# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The six-month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War. While conditions were notoriously cold and harsh and provisions were in short supply, it was at the winter camp where George Washington proved his mettle and, with the help of former Prussian military officer Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben, transformed a battered Continental Army into a unified, world-class fighting force capable of beating the British.
WATCH: Washington on HISTORY Vault
Battle of Valley Forge

On September 18, 1777, General Wilhelm von Knyphausen led British soldiers on a raid of Valley Forge, where American troops had built a handful of storage facilities. Defending the site were Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton and Captain Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee.

The British succeeded in stealing supplies and burning a few buildings. This minor skirmish later became known as the Battle of Valley Forge. A few months later, Washington and thousands of his troops would arrive at the site.

Where Is Valley Forge?

Washington and his weary troops occupied Valley Forge, located in eastern Pennsylvania along the banks of the Schuykill River some 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia, six days before Christmas in 1777.

The men were hungry and tired after a string of losing battles that had resulted in the British capture of the patriot capital, Philadelphia, earlier in the fall at the Battle of Brandywine. The string of humiliating defeats had led some members of the Continental Congress to want to replace Washington, believing he was incompetent.

The Valley Forge winter camp site was about a day's march from British-occupied Philadelphia. Most of the land had previously been cleared for agriculture, leaving a level plateau in an open, rolling landscape.

Washington picked the spot because it was close enough to keep an eye on British troops sheltering in Philadelphia, yet far enough away to prevent a surprise attack on his own Continental Army. Washington and his men would remain at the camp for approximately six months, from December 1777 until June 1778.

Winter at Valley Forge

Within days of arriving at Valley Forge, troops constructed 1,500 to 2,000 log huts in parallel lines that would house 12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children throughout the winter. Washington directed that each hut measure approximately 14 feet by 16 feet.

Sometimes the soldiers' families joined them in the space as well. Soldiers were instructed to search the countryside for straw to use as bedding, since there were not enough blankets for everyone.

In addition to the huts, the men built miles of trenches, military roads and paths. One officer said the camp "had the appearance of a little city" when viewed from a distance. General Washington and his closest aides lived in a two-story stone house near Valley Forge Creek.

Life at Valley Forge

Popular images of life at Valley Forge depict tremendous suffering from cold and starvation. While it was cold, the National Park Service says there wasn't anything out of the ordinary about the conditions at Valley Forge, characterizing the hardship as "suffering as usual" since the typical Continental soldier experienced a perpetual state of hardship.

A lack of organization, food and money shortages plagued the Continental Army throughout the first half of the seven-year-long revolution. These problems exacerbated the harsh living conditions at Valley Forge in the third year of the war.

While the winter of 1777-1778 wasn't exceptionally cold, many soldiers lacked proper clothing, which left them unfit to serve. Some were even shoeless. As Washington described in a December 23, 1777, letter to Henry Laurens, "...we have, by a field return this day made no less than 2,898 Men now in Camp unfit for duty because they are bare foot and otherwise naked..."

Army records suggest that each soldier received a daily ration of one-half pound of beef during January 1778, but food shortages during February left the men without meat for several days at a time.

Disease at Valley Forge

Cold and starvation at Valley Forge were not even the most dangerous threats: diseases proved to be the biggest killer. By the end of the six-month encampment, some 2,000 men-roughly one in six-died of disease.

Camp records indicate that two-thirds of the deaths happened during the warmer months of March, April and May when soldiers were less confined to their cabins and food and other supplies were more abundant.

The most common illnesses included influenza, typhus, typhoid fever and dysentery-conditions most likely exacerbated by poor hygiene and sanitation at the camp.
READ MORE: How Smallpox Inoculations Helped George Washington Win the War
Baron Von Steuben at Valley Forge

Despite the harsh conditions, Valley Forge is sometimes called the birthplace of the American army because, by June of 1778, the weary troops emerged with a rejuvenated spirit and confidence as a well-trained fighting force.

Much of the credit goes to former Prussian military officer Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben. At the time, the Prussian Army was widely regarded as one of the best in Europe, and von Steuben had a sharp military mind.

Von Steuben arrived in Valley Forge on February 23, 1778. General George Washington, impressed by his acumen, soon appointed von Steuben temporary inspector general. In his role, von Steuben set standards for camp layout, sanitation and conduct. Importantly, he demanded that latrines be placed, facing downhill, on the opposite side of camp as the kitchens.

Soon he became the Continental Army's chief drillmaster. Von Steuben, who spoke little English, ran the troops through a gamut of intense Prussian-style drills. He taught them to efficiently load, fire and reload weapons, charge with bayonets and march in compact columns of four instead of miles-long single file marches.

Von Steuben helped to prepare a manual called "Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States," also called the "Blue Book," which remained the official training manual of the Army for decades.
READ MORE: The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay
Battle of Monmouth

The British soon tested the Continental Army's newfound discipline at the Battle of Monmouth, which took place in central New Jersey on June 28, 1778. While many historians consider the Battle of Monmouth a tactical draw, the Continental Army fought for the first time as a cohesive unit, showing a new level of confidence.

The Americans used artillery to hold off British troops and even launched bayonet counterattacks-skills they had sharpened while drilling under von Steuben at Valley Forge.

"In the old days," writes archivist and author John Buchanan, "the Continentals probably would have fled." But, as Wayne Bodle writes in The Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War, after their six months of training in the mud and snow of Valley Forge, Washington's troops became imbued with "a deeper identification with and pride in their craft."

The Continental Army left Valley Forge for good in June 1778. Today, the site of is the home of the Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Sources

What Happened at Valley Forge. National Park Service.
"The Prussian Nobleman Who Helped Save the American Revolution," by Erick Trickey, April 26, 2017. Smithsonian Magazine.
Letter From George Washington to Henry Laurens, December 23, 1777. National Archives.
10 Facts: Valley Forge. American Battlefield Trust.
Monmouth. American Battlefield Trust.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Valley Forge Transformed the Continental Army Into a Fighting Force

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The six-month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Happened at Valley Forge

While the British occupied Philadelphia, Washington and his army hunkered down for a harsh winter at Valley Forge. No battle was fought there, yet, it was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. It was here that the Continental army was desperately against the ropes - bloody, beaten, battle-weary - and ready to quit. Even General Washington conceded, "If the army does not get help soon, in all likelihood it will disband."

The question must be asked, "Why didn't they disband?"

We know what happened here. Early into the six-month encampment, there was hunger, disease, and despair. Raw weather stung and numbed the soldiers. Empty stomachs were common. Cries of "beef" echoed throughout the camp. The future promised only more desperation and starvation.

Some couldn't take the cold, hunger, and uncertainty any longer. There were dozens of desertions. Disease debilitated. Death descended in droves.

But by February of 1778, the weather eased somewhat - moving from brutal to merely miserable. In March, General Nathanael Greene was appointed head of the dismal Commissary Department and magically food and supplies started to trickle in. By April, Baron von Steuben, a quirky mercenary who was not really a baron, began to magically transform threadbare troops into a fighting force. Also in April, the Conway Cabal, a plot to remove George Washington from power, was quashed for good. May brought news of the French Alliance, and with it the military and financial support of France.

On June 19, 1778, exactly six months after the Americans arrived, a new army, eager to fight the British streamed out of Valley Forge toward New Jersey.

At Valley Forge, we read of words like "sacrifice" and conjure up images of bloody footprints, but the concept of suffering for freedom isn't easily to understood. What kept these men going? What happened at Valley Forge?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While the British occupied Philadelphia, Washington and his army hunkered down for a harsh winter at Valley Forge. No battle was fought there, yet, it was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. It was here that the Continental army was desperately against the ropes - bloody, beaten, battle-weary - and ready to quit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about the Battle of Long Island, New York during the Revolutionary War including the commanders, where it was fought, before the battle, results, and interesting facts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On August 27, 1776 the British Army successfully moved against the American Continental Army led by George Washington. The battlewas part of aBritish campaign to seize control of New York and thereby isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. Washington's defeat could have led to the surrender of his entire force, but his ingenuity instead allowed him to escape and continue the fight.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On August 27, 1776 the British Army successfully moved against the American Continental Army led by George Washington. The battlewas part of aBritish campaign to seize control of New York and thereby isolate New England from the rest of the colonies.

# data[].attributes.body
https://allthingsliberty.com/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Battle of Yorktown proved to be the decisive engagement of the American Revolution. The British surrender forecast the end of British rule in the colonies and the birth of a new nation-the United States of America.

How it ended

American victory. Outnumbered and outfought during a three-week siege in which they sustained great losses, British troops surrendered to the Continental Army and their French allies. This last major land battle of the American Revolution led to negotiations for peace with the British and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

In context

After six years of war, both the British and Continental armies were exhausted. The British, in hostile territory, held only a few coastal areas in America. On the other side of the Atlantic, Britain was also waging a global war with France and Spain. The American conflict was unpopular and divisive, and there was no end in sight. For the colonies, the long struggle for independence was leading to enormous debt, food shortages, and a lack of morale among the soldiers. Both sides were desperately seeking a definitive victory.

