Attack on Canada

Schuyler's army was led by General Montgomery. They set off on August 28th. Schuyler expected an easy victory at St. John's but the British soon forced him to besiege the fort. The Americans had won the battle but the British set them back for fifty critical days. Next they traveled to Montreal and captured it without a fight.

Battle of Ticonderoga

Ticonderoga was an important symbol for the Americans, who expected that the fort would keep the redcoats out of the northern colonies, particularly in view of the winter spent improving the fortifications. St Clair’s abrupt retreat caused alarm and outrage. A militant Protestant chaplain in the garrison, the Reverend Thomas Allen, wrote “Our men are eager for the battle, our magazines filled, our camp crowded with provisions, flags flying. The shameful abandonment of Ticonderoga has not been equaled in the history of the world.” This sentiment was repeated with fury across the colonies.

Battle of Ticonderoga

Major GeneralArthur St. Clair
Governor of the Northwest Territory
In office July 15, 1788 – November 22, 1802
Preceded by	New Office
Succeeded by	Charles Willing Byrd
15th President of the Continental Congress
In office February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787
Preceded by	Nathaniel Gorham
Succeeded by	Cyrus Griffin
Personal details
Born	March 23, 1737(1737-03-23) Thurso, Caithness, Scotland
Died	August 31, 1818(1818-08-31) (aged 82) Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Resting place	St. Clair Park, Greensburg
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Great Britain United States
Service/branch	British Army (1757–1762) Continental Army (1775–1783) United States Army (1791–1792)
Rank	Lieutenant (UK) Major General (USA)
Battles/wars	French and Indian War, American Revolutionary War, Northwest Indian War

Arthur St. Clair (March 23, 1737– August 31, 1818) was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office. During the American Revolutionary War, he rose to the rank of major general in the Continental Army, but lost his command after a controversial retreat.

Battle of Ticonderoga

The 1777 Siege of Fort Ticonderoga occurred between two and six on July 1777 at Fort Ticonderoga, near the southern end of Lake Champlain in the state of New York. Lieutenant General John Burgoyne's 8,000-man army occupied high ground above the fort, and nearly surrounded the defences. These movements precipitated the occupying Continental Army, an under-strength force of 3,000 under the command of General Arthur St. Clair, to withdraw from Ticonderoga and the surrounding defences. Some gunfire was exchanged, and there were some casualties, but there was no formal siege and no pitched battle. Burgoyne's army occupied Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence without opposition on 6 July, and advance units pursued the retreating Americans.

Battle of Trenton

No Americans had been killed during the battle, although as mentioned previously, two may have died from exposure. There had been only a handful of men wounded during the action. Meanwhile, 106 Hessians had been killed or wounded, at least 600 had been captured (depending on the source) and the rest had managed to escape. Following the battle, General George Washington had the captured men and supplies shipped across the Delaware River to Pennsylvania, then followed with his army at 12:00 P.M. By 12:00 P.M. on December 27, 1776, Washington's troops were back in their camp in Pennsylvania. 1,000 men in Washington's army reported as ill by the end of that day.

Battle of Trenton

The Hessians formed up and attempted to make their way north to the road to Princeton. When they reentered the town, the Continentals now joined by civilians fired on them from buildings and other cover. Their formations were broken up by cannonfire. The two regiments retreat back to the orchard where they were forced to surrender.The remnants of the Knyphausen Regiment were making for Bordentown, but they were slowed when they tried to haul their cannon through boggy ground. They soon found themselves surrounded by General Sullivan's men and they also surrendered. It was only 9:30 A.M. and had been an overwhelming victory for General George Washington.

