washington thus did what he was told, and it nearly resulted in the army's demise. In the summer of 1776, the British conducted the largest amphibious expedition in North America's history at the time, landing over 20,000 troops on Long Island. British General William Howe, who had led the British at Bunker Hill and would later become commander in chief of the armies in North America, easily captured Staten Island, which Washington was incapable of defending without a proper navy. Washington's army attempted to fight, but Washington was badly outmaneuvered, and his army was nearly cut off from escape. The withdrawal across New York City was enormously disorderly, with many of Washington's troops so scared that they deserted. Others were sick as a result of the dysentery and smallpox plaguing the Continental Army in New York. In what was arguably the worst defeat of the Revolution, Washington was ashamed, and he also felt betrayed, by both his troops and Congress. To escape from New York, Washington led a tactical retreat across the East River and off Long Island in the middle of the night without British knowledge. This retreat prevented the annihilation of the colonial army in New York, but with Washington being pushed west across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania, Congress was forced to flee Philadelphia. And with this string of crucial British successes in 1776, the Revolution was on the brink of failure. The Continental Army, now in Pennsylvania, had lost over 5,000 men during its retreat through New York and New Jersey and now had fewer than 5,000 able soldiers. That winter, one of the men in camp, Thomas Paine, would write The American Crisis, beginning with the famous words, "These are the times that try men's souls." However, Washington would famously cross the Delaware River on Christmas night to attack British forces at Trenton, and he was able to compel the British to suspend the winter campaign after fighting around Princeton. Nonetheless, in the early months of 1777, the colonists were in dire straits and the British were plotting a campaign in the coming months to put down the revolution once and for all. The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles: The New York-New Jersey Campaign comprehensively covers the events that led up to the campaign, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the conflict. Along with maps and pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the campaign like never before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Fatal Sunday written by Mark Edward Lender and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 2016-04-18 with total page 625 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Historians have long considered the Battle of Monmouth one of the most complicated engagements of the American Revolution. Fought on Sunday, June 28, 1778, Monmouth was critical to the success of the Revolution. It also marked a decisive turning point in the military career of George Washington. Without the victory at Monmouth Courthouse, Washington's critics might well have marshaled the political strength to replace him as the American commander-in-chief. Authors Mark Edward Lender and Garry Wheeler Stone argue that in political terms, the Battle of Monmouth constituted a pivotal moment in the War for Independence. Viewing the political and military aspects of the campaign as inextricably entwined, this book offers a fresh perspective on Washington’s role in it. Drawing on a wide range of historical sources—many never before used, including archaeological evidence—Lender and Stone disentangle the true story of Monmouth and provide the most complete and accurate account of the battle, including both American and British perspectives. In the course of their account it becomes evident that criticism of Washington’s performance in command was considerably broader and deeper than previously acknowledged. In light of long-standing practical and ideological questions about his vision for the Continental Army and his ability to win the war, the outcome at Monmouth—a hard-fought tactical draw—was politically insufficient for Washington. Lender and Stone show how the general’s partisans, determined that the battle for public opinion would be won in his favor, engineered a propaganda victory for their chief that involved the spectacular court-martial of Major General Charles Lee, the second-ranking officer of the Continental Army. Replete with poignant anecdotes, folkloric incidents, and stories of heroism and combat brutality; filled with behind-the-scenes action and intrigue; and teeming with characters from all walks of life, Fatal Sunday gives us the definitive view of the fateful Battle of Monmouth.

