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The Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought on April 19, 1775. They marked the beginning of the American Revolution.

On the evening of April 18 General Thomas Gage, the British royal governor of Massachusetts, organized 700 British troops for a march to Concord. The troops were ordered to destroy the colonists' military supplies, or ammunition, in Concord. When news of the expedition leaked, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott, and Paul Revere rode to warn colonists of the raid.

On the road from Boston to Concord, the British soldiers met 77 minutemen on Lexington Green (an open square in the center of town). The British ordered the colonists to leave, but shots were fired. In the end, eight colonists were killed. The British moved on to Concord.

The colonists in Concord were able to hide most of their ammunition, but the British destroyed all that they could find. They then met minutemen on the Old North Bridge over the Concord River. The British fired, the Americans fired back, and the war began.

The British were outnumbered and running low on ammunition. They began to retreat toward Boston. As the soldiers walked along the road, colonists shot at them from behind rocks, fences, and buildings. By the time the British returned to Boston, around 270 British troops had been killed or wounded. The colonists suffered about 90 casualties.

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The Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought on April 19, 1775. They marked the beginning of the American Revolution. On the evening of April 18 General Thomas Gage, the British royal governor of Massachusetts, organized 700 British troops for a march to Concord.

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Battles of Lexington and Concord Facts for Kids

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Learn Battles of Lexington and Concord facts for kids

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In this first battle of the American Revolution, Massachusetts colonists defied British authority, outnumbered and outfought the Redcoats, and embarked on a lengthy war to earn their independence.
HOW IT ENDED
American victory. The British marched into Lexington and Concord intending to suppress the possibility of rebellion by seizing weapons from the colonists. Instead, their actions sparked the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The colonists' intricate alarm system summoned local militia companies, enabling them to successfully counter the British threat.
IN CONTEXT
Thomas Gage was appointed Royal Governor of Massachusetts in 1774 and tasked by the British Parliament with stamping out rising unrest caused by restrictive British policies. Gage inflamed tensions between the colonies and the mother country and practiced harsh enforcement of British law. He drafted the Coercive Acts, a series of laws intended to punish colonists for deeds of defiance against the King, such as the Boston Tea Party.

By April 1775, Gage was facing the threat of outright rebellion. He hoped to prevent violence by ordering the seizure of weapons and powder being stored in Concord, Massachusetts, twenty miles northwest of Boston. But he underestimated the courage and determination of the colonists. Patriot spies got wind of Gage's plan. On the evening of April 18, Paul Revere and other riders raised the alarm that British regulars were on their way to Concord. Minute Men and militias rushed to confront them early on April 19. Though it is uncertain who actually fired the first shot that day, it reverberated throughout history. Eight years of war followed, and those who stood their ground against Gage's troops eventually earned independence from Britain and became citizens of the democratic United States of America.

Before the Battle

British Lt. Col. Francis Smith assembles the 700 regulars under his command to capture and destroy military stores presumably hidden by the Massachusetts militia at Concord. When the King's troops depart Boston for Concord on the evening of April 18, anti-British intelligence quickly informs patriot leader Dr. Joseph Warren about their intentions. Warren sends for riders Paul Revere and William Dawes to spread the alarm. Revere takes the short water route from Boston across the harbor to Charlestown, while Dawes rides out across Boston Neck. Revere and Dawes depart Boston around 10:00 p.m. At the same time, two lanterns briefly flicker from the Old North Church steeple, a prearranged signal designed by Revere to alert the patriot network that the British will row across Boston harbor instead of marching out over the Neck.

On reaching the Charlestown shore, Revere mounts and begins his ride to Lexington. As he passes through the towns of Somerville, Medford, and Menotomy (now Arlington), other riders set out, guns fire, and church bells peal-all warning the countryside of the coming threat. Minute Men grab their weapons and head for town greens, followed by the rest of the militia. By the time the British cross the water, word of their imminent arrival has already reached Concord.

