The Glorious Cause: The War for Independence I. A Foolhardy Rebellion Americans should have lost the war: Britain richest + greatest military power in.
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The Glorious Cause: The War for Independence I. A Foolhardy Rebellion Americans should have lost the war: Britain richest + greatest military power in world 100 warships to Am 1 Regular army vs. none $ for mercenaries (Hessians) 1778: 50,000 B regulars + 30,000 Hessians vs. 20,000 Americans (at greatest strength) 3 phases of war 3 major regions 3 kinds of forces 3 major British mistakes 4 kinds of war: colonial war independence, civil war, world war, war of ideas II. War in New England: The Militia at Lexington and Concord, 1775 Suffolk Resolves new, revolutionary government in Mass. (old one dissolved) Mass. Congress meets in Concord, Committee of Safety stockpiles arms Early 1775: General Thomas Gage ordered to arrest provincial congress – Parliament believed rebellion act of a small group of conspirators – Hoped to end conflict quickly: couldn’t imagine what war would become A. Lexington 18 April: 700 redcoats assemble to march to Lexington and Concord Colonists knew they were coming (Revere) and Minutemen turn out at Lexington (70 men) Capt. John Parker (vet of F+I war) + militia wait, when Brits don’t show break up w/sigh of relief Next morning, regroup: as Brits approach, order militia to disarm flash-in-pan shooting, B volley Ams: 8 dead, 10 wounded; B: 1 wounded B. Concord and the Road to Boston Concord hides the equipment, withdraw across the river American reinforcements arrive Americans decide to take the North Bridge battle w/light infantry Brits fall back 1st atrocity of the war: 2 wounded B regulars on bridge killed by “country youth” w/an axe (out of fear) B claim they were scalped circulate rumors A mutilating bodies The “Bloody Chute” (road back to Boston): approx. 500 Ams fire from the woods (“concealed villains”) Final casualties: B 230, A 93 C. 1st British Mistake Military officers underestimated Americans of 3 fronts: 1) commitment to armed resistance (protecting homes and families) 2) Skill of marksmen 3) Devastating impact of militia’s refusal to play by rules of 18th C gentlemanly warfare: guerilla tactics learned from frontier warfare – BUT: vast majority of American warfare was traditional style warfare III. War in the Middle Colonies: Continental Army at Trenton, 1776 A. Washington Takes Command Early success in NE generated hope that Americans would not need regular army, but by late 1776 knew that they did Continental Army under command of George Washington – Seen as political move: other commanders more qualified, but need to bring the South into the War Theater of war shifts to Middle Colonies: B hope to split Mass and VA GW retreats to New Jersey after defeat in NYC As Americans cross Delaware into PA, Hessians seize Trenton Am troops reduced to 3,000 B. The Crisis Thomas Paine, The Crisis: “THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” Dec. 25: GW turns the tide takes 2400 men across the Delaware into Trenton overrun drunk/hungover Hessians 918 prisoners, not 1 Am death Not a glorious victory (have to retreat soon after) but: 1) timely: morale surges, locals more generous in support 2) GW realizes what kind of war needs to fight: attrition (hit + run) Generalship marked by poverty (men, supplies, weapons) strategic defensive #1 objective: keep the army alive, even if give up lots of territory (major break w/military tradition) – Understood that British public support was faltering what are we fighting for? Some believed that the Revolutionaries were right: they shouldn’t be taxed C. 2nd British Blunder 2nd Major British blunder: fought war in traditional manner: seized cities/capitals, but only 5% lived in cities IV. War in the South: Guerilla Warfare at King’s Mountain, 1780 A. A World War British move South: a) believe filled w/Loyalists and runaway slaves who will support them b) switch strategy from regarding Americans as misbehaving children to foreign enemies (esp. after entrance of French, 1778) – French mainly help by redirecting British attention to the West Indies B. Civil War Much of the Continental Army surrenders war carried out by partisans American Patriots vs. American Loyalists (true civil war) Thomas Jefferson (gov. of VA): turn of the tide: King’s Mountain (border NC+SC), Oct. 7, 1780 British left wing (Loyalists) hunting down Patriots East Tennessee mountain men rise up Annihilate Loyalists: 1000 British casualties, 90 American Took prisoners + tortured + massacred some, mutilated + urinated on Loyalist bodies struck terror into British General Cornwalis’ men defeat at Yorktown (did he intentionally walk into trap?) C. 3rd British Blunder Believed military victory would retain American loyalty, but this was first modern war of national liberation: Had to win their “hearts and minds” British raping + pillaging + military rule greater resistance + mobilization – Also declining Brit pop. support AR was an insurgency – Compare Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan