Causes of the American Revolution
French and Indian War (1756-1763)
In the Seven Years War, a huge conflict fought in Europe, India, and North America to thwart Prussian King Frederick the Great, led to battles for colonial domination of North America, India, and the Caribbean. Eventually, the English dominated those outposts but it left them in a staggering amount of debt, and this debt nearly destroyed the English government. In the end, this led to the great tension leading up to the American Revolution because Britain turned to taxing American citizens in order to make up for their monstrous debt. The British enraged citizens by enacting taxes on necessities, such as the Sugar Act.
Proclamation of 1763
King George III enacted the Proclamation of 1763 on October 7th, 1763. This act prevented all Americans from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains in hopes of fixing problems with the Native Americans, who had sided with the French in the French and Indian War. The Proclamation also hoped to reduce the cost of colonial defense. Colonists who had purchased land wast of line or were given land grants after the war were livid, causing American-British tensions to rise even farther. Settlers petitioned to have the line moved farther west and it was adjusted twice, in 1768 and 1770, but many ignored the line altogether.
Sugar Acts
Also called the American Revenue Act of 1764, the Sugar Act was an updated version of the 1733 Sugar and Molasses Act which was due to expire. Under this act, colonists had been forced to pay taxes on foreign molasses of six pence per gallon. However, colonists tended to evade the taxes buy buying local rather than imported molasses. In the long run this crippled the market of the British West Indies because of much lower sales of molasses, sugar, and rum, which is made from molasses. In order to fix this problem, the tax rate was decreased to three pence but became strictly enforced.The act also included certain other foreign goods like sugar, wines, and coffee. These acts caused a sharp decline in the colonial economy, paving the way for revolt after the enforcement of even more taxes later.
Quartering Act
On June 2nd, 1765, the Quartering Act was passed, much to the dismay of the colonists. Basically an indirect tax, this act forced colonists to house British soldiers, feed them, and provide transportation. British forced this to occur under the guise of protecting the colonists from the French. But the colonists didn't feel threatened by the French and were enraged that they had to spend their money on such a pointless endeavor. Tensions built even farther as colonists payed large amounts for taxes and the soldiers under their care.
Stamp Acts
On November 1st, 1765, the British put their first direct tax on the colonies through the Stamp Act in order to pay for British troops still in the colonies. Under this Act, every printed article had to be taxed and fixed with a stamp. Furthermore, these taxes were paid directly to England rather than to local legislatures. Enraged colonists couldn't pay this price and felt their new idea "No taxation without representation" had been violated. After enough protest, the Act was repealed March 18th, 1766, but not until after the colonists had reached the final straw.
Tea Act and Boston Tea Party
On May 10th, 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act. This Act was not meant to impose taxes on citizens or raise revenue, but was designed to help out the East India Company with it's unsold tea- 18 million pounds worth. Tea was sold directly to the colonies at a discounted price which undercut local merchants. Enraged colonists believed this Act was in order to win support for taxes, and they held ships in port without unloading them, turned them back to Britain, and let the tea rot on the docks. This led to the Boston Tea Party. On December 16th, 1773, colonists marched to the tea ships, seized their cargo, and dumped it into the harbor. This was the first decisive rebellion of the colonists and led to the Intolerable Acts in 1774.
Intolerable Acts
In March of 1774, the frustrated British Prime Minister passed the Intolerable Acts. The goal of this set of 5 Acts was supposed to calm rebellion in the colonies and return more control to the British but it only succeeded in insulting the colonists and costing them large sums of money.
1. Impartial Administration of Justice Act: the governor of one colony could move a trial to another colony or even to England if they felt the jury would be unfair
2. Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act: no town meetings without consent of the royal governor and all law officers subject to appointment, in order to quell revolutionary activities
3. Boston Port Act: closed the port until all of the tea dumped during the Tea Party had been paid for, moved the state capital to Salem, and relocated the official port of entry to Marblehead
4. Quartering Act: revised Act allowed troops to stay in houses or empty buildings in the absence of barracks
5. Quebec Act: allowed Catholics in Quebec a civil government and religious freedom
Colonists had reached the end of their rope and new something must change, leading to the formation of the Continental Congress.