During the Battle

April 19. British troops march into the small town of Lexington at about 5:00 a.m. to find themselves faced by a militia company of more 70 men led by Capt. John Parker. When the vanguard of the British force rushes toward them across the town green, Parker immediately orders his company to disperse. At some point a shot rings out-historians still debate who fired it-and the nervous British soldiers fire a volley, killing seven and mortally wounding one of the retreating militiamen. The British column moves on toward Concord, leaving the dead, wounded, and dying in their wake.

Arriving in Concord at approximately 8:00 a.m., British commanders Francis Smith and John Pitcairn order several companies, about 220 troops in all, to secure the North Bridge across the Concord River and then continue on another mile to the Barrett Farm, where a cache of arms and powder is presumably located. A growing assembly of close to 400 militia from Concord and the surrounding towns gather on the high ground, where they see smoke rising from Concord. Mistakenly assuming the Redcoats are torching the town, the militia companies advance. The Acton Company, commanded by 30-year-old Capt. Isaac Davis, is at the head of the column. When asked if his men are prepared to confront the British troops, Davis says, "I haven't a man afraid to go."

As the Minute Men march down the hill, the British soldiers, intimidated by their numbers and orderly advance, retreat to the opposite shore and prepare to defend themselves. When Davis's company comes within range, the Redcoats open fire, killing Davis and also Abner Hosmer, another Acton Minute Man. Major Buttrick of Concord shouts, "For God's sake, fire!" and the Minute Men respond, killing three British soldiers and wounding nine others. This volley is considered "the shot heard round the world" and sends the British troops retreating back to town.

Smith and Pitcairn order a return to Boston, which devolves into a rout as the British are attacked from all sides by swarms of angry Minute Men along what is now known as Battle Road. When they reach Lexington, Parker's men take their revenge for the violence suffered that morning, firing on the British regulars from behind cover. For the next 12 miles, the British are continually ambushed by Minute Men shooting from behind trees, rock walls, and buildings. British reinforcements reach Smith and Pitcairn's men on the eastern outskirts of Lexington, but the Minute Men pursue them as they retreat back to Boston.

Aftermath

The British conduct a running fight until they can reach the cover of British guns on ships anchored in the waterways surrounding Boston. The Patriots chase them but, having no clear orders, ultimately let them escape.

In the wake of Lexington and Concord, Governor Gage finds Boston faced by a huge militia of men who have arrived from throughout New England to fight for liberty. Numbering 20,000, this resolute force will become part of the Continental Army.

Lexington and Concord: Featured Resources

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 393
American: 93
British: 300

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775 - Mar 17, 1776

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 98
American: 19
British: 79

Massachusetts | Jun 17, 1775

Result: British Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,532
American: 450
British: 1,054

Related Battles

Massachusetts | April 19, 1775

John Parker

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 393
American: 93
British: 300

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775 - Mar 17, 1776

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 98
American: 19
British: 79

Massachusetts | Jun 17, 1775

Result: British Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,532
American: 450
British: 1,054

John Parker

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In this first battle of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775, Massachusetts colonists defied British authority, outnumbered and outfought the Redcoats, and...

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Learn about the Battle of Lexington and Concord major event in the American Revolutionary War. The first battles of the war.

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The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American Revolution. The battle was fought just north of Boston, Massachusetts, on June 17, 1775.

On the night of June 16 colonial forces were sent to occupy Bunker Hill. Instead, they occupied Breed's Hill, a lower hill next to Bunker Hill. On the morning of June 17, British ships began bombarding the colonial forces on the hill. Later in the day British troops attacked. They advanced up the hill twice but retreated both times. The British advanced a third time. The Americans were finally forced to give up the hill because they were out of gun powder.

The British technically won the battle. However, the British losses were so great that the colonies claimed it as a victory. The Battle of Bunker Hill greatly encouraged the revolutionary cause.

