Bunker Hill

The Battle of Bunker Hill

Mike’s Blog

“On the night of June 16, 1775, a detail of American troops acting under orders from Artemas Ward moved out of their camp, carrying picks, shovels, and guns. They entrenched themselves on a rise located on Charleston Peninsula overlooking Boston. Their destination: Bunker Hill.” (www.ushistory.org)

On June 17, 1775 the British troops that were occupying Boston Massachusetts woke up to find that the patriot forces had entrenched themselves atop a hill in prime position to attack them.  The position that they had included a slew or well-placed trenches along the top of Bunker Hill.  Those trenches protected the troops on top of the hill and the cannons that the patriot forces had aimed at the city and harbor.

 

“Major General William Howe, leading the British forces, could have easily surrounded the Americans with his ships at sea, but instead chose to march his troops uphill.” (www.ushistory.com)

The decision to march uphill in a head on battle was most likely an attempt to the Patriots forces to retreat.  Major General William Howe was making that assumption that fear of the most powerful army in the world marching directly at them would scare them into retreating, the plan did not work.

The patriot forces waited for the British troops to get very close to the trenches and then opened fire.  

The first wave of British forces that marched up the hill retreated having taken serious damage and casualties.  The trenches and high ground gave the patriot forces a significant advantage and when the British troops marched up the hill a second time they were again turned back down the hill.  

When the third wave of British troops came marching up the hill the patriot forces had run out of ammo.  “Hand-to-hand fighting ensued. The British eventually took the hill, but at a great cost. Of the 2,300 British soldiers who had gone through the ordeal, 1,054 were either killed or wounded.” (www.ushistory.org)

This battle gave many young patriots hope as their forces had handed the british troops a horrible loss.  While the British did take the hill they lost a substantial amount of life and almost 50 percent of the troops that marched on the hill.  The young patriots that would end up hearing about this great victory would be inspired by the number of British troops killed.  They would be inspired by the fact that the great British army could indeed be injured.

The Battle of Saratoga

The Battle of Saratoga
Kelly's Blog

Journal of Henry Green

October 17th, 1777

We have finally done it! We have defeated the British for the first time in a few battles. It feels great. General says this could be the turnin’ point of the war. I began to lose hope after the British took Philadelphia captive.  The last few battles we lost really took a toll on our colonial armies hope or so it feels. If only another country would allie with us to help us put those Lobsterbacks in their place. I am feelin’ better with this victory though. Boy did those redcoats seem scared of us. According to some spies the British thought that if they divided they could surround us and put us to an end. We proved them wrong though and it felt so great! I wonder where we will go from here. I hope to see my family again soon. I know that this war is not yet over but I’m hopin’ the end is comin’ soon.

Mike's Blog

As the war reached a pivotal point at the two year mark, the British changed strategies deciding to isolate New England from the remaining colonies. The Battle of Saratoga commenced on September 19, 1777.  The battle was considered a major turning point in the war, and sealed the fate for the British General John Burgoyne.  The victory had as major impact in convincing France to formally enter the war, they had seen a change in the tide and did not wish to be open allies with a losing America.  The Battle was not an individual battle however a sequence of skirmishes.

               The American Continental Army had been in a slow state of retreat ever since the British Red Coats had captured Ticonderoga in early July. General Horatio Gates had replaced the failing Major General Schuyler while encamped south of Stillwater, New York.  Schuyler was replaced by Gates due to losses suffered at Ticonderoga.  This was a drastic change for the Continental army as the two did not agree with each other and had much different leadership styles.  The Americans caught a break having General Howe of the British army sail south, allowing an additional 750 men be added to the command of Gates.

               The first Battle of Freeman’s Farm commenced on September 18, this was an attempt made by Burgoyne to dismantle the American left flank on the high ground. Gates and his men foresaw this and had placed men in the wooded areas.  This was an advantage for the Continental army because they were skilled at attacking in the woods compared to the British who attacked in columns. The Americans aimed for officers and managed to use their rifles to snipe many opposing officers.  The Americans fled at dark losing 300 men and the British had captured some land but suffered casualties of 600.

               The second battle was the Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7, within the opening hour the British suffered losses of 300 and had 10 artillery pieces captured.  The British had also lost or had captured almost all of their grenadiers.  After the initial opening of the battle the Americans went on the attack led by Arnold.  In the first battle he had been transferred out of Gates’ command however did not leave the army at the point of the second battle, defying Gates he rode out and led the men, the Americans were outright victorious in this battle and even captured a British camp.   Due to the heavy losses suffered the British were forced to retreat and General Burgoyne was returned to England as a failure, and was never given another leadership role again in his military career.