Download or read book The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles the Battle of Bunker Hill written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2013-09-05 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Discusses some of the famous legends of the battle and whether they are accurate. *Includes pictures of the battle's important generals. *Includes several maps of the battle. *Includes accounts of the fighting written by witnesses and soldiers. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "We have... learned one melancholy truth, which is, that the Americans, if they were equally well commanded, are full as good soldiers as ours." - A British officer after the Battle of Bunker Hill On April 19, 1775, the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired at Lexington, officially starting the Revolutionary War between the colonists and the British Empire. Though Lexington and Concord were the scenes of the first fighting, contingency plans had been made on both sides for war, and immediately after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the colonial militia men who had poured in from across the countryside converged on Boston, which at the time was a peninsula with a small neck attaching it to the rest of Massachusetts. With the Charles River surrounding it on three sides, Boston was an ideal city to lay siege to. Initially, the militias blocked off the land approaches to Boston, but when 4,500 more British soldiers arrived by sea, the American forces fell back to adjacent hills on the Charlestown Peninsula, Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. At this time, the colonists and colonial forces were still unclear of their ultimate goals; the Second Continental Congress would not formally declare independence for another year. During the first few months of the fighting, the British tried on several occasions to lift the siege with force, and the most memorable attempt was what became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. On June 17, 1775, the British Navy fired on Charlestown from the Charles River and then landed an estimated 3,000 British regulars on the peninsula. The British soldiers attempted multiple charges against about 1,500 defenders who were fairly well entrenched on Breed's Hill, one of the hills behind Charlestown, and it took three attempts to force the colonists back to Cambridge. The British suffered a heavy price, losing over 1,000 British soldiers killed or wounded, compared to only 450 casualties for the colonists, who had stood toe to toe with the vaunted redcoats until ammunition ran low. Bunker Hill would end up being the bloodiest battle of the entire Revolutionary War, and it had a critical impact on the morale of what would become the Continental Army and the ultimately successful siege of Boston. Given its importance, the battle remains well known among all Americans, and perhaps not surprisingly some of the myths and legends surrounding the battle and its participants remain the best known aspects of the fighting. The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles: The Battle of Bunker Hill comprehensively covers the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Along with maps and pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Battle of Bunker Hill like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-15 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Discusses some of the famous legends of the battle and whether they are accurate. *Includes pictures of the battle's important generals. *Includes several maps of the battle. *Includes accounts of the fighting written by witnesses and soldiers. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "We have... learned one melancholy truth, which is, that the Americans, if they were equally well commanded, are full as good soldiers as ours." - A British officer after the Battle of Bunker Hill On April 19, 1775, the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired at Lexington, officially starting the Revolutionary War between the colonists and the British Empire. Though Lexington and Concord were the scenes of the first fighting, contingency plans had been made on both sides for war, and immediately after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the colonial militia men who had poured in from across the countryside converged on Boston, which at the time was a peninsula with a small neck attaching it to the rest of Massachusetts. With the Charles River surrounding it on three sides, Boston was an ideal city to lay siege to. Initially, the militias blocked off the land approaches to Boston, but when 4,500 more British soldiers arrived by sea, the American forces fell back to adjacent hills on the Charlestown Peninsula, Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. At this time, the colonists and colonial forces were still unclear of their ultimate goals; the Second Continental Congress would not formally declare independence for another year. During the first few months of the fighting, the British tried on several occasions to lift the siege with force, and the most memorable attempt was what became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. On June 17, 1775, the British Navy fired on Charlestown from the Charles River and then landed an estimated 3,000 British regulars on the peninsula. The British soldiers attempted multiple charges against about 1,500 defenders who were fairly well entrenched on Breed's Hill, one of the hills behind Charlestown, and it took three attempts to force the colonists back to Cambridge. The British suffered a heavy price, losing over 1,000 British soldiers killed or wounded, compared to only 450 casualties for the colonists, who had stood toe to toe with the vaunted redcoats until ammunition ran low. Bunker Hill would end up being the bloodiest battle of the entire Revolutionary War, and it had a critical impact on the morale of what would become the Continental Army and the ultimately successful siege of Boston. Given its importance, the battle remains well known among all Americans, and perhaps not surprisingly some of the myths and legends surrounding the battle and its participants remain the best known aspects of the fighting. The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles: The Battle of Bunker Hill comprehensively covers the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Along with maps and pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Battle of Bunker Hill like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book The Biggest Battles of the Revolutionary War written by Christopher Forest and published by Capstone. This book was released on 2012-07 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Describes causes and outcomes of key battles of the Revolutionary War"--Provided by publisher.

