Chapter VIII: The Revolutionary War From 1776 to 1783

July 4—The British troops had been driven from Boston
about the middle of March. From that time to the last of
June no British soldiers had a foothold anywhere in the
thirteen colonies. England had been preparing, however. The
aid of German troops had been secured, and an expedition
made ready. It was a fortunate respite, after a great
success, and finding the mother country inexorable in her
determination, in which to carefully consider the situation.
That consideration had produced that noble protest of freemen
against tyranny—The Declaration of Independence. It now
remained to make it good by force of arms against a rich and
powerful European empire, which was summoning its energies
to the work of subjugation. On the 28th of June General Howe
landed the late garrison of Boston, and other troops, on
Staten Island.

July 12—Lord Howe arrived from England; Gen. Clinton returned
from his repulse at Fort Moultrie, several Hessian regiments
soon after arrived, and the British force amounted to 24,000;
Gen. Carleton was near Lake Champlain with 13,000 men. The
forces under Washington did not amount to half as many, but
the British had a salutary respect for American prowess, and
were laboring to win the American leaders back by promises of
pardon.

Aug. 27—The battle of Long Island. The Americans, 9,000
strong, are attacked by the British, 15,000 strong. The
Americans are worsted, but hold their intrenched camp.
Washington silently and safely retreats during the night.
The Americans lost 1,600 in killed, wounded and prisoners.
British killed and wounded, 400.

Sept. 1—General Howe sends General Sullivan (American, taken
prisoner in the late battle), to Congress to discuss a
compromise of the dispute between England and the Colonies.
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge, are
appointed to meet English commissioners. They meet on Staten
Island, but can make no arrangements.

Sept. 15—British army takes possession of New York. General
Washington’s army being largely made up of militia, which
come and go, he adopts “The Fabian Policy” of avoiding
general engagements, keeping the enemy harrassed and in
constant movement. This saved the American cause.

Sept. 26—Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee
appointed commissioners to France.

Nov. 1—Henry Laurens, of South Carolina, chosen President of
Congress.

Nov. 16—Fort Washington, at the north end of Manhattan
Island, assaulted by the British, in force. The fort was
taken with 2,000 prisoners. The British loss was 1,200 in
killed and wounded.

Nov. 18—Americans evacuate Fort Lee, on the Hudson, above New
York.

Nov. 28—Washington retreats across the Delaware into
Pennsylvania.

Dec. 7—Gen. Lee disobeys the instructions of Washington and
is taken prisoner by the British.

Dec. 8—A British naval force takes possession of Newport,
Rhode Island.

Dec. 12—The British army being stationed along the Delaware,
in New Jersey, Congress adjourns from Philadelphia to
Baltimore.

Dec. 26-27—Washington suddenly crosses the Delaware and
surprises Trenton. He captures 1,000 Hessians and six cannon,
with a loss of four killed. In this year about 350 British
merchant vessels had been taken by Americans.

1777.

Jan. 2—Washington having re-occupied Trenton, Lord Cornwallis
marches a strong force to attack him.

Jan. 3—The American army silently retreat in the night and
capture Princeton, with 300 prisoners. British loss in killed
and wounded, 100. American loss about the same. General
Mercer killed.

Feb. 6—Letters of Marque and Reprisal granted by the English
against American commerce.

March 4—Congress returns to Philadelphia.

” 23—American stores destroyed at Peekskill, New York.

April 26—Danbury, Connecticut, burned by the British.

May 24—This outrage is retaliated by Colonel Meigs, of
Connecticut, who lands on Long Island with 200 men, destroys
twelve vessels, large quantities of provision and forage,
takes ninety prisoners, and retreats without the loss of a
man.

May 27—Button Gwinnett, of Georgia, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, is killed in a duel.

June 22—Gen. Howe evacuates New Brunswick, New Jersey, and
retires in order to draw Washington into a battle. Washington
advances till he penetrates the design of the enemy, when he
retreats to a strong position and foils the British.

June 30—General Howe embarks 16,000 troops at Staten Island
for Philadelphia. About this time the French Marquis De
Lafayette, a youth of nineteen, arrived in America, with
twelve other foreign officers, to aid the American cause.

July 1—British Gen. Burgoyne appears before Fort Ticonderoga.

” 5—Americans evacuate Ticonderoga.

” 7—Americans retreating from Ticonderoga, are defeated at
Hubbardton.

” 7—United States frigate Hancock captured by three English
vessels.