               The aftermath of the Battle caused 1,000 casualties for the British and many of the most highly skilled officers, while the Americans lost only 500 KIA or wounded.  The British attempt to capture the American camp allowed the Americans to encircle the British at Saratoga and force the surrender of Burgoyne on October 17.  The battle had a lasting effect on the war, raising the spirits of the American troops, and also striking fear into the eyes of the British who not only saw that the Continentals targeted officers, but also that the Americans could win a battle outright and cause the surrender of a British Army group.  The victory sealed the fate of the war having France become open allies and guarantee troops and their naval forces to help defeat the British.

Valley Forge

Washington & troops at Valley Forge

Mike's Blog

On December 19 1777, the future President of the United States leads his beleaguered men into a winter that changed the fortune of the war, allowing George Washington a national hero.  During the winter season of 1777 the troops were starving and freezing held up due to the harsh weather.  Washington was a failing General and the British occupied Philadelphia, leaving Congress to question the abilities of Washington to wage a successful war against the red coats.  The army under Washington was on the brink of collapse and he defied Congress who wished for a mid-winter attack against the British troops in Philadelphia with the hope of resting and replenishing his troops in Valley Forge, however this also did not happen due to congress failing to raise money in an effort to nourish and clothe the American soldiers.  Valley Forge was approximately 20 miles from Philadelphia allowing Washington to keep a watchful eye on General Howe and the British Red Coats.  The conditions however at Valley Forge were so poor that men were disserting the army even under the threat of being shot of sight by Washington himself.  The men were suffering in poor quality and hastily made log cabins, while watching the British enjoy the comforts of colonial homes. The Army at the beginning of the winter consisted of 12,000 regulars and with disease and dissertation around 3,000 men died or left.  

             Washington recalls his men marching without proper clothing or shoes, leaving bloody trails wherever they stepped in the white snow, the starving troops on the verge of a famine.  Congress had engaged in conversations to replace George Washington as the General of the Army and to place a man more qualified and decorated than the failing General.  To this time the war was in the favor of Britain and many did not see an American victory insight.  Washington even went on to tell the press, he would be more than happy to resign his post for a better suited leader of the Army and return to his private estate at Mount Vernon.  It was troubling to Washington seeing local farmers choose greed over supplying his own men, while they chose to sell their crops to the British for gold and silver pieces.

            During the winter Washington had made monumental changes to his leadership core which allowed his troops to be better trained and learn tactics to harass the British soldiers, winning skirmishes not major battles.  For example Washington added a Prussian Officer to his core, General Friedrich Von Steuben tasking him to train the men.  Under Von Steuben the men became trained in the arts of Prussian warfare and tactics, creating a trained army instead of farmers with pitchforks.  Von Steuben was disgusted at the lack of commitment and poor training of the regular soldiers prior to his commitment to train the men, however under his guidance the men became a proper military unit.  He also added Nathanael Greene who served under Washington as the Quartermaster allowing Washington to relieve himself of the duty of procuring supplies for the troops, and focus on the general leadership of the troops. Washington was making internal changes to better his leadership core, while congress was attempting to replace Washington with General Howe for he was a victor at Saratoga and a better candidate to lead the men, however Washington kept the loyalty of his men and Congress realized an internal change of leadership was impossible.

               The end of the winter brought great news to the camp as Benjamin Franklin had secured an alliance with France, which was a major moral boost, when Washington heard the news he pardoned two of his men from the firing squad for dissertation.  The troops however left better than they were prior to the winter for the ones left were hardened by the winter and all the ones who questioned the leadership had disserted.  The smaller but better trained army had survived the winter; the men left with a new confidence to defeat the British and once they were able to replenish their supplies and the food shortage ran out the men were prepared for battle against British forces.