General George Washington and his Continental Army had a decision to make in the spring of 1781. They could strike a decisive blow to the British in New York City or aim for the south, in Yorktown, Virginia, where Gen. Charles Lord Cornwallis's troops were garrisoned. Washington and his French ally, Lt. Gen. Comte de Rochambeau, bet on the south, where they were assured critical naval support from a French fleet commanded by Adm. Comte de Grasse. The Allied armies marched hundreds of miles from their headquarters north of New York City to Yorktown, making theirs the largest troop movement of the American Revolution. They surprised the British in a siege that turned the tide toward an American victory in the War for Independence.

Before the Battle

In the fall of 1781, the British occupy Yorktown, where Cornwallis intends to refit and resupply his 9,000-man army. While he awaits supplies and much-needed reinforcements from the Royal Navy, the Continental Army seizes an opportunity. On receiving word that the French fleet will be available for a siege south of New Jersey, Washington and Rochambeau move their force of almost 8,000 men south to Virginia, planning to join and lead about 12,000 other militia, French troops, and Continental troops in a siege of Yorktown.

On September 5, while the Allied army is still on route, the French fleet guards the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. The Royal Navy, attempting to sail up the Bay to Cornwallis, is met by French warships at the mouth of the Chesapeake. In this encounter, called the Battle of the Capes, the British fleet is soundly defeated and forced to abandon Cornwallis's army at Yorktown.

During the Battle

September 28. After a grueling march, the American and French forces arrive near Yorktown and immediately begin the hard work of laying siege to Cornwallis and his men. Cornwallis has thrown up a series of redoubts on the outskirts of Yorktown while the majority of his men hunker down in the town.

With the help of French engineers, American and French troops begin to dig a series of parallel trenches, which bring troops and artillery close enough to inflict damage on the British. Feverishly working night and day, soldiers of the combined forces employ spades and axes to create a perimeter line of trenches that will trap the British. As the work on the parallels continues, the British attempt to disrupt Allied operations by using what little artillery they have left. Their attempts prove futile.

October 9. The Allied lines are now within musket range of the British and American and French artillery are in place. In the afternoon, the Allied barrage begins, with the French opening the salvo. On the American side, George Washington touches off the first cannon to commence their assault. His artillery consists of three 24-pounders, three 18-pounders, two 8-inch (203 mm) howitzers, and 6 mortars, totaling 14 guns. For nearly a week the artillery barrage is ceaseless, shattering whatever nerve the British have remaining and punching holes in British defenses.

October 11. Washington orders troops to dig a second parallel 400 yards closer to the British lines. British redoubts #9 and #10 prevent the second parallel from extending to the river and the British are still able to reinforce the garrisons inside the redoubts. They have to be taken by force. The new line is in place by the morning of October 12.

October 14. On a moonless night, after firing incessant artillery to weaken British defenses, American and French forces prepare a surprise assault on redoubts #9 and #10. To maintain stealth, soldiers do not to load or prime their weapons. The password for the operation is "Rochambeau," which the Americans translate as "Rush on boys!" The assault commences with a diversionary attack on a redoubt further to the north of Yorktown at 6:30 p.m., giving the appearance that the town itself was to be stormed. Then, Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton's force, consisting of a detachment of 400 of his light infantry, assaults redoubt #10 with bayonets fixed and muskets unloaded. To prevent the British defenders from escaping the coming onslaught, Lt. Col. John Laurens 's troops cover the rear of the redoubt.

As American troops hack at the abatis with axes, the British are alerted. A British sentry fires at the Americans and the Americans proceeded to assault the fortification, climbing over the parapet and descending into the redoubt. Serious fighting ensues in close quarters, but the British are overwhelmed. It is a stunning victory with the Americans sustaining only 34 casualties.

The French simultaneously assault redoubt #9 and, after an equally fierce firefight, wrest control from the British. Cornwallis's position is untenable as the Franco-American alliance has artillery on three of his sides, with additional new pieces positioned in redoubts #9 and #10 after their fall. In a last-ditch effort, Cornwallis orders a futile counterattack on October 15, which fails miserably.

October 17. That morning, a lone British drummer boy, beating "parley" and British officer waving a white handkerchief tied to the end of a sword are seen on a parapet at the forward position of the British lines. Blindfolded and brought inside American lines, the British officer secures terms of surrender for the British Army.

October 19. In a field outside of Yorktown, the capitulation takes place as British troops and their Hessian allies, with flags furled and cased, march sullenly between contingents of American and French forces. The British seek honorable terms of surrender, but Washington refuses as American forces were denied the that honor in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier in the war.

Aftermath

The Battle of Yorktown marks the collapse of the British war efforts. Later, it is said that the British band played the tune "The World's Turned Upside Down" during the surrender at Yorktown-an apocryphal story that has become part of American folklore. But the world truly changes that day as the military operations of the War for Independence cease.

When news of Cornwallis's surrender reaches London on November 25, the Prime Minister, Lord North, declares, "Oh God. It is all over. It is all over." On March 5, 1782, Parliament passes a bill authorizing the government to make peace with America. Lord North resigns 15 days later. Although it takes the Americans two more years of skillful diplomacy to formally secure their independence through the Treaty of Paris, the war is won with the British defeat at Yorktown.

Yorktown: Featured Resources

Related Battles

Virginia | September 28, 1781

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Yorktown was George Washington's decisive victory over General Lord Charles Cornwallis. Learn about the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina on January 17, 1781, during the Revolutionary War (1775-83), American troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan (1736-1802) routed British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton (1754-1833). The Americans inflicted heavy casualties on the British, and the battle was a turning point in the war's Southern campaign.

Battle of Cowpens: Background

After the British scored victories in South Carolina at Charleston (May 1780) and Camden (August 1780), Major General Nathanael Greene (1742-86), commander of the Continental army's Southern campaign, decided to divide Patriot troops in the Carolinas in order to force the larger British contingent under General Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805) to fight them on multiple fronts-and because smaller groups of men were easier for the beleaguered Patriots to feed. Brigadier General Daniel Morgan took 300 Continental riflemen and some 700 militiamen with the intention of attacking the British backcountry fort, Ninety-Six.

Did you know? Two U.S. military ships were named in memory of the Battle of Cowpens. The first USS Cowpens, an aircraft carrier, served in World War II. The second USS Cowpens, a guided missile cruiser, was commissioned in 1991 and served in the Persian Gulf. Both vessels were nicknamed The Mighty Moo.

In response, Cornwallis dispatched Banastre Tarleton with 1,100 Redcoats and Loyalists to catch Morgan, whom he feared might instigate a broad-based backcountry Patriot uprising. Morgan, nicknamed Old Waggoner because he served as a wagon driver during the French and Indian War (1754-63), prepared for the encounter with Tarleton by backing his men up to a river at Cowpens, a pastureland in present-day Spartanburg County and north of Ninety-Six.

Battle of Cowpens: January 17, 1781

As Tarleton's men attacked, Morgan instructed the militia to skirmish with them but to leave the front line after firing two rounds. The British mistook the repositioning of the Americans as a rout and ran into an unexpected volley of concentrated rifle fire coupled with a cavalry charge and followed by the return of the militia. Tarleton escaped, but Morgan's troops decimated his army.

American rifles, scorned by Britain's professional soldiers, proved devastatingly effective in this engagement. More than 800 British troops were killed, wounded or captured. The Americans suffered less than 100 casualties in the first Patriot victory to demonstrate that they could outfight a similar British force without any other factors, such as surprise or geography, to assist them. The victory provided an important morale boost, and later that year, in November, the Americans would defeat the British at Yorktown, Virginia, the last major Revolutionary War battle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina on January 17, 1781, during the Revolutionary War, American troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan routed British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The Americans inflicted heavy casualties on the British, and the battle became a turning point in the war's Southern campaign.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On October 7, 1780, the small but significant battle of the War for Independence and the Southern Campaign took place on a rocky hilltop in Western South Carolina called Kings Mountain. The fierce firefight fought here pitted Loyalist militia elements under the command of British Maj. Patrick Ferguson of the 71st Foot, nicknamed by his men "Bull Dog" against 900 "Over Mountain Men," residents of the Carolina Backcountry and the Appalachian Mountain range, and from places that would later become the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. American cavalry commander "Light Horse" Harry Lee called them, "A race of hardy men who were familiar with the use of the horse and the rifle, stout, active, patient under privation, and brave. To the British they were "more savage than the Indians."

General Charles Lord Cornwallis dispatched Ferguson to North Carolina in early September 1780. Ferguson had two tasks, first to recruit members to fight for the Loyalist militia and in doing so protect the Cornwallis's left flank as he attempted to move through the Carolinas. From the start Ferguson miscalculated his potential foe, brazenly issuing a proclamation for the local patriots to "desist from their opposition to British arms" or he would "march over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country to waste with fire and sword." His tactics backfired, drawing the ire of these fiercely independent men.