First Continental Congress
Meeting in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, PA, from September 5th to October 26th, 1774, the First Continental Congress began the first decisive action toward freedom. Each colony, except for Georgia, sent elected delegates in an attempt to show Britain a united force. Although many had different ideas and goals, in the end each delegate worked toward the common goal of making their grievances known to the King and Parliament in Britain. There was much adversity to overcome, but in the colonies were attracted to Joseph Galloway's (PA) plan of an elected Grand Council and a President General to oversee these activities. Although it took years to come to fruition, this plan mirrored the present-day system of legislature and President in America. Eventually this discussion of freedom and the ignoring of their grievances led the colonists to war with England.
In the Seven Years War, a huge conflict fought in Europe, India, and North America to thwart Prussian King Frederick the Great, led to battles for colonial domination of North America, India, and the Caribbean. Eventually, the English dominated those outposts but it left them in a staggering amount of debt, and this debt nearly destroyed the English government. In the end, this led to the great tension leading up to the American Revolution because Britain turned to taxing American citizens in order to make up for their monstrous debt. The British enraged citizens by enacting taxes on necessities, such as the Sugar Act.
Proclamation of 1763
King George III enacted the Proclamation of 1763 on October 7th, 1763. This act prevented all Americans from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains in hopes of fixing problems with the Native Americans, who had sided with the French in the French and Indian War. The Proclamation also hoped to reduce the cost of colonial defense. Colonists who had purchased land wast of line or were given land grants after the war were livid, causing American-British tensions to rise even farther. Settlers petitioned to have the line moved farther west and it was adjusted twice, in 1768 and 1770, but many ignored the line altogether.
Sugar Acts
Also called the American Revenue Act of 1764, the Sugar Act was an updated version of the 1733 Sugar and Molasses Act which was due to expire. Under this act, colonists had been forced to pay taxes on foreign molasses of six pence per gallon. However, colonists tended to evade the taxes buy buying local rather than imported molasses. In the long run this crippled the market of the British West Indies because of much lower sales of molasses, sugar, and rum, which is made from molasses. In order to fix this problem, the tax rate was decreased to three pence but became strictly enforced.The act also included certain other foreign goods like sugar, wines, and coffee. These acts caused a sharp decline in the colonial economy, paving the way for revolt after the enforcement of even more taxes later.
Quartering Act
On June 2nd, 1765, the Quartering Act was passed, much to the dismay of the colonists. Basically an indirect tax, this act forced colonists to house British soldiers, feed them, and provide transportation. British forced this to occur under the guise of protecting the colonists from the French. But the colonists didn't feel threatened by the French and were enraged that they had to spend their money on such a pointless endeavor. Tensions built even farther as colonists payed large amounts for taxes and the soldiers under their care.
Stamp Acts
On November 1st, 1765, the British put their first direct tax on the colonies through the Stamp Act in order to pay for British troops still in the colonies. Under this Act, every printed article had to be taxed and fixed with a stamp. Furthermore, these taxes were paid directly to England rather than to local legislatures. Enraged colonists couldn't pay this price and felt their new idea "No taxation without representation" had been violated. After enough protest, the Act was repealed March 18th, 1766, but not until after the colonists had reached the final straw.
Tea Act and Boston Tea Party
On May 10th, 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act. This Act was not meant to impose taxes on citizens or raise revenue, but was designed to help out the East India Company with it's unsold tea- 18 million pounds worth. Tea was sold directly to the colonies at a discounted price which undercut local merchants. Enraged colonists believed this Act was in order to win support for taxes, and they held ships in port without unloading them, turned them back to Britain, and let the tea rot on the docks. This led to the Boston Tea Party. On December 16th, 1773, colonists marched to the tea ships, seized their cargo, and dumped it into the harbor. This was the first decisive rebellion of the colonists and led to the Intolerable Acts in 1774.
Intolerable Acts
In March of 1774, the frustrated British Prime Minister passed the Intolerable Acts. The goal of this set of 5 Acts was supposed to calm rebellion in the colonies and return more control to the British but it only succeeded in insulting the colonists and costing them large sums of money.
1. Impartial Administration of Justice Act: the governor of one colony could move a trial to another colony or even to England if they felt the jury would be unfair
2. Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act: no town meetings without consent of the royal governor and all law officers subject to appointment, in order to quell revolutionary activities
3. Boston Port Act: closed the port until all of the tea dumped during the Tea Party had been paid for, moved the state capital to Salem, and relocated the official port of entry to Marblehead
4. Quartering Act: revised Act allowed troops to stay in houses or empty buildings in the absence of barracks
5. Quebec Act: allowed Catholics in Quebec a civil government and religious freedom
Colonists had reached the end of their rope and new something must change, leading to the formation of the Continental Congress.