Kelly's Blog

Journal of Henry Green

December 28th, 1777

I’ve never been so cold in my entire life. The air is burnin’ my face and my toes are turning black and losing feeling. It is beginnin’ to get difficult to walk, I hope to heal quickly. I am not the only one suffering these rough conditions, unfortunately it seems many other soldiers have also fallen ill. We have been in Valley Forge for a number of days now, but things don’t seem to be getting any better. Troops are beginnin’ to lose hope. I secretly think we all are just seeking some sort of comfort away from this war and these miserable conditions. General Washington picked this location because he can keep watch on the British troops that are in Philadelphia right now. It makes sense to us soldiers, but the conditions here are literally killing some of us. The temperatures are frigid and we are really lacking proper supplies. Seeing how well the British troops have it while I freeze is only making me despise them more.  This is our country. They have no right to be warm and well fed while myself and the others sit here and struggle to find food and warmth. Things won’t be this way much longer. I am not the only soldier who wants to give those redcoats what they really deserve. I overheard General Washington and some farmers are even keeping food from us who are fighting for their freedoms! AH the nerve! We will pull through strong in the end. I’m not ready to give up hope yet. I’m praying to god that somethin’ good is comin’ and with that somethin’ is some better weather too. Speakin’ of that weather my fingers are frozen, I must rest up though I will write again soon. Goodnight'

The Battle of Lexington & Concord

Lexington & Concord

Kelly’s Blog

The Battle of Lexington and Concord are significant to the American Revolution. The battle of Lexington is considered to be the first battle of the American Revolution because it was the first time that British troops had shed american blood on american soil. The battle was planned by a British general to be a sneak attack on the patriots. The plan was to capture colonial rebellion leaders in Lexington and then move onto Concord and capture the gunpowder and artillery of the patriots. However, the British general’s plan leaked out and got back to the patriots. Word spread quickly and the patriots were ready for the British when they came. The British were bombarded as they entered Lexington. They had been taken by surprise. After entering Concord and meeting the colonial militia the British began to retreat back to Boston. Several British troops were killed and injured. According to records, 26 of them even went missing. The British had been defeated in the first real battle of the war. On the flip side this had won more support for the patriots because it gave people more belief in them. England was so flustered by this they sent in more experienced generals to take the lead in hope for better results.

Mike’s Blog

In April, 1775, the American Revolutionary war started.  The war was kicked off at the battles of Lexington and Concord.  Britain’s General had a plan to send his soldiers, who were stationed in Boston, to Lexington where they were to "capture Colonial leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock" (Lexington and Concord).    The British troops were to then move on to Concord where they were to seize gunpowder and destroy the Americans weapons. However, riders like Paul Revere warned the colonists that the British Army was coming.  Since the Americans were warned, "Sam Adams and John Hancock were able to escape and the local militia was able to hide much of the ammunition and weapons" (American Revolution: Battle of Lexington and Concord).

The Battle of Lexington was a small fight but a very significant battle because it was where the very first battle of the Revolutionary War was. When the British troops arrived from Boston, they only found "80 American militiamen in the town" (American Revolution: Battle of Lexington and Concord).  Some of the American army men were called minutemen because they could be ready to fight in a minute's time.    The British had a much larger army.  However, neither sides were expecting to actually fight and "In the midst of the confusion, a gunshot went off forcing the British to attack" (American Revolution: Battle of Lexington and Concord).  The first shot of the war was called, "the shot heard around the world" and no one is really sure who fired the first shot (Lexington and Concord).  Some of the Americans were killed from the British shots and the rest fled the field.

The British then proceeded to march to Concord after the Americans fled Lexington.  When they arrived to Concord, they did not run into the American army so they searched the town for the militia's weapons.  In the meantime, "The Americans had retreated to the outskirts of Concord and observed the British from the other side of North Bridge" (American Revolution: Battle of Lexington and Concord).  As the British troops continued to search the town for supplies, more and more American soldiers showed up to support and make forces stronger.  Once the Americans felt the time was right, they crossed the North Bridge back into Concord.    The battle was fought and the Americans defeated the British.  This win gave the Americans renewed confidence.  Soon after the battle was over, "the British commander realized that the American militia resistance was rapidly growing and it was time to retreat"(American Revolution: Battle of Lexington and Concord).

The British retreated back to Boston however, the Americans continued to gain forces and attacked the British on their way back.  By the time Britain troops reached Boston, "they had lost 73 men and 174 were wounded."  The Americans defeated the British and only lost 49 men with 41 wounded.  The Lexington and Concord Battles meant that the American Revolution had officially started.  Americans gained courage to unite and continue to fight.