Several local patriot militias of the region led by James Johnston, William Campbell, John Sevier, Joseph McDowell and Isaac Shelby took up the challenge and drew up plans to take on Ferguson and his men. Learning of their plans, Ferguson opted to retreat from his forward position and pull back closer to the main body of the British Army. As he retreated, Ferguson issued another proclamation in an attempt to encourage Loyalist support, warning them that without their support there would be "an inundation of barbarians." His pronouncements promised that without Loyalist support they would "be abused by the dregs of mankind and be pissed upon forever and ever by a set of mongrels." Rather than rouse the support he craved, he engendered deep resentment among the Over Mountain Men.

As he retreated, Ferguson's command was shadowed by the Over Mountain Men and he chose to dig in and fortify a small sixty foot hill two miles inside the South Carolina border. It is reported that Ferguson boasted of his defensive position saying he "defied God Almighty and all the rebels out of Hell" to force his hand. An American scouting party learned of Ferguson's position, giving the Militia commanders the intelligence that they needed to plan an attack. Sensing an impending battle the American commanders told their men, "Don't wait for the word of command. Let each one of you be your own officer and do the very best you can." The American plan was simple - to assault the hill from all sides. One American reported that the "orders were at the firing of the first gun, for every man to raise a whoop, rush forward his best way he could." Campbell told his men to "shout like Hell and fight like devils."

Early in the afternoon of October 7, the Over Mountain Men crept quietly towards Ferguson's position. When the first shot rang out the Americans en masse from all sides attacked ferociously. Ferguson deployed his Loyalist militia in the center of the hilltop. He remained mounted and personally led the counterattack on against the patriots surging from the southwest. Initially Ferguson's men, after firing a volley and fixing bayonets, blunted the Over Mountain Men's advance. But that was only on one side of the hill and Over Mountain Men continued unabated to attack from the other sides using the undergrowth and woods to their advantage. One Loyalist later recalled that the Over Mountain Men looked "like devils from the infernal regions... tall, raw-boned, sinewy with long matted hair." Ferguson and his men were surrounded and additional counterattacks failed to stop the Americans. Eyewitness accounts of the battle that raged on the hilltop used words like "volcanic" and "thunder" to describe the combat. The Over Mountain Men continued their yelling and whooping as they gained ground.

With his defensive perimeter shrinking, Ferguson tried to lead his men past the onslaught. Mounted on his horse he proved the perfect target for the crack shot contingents he faced. He was shot multiple times, his body hanging from his horse, as his mount dragged his body down the hill fleeing the battle.

Shortly after Ferguson's death the Loyalists surrendered. Accounts vary as to the number of Loyalist dead ranging anywhere from 150 to 290, with remaining men taken prisoner. In the fierce fighting the Americans lost about 30 killed. A youthful Over Mountain Man said, "The dead lay in heaps on all sides, while the groans of the wounded were heard in every direction. I could not help turning away from the scene before me, with horror, and though exalting in the victory, could not refrain from shedding tears." Later, after Ferguson's body had been found, it was stripped of its uniform and, true to his proclamation, "pissed upon."

Kings Mountain proved to be another stinging defeat in the British attempt to secure control of the Southern colonies. Their banking on Loyalist support once more failed. Historian Jack Kelly wrote, "The small, but decisive Kings Mountain victory could not be attributed to the American high command nor to any one leader. No general rode at the head of the army that accomplished it. Congress did not order or pay for it. It was like the rout of the redcoats at Concord five years earlier, a people's victory, an amateur's victory. The crude, spirited, hardy determined volunteers who crossed the mountains served, Washington said, 'as proof of the spirit and resources of the country.'"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On October 7, 1780, the small but significant battle of the War for Independence and the Southern Campaign took place on a rocky hilltop in Western South Carolina called Kings Mountain. The fierce firefight fought here pitted Loyalist militia elements under the command of British Maj.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Battle of Rhode Island

Patriots Park, Portsmouth, RI

Located at the intersection of West Main Road (Rhode Island Route 114) and Rhode Island Route 24 on West Main Road

[Plaque set in ground at driveway] "Site of the Battle of Rhode Island has been designated a National Historic Landmark. This site possesses National significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America. 1975. National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior"

[Monument] Patriots Park, A Memorial To The 1st Rhode Island Regiment, and The Battle of Rhode Island, August 29, 1778. Dedicated August 2005

[Monument] Bloody Run Brook, First Black Militia, R. Island Regt., August 29, 1778 [In a circular design with a coiled rattle Snake and 13 Stars].
In honor of the first Black slaves and freemen who fought in the Battle of Rhode Island as members of the First Rhode Island Regiment The Black Regiment.
Erected 1976 by Newport, Rhode Island Branch, NAACP, Bicentennial Commission.

[Large Monument]
The 1st Rhode Island Regiment of the Continental Line 1775-1783

Timeline:

1. Late 1776 British Army occupies Newport

2. August 8, 1778 - French fleet forces past Newport harbor

3. August 9, 1778 - American Army moves onto Aquidneck Island

4. August 10, 1778 - British fleet lures French fleet and troops away from Newport

5. August 28, 1778 - American army begins retreat north

6. August 29, 1778 - British troops pursue retreating American army northward

7. August 29, 1778 - Hessian troops march north on west road in pursuit of American army

8. August 29, 1778 - British regulars advance to Quaker Hill

9. August 29, 1778 - Hessian mercenaries attack, but are repulsed by the 1st Rhode Island Regiment

10. August 30, American army withdraws onto mainland

The war for American Independence was a long and arduous struggle that demanded much of the American people. Rhode Island responded to those demand with patriotic fervor, enduring the dangers and deprivations of invasion and occupation at home, while sending soldier to almost every major campaign throughout the war. Some of the most noteworthy contributions were made by African-Americans, Indians, and by members of the sovereign Narragansett Indian Tribe who fought alongside them in their battle for independence. Between 1775 and 1783 more than 7550 of these men served as Rhode Island soldiers in the Continental Army and the state militia. This monument is inscribed with their names to commemorate their participation in the cause of American liberty even though they labored under the burdens of slavery and racial discrimination.

From the beginning of the war, there were blacks and Indians fighting along the white soldiers in the various Rhode Island regiments and militia groups. By 1775, there were at least thirty-one free blacks and Indians enrolled in several companies and regiments, including regiments commanded by James Varnum, Archibald Crary, William Richmond and John Topham.

In December 1776, the British army seized control of Newport and subsequently occupied all of Aquidneck Island. In response, the Rhode Island legislature voted to raise three regiments to help dislodge the enemy. At the same time, the state was committed to providing two battalions to General George Washington and the Continental Army. As Rhode Island struggled to meet these quotas in 1777, General James Varnum of East Greenwich proposed to Washington that Rhode Island be allowed to raise a "battalion of Negroes". Washington forwarded the proposal to the Governor Nicholas Cooke and on February 8, 1778 the General Assembly passed an act that opened to "every able-bodied Negro, mulatto, or Indian man slave in this state..." and provided compensations for the affected slaveholders. In return for their service for the duration of the war the soldiers would be granted their freedom, as well as their wages and other bounties to which Continental soldiers were entitled.

The act, which was in effect for only four months, succeeded in raising nearly one hundred soldiers, who became the core of the re-formed First Rhode Island Regiment. The regiment's officers led by Colonel Christopher Greene, were white, but rank and file were predominantly blacks and Indians, both free men and those recently freed. The majority of the soldiers in the First Rhode Island Regiment were believed to be of African descent, which has led to its being celebrated as the Black Regiment: regimental rosters reveal a significant number of the soldiers to be Indians.

The newly organized First Rhode Island Regiment faced combat for the first time in the Battle of Rhode Island on August 29, 1778 here on the southern slope of Lehigh Hill, the regiment repulsed three attacks by British and Hessian forces, while holding a key position in the American Army's right wing. The bravery and determination of these soldiers earned them special mention from the American commander, General John Sullivan.

After the British troops departed from Newport in October 1779, Rhode Island's Continental troops moved south with the army, taking part in various campaigns in New York and New Jersey. In 1781, the First and Second Rhode Island Regiments merged to create the Rhode Island Regiment, which retained many black and Indian soldiers. The regiment suffered serious losses, including Colonel Greene, in an ambush near Points Bridge, New York, in May 1781, but carried on under Lt. Colonel Jeremiah Olney to fight the decisive American victory at Yorktown in October 1781. The Rhode Island Regiment finally disbanded at Saratoga, New York on December 31, 1783.

On December 7, 1776, a British fleet sailed into Newport harbor with an invading army that quickly seized control of Newport and the rest of Aquidneck Island. With a garrison of 6,000 British and Hessian soldiers, the British army had secured an excellent port and a strategic base to support its grand plan to split the northern colonies at the Hudson River and subdue an isolated New England.

Rhode Island's militiamen maintained a constant watch on the invaders, while their political leaders turned to the neighboring colonies and the Continental Army for help raising the forces necessary to dislodge the enemy. An initial attempt to mount an attack failed in 1777, but in July of the following year, a new plan took shape for an invasion to be carried out with the aid of America's new allies, the French. An American force of Continental soldiers and New England militiamen led by general John Sullivan would launch a land assault, and the French fleet commanded by Admiral Charles-Henri d'Estaing would attach from the sea. This was to be the first joint American-French operation of the war.