Download or read book Decisive Battles of the American Revolution written by Joseph B. Mitchell and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The thirteen colonies may have declared their freedom on July 4, 1776, but the Continental Army had to fight the British for more than six years to win the war of independence. Understanding the flow of battles and the strategy behind the campaigns is essential to making sense of the greater political issues that shaped the new nation. Decisive Battles of the American Revolution remains the best concise history of the war's military action. First published in 1962, historian Joseph B. Mitchell's acclaimed account covers all the battles, sieges, and campaigns from Lexington to the final victory at Yorktown. In clear language, Mitchell describes the progress of the war, analyzes the military tactics of both sides, and brings the reader to the actual scenes of fighting by the use of maps that show the disposition of troops, movement of armies, and the strategy devised by the commanders. These maps, based on modern road maps and newly updated for this edition, not only depict individual battles but also reveal the course of the war simultaneously in the North and the South so that the student of military tactics or the visitor to the battlefields can understand more clearly exactly what happened at a particular engagement. In addition to the updated maps, this new edition now contains current information about American Revolution battlefields and historic sites open to the public. For historians, for the tourist of battlefields, for the reader concerned with the stirring events that led to independence, Decisive Battles of the American Revolution is the indispensable guide to understanding how the Continental Army defeated the forces of a mighty world power.

Download or read book A Guide to the Battles of the American Revolution written by Theodore P. Savas and published by Savas Beatie. This book was released on 2006-08-19 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A well-organized and concise introduction to the war’s major battles” (The Journal of America’s Military Past). Winner of the Gold Star Book Award for History from the Military Writers Society of America This is the first comprehensive account of every engagement of the Revolution, a war that began with a brief skirmish at Lexington Green on April 19, 1775, and concluded on the battlefield at the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781. In between were six long years of bitter fighting on land and at sea. The wide variety of combats blanketed the North American continent from Canada to the Southern colonies, from the winding coastal lowlands to the Appalachian Mountains, and from the North Atlantic to the Caribbean. Every entry begins with introductory details including the date of the battle, its location, commanders, opposing forces, terrain, weather, and time of day. The detailed body of each entry offers both a Colonial and a British perspective of the unfolding military situation, a detailed and unbiased account of what actually transpired, a discussion of numbers and losses, an assessment of the consequences of the battle, and suggestions for further reading. Many of the entries are supported and enriched by original maps and photos.

Download or read book The Biggest Battles of the Revolutionary War written by Christopher Henry Forest and published by Capstone. This book was released on 2015-12-21 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On April 18, 1775, the _shot heard ´round the worldî was fired. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first of many battles between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. The two countries would be at war for the next eight years. Read more about the key battles that shaped the American Revolution.

Download or read book Patriot Battles written by Michael Stephenson and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-13 with total page 666 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on hundreds of specialist sources, contemporary and archival, Patriot Battles is the comprehensive one-volume study of the military aspects of the War of Independence. The first part of the book offers a richly detailed examination of the nuts and bolts of eighteenth-century combat: For example, who fought and what motivated them, whether patriot or redcoat, Hessian or Frenchman? How were they enlisted and trained? How were they clothed and fed? What weapons did they use, and how effective were they? When soldiers became casualties or fell ill, how did medical services deal with them? What roles did loyalists, women, blacks, and Indians play? The second part of the book gives a closer look at the war's greatest battles, with maps provided for each. Which men were involved, and how many? What was the state of their morale and equipment? What parts did terrain and weather play? What were the qualities of the respective commanders, and what tactics did they employ? How many casualties were inflicted? And no less important, how did the soldiers fight? Throughout, many cherished myths are challenged, reputations are reassessed, and long-held assumptions are tested. For all readers, Patriot Battles becomes not only one of the most satisfying and illuminating works to be added to the literature on the War of Independence in many years but also a refreshing wind blowing through some of its dustier corridors.