Loyalists, Fence-sitters, and Patriots

Loyalists, Fence-sitters, and Patriots

Kelly's Blog

Not all colonists were in favor of the American Revolution. The colonists’ views on the revolution were divided three different ways. Loyalists were colonists who still supported King George and the crown. Hard to believe if you ask me, but loyalists did not take part in the fight for freedom because they remained loyal to Britain throughout the revolution. Patriots were colonists who fought against the British army for freedom, liberty, and independence. These people went against Britain and risked their lives when they decided to rebel. Surprisingly not all colonists shared the beliefs that the patriots did. Some did, but were just too afraid to show it. The colonists who were not patriots nor loyalists were referred to as Fence-sitters. This group is often overlooked, but made up the largest group according to history. With the fence sitters being the largest group, the war also started off as a race to gain popularity. The patriots felt that once they proved they had a chance at the war that they would be able to persuade more people to join their side for the cause of independence. The patriots however had a better cause to get those people who were in the middle to join their cause and in the end they had attracted more support than the British.

Mike’s Blog

At the time of the Revolutionary war not all of America wanted to leave the British rule.  America was separated into factions that consisted of Patriots, Loyalist, and Fence Sitters.  The Patriots consisted of the men in the thirteen colonies that wanted and endorsed a violent rebellion against British rule. The loyalist did not want separation from British rule, and were content with remaining colonies.  The fence sitters remained neutral and did not have a radical opinion on whether to fight for freedom or remain under British control; the current belief is that the fence sitters consisted of a majority of the colonist while only 20% were loyalist to the crown.   It in unknown the percentage of Patriots especially in the beginning of the movement, however it is believed to be smaller than 20% of Americans.

The fence sitters considered themselves to be citizens of Britain, and still saw England as the most profitable market for their goods.  They did not agree with the British rule, however they were unwilling to oppose it.  Loyalist believed the crown was the legitimate government of the people and to resist it was morally wrong.   The Patriots had the opposite view and believed they were citizens of Britain and therefore deserved equal rights as any British citizen in Parliament, but do to taxation and laws passed such as the quartering act, stripped colonist of their unalienable rights as human beings. .  The younger Patriots were more aggressive, and they harassed the loyalist at every opportunity, destroying their property or smearing their name in the newspaper. The loyalist were primarily very wealthy southerners, as they tended to be older and more established than most of the patriots.  The Patriots were the American born and educated, young white males who wanted change, they were from urban areas such as Philadelphia and Boston. While loyalist feared change, the patriots encouraged rapid change and were willing to use mob violence to resolve the issue.  A great example of the patriots using these tactics was the Boston Tea Party in which the colonist dressed as Native Americans and dumped British tea into the Boston Harbor to openly show their contempt and disagreement with the British taxation.  The Patriots used propaganda to spread their word in pamphlets such as "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine.  

The Patriots saw themselves as the voice of freedom for the people, spreading their word to anyone who would listen to them with media. The loyalist were made wealthy and kept wealthy through British trade and even though they did not have representation in Parliament they saw it as not practical for how far away England was from them.  The loyalist relied upon Britain as a main trading partner to manufacture the raw goods grown in America.

The Patriot leaders in the colonies became our founding fathers, drafting our constitution and are Declaration of Independence, the leaders of the Patriots included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Paine and many more.  The Patriots were the party committing treason, and when found by the British it was deemed a death penalty infraction.  The loyalist were those staying loyal and not speaking out about their mother country the main problem was they did not have the protection of the crown, for the red coats did not know if any American could be trusted as we were not viewed as equal citizens to the crown.  The Patriots were willing to shed blood over the cause and believed that America should be a nation founded off of the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.   As the patriots portrayed the British as the enemy committing crimes against the people, they were able to gain a larger and larger following eventually leading to the support of the Revolutionary war.  The Loyalist who remained loyal to the crown fled to other British colonies such as the Caribbean and even Florida to escape persecution by the victorious Americans.

American and British Strengths and Weakness

American and British Strengths and Weaknesses.

Kelly’s Blog

The American Revolution was a mind blowing battle when you compare the strengths and weaknesses of the two armies involved. The war was between the British and the American colonists. Comparing the resources that both armies had it is amazing that the colonists were able to beat the british and claim their independence. During this time the British Army was the strongest one in the entire world with a winnig streak of battle against both the French and Spanish. The British troops had access to better food, ships, uniforms, artillery and ammo than the colonists did. The Colonists could not afford better supplies, actually they could barely afford minor supplies such as blankets and shoes. The British army was much larger than the army the colonists had, and some of the colonists even remained loyal to the British crown. So in the beginning of the war it looked as though the colonists had no chance, however those same colonists never gave up hope and gave the war all they had.