Battle of Trenton

After Washingtons defeat in New York, Washington knew he needed a win to boost the moral of his troops. He also knew there was a group of British and Hessian soldiers located in Trenton, New Jersey that could attack Philadelphia. Not a single American was killed. This was a major boost for the American war effort.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

The signifcance of General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River and defeat of the British in New Jersey checked the British advance toward Philadelphia and restored American morale.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Washington's victory was complete but his situation precarious. The violent weather continued, making a strike towards Princeton more difficult. Washington and his commanding officers decided to retrace their steps across the Delaware taking their Hessian prisoners with them. The news of the American victory spread rapidly through the colonies reinvigorating the failing spirit of the Revolution. The battle's outcome also gave Washington and his officers the confidence to mount another campaign. On December 30 they again crossed the Delaware, attacked and won another victory at Trenton on January 2, and then pushed on to Princeton defeating the British there on January 3.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

In December of 1776, times were desperate for George Washington. The continental army was encamped in Pennsylvania and were unsure of their future. During the night of December 25, Washington led his troops across the ice covered Delaware about nine miles north of Trenton. The weather was horrendous and the river treacherous. Raging winds combined with snow, sleet and rain to produce almost impossible conditions. To add to the difficulties, a significant number of Washington's force marched through the snow without shoes. The next morning they attacked to the south, taking the Hessian garrison by surprise and over-running the town. After fierce fighting, and the loss of their commander, the Hessians surrendered.

Battle of Yorktown

General Washington commanded the Americans, Lieutenant General de Rochambeau commanded the French and Major General Lord Cornwallis commanded the British.

Battle of Yorktown

The British were forced to surrender to the Americans, helped by their allies, the French. They sieged the city.There was a total of 381 men dead and 8087 British troops were captured. Spain helped the colonies with providing money and goods.

Battle of Yorktown

The Battle of Yorktown, in 1781, was the last major battle in the American Revolution. British general Cornwallis was against French general Marquis de Lafayette and General George Washington. French admiral DeGrasse was commander of the French naval fleet and defeated the British navy, thus prohibiting them from entering Chesapeake Bay and giving aid and resources to Cornwallis. Cornwallis was surrounded by Washington's troops  who came from the North and Lafayette's from the South. This was called the 'pincer' strategy. Cornwallis couldn't go anywhere by land or by sea. Cornwallis surrended on October 17, his troops vastly outnumbered. By winning this battle, America won the war

Battle of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord were battles that took many lives. By the end of the day, British troops had lost 273 soldiers, while the Colonists lost only 94. Eighteen of these Colonists had died during the battle at Lexington. The Revolutionary War had begun.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

We set off for Concord, and were overtaken by a young gentleman named Prescot, who belonged to Concord, and was going home. When we had got about half way from Lexington to Concord, the other two stopped at a house to awake the men, I kept along ....

In an instant I saw four of them, who rode up to me with their pistols in their bands, said ''G---d d---n you, stop. If you go an inch further, you are a dead man.'' Immediately Mr. Prescot came up. We attempted to get through them, but they kept before us, and swore if we did not turn in to that pasture, they would blow our brains out, (they had placed themselves opposite to a pair of bars, and had taken the bars down). They forced us in. When we had got in, Mr. Prescot said "Put on!" He took to the left, I to the right ...

Just as I reached it, out started six officers, seized my bridle, put their pistols to my breast, ordered me to dismount, which I did.

– Paul Revere, "Account of Midnight Ride to Lexington" (1775)

Battle of Lexington and Concord

During the wee hours of April 19, 1775, General Gage would send out regiments of British soldiers quartered in Boston. Their destinations were Lexington, where they would capture Colonial leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock, then Concord, where they would seize gunpowder.

Boston Massacre

Because of all the forms of propaganda there were two different sides created. This left the jury to come up with a conclusion of what the real story was. They deliberated for days and finally concluded that the british were innocent.

Boston Massacre

After the event occured, Paul Revere drew a picture that obviously sided with the colonists. This picture was a form of propaganda which caused people to believe that it was all the british and not any of the colonists; this was not true.

Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occured on March 5, 1770, between a patriot mob, throwing snowballs, stones and sticks at a squad of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed when someone yelled "fire." This caused rumors to spread and many problems in the colony.

Valley Forge

No battle took place at Valley Forge. Yet it was the turning point in the Revoultionary War. It was here that the Contiental army was desperate and ready to quit. Even General Gorege Washington said,  "If the army does not get help soon, in all likelihood it will disband."