Download or read book The Compleat Victory written by Kevin J. Weddle and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2021-01-15 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the late summer and fall of 1777, after two years of indecisive fighting on both sides, the outcome of the American War of Independence hung in the balance. Having successfully expelled the Americans from Canada in 1776, the British were determined to end the rebellion the following year and devised what they believed a war-winning strategy, sending General John Burgoyne south to rout the Americans and take Albany. When British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga with unexpected ease in July of 1777, it looked as if it was a matter of time before they would break the rebellion in the North. Less than three and a half months later, however, a combination of the Continental Army and Militia forces, commanded by Major General Horatio Gates and inspired by the heroics of Benedict Arnold, forced Burgoyne to surrender his entire army. The American victory stunned the world and changed the course of the war. Kevin J. Weddle offers the most authoritative history of the Battle of Saratoga to date, explaining with verve and clarity why events unfolded the way they did. In the end, British plans were undone by a combination of distance, geography, logistics, and an underestimation of American leadership and fighting ability. Taking Ticonderoga had misled Burgoyne and his army into thinking victory was assured. Saratoga, which began as a British foraging expedition, turned into a rout. The outcome forced the British to rethink their strategy, inflamed public opinion in England against the war, boosted Patriot morale, and, perhaps most critical of all, led directly to the Franco-American alliance. Weddle unravels the web of contingencies and the play of personalities that ultimately led to what one American general called "the Compleat Victory."

Download or read book The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles the Siege of Yorktown written by Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes historic art depicting the siege of Yorktown and important people and events. *Includes the final surrender document. *Includes an account of the siege by American soldier Ebenezer Deezy *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. Yorktown was a former tobacco trading post now in decline, not much bigger than a large village. But Yorktown was tucked away on the northern edge of the York peninsula in rural Virginia, and in 1781 it became the site of a brief siege between two small armies, fought with all the decorum and formality of 18th century European warfare. About 5,000 British and Germans faced perhaps 18,000 Americans and French. After only three weeks the smaller garrison surrendered, tired and low on ammunition. Casualties for both sides totaled less than 1,000 dead and wounded. By contrast, at the siege of Stalingrad 161 years later, 107,000 Germans surrendered to 1.2 million Russians after five months of desperate fighting. At least a million died. At Waterloo in 1815, 190,000 troops slugged it out, leaving 14,000 dead in 10 hours. Another siege would take place at Yorktown during the Civil War 81 years after the more famous siege. Yorktown does not rank as a major military engagement by the conventional criteria of size, duration or casualties, but this small scale encounter was one of the most decisive battles in military history. The fact that it was the last major battle of the American Revolution has ensured that every Briton and American has heard of it. Yorktown's importance has led to a legacy full of legends, but as a campaign and siege, the history of the fighting at Yorktown is a fascinating story. Trapped at Yorktown by a combination of brilliant Allied generalship and a measure of bad luck, the British might still have hoped for rescue. They faced a mixed force, many of whom were ill-trained and ill equipped militia, while the British Army was then regarded as the most tactically proficient in the world. Lord Charles Cornwallis, their commander, had beaten a much larger American force that same spring, with his crack redcoats striding through the woods to eject Nathaniel Greene's well-positioned army from Guildford Courthouse. As he made his dispositions at Yorktown in September 1781, he had every reason to expect another British success. The ensuing siege panned out rather differently. On October 19, 1781, for just the second time during the war (the other at Saratoga), an entire British field army surrendered to the rebel patriots. The Greatest Revolutionary War Battles: The Siege of Yorktown comprehensively covers the events that led up to the siege, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the Revolution's last major conflict. Along with maps and pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Yorktown like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Siege of Yorktown written by Henry Freeman and published by . This book was released on 2017-02-28 with total page 41 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What kind of impact does a battle and siege from more than 200 years ago have on the world today? Yorktown held the key to the end of the American Revolution and allowed America to become not only a sovereign nation, but also set the stage for it to become a world power, worth keeping an eye on. Inside you will read about... ✓ The Road to Yorktown ✓ Opening Moves ✓ The Troops in Motion ✓ The Battle at Sea ✓ The Calm Before the Storm ✓ The Siege Commences ✓ The Fall When Washington moved against Cornwallis, the entire world held its breath. And when surrender was offered – first to the French – things could have ended very differently. One city. One long siege in the fall of the year – would change everything.