First Continental Congress
Meeting in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, PA, from September 5th to October 26th, 1774, the First Continental Congress began the first decisive action toward freedom. Each colony, except for Georgia, sent elected delegates in an attempt to show Britain a united force. Although many had different ideas and goals, in the end each delegate worked toward the common goal of making their grievances known to the King and Parliament in Britain. There was much adversity to overcome, but in the colonies were attracted to Joseph Galloway's (PA) plan of an elected Grand Council and a President General to oversee these activities. Although it took years to come to fruition, this plan mirrored the present-day system of legislature and President in America. Eventually this discussion of freedom and the ignoring of their grievances led the colonists to war with England.
Battles
Lexington and Concord
Under cover of darkness on April 18, 1775, British troops marched from Boston to Concord to seize arms. They had also planned to capture and arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams, two of the greatest leaders of the revolutionary movement. A militia, known as the Minutemen, mobilized after Paul Revere and other men sounded the alarm. The first battle of the Revolutionary War began the next morning in Lexington, MA on the town green. The Americans fought valiantly and the British retreated quickly. In these battles, the colonists suffered 93 casualties, and British casualties totaled 273. This first military conflict of the war showed the British and King George III that the Americans were willing to fight and were ready to take on the British. The Americans properly utilized security in Lexington and Concord by learning ahead of time of the British plans and mobilizing quickly in defense. This reduced their vulnerability to the British. In much the same way, the Americans also utilized surprise by taking the British off guard by their quick, decisive actions. Economy of force also helped the Americans by having people assigned to specific jobs, like Paul Revere's instructions to warn the militia of the British intent. |
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Bunker Hill
Fought on June 17,1775 on the Charleston peninsula of the Boston Harbor on and around Breed's Hill (contrary to the common name of the battle), the Battle of Bunker Hill was a British victory. British Major General William Howe decided to attack the entrenched Americans by marching directly towards them instead of attacking by sea. After three bloody rushes by the British, the Americans were nearly out of ammunition, and hand-to-hand combat began. With great casualties on both sides, the British eventually took the hill. Both sides experienced great losses during this battle. American casualties totaled 453, while the British had 1,054 dead or injured troops. The British had barely won, and the Americans knew that with more ammo it was likely to have been an American victory. This called for more forces and strategy, but in the end the British were not proud of the victory since their losses far outweighed the gains. In this battle, the colonists successfully used the element of surprise by sneaking up on the British under cover of night to entrench themselves and overwhelm the British. However, the colonists had major faults in unity of command, since they ended up on the wrong hill than they were instructed to take. In this way they also caused a disadvantage to themselves in maneuver by placing their lines to close to the British camps. |
Trenton
In late December 1776, commander-in-chief George Washington's soldiers were nearly spent. They were exhausted, bitterly cold, some with frostbite injuries, and they lacked resources, food, and energy. But Washington pushed on. On Christmas night, he led his troops across the partially frozen Delaware river from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to attack a group of sleeping Hessians in the town of Trenton. It was a decisive win for the colonists. Americans suffered very few casualties, and the emotional victory was the morale boost the army needed to push on. In this battle, the troops proved that a group of teenage farmhands could defeat some of the world's best-trained European soldiers. This led to re-enlistment by many of the troops and was essential for recruiting purposes. Also, it allayed colonial fear of the Hessians. In this battle, Washington perfectly executed surprise. By crossing the river on Christmas night, the Hessians were completely unprepared. Their merrymaking that day left them vulnerable, and they also never expected the ragged band of American soldiers to be a problem to them. By crossing the river, Washington also perfected maneuver by gaining a positional advantage over the Hessains. They took the village at dawn, and placed around the Hessian headquarters, they fired at the unsuspecting troops from the perfect position. But this feat also took bravery, which was demonstrated by Washington's knack for security. He took necessary, calculated ricks required to gain the upper hand, and in the end his plan worked flawlessly to avoid vulnerability of his troops. |