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The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American Revolution. The battle was fought just north of Boston, Massachusetts, on June 17, 1775. On the night of June 16 colonial forces were sent to occupy Bunker Hill. Instead, they occupied Breed's Hill, a lower hill next to Bunker Hill.

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History >> American Revolution

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, just a few months after the start of the American Revolutionary War.

Battle of Bunker Hill by Pyle

Boston was being besieged by thousands of American militia. The British were trying to keep control of the city and control its valuable seaport. The British decided to take two hills, Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, in order to gain a tactical advantage. The American forces heard about it and went to defend the hills.

Where did the battle take place?

This seems like the easiest question ever, doesn't it? Well, not really. There were two hills that the British wanted to take in order to be able to bombard the Americans from a distance. These were Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. The Battle of Bunker Hill actually took place mostly on Breed's Hill. It's only called the Battle of Bunker Hill because the army thought they were on Bunker Hill. Sort of a funny mistake and it makes for a good trick question.

Bunker Hill Monument by Ducksters
You can visit Bunker Hill and climb to the top of
the monument for a view of the city of Boston

The Leaders

The British were led up the hill by General William Howe. The Americans were led by Colonel William Prescott. Maybe this should have been called the Battle of the Williams! Major John Pitcairn was also one of the British leaders. He was in command of the troops that started the fighting at Lexington that began the Revolutionary War. From the American side, Israel Putnam was the General in charge. Also, leading patriot Dr. Joseph Warren was part of the battle. He was killed during the fighting.

What happened at the battle?

The American forces learned that the British were planning on taking over the hills around Boston in order to gain a tactical advantage. As a result of this information, the Americans secretly moved their troops onto Bunker and Breed's Hill, two unoccupied hills just outside of Boston in Charlestown, Massachusetts. They built up fortifications during the night and prepared for battle.

The next day, when the British realized what had happened, the British attacked. Their commander William Howe led three charges up Breed's Hill. The Americans fought back the first two charges, but started to run out of ammunition and had to retreat at the third charge. The British gained the hill, but their costs were great. Around 226 British were killed and 800 wounded while the Americans did not suffer nearly as many casualties.

Battle Map - Click to see larger picture

Result of the Battle

Although the British won the battle and gained control of the hills, they paid a heavy price. They lost hundreds of soldiers including several officers. This gave the Americans the courage and confidence that they could stand up to the British in battle. Many more colonists joined the army after this battle and the revolution continued to grow in strength.

Bunker Hill Cannon Ball by Ducksters
A cannon ball dug up from Bunker Hill

Interesting Facts about The Battle of Bunker Hill

Because the Americans were low on ammunition, they were told "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes."

The American troops worked hard during the night building up the defenses. Much of the wall they built, called a redoubt, was nearly 6 feet high.

Future President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, watched the battle from a nearby hill with his mother Abigail Adams. He was seven years old at the time.

The British suffered the most casualties of any single fight during the American Revolutionary War.

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Works Cited

History >> American Revolution

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Kids learn about the Battle of Bunker Hill major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on Saturday June 17, 1775 during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in the battle. It was the original objective of both the colonial and British troops, though the majority of combat took place on the adjacent hill which later became known as Breed's Hill.

On June 13, 1775, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British were planning to send troops out from the city to fortify the unoccupied hills surrounding the city, which would give them control of Boston Harbor. In response, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. During the night, the colonists constructed a strong redoubt on Breed's Hill, as well as smaller fortified lines across the Charlestown Peninsula.

By daybreak of June 17, the British became aware of the presence of colonial forces on the Peninsula and mounted an attack against them that day. Two assaults on the colonial positions were repulsed with significant British casualties; the third and final attack carried the redoubt after the defenders ran out of ammunition. The colonists retreated over Bunker Hill, leaving the British in control of the Peninsula.

