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Hill, Lexington and Concord to the Battle of Yorktown.
The Revolutionary War began when Paul Revere made his famous ride to warn American Continental Army of the American Revolution, of British "redcoat" troops arriving Lexington and Concord where the Revolutionary War commenced. Fighting continued at the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Quebec, led by American General Benedict Arnold.
General George Washington led the Continental army of the American Revolution into battles at Fort Ticonderoga, Brandywine, Germantown, Saratoga and Camden and other New England sites. After terrible suffering over the winter at Valley Forge (click here for free printable American history lessons on Valley Forge) troops regrouped for a confrontation which came to be known as the Battle of Yorktown in Virginia.
The Battle of Yorktown (click here for free printable Battle of Yorktown lesson plans) lasted for
21 days from September 28 to October 19, 1781. General George Washington was helped by French
troops under General de Rochambeau. General Lord Cornwallis led the British troops. The British
soldiers hired German soldiers from Prussia to help them. These soldier were called Hessians and
both they and the British troops were highly trained in warfare and military tactics. Compared to the
Continental Army, the British "Lobsterbacks" and Hessians had more supplies, better weapons and
superior fighting skills.
But despite that, by 1781, things weren't going well for General Cornwallis and the British. His army
had suffered much. He took over the towns of Yorktown and Gloucester, but the help he was
supposed to receive from General Clinton never came until it was too late. French Admiral De Grasse
arrived in time to help General George Washington and together their armies attacked the British
from the York River. This river separated the two towns where Cornwallis had his troops. Without food
and ammunition from General Clinton, General Cornwallis was forced to surrender to General
George Washington on October 19, 1781. The Battle of Yorktown (click here for free printable
American history lesson plans, war maps and battle info) had ended the horrific Revolutionary War of
Independence in favor of the Continental Army.
Why did the superior forces of the British lose the Revolutionary War? They shouldn't have. The militia
of the American Revolution were glorified to Continental army, but they were just farmers, not
soldiers. They lacked guns, ammunition and training. Few soldiers in the American Revolution wore
uniforms. They wore regular clothing of homespun, animal skin leggings and fur trim. And that may
have saved their lives. Their uniforms may not have been as fancy, but they made great camouflage
in the wilderness battles. The British redcoats were easy to spot their bright uniforms.
British soldiers had also been trained on battlefields. British soldiers were used to life in a military
camp, not a rugged wilderness. The Continental army of the American Revolution knew all about
wilderness survival. They lived this every day! Colonials had learned hunting, trapping and fighting
skills from the native American Indians. They had learned to protect themselves. The Continental
army knew the land, the trails, how to stay hidden and how to navigate the area. In short, they fought
using guerrilla warfare. The Continental army was also fighting for their homeland. They had
families, loved ones, homesteads and farms to protect. They had risked more and so had more to
lose if they lost the war. British soldiers had homes to return to, so this war didn't mean as much to
them.