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Princeton
8 days after the battle of Trenton, continental troops came upon two British regiments near Princeton, NJ. They quickly fell into chaos as the British troops fell into two lines and began to prepare to fight. Washington bravely rode to the front, organizing his men, and personally led the attack on the British. The British ran. Later, the continental army came upon another regiment within the town, but they surrendered immediately. Casualties on both sides were light. Again, American troops proved their worth as soldiers to the bewildered British. These battles impressed other European powers and led to later intervention of Spain and France. Morale within the continental army continued to improve and recruiting levels increased. Washington correctly executed unity of command by stepping up to easily organize and lead the troops into battle. However, British troops employed the use of surprise in order to catch the Americans off guard and leave them in disarray. Unfortunately for the British, they lacked economy of force by leaving a regiment alone in the middle of the city, unable or unwilling to fight back American troops. |
Yorktown
The last major battle of the American Revolution, the Battle of Yorktown, was fought September 28-October 19th, 1781. Washington had decided to move his troops from New York City to a nearby British encampment in Yorktown, VA. This was dependent on the colonists' ability to keep the British navy from resupplying their troops so they formed a blockade. In the resulting Battle of the Chesapeake on September 5th, the British attacked the French blockade but were driven away from the bay. Then, the French resumed their blockade. Troops from New York joined up with Lafayette's troops and marched toward Yorktown. Forces were split, with Americans on the right, French on the left, and mixed forces across the York river. The British were outnumbered two to one so they fell back on October 5th, as Americans began building a 2000 yard trench parallel to British lines. Two days later, Washington personally fired the first shot.Fire rained down on the British and Cornwallis wrote for help. Then, an outbreak of smallpox hurt British forces even further. Two British fortifications were captured and the line pushed on. Again, Cornwallis wrote pleading for help. Cornwallis was forced to counterattack on October 16th. But Cornwallis was out of ammunition and could no longer move his army. At 9:00 AM on October 17th, he surrendered. American casualties hovered around, while British casualties were higher at around 500. Cornwallis's remaining men were taken prisoner.Final surrender documents were signed October 19th, and the British army was taken into custody, later trading Cornwallis for former President of the Continental Congress, Henry Laurens. This last battle effectively ended the war in the Americans' favor. |
In this battle the Americans properly employed mass, economy of force, and offensive. Many troops, both American and French, were massed toward the common objective of capturing and defeating the British, outnumbering and overwhelming them. In much the same way, Washington utilized economy of force by mobilizing troops on land, and utilizing French naval forces to keep the British from resupplying. Finally, Washington maintained the objective through the use of offensive by rushing the British and barraging them with fire.
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Turning Point of the War
On December 19th, 1777, Washington's army stumbled into Valley Forge, PA, the place that would be their encampment for the winter. The soldiers were poorly fed, exhausted, and lacked equipment. Two thirds of the soldiers had no shoes and were forced to talk through the snow barefoot, leaving bloody footprints behind. Morale was extremely low, and the troops struggled to prepare themselves for the harsh winter that was close on their heels.
During their stay at Valley Forge, conditions were not much better. Although the winter wasn't bitterly cold, it was wet, and disease ran rampant among the forces. Around 2500 soldiers died that winter from jaundice, pneumonia, dysentery, and typhoid fever. Huts were constructed to shelter soldiers from the cold, but shortages in every other aspect far outweighed the benefit of this cover. Soldiers were very hungry, some surviving off of only "fire cake", a substance made of flour and water. Shoes and blankets were sparse and uniforms remained dirty, tattered, and threadbare, allowing many previously wounded soldiers to die of exposure. Animals also suffered, and many horses died of exhaustion or starvation.
Women also played a role at Valley Forge in helping the soldiers survive and improve morale. A group of about 500 wives, children, sisters, and mothers gathered to perform tasks for the soldiers such as repairing uniforms, scavenging goods from dead soldiers, and providing emotional support and motivation. They worked tirelessly for half rations; children for quarter rations. They were just as susceptible to disease as the men, were unable to ride wagons, and marched in the back. Many were also wounded or killed on the battlefield when checking dead and wounded soldiers for supplies.