The attack began on August 8, 1778 as d'Estaing's fleet sailed past the British batteries and anchored off Conanicut Island, ready to unload 4,000 French troops. The next day General Sullivan ferried his force of 10,000 from Tiverton to Portsmouth at the north end of Aquidneck Island, where he occupied the batteries abandoned by the British and prepared to march on Newport.

At this point, the tide of events turned against the American forces. A British fleet led by Admiral Richard Howe arrived at the mouth of Narragansett Bay, forcing d'Estaing to sail out to confront the enemy. As the two fleets maneuvered for position, a violent storm struck, scattering the ships and damaging many of them. To carry out needed repairs the British fleet returned to New York, and the French fleet headed to Boston, a move bitterly protested by the Americans.

After weathering the same storm that struck the fleets, the American army had advance to the outskirts of Newport where they encountered the extensive British defenses. When the French fleet departed for Boston on August 22, the American's were entrenched on Honeyman's Hill where they traded bombardments with the British forces dug in on the east side of Easton's Pond. With the forces dwindling and threatened by the return of the British fleet, Sullivan decided to abandon the siege. On the night of August 28, the army withdrew to the north end of the island. When dawn revealed their departure, British General Pigot sent his army in immediate pursuit.

General Sullivan had arranged his army on the high ground just north of this monument, with General Nathanael Greene on the right flank, covering West Main Road, and General John Glover on the left, controlling East main Road. Sullivan had his headquarters in the fort on Butts Hill behind the front line. American skirmishers in front of the main army ambushed the approaching columns of British and Hessian soldiers, then withdrew before their superior force. The British advance halted as they confronted the American front line, and they took up opposing positions on Quaker Hill, Turkey Hill and Almy Hill on the south side of this valley.

An initial British advance from Quaker Hill was turned back by the soldiers commanded by General Glover. General Pigot then launched an assault on the American right from Turkey and Almy Hills. The attacking force, which was largely made up of Hessian troops, was turned back by General James Varnum's brigade firing from behind stone walls, thickets and an earthwork redoubt. After a second attack fared no better, the Hessians made a third furious charge that nearly took the redoubt held by the First Rhode Island Regiment, before reinforcements arrived and forced the Hessians to retreat.

The day ended with the two armies facing each other across the valley and tending to their casualties, which totaled more than four hundred. They both held their positions while exchanging cannon fire on the following day, but that night Sullivan successfully ferried his army back to the mainland without opposition. The Battle of Rhode Island, the largest land action of the war fought in New England, ended inconclusively. Had the Americans and French succeeded in capturing, the British Army, it would have changed the course of the war, but final victory would have to wait for the more successful campaign at Yorktown in 1781. Though the campaign failed in its overall goal, the American could justly take pride in their troops, who, in General Sullivan's words, " Repelled the British forces and maintained the field. "

Please click here to view the names of all who are inscribed on the Granite Monument.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
rhode island sons of the american revolution

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution: FAQ - Nathanael Greene, genealogy, reenacting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Battle of Rhode Island Patriots Park, Portsmouth, RI Located at the intersection of West Main Road (Rhode Island Route 114) and Rhode Island Route 24 on West Main Road [Plaque set in ground at driveway] "Site of the Battle of Rhode Island has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Battle Begins

From March 11-21, the British fortified their position which was located where the Wappoo Creek flowed into the Ashley River. They mounted artillery to shell American ships and keep the Ashley River secure. They then moved upstream and north, away from Charleston, slowly securing the plantations along the way while the Americans shadowed them from across the river.

On March 29, under the cover of fog , the British crossed the Ashley River upstream from the heavily fortified Ashley Ferry and established themselves on Charleston Neck. When the Americans learned that the British were on the Neck, they abandoned their breastworks at Ashley Ferry.

On April 1, the British had moved down into position to begin their siege works. While the British slowly closed in, naval maneuvering in Charleston Harbor for the Americans was a disaster. In December 1779, 4 frigates had arrived under the command of Commodore Abraham Whipple and were joined by 4 ships from South Carolina and 2 French ships. There were 260 guns afloat and 40 guns at Fort Moultrie.

However, even before the British arrived, Whipple informed Lincoln that the flotilla could not defend the entrance to Charleston Harbor. Lincoln questioned Whipple's conclusion, but Whipple was backed up by a naval board. Whipple chose to first withdraw to the mouth of the Cooper River. Meanwhile the British began their approach on March 20. When Whipple saw the size of the British attack fleet, he scuttled the ships at the entrance of the river

On April 2, siege works were begun about 800 yards from the American fortifications. During the first few days of the siege, the British operations were under heavy artillery fire. On April 4, they built redoubts near the Ashley and Cooper Rivers to protect their flanks.

On April 6, a warship was hauled overland from the Ashley River to the Cooper River to harass crossings by the besieged to the mainland.

On April 8, the British fleet moved into the Harbor under fire only from Fort Moultrie.

On April 12, Clinton ordered Tarleton and Ferguson to capture Monck's Corner, which was a crossroads just south of Biggins Bridge near the Santee River. Brigadier General Isaac Huger was stationed there 500 men under orders from Lincoln to hold the crossroads so that communications with Charleston would remain open.

On April 13, during the evening, Tarleton gave orders for a silent march. Later that night, they intercepted a messenger with a letter from Huger to Lincoln and thus learned how the rebels were deployed.

On April 14, at 3:00 A.M., the British reached the American post, catching them completely by surprise and quickly routing them. Following the skirmish, the British fanned out across the countryside and effectively cut off Charleston from outside support. South Carolina Governor John Rutledge left Charleston on April 13.

On April 21, a parlay was made between Lincoln and Clinton, with Lincoln offering to surrender with honor. That is, with colors flying and marching out fully armed, but Clinton was sure of his position and quickly refused the terms. A heavy artillery exchange followed.

On April 23, Cornwallis crossed the Cooper River and assumed command of the British forces blocking escape by land.

On April 24, the Americans ventured out to harass the siege works. The lone American casualty was Tom Moultrie, brother of Brigadier General William Moultrie.

On April 29, the British advanced on the left end of the canal that fronted the city's fortifications with the purpose of destorying the dam and draining the canal.

The Americans knew the importance of that canal to the city's defenses and responded with steady and fierce artillery and small arms fire. By the following night, the British had succeeded in draining some water.

By May 4, several casualties had been sustained and the fire had been so heavy that work was often suspended.

On May 5, the Americans made a countermove from their side, but by May 6, almost all of the water had drained out of the heavily damaged dam and plans for an assault began. On that same day, Fort Moultrie had surrendered.

On May 8, Clinton called for unconditional surrender from Lincoln, but Lincoln again tried to negotiate for honors of war.

On May 11, the British fired red-hot shot that burned several homes before Lincoln finally called for parlay and to negotiate terms for surrender. The final terms dictated that the entire Continental force captured were prisoners of war.

On May 12, the actual surrender took place with Lincoln leading a ragged bunch of soldiers out of the city.

The senior officers, including Lincoln, eventually were exchanged for British officers in American hands. For all others in the Continental army, a long stay on prison boats in Charleston Harbor was the result, where sickness and disease would ravage them.

The defeat left no Continental Army in the South and the country wide open for British taking. Even before Lincoln surrendered, the Continental Congress had already appointed Gates to replace him.

The British quickly established outposts in a semicircle from Georgetown to Augusta, Georgia, with positions at Camden, Ninety-Six, Cheraw, Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock in between. Parole was offered to back country rebels and many accepted, including Andrew Pickens. Soon after securing Charleston, Clinton gave command of the Southern Theatre to Cornwallis and on June 5, he sailed north back to New York.

Clinton's one order to Cornwallis before he left, was to maintain possession of Charleston above all else. Cornwallis was not to move into North Carolina if it jeopardized this holding. Clinton also had ordered that all militia and civilians be released from their parole. But in addition, they must take an oath to the Crown and be at ready to serve when called upon by His Majesty's government. This addition angered many of the locals and led to many deserting or ignoring the order and terms of their parole.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Siege of Charleston, March 29 - May 12, 1780 at Charleston, SC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1780, British shifted their focus to the American Southern Colonies. After approximately six weeks of siege, Major General Benjamin Lincoln, commanding the Charleston garrison, surrendered his forces to the British, resulting in one of the worst American defeats of the war.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On December 31, 1775, during the American Revolutionary War, Patriot forces under Colonel Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery attempted to capture the British-occupied city of Quebec and with it win support for the American cause in Canada. The attack failed, and the effort cost Montgomery his life. The Battle of Quebec 1775 was the first major defeat of the Revolutionary War for the Americans.

Background

In September 1775, with the authorization of the Second Continental Congress, two expeditions of American troops began an advance toward the province of Quebec. In the first, General Richard Montgomery and his forces proceeded up Lake Champlain and successfully captured Montreal on November 13 before heading to Quebec City.