Download or read book South Carolina and the American Revolution written by John W. Gordon and published by Univ of South Carolina Press. This book was released on 2021-02-08 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An assessment of critical battles on the southern front that led to American independence An estimated one-third of all combat actions in the American Revolution took place in South Carolina. From the partisan clashes of the backcountry's war for the hearts and minds of settlers to bloody encounters with Native Americans on the frontier, more battles were fought in South Carolina than any other of the original thirteen states. The state also had more than its share of pitched battles between Continental troops and British regulars. In South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History, John W. Gordon illustrates how these encounters, fought between 1775 and 1783, were critical to winning the struggle that secured Americas independence from Great Britain. According to Gordon, when the war reached stalemate in other zones and the South became its final theater, South Carolina was the decisive battleground. Recounting the clashes in the state, Gordon identifies three sources of attack: the powerful British fleet and seaborne forces of the British regulars; the Cherokees in the west; and, internally, a loyalist population numerous enough to support British efforts towards reconquest. From the successful defense of Fort Sullivan (the palmetto-log fort at the mouth of Charleston harbor), capture and occupation of Charleston in 1780, to later battles at King's Mountain and Cowpens, this chronicle reveals how troops in South Carolina frustrated a campaign for restoration of royal authority and set British troops on the road to ultimate defeat at Yorktown. Despite their successes in 1780 and 1781, the British found themselves with a difficult military problem—having to wage a conventional war against American regular forces while also mounting a counterinsurgency against the partisan bands of Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens, and Thomas Sumter. In this comprehensive assessment of one southern state's battlegrounds, Gordon examines how military policy in its strategic, operational, and tactical dimensions set the stage for American success in the Revolution.

Download or read book Battles of the Revolutionary War 1775 1781 written by LT W J Wood and published by Da Capo Pr. This book was released on 2003-12-24 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Clears up misconceptions concerning the Revolutionary War, analyzes major battles, and explains how American leadership and fighting skills won the war.

Download or read book A Devil of a Whipping written by Lawrence E. Babits and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2011-02-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The battle of Cowpens was a crucial turning point in the Revolutionary War in the South and stands as perhaps the finest American tactical demonstration of the entire war. On 17 January 1781, Daniel Morgan's force of Continental troops and militia routed British regulars and Loyalists under the command of Banastre Tarleton. The victory at Cowpens helped put the British army on the road to the Yorktown surrender and, ultimately, cleared the way for American independence. Here, Lawrence Babits provides a brand-new interpretation of this pivotal South Carolina battle. Whereas previous accounts relied on often inaccurate histories and a small sampling of participant narratives, Babits uses veterans' sworn pension statements, long-forgotten published accounts, and a thorough knowledge of weaponry, tactics, and the art of moving men across the landscape. He identifies where individuals were on the battlefield, when they were there, and what they saw--creating an absorbing common soldier's version of the conflict. His minute-by-minute account of the fighting explains what happened and why and, in the process, refutes much of the mythology that has clouded our picture of the battle. Babits put the events at Cowpens into a sequence that makes sense given the landscape, the drill manual, the time frame, and participants' accounts. He presents an accurate accounting of the numbers involved and the battle's length. Using veterans' statements and an analysis of wounds, he shows how actions by North Carolina militia and American cavalry affected the battle at critical times. And, by fitting together clues from a number of incomplete and disparate narratives, he answers questions the participants themselves could not, such as why South Carolina militiamen ran toward dragoons they feared and what caused the "mistaken order" on the Continental right flank.

Download or read book Conceived in Crisis written by Christopher R. Pearl and published by University of Virginia Press. This book was released on 2020-08-06 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conceived in Crisis argues that the American Revolution was not just the product of the Imperial Crisis, brought on by Parliament’s attempt to impose a new idea of empire on the American colonies. To an equal or greater degree, it was a response to the inability of individual colonial governments to deliver basic services, which undermined their legitimacy. Factional bickering over policy, violent extralegal regulations, and the dreadful experiences of conducting an imperial war while governing a demographically growing and geographically expanding population all led colonists and imperial officials to consider reforming the colonial governments into more powerful and coercive entities. Using Pennsylvania as a case study, Christopher Pearl demonstrates how this history of ineffective colonial governance precipitated a process of state formation that was accelerated by the demands of the Revolutionary War. The powerful state governments that resulted dominated the lives of ordinary people well into the nineteenth century. Conceived in Crisis makes sense of the trajectory from weak colonial to strong revolutionary states, and in so doing explains the limited success of efforts to consolidate state power at the national level during the early Republican period.