” 29—Burgoyne’s army, constantly victorious, reaches the
Hudson.

Aug. 3—British Gen. St. Leger invests Fort Stanwix (Utica,
New York).

” 6—American Gen. Herkimer defeated near Fort Stanwix.
American loss 400. Gen. Herkimer killed.

” 16—Battle of Bennington, Vermont. A victory for the “Green
Mountain Boys.” British lost 200 killed, 600 prisoners, 1,000
stand of arms, 1,000 swords, and four cannon. American loss
fourteen killed and forty-two wounded. This turned the tide
against Burgoyne.

” 22—Gen. Arnold raises the siege of Fort Stanwix. St. Leger
loses his artillery, tents, and stores.

” 11—Washington’s army defeated by the British at the battle
of the Brandywine, near Wilmington, Delaware. Washington
retreats in good order.

” 18—Congress adjourns from Philadelphia to Lancaster,
Pennsylvania.

” 19—Battle of Stillwater between Gates, American, and Gen.
Burgoyne. Burgoyne held the field, but lost 500 men; Gates
300.

Sept. 16—Washington advances across the Schuylkill to attack
the British, when a violent storm stops the conflict. The
arms of the Americans are rendered unserviceable by the rain.

” 20—Gen. Wayne, surprised at Paoli, retreats with loss of
300 men.

” 26—The British enter Philadelphia.

Oct. 4—Battle of Germantown. Washington, with an inferior
army, is again defeated. British loss 600. American loss over
1,000.

” 7—Battle of Saratoga. Burgoyne is defeated, and part of
his camp with stores and ammunition, much needed by the
Americans, captured. British loss 400. They retreated in the
night.

” 15—Kingston, New York, burned by the British. They had taken
forts Clinton and Montgomery, defending the river below,
October 6th. This was an effort to aid Burgoyne, but it
failed, being too late, and they retreated down the river.

” 17—Gen. Burgoyne surrenders his whole army to Gen. Gates.
The prisoners amounted to 5,647. Burgoyne had lost about
4,000 since his capture of Ticonderoga. Thirty-five brass
field-pieces and 5,000 stand of arms fell into the hands
of the Americans. Washington, as commander-in-chief, had
diminished his own army till it was much inferior to the
British he was facing, to secure the success of the northern
army against Burgoyne. This was the turning point of the war.
Its immediate result was a treaty of alliance with France.

” 22—Count Donop, with 1,200 Hessians, attacks the American
fort at Red Bank, below Philadelphia, and is repulsed by
Colonel Green with 400 men. Donop is killed, and the British
retire with a loss of 500 men and two vessels of war.

Nov. 15—“The Articles of Confederation” adopted by Congress.

” 16-18—Americans abandon Mud Island, and Fort Mercer, below
Philadelphia.

Dec. 11—Washington establishes his army in winter quarters
at Valley Forge. During this year American prisoners were
treated with great cruelty at New York. General Gates, who
had really succeeded in capturing Burgoyne only by the aid of
Generals Schuyler and Arnold, intrigues against Washington.
When this became known the general indignation killed the
scheme.

1778.

The American cause was really gained by the war of the previous year. The Americans were so far unanimous, and so spirited, that the British had not been able to get a permanent hold on any part of the country, save what was occupied by their armies in force.

Jan. 30—A treaty of alliance is made with France.

Mar. 4—The American frigate Alfred, of twenty guns, captured
by two English vessels of war.

” 20—The American Minister presented at the French Court.

Apr. 18—Count d’Estaing leaves Toulon, France, with a fleet
to aid the Americans in the war.

Jun. 12—Philip Livingston, of New York, one of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence, died.

” 17—The British Parliament having appointed three
Commissioners, the Earl of Carlisle, Lord Auckland, and
Governor Johnstone, to treat for peace with the colonies,
on the basis of granting everything they had asked, except
independence, Congress replies, refusing all intercourse
unless the independence of the States were first recognized,
and the English army withdrawn. Two years before, this
would have been eagerly accepted. England had lost, at the
beginning of this year, twenty thousand men, and 550 vessels,
taken by American cruisers, worth twelve million dollars, and
had spent one hundred million dollars on military armaments
in America.

” 18—The English, afraid of being blockaded in the Delaware
river, by the French fleet, evacuate Philadelphia.

Jun. 28—Battle of Morristown; Washington wins. The British
retreat in the night. Lord Cornwallis commanded.

July 4-5—“The massacre of Wyoming” by the Indians, under Tory
influence. About 400 troops, and most of the inhabitants
killed.