Organization further handicapped the army. As training was administered from field manuals, it was not consistent and had gaps, causing the soldiers to perform awkwardly. Then their saving grace arrived. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a drill master from Prussia, drilled the men relentlessly. He had been sent by Benjamin Franklin to help out the army and arrived on February 23rd, 1778. Although he spoke little English, he drafted his own field manual in French then had it translated for the men. He taught them to march in formation, maneuver, and fire their guns faster. On May 6th, 1778, the Continental Army paraded to celebrate their alliance with the French. They fired their guns and cannons and cheered. Finally, the army looked uniform and imposing, and morale was greatly improved. It was obvious that Washington had turned his ragtag band of farmers into an army to be proud of.
During their stay at Valley Forge, conditions were not much better. Although the winter wasn't bitterly cold, it was wet, and disease ran rampant among the forces. Around 2500 soldiers died that winter from jaundice, pneumonia, dysentery, and typhoid fever. Huts were constructed to shelter soldiers from the cold, but shortages in every other aspect far outweighed the benefit of this cover. Soldiers were very hungry, some surviving off of only "fire cake", a substance made of flour and water. Shoes and blankets were sparse and uniforms remained dirty, tattered, and threadbare, allowing many previously wounded soldiers to die of exposure. Animals also suffered, and many horses died of exhaustion or starvation.
Women also played a role at Valley Forge in helping the soldiers survive and improve morale. A group of about 500 wives, children, sisters, and mothers gathered to perform tasks for the soldiers such as repairing uniforms, scavenging goods from dead soldiers, and providing emotional support and motivation. They worked tirelessly for half rations; children for quarter rations. They were just as susceptible to disease as the men, were unable to ride wagons, and marched in the back. Many were also wounded or killed on the battlefield when checking dead and wounded soldiers for supplies.
Organization further handicapped the army. As training was administered from field manuals, it was not consistent and had gaps, causing the soldiers to perform awkwardly. Then their saving grace arrived. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a drill master from Prussia, drilled the men relentlessly. He had been sent by Benjamin Franklin to help out the army and arrived on February 23rd, 1778. Although he spoke little English, he drafted his own field manual in French then had it translated for the men. He taught them to march in formation, maneuver, and fire their guns faster. On May 6th, 1778, the Continental Army paraded to celebrate their alliance with the French. They fired their guns and cannons and cheered. Finally, the army looked uniform and imposing, and morale was greatly improved. It was obvious that Washington had turned his ragtag band of farmers into an army to be proud of.
Leaders
George Washington (1732-1799)
Born in Virginia, George Washington had limited education as a child. In his teens, he started working as a land surveyor and developed a talent for mathematics and topography, skills which would benefit him later as a military leader. Washington was lieutenant colonel of the Virginia militia and had war experience from the French and Indian War. He was elected to the First Continental Congress in 1774 and was selected as commander in chief of the new Continental Army. This election helped gain the support of Virginia, the biggest colony. Washington was indispensable to the war in the sense that he kept the struggling army together. His greatest achievements were surprise attacks on Trenton and Princeton, two victories that drug the army out of the darkest point in the war and raised morale considerably. Washington retired in 1781. |
Richard Montgomery (1736-1775)
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Richard Montgomery entered the British army in 1756 and became a captain 6 years later. He left the army in 1772, married, and settled down in New York. He was a delegate to the first provincial congress of New York 3 years later, then went on to become brigadier-general of the Continental Army. After victories at Montreal and Saint John's, he became the head of the attack on Quebec when Schuyler fell ill. He led his troops to Quebec through the harsh Canadian winter into an attack doomed to failure. But his forces fought valiantly and won him the honor of a war hero. He was killed almost immediately in Quebec. His body was buried there, but later recovered in 1818 and buried in St. Paul's Church in New York along with a memorial to his services. |
Benedict Arnold (1741-1801)
Born in Connecticut, Benedict Arnold enlisted in the militia for the French and Indian War but returned before he could fight. He began working to support his family with an apothecary and bookstore. He raised enough money to buy 3 ships in partnership with Adam Babcock. His business was profitable but under the Sugar and Stamp Acts his business failed. He joined the Sons of Liberty and became a smuggler. He entered the war as a militia captain. After Lexington and Concord his army marched towards Boston. He proposed the invasion and capture of Fort Ticonderoga and an invasion of Quebec that was carried out by Washington. Arnold fought heroically but made many enemies. The real trouble began when he married the daughter of a Loyalist sympathizer. Peggy had ways of communicating across both lines and Arnold was soon acting as an informant to the British. He assumed control of West Point and began intentionally exploiting resources and refusing to order repairs. Washington eventually found out and sent men to kidnap him but they didn't succeed. He began openly fighting for the British. He commanded the army until Cornwallis took over, then when he heard of British surrender, he returned to England with his family. |