The battle was a tactical, though somewhat Pyrrhic, victory for the British, as it proved to be a sobering experience for them; the British incurred many more casualties than the Americans had sustained, including many officers. The battle had demonstrated that inexperienced militia were able to stand up to regular army troops in battle. Subsequently, the battle discouraged the British from any further frontal attacks against well defended front lines. American casualties were comparatively much fewer, although their losses included General Joseph Warren and Major Andrew McClary, the final casualty of the battle.

The battle led the British to adopt a more cautious planning and maneuver execution in future engagements, which was evident in the subsequent New York and New Jersey campaign, which arguably helped rather than hindered the American forces, as their new approach to battle was actually giving the Americans greater opportunity to retreat if defeat was imminent. The costly engagement also convinced the British of the need to hire substantial numbers of Hessian auxiliaries to bolster their strength in the face of the new and formidable Continental Army.

Interesting facts about the Battle for Bunker Hill

Most of the battle wasn't actually fought on Bunker Hill but Breed's Hill just to the south.

Major John Simpson (December 1, 1748 - October 28, 1825) was an American Revolutionary War soldier who was one of several men described as having fired the first shot on the American side at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

1,054 redcoats (British soldiers) died at Bunker Hill.

The reason the British won the battle was because the colonists ran out of ammunition and gunpowder.

The colonists used muskets and guns and the British used muskets and bayonets.

Even though the colonists lost it gave them a sense of hope and made them feel they were capable of beating the British.

Colonel William Prescott, who was in charge of the colonist forces said "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes", so the patriots wouldn't waste their ammunition and were able to hit their targets.

Images for kids

In Spanish: Batalla de Bunker Hill para niños

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Learn Battle of Bunker Hill facts for kids

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The American patriots were defeated at the Battle of Bunker Hill, but they proved they could hold their own against the superior British Army. The fierce fight confirmed that any reconciliation between England and her American colonies was no longer possible.

How it ended

British victory. The battle was a tactical victory for the British, but it was a sobering experience. The British sustained twice as many casualties as the Americans and lost many officers. After the engagement, the patriots retreated and returned to their lines outside the perimeter of Boston.

In context

By early 1775 tensions between Britain and her colonies had escalated. The colonists began to mobilize for war, while the British Army secured gunpowder and cannon in anticipation of an uprising. On April 19, it all came to a head in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord. After that historic engagement, the British retreated to their camp in Boston, and local militias prepared for future British attacks. Militiamen marched to defend Boston, some from as far away as Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and what is now the state of Vermont.

British Commander-in-Chief General Sir Thomas Gage was under pressure to quash the colonial rebellion. By June, he had reinforcements and was ready to implement a new strategy. The British Army planned to launch an attack against the Americans on the heights north and south of Boston. Details of the attack were leaked, however, and a detachment of 1,000 Massachusetts and Connecticut soldiers-more of an armed mob than a military unit-gathered to defend a hill in Charlestown. Among the defenders were several enslaved and free African Americans as well. The violent clash of these forces on what is mistakenly known as "Bunker Hill" signaled that the colonial revolt would not be easily extinguished.

Before the Battle

The sheer number of militiamen gathered on the hills outside of Boston deeply troubles Gen. Thomas Gage and his newly arrived subordinates, Gens. William Howe, Henry Clinton, and John Burgoyne. On June 15 and June 16, the Patriots move forward to Breed's Hill on the Charlestown peninsula, where they prepare a fortified position that all but invites a British response. General John Stark from New Hampshire recognizes that the left flank of the fortified position is exposed along the south bank of the Mystic River. He and his men assemble a makeshift split rail barricade to blunt any flanking action employed by the British. When the British officers look out at what has been erected in the short span of one evening they are stunned. Gage knows he has to take action.

During the Battle

June 17. On this sultry afternoon, Gage and his commanders order British regulars and grenadiers to move across Boston Harbor and disembark in lower Charlestown, where Gage will force the rabble's hand with an assault. As the British move into position, the fatigued but spirited defenders are on the alert inside their hastily built fortifications.