Then, Colonel Benedict Arnold led his men through the wilderness of present-day Maine, approaching the city directly. In mid-November, Arnold arrived on the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec City. He requested the city's surrender but was rebuffed. Deciding he lacked sufficient resources to fight, Arnold was forced to wait for Montgomery to join him with his troops and supplies.

Did you know? Quebec City was founded in 1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain.

In early December 1775, Montgomery, Arnold and their men met on the outskirts of Quebec and demanded the surrender of the city. General Guy Carleton, the governor of the province of Quebec, rejected their demand.

Battle of Quebec Begins

Facing the year-end expiration of their troops' enlistment, the American forces made a last-ditch advance on Quebec under the cover of snowfall in the early morning hours of December 31.

The British defenders were ready, however, and when Montgomery's forces approached the fortified city, the British opened fire with a barrage of artillery and musket fire. Montgomery was killed in the first assault, and after several more attempts at penetrating Quebec's defenses, his men were forced to retreat.

Meanwhile, Arnold's division suffered a similar fate during their attack on the northern wall of the city. A two-gun battery opened fire on the advancing Americans, killing a number of troops and wounding Arnold in the leg. American Daniel Morgan assumed command and made progress against the defenders, but halted at the second wall of fortifications to wait for reinforcements.

By the time the rest of Arnold's army finally arrived, the British had reorganized, forcing the Americans to call off their attack. Of the approximately 1,200 Americans who participated in the battle, more than 400 were captured, wounded or killed. British casualties were minor.

After the defeat at Quebec, the battered and ailing Americans remained outside the city with the help of additional supplies and reinforcements, carrying out an ineffectual siege. However, with the arrival of a British fleet at Quebec in May 1776, the Americans retreated from the area. The 1775 Battle of Quebec was the first major defeat for the Americans during the Revolutionary War.

Benedict Arnold: Traitor

Less than five years after the Battle of Quebec, Benedict Arnold, then commander of West Point, famously turned traitor when he agreed to surrender the important Hudson River fort to the British in return for money and a command in the British army.

The plot was uncovered after British spy John Andre was captured with incriminating papers, forcing Arnold to flee to British protection and join in their fight against the country that he had once so valiantly served. Arnold soon became one of the most reviled figures in American history, his name synonymous with the word "traitor."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Battle of Quebec 1775: Date & American Revolution - HISTORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the 1775 Battle of Quebec, American forces failed to invade the British-held city of Quebec, marking a major defeat for Americans in the Revolutionary War.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The American defeat of the superior British army lifted patriot morale, furthered the hope for independence, and helped to secure the foreign support needed to win the war.

How it ended

American victory. One of the most decisive American battles of the Revolutionary War, Saratoga ended British general John Burgoyne's attempt to control the Hudson River Valley. The outcome convinced the Court of King Louis XVI that the Americans could hold their own against the British Army, sealing the alliance between America and France. American general Benedict Arnold was hailed as a hero for his bravery on the battlefield, a reputation lost with his later betrayal and defection to the Royalists.

In context

In 1777, British strategy called for a three-pronged attack on New York, with three separate armies converging near Albany. For British general John Burgoyne, moving south from Canada with 7,500 men, the Hudson River Valley became the critical route for the invasion. By August, Burgoyne had captured Fort Ticonderoga, defeated fleeing American troops at Hubbardton (Vermont), and occupied Fort Edward, on the edge of the Hudson River. After a contingent of Burgoyne's troops was defeated in the Battle of Bennington, his reduced forces marched south toward Saratoga in early September.

General Horatio Gates and his American soldiers had built formidable defenses on Bemis Heights, just south of Saratoga overlooking the Hudson. The two armies engaged in combat at Freeman's Farm on September 19. While the British held off the Americans, their losses were great. Burgoyne's battered forces dug trenches and waited for reinforcements, but none came. Burgoyne launched a second, unsuccessful attack on the Americans at Bemis Heights on October 7. With no means of escape, Burgoyne eventually surrendered to Gates on October 17. The victory persuaded France to sign a treaty with the United States against Britain. France's financial and military support contributed to Washington's victory at Yorktown in 1781, which effectively ended America's War for Independence.

Before the Battle

By mid-September, Burgoyne's forces reach the northern outskirts of the small village of Saratoga. General Horatio Gates, commander of the Northern Department of the Continental Army, is ready with 8,500 men. He is supported by Gen. Benedict Arnold and by Col. Daniel Morgan, leader of 500 Virginia riflemen. To disrupt the British advance south, Gates has his troops erect defenses on the crest of Bemis Heights, a series of bluffs from which both the Hudson River and the road can be seen. From there, American artillery will have the range to hit both the river and the road. In order to attack, the British will have to use the road, as the forest and vegetation to the east are too dense to permit effective troop movements.

The Americans also erect a fortified wall a little less than a mile from Bemis Heights. The wall extends about three-quarters of a mile, creating a line shaped like a large "L". Twenty-two cannons are placed behind this defense, providing the Americans with ample artillery cover.

During the Battle

September 19. Burgoyne divides his army, numbering about 7,500, into three columns. He wants to use each column to probe American defenses. Col. Daniel Morgan's light infantry engages with the center column near Freeman's Farm. It is a hotly contested fight, with the field changing hands several times. By evening, the British, reinforced by 500 German Hessians, hold the field, but the action has blunted their forward motion. Having lost almost 600 troops and expecting to be reinforced by Gen. Henry Clinton, coming from New York City, Burgoyne choses to dig in.

Until Clinton relieves them, British forces are literally trapped in the New York wilderness with scant supplies. Food stores dwindle, and the troops are reduced to half-rations. While the British remain stuck, the American army is replenished and grows to 13,000 strong.

October 7. The British are looking for a way out of their predicament. Burgoyne sends a reconnaissance force to attack Americans at Bemis Heights, but the patriots get wind of the plan and force the British to withdraw to their well-defended Balcarres Redoubt. Several hundred yards north is the Breymann Redoubt, defended by only 200 German soldiers and officers. It is no match for the Americans. With Gen. Benedict Arnold riding out in front to rally the troops, the patriots capture the redoubt. Arnold is seriously wounded in the left leg.

Aftermath

On October 8, the British army attempts to escape north, but a cold, hard rain forces them to stop and encamp near the town of Saratoga. Hungry, weary, and out of options, they dig in and prepare to defend themselves, but within two days the Americans have them surrounded. On October 17, after negotiations, Burgoyne's army surrenders.

After the British humiliation at Saratoga, Horatio Gates earns widespread public support and runs a brief clandestine campaign to replace George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. The plot fails, and Washington maintains his post. The British army became prisoners of war. Burgoyne returned to England in the spring of 1778. He is severely criticized for his actions at Saratoga and receives no future commands in the British Army.

Impressed by the Patriots' resistance to Britain, France signs a formal Treaty of Alliance with the Americans and the balance of the war tips in their favor. The Spanish and Dutch later provide support to the Americans as well, hoping to weaken British domination in Europe.

Saratoga: Featured Resources

Related Battles

New York | September 19, 1777

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The American defeat of the superior British army lifted patriot morale, furthered the hope...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. Learn more.

Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible. Although these articles may currently differ in style from others on the site, they allow us to provide wider coverage of topics sought by our readers, through a diverse range of trusted voices. These articles have not yet undergone the rigorous in-house editing or fact-checking and styling process to which most Britannica articles are customarily subjected. In the meantime, more information about the article and the author can be found by clicking on the author's name.

Questions or concerns? Interested in participating in the Publishing Partner Program? Let us know.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. Learn more. Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible.

# data[].attributes.body
1775

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, early in the Revolutionary War, the British defeated the Americans. Despite their loss, the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided them with an important confidence boost during the Siege of Boston. Although commonly referred to as the Battle of Bunker Hill, most of the fighting occurred on nearby Breed's Hill.

Where was the Battle of Bunker Hill?

On June 16, 1775, on the heels of the Battles of Lexington and Concord that kicked off the Revolutionary War, American troops learned that the British were planning to send troops from Boston to occupy the hills surrounding the city.

Some 1,000 colonial militiamen under Colonel William Prescott built earthen fortifications on top of Breed's Hill, located on the Charlestown Peninsula overlooking Boston. The men originally had been ordered to construct their fortifications atop Bunker Hill but instead chose the smaller Breed's Hill, closer to Boston.

'The Whites of their Eyes'

On June 17, some 2,200 British forces under the command of Major General William Howe and Brigadier General Robert Pigot landed on the Charlestown Peninsula, then marched to Breed's Hill.

As the British Army advanced in columns against the Americans, Prescott, in an effort to conserve the Americans' limited supply of ammunition, reportedly told his men, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" When the Redcoats were within several dozen yards, the Americans let loose with a lethal barrage of musket fire, throwing the British into retreat.

After re-forming their lines, the British attacked again, with much the same result. Prescott's men were now low on ammunition, though, and when the Redcoats went up the hill for a third time, they reached the redoubts and engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat. The outnumbered and outgunned Americans were forced to retreat.