Aug. 15—General Sullivan besieges the English in Newport.

” 28-29—Count d’Estaing, who was to have supported General
Sullivan by a naval attack on Newport, Rhode Island, having
suffered severe loss in an engagement with the English fleet,
and withdrawn to Boston to refit, Sullivan retires, but is
attacked by the British. He repulses them, and retreats from
Rhode Island.

Dec. 29—Savannah, Geo., taken by the British.

1779.

The British direct their main efforts, this year, to the Southern States, and overrun Georgia and part of South Carolina.

Mar. 3—American force under Ashe surprised by
Brigadier-General Prevost; loss 1,600.

May 2—Verplank’s Point, on the Hudson river, surrenders to
British forces.

” 10—Norfolk and Portsmouth taken and partially burned by
the British. Stony Point, on the Hudson, evacuated by the
Americans and occupied by the British.

” 12—Prevost makes an attempt on Charleston, South Carolina,
but fails.

June 6—Patrick Henry, a distinguished patriot, died, aged 63.

” 20—Gen. Lincoln, American, attacks Prevost, at Stone River.
He is repulsed, and Prevost retires to Georgia.

July 4—Governor Tryon makes a descent, in Connecticut,
destroys the shipping at New Haven, and burns Fairfield,
Norwalk, and Greenwich. He is called off

July 16—from this barbarous work by the alarm of Gen. Clinton
at the attack of Gen. Wayne on Stony Point. It was a
complete surprise. Sixty of the British were killed and 550
made prisoners. American loss, 100.

” 19—Major Lee (“Light Horse Harry”) captured the garrison at
Paulus’ Hook (Jersey City). The British lost 30 killed, and
159 prisoners.

Aug. 29—Gen. Sullivan is sent with an army to punish the
Indians for the massacre of Wyoming and Cherry Valley. He
defeats them in a fight near Elmira, New York, and lays waste
their country. He burned more than forty of their towns, and
destroyed their provisions and crops.

Sept. 24—Paul Jones, in a desperate naval engagement with
seven English vessels, on the coast of Scotland, captures two
of the enemy’s vessels.

Oct. 9—The combined French and American forces make an attack
on Savannah, Geo. They are repulsed with a loss of 1,000 men.
Count Pulaski was killed.

Joseph Hewes, of N. C., Thomas Lynch, of S. C., and George
Ross, of Pa., signers of the Declaration of Independence,
died during this year.

1780.

Jan.—The British send a large force to capture Charleston, S.
C., and overrun that State.

Feb. 11—British troops are landed on St. Johns Island, and
the fleet blockades Charleston.

May 6—Fort Moultrie, being invested by sea and land,
surrenders to the British.

” 12—Charleston surrendered by Gen. Lincoln.

” 29—Col. Tarleton surprises Buford, American, at Waxhaws.
Buford is totally defeated. South Carolina is now treated
as a royal province, all opposition being overcome, for the
present.

June 23—A sharp action between the British Generals
Kniphausen and Clinton, with 6,000 troops, and Gen. Greene,
with 1,500. The town of Springfield was burned, but Greene,
taking a strong position, stopped the advance of the enemy,
and he retired to Staten Island.

July 10—The Count de Rochambeau, with a fleet and 6,000
French troops, arrives at Newport, R. I. They are blockaded
by the British.

Aug. 6—Col. Sumter gains a brilliant victory at Hanging Rock,
S. C.

” 16—Battle of Camden, between Lord Cornwallis and Gen. Gates.
The American army was superior in numbers (5,600; Cornwallis
not much more than 2,000). Gates’ army was largely composed
of militia, which caught a panic at the first attack. The
Americans lost 1,800 killed, wounded, and prisoners. British
loss, 325.

” 18—Tarleton surprises and totally defeats Sumter.

Sept. 21—Major André, of the British army, arranges with
Arnold for the surrender of the fortress of West Point, on
the Hudson, to the British. The plot miscarries, Arnold
escapes, and André is captured.

Oct. 2—Major André is hung as a spy.

” 7—The British commander, Ferguson, is defeated and killed
by a body of American back-woodsmen, at Kings Mountain,
South Carolina. 300 British killed and wounded, and 800 made
prisoners.

John Hart, of New Jersey, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, died this year.

1781.

Jan.—An insurrection broke out among the Pennsylvania and
other troops of the American army in this month, on account
of the failure of Congress to pay them. It threatened serious
consequences, but was subdued by the moderation and influence
of Washington.