Although odds were against the colonists they did have some advantages over the British. Even though they had less of an advantage the colonists had a valid reason to fight in the war. They were fighting for freedom, which was a large part of most of them left Britain for the New World to begin with. Britain was just being greedy, and after all they had treated the colonists very poorly when they were in control before the colonists rebelled. The colonists fought for what they believed in and fought on their home turf that they knew better than the British. This was a great advantage because guerilla warfare came into play and changed warfare forever. Guerilla warfare allowed the colonists to take control and created a turning point in the war. The British had a hard time defending against guerilla warfare because it was both unexpected and they did not have the knowledge of the territory that the colonists did. Eventually the French created an alliance with the colonists which really changed the odds of the war to be in the favor of the Colonists. All of these things had a great affect on the fate of the war. Although the British started out with more strengths and the odds being in their favor, the colonists did not let their weaknesses stop them eventually leading them to victory in the American Revolution.

Mikes Blog
The British Troops had been successful in the past, defeating powerful nations like France and Spain.  Therefore, at first, the odds were against the Colonists.  However, both the British Troops and the colonists had strengths and weaknesses that would make this war interesting.

One of the British Troops greatest strengths was money.  The British was wealthy and because they were wealthy, the army was equipped with "6' muskets and bayonets attached" (U.S History Resources).  Money also helped the British troops by making sure their soldiers were well fed, well equipped and well paid.  If the soldiers were well fed and well paid, the men wouldn't stray and the troops would be able to recruit more people. Another strength British had over America was strength in numbers.  Feldmeth reports that there were "7.5 million British men versus only 2.5 million colonists" (U.S History Resources) and it was well organized with this many people.  Money allowed the British Troops to hire Hessians, the best of the German troops, to help fight America.  Since there were a lot of soldiers, it allowed the British Troops to last longer.  The British also had strength on the water.  Britain had the best naval force at that time and was able to attack from the water and from their professional army on land.            

Although there were great strengths with the British Troops, there were also several weaknesses.  One of the military difficulties the British Troops faced, was who led their soldiers.  They had second-rate generals who did not do an ideal job leading.  They would treat their soldiers poorly. According to Feldmeth, "There was brutal treatment such as a soldier being lashed 800 times for striking an officer" (U.S History Resources).  Along with the poor leadership, they had insufficient supplies necessary to battle.  The armies were 3,000 miles away from home.  This only made matters worse since they were not familiar with the lands and were far away from family, friends, and their life.  Another weakness was the fact that the British didn't really have a clear desire to defeat the Americans since it would just mean the Americans not getting independence.  Lastly, although they had a huge population, Feldmeth states that the downfall was that "orders took months to reach the front of the line" (U.S History Resources).  Commands would have changed or been misheard which would have caused problems on the line.

Unlike the British Troops, the Colonists had an outstanding leadership.  With Washington running military, the Colonists fought defensively. Feldmeth states that the "The Colonists were better marksmen, being accurate at 200 yards" (U.S History Resources).  The Colonists were also at an advantage for being on home turf.  They knew the area, which gave them an advantage since they had a self-sustaining agricultural base.  Also, they had a "moral advantage by supporting a just cause and having a positive goal to reach" (U.S History Resources).  Americans were fighting for their rights, their independence and their liberty.  Finally, the alliance with the French was a huge strength for America in this war.  This alliance gave the Colonists a tangible threat and extra courage.  

Although the Colonists had home advantage and great leadership, they also had several weaknesses.  First of all, as Feldmeth writes, "The colonies were badly organized which made them disunited for war" (U.S History Resources).  The Colonists also faced economic difficulties.  There was little metallic currency available and inflation lead to increased prices on everything.  Not having money meant not having good military supplies.  Just like the British Troops, they had inadequate supplies, specifically firearms and powder.  Since there wasn't much money and inflation caused prices to increase, shoes and clothes were scarce.  According to Feldmeth, "At Valley Forge, 2800 men were barefoot" (U.S History Resources), which was not easy to battle in.  Finally, there was an abundance of American soldiers, however, they were unreliable which caused stress on the colonists.    

In conclusion, the British had money, more people and a better army and navy but didn't have a clear desire to fight and was far away from home.   The Americans had better leadership, home advantage and had a goal to fight for freedom.  However, they didn't have as much money, had unreliable soldiers, and had unorganized colonies.