However, by the end of the engagement, the casualties of the Battle of Bunker Hill were high: Patriot gunfire had cut down some 1,000 enemy troops, with more than 200 killed and more than 800 wounded. More than 100 Americans perished, while more than 300 others were wounded.

The last of the Americans left on the hill avoided being captured by the British because Peter Salem, a Black soldier, shot and mortally wounded Major John Pitcairn, the British commanding officer leading the final charge up the hill.

Three weeks later-on July 2, 1775- George Washington arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts to take command of the Continental Army.

Who Won the Battle of Bunker Hill?

The British won the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Bunker Hill area-plus Breed's Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula-fell firmly under British control.

Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a significant morale-builder for the inexperienced Americans, convincing them that patriotic dedication could overcome superior British military might. Additionally, the high price of victory at the Battle of Bunker Hill made the British realize that the war with the colonies would be long, tough and costly.

Bunker Hill Monument

The first monument on Breed's Hill, installed in 1794, was a wooden pillar dedicated to Doctor Joseph Warren, a leader of the American troops who died in the fighting. It was later decided to install a more permanent memorial.

On June 17, 1825-50 years after the Battle of Bunker Hill-the cornerstone was laid for the Bunker Hill Monument. In attendance were some 40 veterans from the original battle, and another 190 from the Revolutionary War. The ceremony was led by General Marquis de Lafayette and statesman Daniel Webster.

The completed Bunker Hill Monument-a 221-foot-tall granite obelisk-was erected in 1843 as a memorial to those who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The monument is located on Breed's Hill, where most of the fighting took place.

Sources

The True Story of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Smithsonian Magazine.
The Battle of Bunker Hill. National Park Service.
Today in History - June 17: The Battle of Bunker Hill. Library of Congress.
Building the Bunker Hill Monument. National Park Service.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Battle of Bunker Hill: Monument & Breed's Hill - HISTORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Battle of Bunker Hill was a deadly battle atop Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill in colonial Boston. A victory for the British, it also renewed Americans' confidence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lead-Up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord

Starting in 1764, Great Britain enacted a series of measures aimed at raising revenue from its 13 American colonies. Many of those measures, including the Sugar Act, Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, generated fierce resentment among the colonists, who protested against "taxation without representation." Boston, the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre and the 1773 Boston Tea Party, was one of the main points of resistance. King George III of Britain ramped up the military presence there, and in June 1774 he shut down the city's harbor until colonists paid for tea dumped overboard the previous year. Soon after, the British Parliament declared that Massachusetts was in open rebellion.
Did you know? Paul Revere never shouted the legendary phrase later attributed to him ("The British are coming!") as he passed from town to town during his midnight ride on April 18, 1775. The operation was meant to be conducted as discreetly as possible since scores of British troops were hiding out in the Massachusetts countryside. Furthermore, colonial Americans at that time still considered themselves British.
On April 18, 1775, Joseph Warren, a physician and member of the Sons of Liberty, learned from a source inside the British high command that Redcoat troops would march that night on Concord. Warren dispatched two couriers, silversmith Paul Revere and tanner William Dawes, to alert residents of the news.

They went by separate routes in case one of them was captured. Revere crossed the Charles River by boat to get to Charlestown, where fellow patriots were waiting for a signal about the movement of British troops. The patriots had been instructed to look at the steeple of Boston's Old North Church, which was visible to them because it was the highest point in the city.

If there was one lantern hanging in the steeple, the British were arriving by land. If there were two, the British were coming by sea. Two lanterns were set out, and the covert signal was memorialized in American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride," in which he wrote:

As Revere carried out his mission in Charlestown, Dawes left Boston and traveled along the Boston Neck peninsula. The two met up in Lexington, a few miles east of Concord, where revolutionary leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock had temporarily holed up. Having persuaded those two to flee, a weary Revere and Dawes then set out again. On the road, they met a third rider, Samuel Prescott, who alone made it all the way to Concord. Revere was captured by a British patrol, while Dawes was thrown from his horse and forced to proceed back to Lexington on foot.

Fighting Breaks Out in Lexington and Concord

At dawn on April 19, some 700 British troops arrived in Lexington and came upon 77 militiamen gathered on the town green. A British major yelled, "Throw down your arms! Ye villains, ye rebels."

The heavily outnumbered militiamen had just been ordered by their commander to disperse when a shot rang out. To this day, no one knows which side fired first. Several British volleys were subsequently unleashed before order could be restored. When the smoke cleared, eight militiamen lay dead and nine were wounded, while only one Redcoat was injured.

The British then continued into Concord to search for arms, not realizing that the vast majority had already been relocated. They decided to burn what little they found, and the fire got slightly out of control. Hundreds of militiamen occupying the high ground outside of Concord incorrectly thought the whole town would be torched. The militiamen hustled to Concord's North Bridge, which was being defended by a contingent of British soldiers. The British fired first but fell back when the colonists returned the volley.

This was the "shot heard 'round the world" later immortalized by poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. (Emerson was not the only artist moved to depict the battle; painter Amos Doolittle, known as "The Revere of Connecticut," created four celebrated engravings of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.)

After searching Concord for about four hours, the British prepared to return to Boston, located 18 miles away. By that time, almost 2,000 militiamen-known as minutemen for their ability to be ready on a moment's notice-had descended to the area, and more were constantly arriving.

At first, the militiamen simply followed the British column. Fighting started again soon after, however, with the militiamen firing at the British from behind trees, stone walls, houses and sheds. Before long, British troops were abandoning weapons, clothing and equipment in order to retreat faster.

When the British column reached Lexington, it ran into an entire brigade of fresh Redcoats that had answered a call for reinforcements. But that did not stop the colonists from resuming their attack all the way through Menotomy (now Arlington) and Cambridge.

The British, for their part, tried to keep the colonists at bay with flanking parties and canon fire. In the evening a contingent of newly arrived minutemen from Salem and Marblehead, Massachusetts, purportedly had a chance to cut off the Redcoats and perhaps finish them off. Instead, their commander ordered them not to attack, and the British were able to reach the safety of Charlestown Neck, where they had naval support.

Effects of Lexington and Concord

The colonists did not show great marksmanship that day. As many as 3,500 militiamen firing constantly for 18 miles only killed or wounded roughly 250 Redcoats, compared to about 90 killed and wounded on their side.

The relatively low casualties of the Battles of Lexington and Concord proved they could stand up to one of the most powerful armies in the world. News of the battle quickly spread, reaching London on May 28. A few months later, the British narrowly defeated the Americans in Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, the low number of casualties once again showing the strength of patriot forces. By the following summer, a full-scale war of independence had broken out, paving the way for the creation of the United States of America.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Battles of Lexington and Concord - Winner, Date, Summary | HISTORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought between colonial militiamen and British Redcoats on April 19, 1775, kicked off the American Revolutionary War.

# data[].attributes.headline
List of Revolutionary Battles in Massachusetts

# data[].attributes.subject
List of Revolutionary Battles in Massachusetts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In total, more than 1,500 Revolutionary War battles occurred during the American Revolution.

These skirmishes and battles occurred in all thirteen colonies. The first battles occurred in Massachusetts but the majority of the battles occurred in New York, New Jersey and South Carolina.

In addition, many battles also occurred in Europe, India and the West Indies after France, Spain, the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of Mysore joined the war.

The battles between the British, the French and the Dutch were known as the Anglo-French War and the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War.

The following is a list of Revolutionary War battles in chronological order:

Revolutionary War Skirmishes in 1774:

September 1, 1774: Powder Alarm in Somerville, Massachusetts
British soldiers remove military supplies

December 14, 1774 : Storming of Fort William and Mary in New Hampshire
Result: Patriot victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1775:

April 19, 1775: Battle of Lexington in Massachusetts
Result: British victory

April 19, 1775: Battle of Concord in Massachusetts
Result: Patriot victory

April 19, 1775: Siege of Boston begins in Massachusetts

April 20, 1775: Gunpowder Incident in Virginia

May 10, 1775: Capture of Fort Ticonderoga in New York
Result: Patriot victory

May 27-28, 1775: Battle of Chelsea Creek in Massachusetts
Result: Patriot victory

June 11-12, 1775 : Battle of Machias in Maine
Result: Patriot victory

June 17, 1775 : Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts
Result: British victory

August 8, 1775: Battle of Gloucester in Massachusetts
Result: Patriot victory

September 17: Siege of Fort St. Jean in Canada
Result: Patriot victory

November 3, 1775: Battle of Montreal in Canada
Result: Patriot victory

October 18, 1775: Burning of Falmouth in Massachusetts

November 14, 1775: Battle of Kemp's Landing in Virginia
Result: British victory

November 19-21, 1775: Siege of Savage's Old Fields in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

December 9, 1775: Battle of Great Bridge in Virginia
Result: Patriot victory

December 23, 1775: Snow Campaign in South Carolina

December 31, 1775: Battle of Quebec in Canada
Result: British victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1776:

January 1, 1776: Burning of Norfolk in Virginia

February 27, 1776: Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

March 2-3, 1776: Battle of the Rice Boats in Georgia
Result: British victory

March 3-4, 1776: Battle of Nassau in the West Indies

March 17, 1776: Battle of Dorchester Heights in Massachusetts
Result: Patriot victory

March 25, 1776: Battle of Saint-Pierre in Quebec
Result: Patriot victory

April 6, 1776: Battle of Block Island in Rhode Island
Result: British victory

May 18-27, 1776: Battle of The Cedars in Quebec
Result: British victory

June 8, 1776 : Battle of Trois-Rivières in Quebec
Result: British victory

June 28, 1776: Battle of Sullivan's Island in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

June 29, 1776: Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

July 15, 1776: Battle of Lindley's Fort in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

August 27, 1776: Battle of Long Island in New York
Result: British victory

September 15, 1776: Landing at Kip's Bay New York
Result: British victory

September 16, 1776: Battle of Harlem Heights in New York
Result: Patriot victory

October 11, 1776: Battle of Valcour Island in New York
Result: British victory

October 28, 1776: Battle of White Plains in New York
Result: British victory

November 10-29, 1776: Battle of Fort Cumberland in Nova Scotia
Result: British victory

November 16, 1776: Battle of Fort Washington in New York
Result: British victory

November 20, 1776: Battle of Fort Lee in New Jersey
Result: British victory

December 14, 1776: Ambush of Geary in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

December 22-23, 1776: Battle of Iron Works Hill in New Jersey
Result: British victory

December 26, 1776 : Battle of Trenton in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1777:

January 2, 1777: Second Battle of Trenton in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

January 3, 1777: Battle of Princeton in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

January 20, 1777: Battle of Millstone in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

January-March 1777: Forage War in New Jersey

March 8, 1777 : Battle of Punk Hill in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

April 13, 1777: Battle of Bound Brook in New Jersey
Result: British victory

April 27, 1777 : Battle of Ridgefield in Connecticut
Result: British victory

May 17, 1777: Battle of Thomas Creek in East Florida
Result: British victory

May 24, 1777 : Meigs Raid in New York
Result: Patriot victory

June 26, 1777: Battle of Short Hills in New Jersey
Result: British victory

July 5-6, 1777 : Siege of Fort Ticonderoga in New York
Result: British victory

July 7, 1777: Battle of Hubbardton in Vermont
Result: British victory

July 8, 1777: Battle of Fort Ann in New York
Result: British victory

August 2-23, 1777: Siege of Fort Stanwix in New York
Result: Patriot victory

August 6, 1777: Battle of Oriskany in New York
Result: British victory

August 13-14, 1777: Second Battle of Machias in Maine
Result: British victory

August 16, 1777: Battle of Bennington in New York
Result: Patriot victory

August 22, 1777: Battle of Staten Island in New York
Result: British victory

August 22, 1777: Battle of Setauket in New York
Result: British victory

September 1 or 21, 1777: First Siege of Fort Henry in Virginia
Result: Patriot victory

September 3, 1777: Battle of Cooch's Bridge in Delaware
Result: British victory

September 11, 1777: Battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania
Result: British victory

September 16, 1777: Battle of the Clouds in Pennsylvania
Result: Battle called off due to rain

September 19, 1777: Battle of Freeman's Farm in New York
Result: British tactical victory

September 21, 1777: Battle of Paoli in Pennsylvania
Result: British victory

September 26-November 15, 1777: Siege of Fort Mifflin in Pennsylvania
Result: British victory

October 4, 1777: Battle of Germantown in Pennsylvania
Result: British victory

October 6, 1777: Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery in New York
Result: British victory

October 7, 1777: Battle of Bemis Heights in New York
Result: Patriot victory

October 22, 1777: Battle of Red Bank in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

November 25, 1777: Battle of Gloucester in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

December 5-8, 1777: Battle of White Marsh in Pennsylvania
Result: Patriot victory

December 11, 1777: Battle of Matson's Ford in Pennsylvania
Result: British victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1778:

March 7, 1778: Battle of Barbados in the West Indies
Result: British victory

March 18, 1778: Battle of Quinton's Bridge in New Jersey
Result: British victory

April 24, 1778: North Channel Naval Duel in Great Britain
Result: Patriot victory

May 1, 1778: Battle of Crooked Billet in Pennsylvania
Result: British victory

May 20, 1778: Battle of Barren Hill in Pennsylvania
Result: Indecisive

May 25-30, 1778: Mount Hope Bay raids in Rhode Island
Result: British victory

May 30, 1778: Battle of Cobleskill in New York
Result: British-Iroquois victory

June 28, 1778: Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey
Draw: British break off engagement and continue retreat to New York

June 30, 1778: Battle of Alligator Bridge in East Florida
Result: British victory

July 3, 1778: Wyoming Massacre in Pennsylvania
Result: British-Iroquois victory

July 27, 1778: First Battle of Ushant in Bay of Biscay
Result: British victory

August 21-October 19 1778: Siege of Pondicherry in India
Result: British victory

August 29, 1778: Battle of Newport in Rhode Island
Result: British victory

September 5-17, 1778 : Grey's raid in Massachusetts
Result: British victory

September 7, 1778: Invasion of Dominica in the West Indies
Result: French victory

September 7, 1778: Siege of Boonesborough in Virginia
Result: Patriot victory

September 17, 1778: Attack on German Flatts in New York
Result: British-Iroquois victory

September 27, 1778: Baylor Massacre in New Jersey
Result: British victory

October 2-16, 1778: Raid on Unadilla and Onaquaga in New York
Result: Patriot victory

October 6, 1778: Battle of Chestnut Neck in New Jersey
Result: British victory

October 16, 1778: Little Egg Harbor massacre in New Jersey
Result: British victory

October 24-November 14 1778: Carleton's Raid in Vermont
Result: British victory

November 11, 1778: Cherry Valley Massacre in New York
Result: British-Iroquois victory

December 15, 1778: Battle of St. Lucia in the West Indies
Result: British victory

December 18-28, 1778: Capture of St. Lucia in the West Indies
Result: British victory

December 29, 1778: Capture of Savannah in Georgia
Result: British victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1779:

February 3, 1779: Battle of Beaufort in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

February 14, 1779: Battle of Kettle Creek in Georgia
Result: Patriot victory

February 23-25, 1779: Siege of Fort Vincennes in Quebec
Result: Patriot victory

March 3, 1779: Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia
Result: British victory

May 1779: Battle of Chillicothe in Quebec
Result: Patriot victory

May 10-24, 1779: Chesapeake raid in Virginia
Result: British victory

June-September 1779: Armada of 1779
Result: Strategic British victory

June-October 1779: Sullivan Expedition in New York

June 16-18, 1779: Capture of Saint Vincent in the West Indies
Result: French victory

June 20, 1779: Battle of Stono Ferry in South Carolina
Result: British victory

June 24, 1779-February 7, 1783: Great Siege of Gibraltar
Result: British victory

July 2, 1779: Capture of Grenada in the West Indies
Result: French victory

July 5-14, 1779: Tryon's raid in Connecticut
Result: British victory

July 6, 1779: Battle of Grenada in the West Indies
Result: French victory

July 16, 1779: Battle of Stony Point in New York
Result: Patriot victory

July 22, 1779: Battle of Minisink in New York
British-Iroquois victory

July 24-August 29, 1779: Penobscot Expedition in Maine
Result: British victory

August 19, 1779: Battle of Paulus Hook in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

August 29, 1779: Battle of Newtown in New York
Result: Patriot victory

September 7, 1779: Capture of Fort Bute in West Florida
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

September 10, 1779: Battle of Lake Pontchartrain in West Florida
Result: Patriot victory

September 13, 1779 : Boyd and Parker ambush in New York
Result: British-Iroquois victory

September 14, 1779: Action of 14 September 1779 off the coast of the Azores
Result: British victory

September 16-October 18, 1779: Siege of Savannah in Georgia
Result: British victory

September 20-21, 1779: Battle of Baton Rouge in West Florida
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

September 23, 1779: Battle of Flamborough Head in Great Britain
Result: Patriot victory

October 16-November 29, 1779: Battle of San Fernando de Omoa in Guatemala
Result: British victory

November 11, 1779: Action of 11 November, 1779 off Lisbon, Portugal
Result: British victory

December 18, 1779: First Battle of Martinique in the West Indies
Result: British victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1780:

January 8, 1780: Action of 8 January 1780 off the coast of Spain
Result: British victory

January 16, 1780: Battle of Cape St. Vincent in Portugal
Result: British victory

February 3, 1780: Battle of Young's House in New York
Result: British victory

March-November, 1780: San Juan Expedition in present-day Nicaragua
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

March 2-14, 1780: Battle of Fort Charlotte in West Florida
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

March 29-May 12, 1780: Siege of Charleston in South Carolina
Result: British victory

April 14, 1780: Battle of Monck's Corner in South Carolina
Result: British victory

April 17, 1780: Second Battle of Martinique in the West Indies
Result: Patriot victory