Led by Gen. William Howe, King George's troops climb Breed's Hill in perfect battle formation. Legend has it that as they advance, American officer William Prescott cautions his men not to waste their powder, exclaiming "don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." When British troops near the redoubt, the patriots unleash a withering volley, creating an absolute slaughter. One patriot remarks afterward, "They advanced toward us in order to swallow us up, but they found a choaky[sic] mouthful of us." It is a veritable bloodbath as the British retreat back to their lines.

Once more the British push up the hill, stepping over the bodies of their dead and wounded comrades who lay "as thick as sheep in a fold," and again they receive another patriot volley. Finally, on the third try -and just when the patriots run out of powder and shot-the British succeed in breaking through the patriot works. Intense hand-to-hand fighting occurs inside the fortification. The British are victorious but at a cost. At some point in the struggle, a "black soldier named Salem" is credited with killing British Maj. John Pitcairn, the officer despised for allegedly ordering his men to fire on patriots during the battle of Lexington and Concord weeks earlier.

Aftermath

"Our three generals," a British officer wrote of his commanders in Boston, "expected rather to punish a mob than fight with troops that would look them in the face." The King's troops count 282 dead and another 800 wounded. Patriot casualties are less than half of the British total. British General Sir Henry Clinton is appalled at the carnage, calling it "a dear bought victory." Badly depleted, the British abandon plans to seize another high point near the city and ultimately evacuate Boston.

Though defeated, the Patriots are not demoralized. Those who choose to stay and keep the British bottled up in Boston become the nucleus of the Continental Army. The task of transforming the mob into a fighting force falls on the shoulders of Virginian George Washington, who assumes command in Cambridge, Massachusetts, within two weeks of the erroneously named Battle of Bunker Hill.

Bunker Hill: Featured Resources

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775 - Mar 17, 1776

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 98
American: 19
British: 79

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 393
American: 93
British: 300

Massachusetts | Jun 17, 1775

Result: British Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,532
American: 450
British: 1,054

Related Battles

Massachusetts | June 17, 1775

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775 - Mar 17, 1776

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 98
American: 19
British: 79

Massachusetts | Apr 19, 1775

Result: American Victory
Est. Casualties: 393
American: 93
British: 300

Massachusetts | Jun 17, 1775

Result: British Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,532
American: 450
British: 1,054

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The American patriots were defeated at the Battle of Bunker Hill, but they proved they could hold their own against the superior British Army. The fierce fight...

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The Continental Army was the unified command structure of the thirteen colonies fighting Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. The Army was created by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775. Most of the Continental Army was disbanded on November 3, 1783 after the Treaty of Paris. A small residual force remained at West Point and some frontier outposts, until Congress created the United States Army by their resolution of June 3, 1784.

Creation, organization and reorganization

On June 7 the Continental Congress decided to proceed with the establishment of a Continental Army for purposes of comon defense. Referring to themselves as "the twelve United Colonies", ( Georgia was not yet represented), the congress adopted forces already in place in Cambridge, Massachusetts as the first units of the Continental Army. They then elected, by unanimous vote, George Washington, on June 15, as commander-in-chief. Washington accepted the position without any compensation, except reimbursement of his expenses.

Four major-generals ( Artemas Ward, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Israel Putnam) and eight brigadier-generals (Seth Pomeroy, Richard Montgomery, David Wooster, William Heath, Joseph Spencer, John Thomas, John Sullivan, and Nathanael Greene) were appointed in the course of a few days.

As the Continental Congress increasingly accepted the responsibilities and posture of a legislature for a sovereign state, the role of the Continental Army was the subject of considerable debate. There was a general aversion to maintaining a standing army among the Americans; but, on the other hand, the requirements of the war against the British required the discipline and organization of a modern military. As a result, the army went through several distinct phases, characterized by official dissolution and reorganization of units.

