jan1777-end of war
meanwhile in canada….
1776: Americans led by Arnold, stay outside of quebec….in spring, british reinforcements arrive and Arnold retreats to montreal and then back to lake champlain……
Jan-feb-mar-april-may-june-july: british want a force to move down the Hudson river and trap Washington and his army in ny…..only benedict Arnold stands in their way…he uses his own money to build boats and buy supplies…fights the british all summer long….stops them and by doing so, Washington will not be trapped and captured in ny………Arnold is denied any money by congress and faces charges of stealing………… and, Americans are trying desperately to get help from france and spain or anybody…..france lends money…..sell arms……john adams is worried…he does not trust the French; Jefferson is eager and trusts the French……
1777: the year of the hangman…..
Europeans interested in the war…many come over to help the Marquis de La Fayette from france Tadeusz Kosciuszko from Poland casimir Pulaski from Poland “von” steuben from Prussia…he will help train washington’s soldiers…will make them first class fighting men……
British will try to win war in north: an army from Canada (john Burgoyne), an army from lake Ontario, a force from Detroit and the army from nyc will coordinate; also, an army will strike at phila and in the South……
Burgoyne from Canada and lake Ontario…aim at Albany,ny…..benedict Arnold will stop the force from Ontario……burgoyne will advance close to Albany….
September 19: First Battle of Saratoga- Americans will defend and then attack the british…Arnold will lead the attack and ask for reinforcement to win the battle…will be denied by his commander…Arnold will get angry and curse his commander and threaten him….arnold will be put under arrest……..
October 7: Second Battle of Saratoga: Americans will counter-attack british…arnold will violate his arrest and go into battle…he will personally lead the Americans as they push british back…..arnold will be wounded in same leg (left) as had been wounded at quebec….british will retreat and surrender on
October 17: almost 6,000 british soldiers will surrender….stunning victory…Arnold not mentioned by his commander in the report to congress……
Meanwhile: british army attacks phila and despite heroic battles at Brandywine Creek and Germantown, will take the city….congress flees…Washington defeated but still in the field….will winter at Valley Forge….steuben will spend the winter training the skeleton soldiers….. the Prussian writes this about his American soldiers “You say to your soldier, ‘Do this,’ and he doeth it; but I am obliged to say, ‘This is the reason why you ought to do that’ : and then he does it.” Americans don’t like to be bossed around……..
Meanwhile: british take savannah, ga………….
1778:
February: French sign alliance with u.s. are supposed to last forever…we each agree to fight until the other is ready to stop….and will help each other if needed in the future……..
Many Americans do not trust French….the ancient enemy……..now it is a world war….england will fight spain and france all over the globe….will remove much of its fleet from America. About 50% of its troops will be removed……..
British retreat from phila…..
June 28: Battle of Monmouth Courthouse (NJ)….americans fight just like british regulars…toe to toe…..washington will encourage his men from between the armies…..not a scratch, again…….
July: French fleet and army arrive in America……stalemate in north…..brit in nyc and not much else……
1779: war in the south…
Civil war…bloody and brutal….. stalemate……
War at sea: American ships attack british coastal towns and merchant ships…..John Paul Jones……does a lot of damage to English economy….people in britain must be wondering what is going on!!!!!!!
Winter 1779-1780: Washington at Morristown….worst of the entire war…..snow and ice and killing cold….no food…no pay…no clothing for men….washington begs congress for help Ny harbor froze solid….hudson river many feet of thick ice……4 feet of snow on ground in jan, 1780…..men suffer like never before….but many stay and are ready for more in the spring…..still 8 in of snow on ground in march!!
1780:
May 12; british take Charleston, sc….so many british cannon fire that one American wrote: “it appeared as if the stars were tumbling down.” Charles Cornwallis= british general in south
Francis Marion…the swamp fox……American militia harass brits everywhere…..
Aug 16: battle of Camden….american disaster…. So Washingtoin appoints nathaneal greene to command in south…….
Stalemate in north…..global war not going real well for French……..
1781:
French bribing American congressmen…go figure!!!!!!!
Cornwallis and brit army in south moves into Carolinas….greene opposes….”We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again.” Bleeds the british…..leads them north into Virginia…….greene and la Fayette push british to coast….yorktown peninsula…..yorktown…..washington and French army leave nyc and march hurriedly to va….washington will see his house for first time since 1775……French fleet will arrive and defeat brit fleet…Cornwallis trapped….washington besieges……Cornwallis surrenders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October……..stunning victory……….british government will begin secret negotiations with j adams…..french and Spanish will fight on……..fighting fades in America…………
War ends in 1783….. Americans get independence…..england gets colonies from france and spain……..will come out stronger than when the war started……big loser=france…in terrible debt; lost power; nation is on the edge of disaster…………