” 4—Arnold, the traitor, landed in Virginia, and laid waste the
country.

” 17—Battle of the “Cowpens,” South Carolina. Colonel Morgan,
American, totally defeated Colonel Tarleton, who lost six
hundred men, with his baggage and artillery. Morgan lost
eighty men.

Feb. 23—George Taylor, of Pennsylvania, signer of the
Declaration of Independence, died.

” 28—Richard Stockton, of New Jersey signer of the Declaration
of Independence, died.

” 15—Battle of Guildford Court House North Carolina. Gen.
Greene, American commander, and Lord Cornwallis, after long
skirmishing, came to a battle. Greene’s army was mostly
raw militia, which broke and fled. Greene was worsted, but
retreated in quiet. His loss was 400; Cornwallis’, 500. So
heavy a loss was as bad as a defeat to Cornwallis.

Apr. 25—Battle of Hobkirks Hill. General Greene attacked by
Lord Rawdon. The Americans driven from the field. Loss on
each side, 250.

May 10—Lord Rawdon evacuates Camden, South Carolina.

” 21—Several British forts in South Carolina captured by Marion
and Sumter, the British losing in them 800 troops.

” 28—The American frigate Alliance captures two British sloops
of war.

June 5—General Pickens, with militia, captures Augusta,
Georgia. Lafayette had been maneuvering with the British
forces in Virginia since April, with great ability. Though
much inferior, he constantly held them in check, and avoided
a battle.

July 6—Cornwallis, after a sharp skirmish with Lafayette,
at Jamestown, retires to Portsmouth, Virginia. The British
troops had, in three months, destroyed $10,000,000 worth of
property in Virginia.

Aug. 1—Cornwallis takes post at Yorktown, Virginia, and
fortifies it. His force consists of 8,000 men.

” 17—It is arranged that the combined French and American
forces shall attack Cornwallis, in Virginia.

” 25—Supplies and money for the American armies landed at
Boston, from France.

Sept. 5—Forts Trumbull and Griswold, in Connecticut, taken
by the British, under Arnold, with circumstances of great
atrocity, and New London burned.

” 8—Battle of Eutaw Springs. Both sides claim the victory.
The loss was about equal—seven hundred on each side. The
advantage, in the end, was in favor of the Americans, though
they were repulsed. The British soon retired.

” 10—The French fleet enter the Chesapeake Bay with heavy
artillery for the siege of Yorktown, while De Grasse, the
French Admiral, with a large squadron, guards the entrance
against the British.

Oct. 6—The allied army, 16,000 strong, commence the siege of
Yorktown.

” 19—Cornwallis surrenders Yorktown, and 7,000 troops,
prisoners of war.

” 25—Colonel Willett repulses 600 tories, at Johnstown, New
York, with loss.

Dec. 31—Henry Laurens, United States Minister to France,
sometime a prisoner in London, England, was exchanged for
Gen. Burgoyne.

1782.

The war was now practically concluded. The finances of the United States, the sad condition of which had so much interfered with the collection and support of strong and well-disciplined armies, had been lately supported by loans from France and Holland. The Americans were stronger than ever, the British could not hold possession even of the Southern States, where there were more royalist inhabitants than further north; and the aid of France on the sea really made the Americans invincible. England could no longer raise the money or the troops to continue the struggle.

The year 1782 was mostly spent in negotiations. The difficulties of arranging the terms were great; and the boundaries of the new Government were a subject of much dispute.

Mar. 4—Resolutions were passed in the English Parliament, in
favor of peace.

Apr. 19—Holland acknowledges American independence.

July 11—Savannah, Georgia, evacuated by the British, and
occupied by General Wayne. The British carried off 5,000
negroes. Great discontent arose in the army in regard to
pay, and only the great influence of Washington, and the
wise moderation of American statesmen in Congress, prevented
serious outbreaks.

Franklin, Adams, Jay, and Laurens, were the American
Commissioners who arranged terms of peace.

Various Indian wars raged on the frontiers during this year.

1783.

Jan. 20—The preliminary treaty, providing for the cessation
of hostilities between England and the United States, was
signed.

Feb. 5—The Independence of the United States acknowledged by
Sweden.

Mar. 24—The Independence of the United States acknowledged by
Denmark. The Independence of the United States acknowledged
by Spain.

Apr. 19—Cessation of hostilities officially proclaimed in the
United States—just eight years from the beginning of the war.
Estimated loss of men during the war, seventy thousand.