Broadly speaking, Continental forces consisted of several successive armies, or "establishments":

The Continental Army of 1775, comprising the initial New England army, organized by Washington into three divisions. Also Major General Philip Schuyler's ten regiments sent to invade Canada.

The Continental Army of 1776, reorganized after the initial enlistment period of the soldiers in the 1775 army had expired. Washington had submitted recommendations to the Continental Congress almost immediately after he had accepted the position of commander-in-chief, but these took time to consider and implement. Although attempts to broaden the recruiting base beyond New England, the 1776 army remained skewed toward the Northeast both in terms of its composition and geographical focus.

The Continental Army of 1777 - 1780 was a result of several critical reforms and political decisions that came about when it was apparent that the British were sending massive forces to put an end to the American revolution. The Continental Congress passed the Eighty-eight battalion resolution, ordering each state to contribute forces in proportion to their population, and Washington was given authority to raise additional 15 battalions. Also, enlistment terms were extended to three years or "the length of the war" to avoid the year-end crises that depleted forces.

The Continental Army of 1781 - 1782 saw the greatest crisis on the American side in the war. Congress was for all intents and purposes bankrupt, making it very difficult to replenish the soldiers whose three-year terms had expired. Popular support for the war was at its all-time low, and Washington had to put down mutinies both in the Pennsylvania Line and New Jersey Line. Congress voted to cut funding for the army, but Washington managed nevertheless to secure important strategic victories.

The Continental Army of 1783 - 1784, which was succeeded by the United States Army, which persists to this day. As peace was closed with the British, most of the regiments were disbanded in an orderly fashion, though several had already been diminished.

In addition, a number of militia units, raised and funded by individual colonies/states, participated in battles.

The financial responsibility for providing pay, food, shelter, clothing, arms, and other equipment to specific units was assigned to states as part of the establishment of these units. States differed in how well they lived up these obligations. There were constant funding issues on the one hand and morale problems on the other as the war continued.

The emergence of combat capabilities

Under the command of Artemas Ward, the army at Cambridge in June of 1775 numbered about sixteen thousand men from New England. In addition to Ward, John Thomas acted as executive officer, Richard Gridley commanded the artillery corps and was chief engineer.

The British force in Boston was increasing by fresh arrivals. It numbered then about ten thousand men. Maj. Generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne had arrived late in May, and joined General Gage in forming and executing plans for dispersing the rebels. Feeling strong with these veteran officers and soldiers around him, and the presence of several ships-of-war under Admiral Graves, the governor issued a proclamation, declaring martial law, branding the entire Continental Army and supporters as "rebels" and "parricides of the Constitution." Amnesty was offered to those who gave up their allegiance to the Continental Army and Congress in favor of the British authorities, though Samuel Adams and John Hancock were still wanted for high treason. This proclamation only served to strengthen the resolve of the congress and army.

Throughout its existence, the army was troubled by poor logistics, spotty training, short-term enlistments, interstate rivalries, and Congress's inability to compel the states to provide food, money or supplies. In the beginning, soldiers enlisted for a year, largely motivated by patriotism; but as the war dragged on, bounties and other incentives became more commonplace. Two major mutinies diminished drastically two of the main units, and there were constant discipline problems.

The army increased its effectiveness and success rate through a series of trials and errors, often at great human cost. General Washington, along with other distinguished officers, were instrumental leaders in preserving unity, learning and adapting, and ensuring discipline throughout the eight years of war. Washington always viewed the army as a temporary measure and strove to maintain civilian control of the military.

Washington resigned his post when the Treaty of Paris was signed with the British in 1783, ending the war and confirming American independence. His willing yielding of power, at a time when many would have given him a crown, was crucial in averting a military dictatorship in the United States, and helped ensure that democracy would take root.

After the war, the officers of the Continental Line formed the Society of the Cincinnati in May of 1783. They elected General George Washington as President of the Society, and he served as President until his death in 1799. The Society has remained active since its formation in 1783, and is represented by the descendants of the officers of the respective State lines, as well as of France.