May 6, 1780: Battle of Lenud's Ferry in South Carolina
Result: British victory

May 25-August 4, 1780: Bird's invasion of Kentucky in Virginia
Result: British victory

May 25, 1780: Battle of St. Louis in Louisiana
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

May 29, 1780: Battle of Waxhaws in South Carolina
Result: British victory

June 7, 1780: Battle of Connecticut Farms in New Jersey
Result: British victory

June 10-12, 1780: Battle of Mobley's Meeting House in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

June 20, 1780: Battle of Ramsour's Mill in North Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

June 23, 1780: Battle of Springfield in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

July 12, 1780: Huck's Defeat in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

July 20-21, 1780: Battle of Bull's Ferry in New Jersey
Result: Loyalist victory

July 21, 1780: Battle of Colson's Mill in North Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

August 1, 1780: Battle of Rocky Mount in South Carolina
Result: Loyalist victory

August 6, 1780: Battle of Hanging Rock in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

August 8, 1780: Battle of Pekowee in Canada
Result: Patriot victory

August 9, 1780: Action of 9 August 1780 near Portugal
Result: Spanish victory

August 16, 1780: Battle of Camden in South Carolina
Result: British victory

August 18, 1780: Battle of Fishing Creek in South Carolina
Result: British victory

August 18, 1780: Battle of Musgrove Mill in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

August 28, 1780: Battle of Black Mingo in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

September 20, 1780: Battle of Wahab's Plantation in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

September 26, 1780 : Battle of Charlotte in North Carolina
Result: British victory

October 7, 1780: Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

October 16, 1780: Royalton Raid in Vermont
Result: British victory

October 19, 1780: Battle of Klock's Field in New York
Result: Patriot victory

November 5, 1780: La Balme's Defeat in Canada
Result: British-Iroquois victory

November 9, 1780: Battle of Fishdam Ford in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

November 20, 1780: Battle of Blackstock's Farm in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

November 23, 1780: Battle of Fort St. George in New York
Result: Patriot victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1781:

January 6, 1781: Battle of Jersey in the English channel
Result: British victory

January 7, 1781 : Battle of Mobile in West Florida
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

January 17, 1781: Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

February 1, 1781: Battle of Cowan's Ford in North Carolina
Result: British victory

February 3, 1781: Capture of Sint Eustatius in the West Indies
Result: British victory

February 25, 1781: Battle of Haw River in North Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

March 6, 1781 : Battle of Wetzell's Mill in North Carolina
Result: British victory

March 9-May 8, 1781: Siege of Pensacola in West Florida
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

March 15, 1781: Battle of Guilford Court House in North Carolina
Result: British victory

March 16, 1781: Battle of Cape Henry in Virginia
Result: British victory

April 15-23, 1781: Siege of Fort Watson in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

April 15, 1781: Battle of Porto Praya in Cape Verde
Draw

April 25, 1781: Battle of Blandford in Virginia
Result: British victory

April 25, 1781: Battle of Hobkirk's Hill in South Carolina
Result: British victory

April 29, 1781 : Battle of Fort Royal in the West Indies
Result: French victory

May 1, 1781: Action of 1 May 1781 in Brest, France
Result: British victory

May 8-12, 1781: Battle of Fort Motte in South Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

May 22-June 6, 1781: Siege of Augusta in Georgia
Result: Patriot victory

May 22-June 6, 1781: Siege of Ninety-Six in South Carolina
Result: British victory

May 24-June 2, 1781: Invasion of Tobago in the West Indies
Result: French victory

May 30, 1781: Action of 30 May 1781 off the Barbary Coast
Result: British victory

June 26, 1781: Battle of Spencer's Ordinary in Virginia
Result: British victory

July 1781: Francisco's Fight in Virginia
Result: Patriot victory

July 6, 1781: Battle of Green Spring in Virginia
Result: British victory

July 21, 1781: Naval battle of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia
Result: Franco-Patriot victory

August 5, 1781: Battle of Dogger Bank in the North Sea
Result: British victory

August 19, 1781-February 5, 1782: Invasion of Minorca in the Mediterranean
Result: Franco-Spanish victory

August 24, 1781: Lochry's Defeat in Canada
Result: British-Iroquois victory

September 5, 1781: Battle of the Chesapeake in Virginia
Result: French victory

September 6, 1781: Battle of Groton Heights in Connecticut
Result: British victory

September 8, 1781: Battle of Eutaw Springs in South Carolina
Result: British victory

September 13, 1781: Battle of Lindley's Mill in North Carolina
Result: Patriot victory

September 13, 1781: Long Run Massacre in Virginia
Result: British-Iroquois victory

September 28-October 19, 1781: Siege of Yorktown in Virginia
Result: Franco-Patriot victory

October 3, 1781: Battle of Fort Slongo in New York
Result: Patriot victory

October 21-November 11, 1781: Siege of Negapatam in India
Result: British victory

October 25, 1781: Battle of Johnstown in New York
Result: Patriot victory

December 12, 1781: Second Battle of Ushant at the Bay of Biscay
Result: British victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1782:

January 2, 1782: Battle of Videau's Bridge in South Carolina
Result: British victory

January 11-February 13, 1782: Siege of Brimstone Hill in the West Indies
Result: Franco-Patriot victory

January 11, 1782: Capture of Trincomalee at Ceylon
Result: British victory

January 22-February 5, 1782: Capture of Demerara and Essequibo in South America
Result: Franco-Patriot victory

January 25-26, 1782: Battle of Saint Kitts in the West Indies
Result: British victory

February 17, 1782: Battle of Sadras in India
Result: French victory

February 22, 1782: Capture of Montserrat in the West Indies
Result: French victory

February 24, 1782: Battle of Wambaw in South Carolina
Result: British victory

March 8, 1782 : Gnadenhütten massacre in Ohio

March 16, 1782: Battle of Roatán in present-day Honduras
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

March 16, 1782: Action of 16 March 1782 in the Strait of Gibraltar
Result: British victory

March 22, 1782: Battle of Little Mountain in Virginia
Result: British-Iroquois victory

April 8, 1782: Battle of Delaware Bay in New Jersey
Result: Patriot victory

April 9-12, 1782: Battle of the Saintes in Dominica in the West Indies
Result: British victory

April 12, 1782 : Battle of Providien in Ceylon
Result: French victory

April-August, 1782: Battle of the Black River in present-day Honduras
Result: British victory

April 19, 1782: Battle of the Mona Passage in the West Indies
Result: British victory

April 20-21, 1782 : Action of 20-21 April 1782 in the Bay of Biscay
Result: British victory

May 6, 1782: Capture of the Bahamas in the West Indies
Result: Patriot-Spanish victory

May 25-June 12, 1782: Crawford expedition in Canada
Result: British-Iroquois victory

May 28-29, 1782 : Naval battle off Halifax in Nova Scotia
Result: British victory

July 1, 1782: Raid on Lunenburg in Nova Scotia
Result: Patriot victory

July 6, 1782: Battle of Negapatam in Ceylon
Result: British victory

August 8, 1782: Hudson Bay Expedition in Canada
Result: Franco-Patriot victory

August 15-17, 1782: Siege of Bryan Station in Virginia
Result: Patriot victory

August 19, 1782: Battle of Blue Licks in Virginia
Result: British-Iroquois victory

August 26, 1782: Battle of the Combahee River in South Carolina
Result: British victory

August 25-September 3, 1782 : Battle of Trincomalee in Ceylon
Result: French victory

September 11-13, 1782; Siege of Fort Henry in Virginia
Result: Patriot victory

September 13, 1782: Grand Assault on Gibraltar
Result: British victory

October 18, 1782: Action of 18 October 1782 off present-day Hispaniola
Result: British victory

October 20, 1782: Battle of Cape Spartel off the coast of present-day Morocco
Result: Indecisive

December 6, 1782 : Action of 6 December 1782 in the West Indies
Result: British victory

Revolutionary War Battles in 1783:

January 22, 1783: Action of 22 January 1783 in Virginia
Result: British victory

February 12, 1783: Capture of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the West Indies

April 14-18, 1783: Capture of the Bahamas in the West Indies

June 20, 1783: Battle of Cuddalore off the coast of India
Result: French victory

June 7-25, 1783: Siege of Cuddalore off the coast of India
Result: indecisive

Sources:
"6 Revolutionary War Battlefields in New England." New England Historical Society, www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/6-revolutionary-war-battlefields-new-england/
Hagist, Don N. "Top 10 Battles of the Revolutionary War." Journal of the Amerian Revolution, 17 Sept. 2013, allthingsliberty.com/2013/09/top-10-battles-revolutionary-war/
Wood, William J. Battles of the Revolutionary War, 1775-1781. Workman Publishing Company, 1990.
Yost, Russell. "Revolutionary War Battles." The History Junkie, thehistoryjunkie.com/revolutionary-war-battles/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In total, more than 1,500 Revolutionary War battles occurred during the American Revolution. These skirmishes and battles occurred in all thirteen colonies. The first battles occurred in Massachusetts but the majority of the battles occurred in New York, New Jersey and South Carolina.