Horatio Gates (1727-1806)
Born in Maldon, England, Horatio Gates spent his early adulthood volunteering under Edward Cornwallis, governor of Nova Scotia. He became captain, fought in the French and Indian War, and was wounded in battle. He retired from the Royal American Regiment and returned to England. Later, he bought a plantation in Virginia. He strongly supported independence and became a brigadier general and later a major general in 1776. He took command of the Northern Army in New York and prepared for another attack the next. Gates's major achievement, though, was defeating Burgoyne twice and forcing the British troops to surrender. This victory was a turning point in the war and convinced the French to form an alliance with the Americans. Throughout the war though, tensions arose and grew between Gates and George Washington because of an unbalanced power dynamic. In the Battle of Camden, Gates abandoned his defeated troops and further damaged his reputation. Labeled as a coward, he was removed from his position. He sold his plantation, freed his slaved, and died in New York in 1806. |
Thomas Gage (1721-1787)
Born in Firle, England, Thomas Gage joined the British Army as an ensign after school. He became a lieutenant and was eventually promoted to captain. He gained or purchased several more promotions during the French and Indian War. Once the Stamp Act was passed in 1765, Gage began rallying his troops to concentrate in coastal cities, such as New York. Later the Quartering Act and the Townshend Acts drove the rebellion north to Boston, so Gage sent his troops there. There, the Boston Massacre occurred. He was promoted to lieutenant general and received a two year leave of absence, during which he missed the Boston Tea Party and the Intolerable Acts. He returned and was appointed governor of Massachusetts, where he began raids to seize colonial supplies. He ordered his men to march to Concord to capture colonial guns and ammunition, and there the battles of Lexington and Concord ensued. Gage began planning a breakout of Boston along with Major General Howe, resulting in the Battle of Bunker Hill. His men captured the heights but sustained crippling casualties. Gage was recalled to England, giving Howe temporary control of British forces in the colonies. Later, command was permanently given command of the army, and Gage died in semi-retirement on the Isle of Portland in 1787. |
William Howe (1729-1814)
Born in England, William Howe was the illegitimate uncle of King George III. He followed his brothers into the military as a coronet and quickly became promoted to lieutenant, then captain. Through the French and Indian War, Howe helped defend Quebec, helped capture Montreal, and opposed the Intolerable Acts, believing in reconciliation with the colonies. He publicly stated he would resist opposing the Americans, but became second-in-command of British forces in America. Howe sailed with Burgoyne and Clinton towards Boston, and fought in the later Battle of Bunker Hill. This battle changed Howe's outlook on the war and he became a more conservative commander. Howe's next goal was to capture New York but he was unwilling to try to defeat Washington's army.Howe continued pulling back from his outposts and playing cat-and-mouse with Washington, who he never quite seemed able to defeat. He fell under harsh criticism from England for being unable to defeat the Americans, and asked to be relieved because he felt like he had disappointed the king. His men had liked him, but he was never really recognized for the victories he did manage to attain. He died July 12, 1814. |
John Burgoyne (1722-1792)
Born in Sutton, England, John Burgoyne befriended Thomas Gage in school then later joined the Horse Guards. He fought battles in the Seven Years' War, most notably the Portugal Campaign. In the American revolution, Burgoyne was a part of the Saratoga campaign, where he surrendered his men- all 5000 of them- to American troops.He was appointed to capture Albany in order to end the rebellion, but he was surrounded and outnumbered. He was forced to openly negotiate with Gates and agreed to a convention that would let his men go free. But this was soon revoked and his men taken prisoner. He was harshly criticized by England and did not serve active duty again. He died in 1792. |
Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805)
Born in London, England, Charles Cornwallis was born into a prestigious family. He became a member of Parliament in 1760 and was later elevated to the House of Lords. He sympathized with colonists, voting against the Stamp Act and maintained support for the colonists. Despite his support, he fought against the colonists in nearly every campaign of the American Revolution. He opened a new campaign in the south and won an important victory at Camden over Gates. His most infamous action though, was his surrender at Yorktown which ended the war with an American victory. He is remembered for this shortcoming, although he was a very capable commander and won several victories throughout the war. He died as governor-general in India in 1805. |