Major battles

Images for kids

George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775.

Aide-de-camp, General Washington, Major-general Artemas Ward.

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The Continental Army was the unified command structure of the thirteen colonies fighting Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. The Army was created by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775. Most of the Continental Army was disbanded on November 3, 1783 after the Treaty of Paris.

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Learn about the daily life of a Revolutionary War Soldier including the Continental army, the militia, how much they were paid, how old they were, and more.

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Travis Shaw is a native Marylander with a deep love of local history. Wanting to share this love with others he received a BA in History from St. Mary's College of Maryland and an MA in Public History from American University.

His professional career includes well over a decade of experience in the fields of archaeology, historic preservation, and museum education,...

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The British Army in the American Revolution

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The army that opposed American independence has its roots in the 17th century, with the formation of the "New Model Army" as a permanent standing army during the English Civil War. In the century that followed the size of the army grew and shrank depending on the circumstances, and by 1775 it numbered around 48,000 men.

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Nathan Hale was an American patriot who famously gave his life for his country. He was an officer who spied on the British during the American Revolution. The British...

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Nathan Hale: The Spy Who Loved His Country More Than His Life Part 1: Beginnings and Revolution
Nathan Ha le, the first man killed for spying for the young United States, didn't grow up thinking he'd be a spy. It just happened that way.

He was born on June 6, 1755, into a family that eventually had 12 children. He was the sixth child of Richard and Elizabeth Hale. The family home was a farm in Coventry, Connecticut.

Young Nathan grew up a "normal" boy, at least normal for that time. He was healthy and athletic. He was smart. His parents loved their new homeland.

When Nathan was 14, he went to college, as was the custom for many young boys then. He went to Yale and dreamed of being a schoolteacher. He learned quickly and graduated in just two years. Soon after, he got his dream job—teaching school.

He worked at Union Grammar School in New London, Conn. He was happy teaching school, helping youngsters learn, showing them the appreciation of learning that he had. But something inside him burned hotter than his desire to learn and to teach.

The early 1770s in America were a difficult and dangerous time. The decade had begun with the Boston Massacre and continued with the Intolerable Acts and other taxes and restrictions by Great Britain and its American colonists. The call for independence was being heeded by many, and the First Continental Congress was discussing ways of expressing the colonists' displeasure to the British government.

Strong among the call for political action was the call for military action. The Sons of Liberty became experts at doing physical things that rankled the British lawmakers and soldiers (such as the Boston Tea Party). As the number of restrictions piled up and the level of resentment came to a fever pitch, Patrick Henry was delivering his famous "Give me Liberty or Give me Death!" speech and fighting was breaking out on Lexington Green.

Into all this stepped Nathan Hale, who loved his country and wanted to see it free from British restrictions. Young Nathan (for he was still relatively young at that time) joined the Connecticut militia and then the Continental Army. He wanted to fight to make sure that Americans' rights were protected.

> Page 1, Next page > Spywork and Punishment 2

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Nathan Hale: The Spy Who Loved His Country More Than His Life

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Nathan Hale: The Spy Who Loved His Country More Than His Life Part 1: Beginnings and Revolution Nathan Ha le, the first man killed for spying for the young United States, didn't grow up thinking he'd be a spy. It just happened that way.

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Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 - September 22, 1776) was a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for a spying mission in New York City, but was captured by the British and executed. He is probably best remembered for possibly saying before being hanged: "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country." Hale has long been considered an American hero. In 1985, he was officially designated the state hero of Connecticut.

Early life and family

Nathan Hale was born in Coventry, Connecticut, in 1755, to Deacon Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong, a descendant of Elder John Strong. He was a great-grandson of Reverend John Hale, an important figure in the Salem witch trials of 1692. He was also the grand-uncle of Edward Everett Hale, a Unitarian minister, writer, and activist noted for social causes including abolitionism. He was the uncle of journalist Nathan Hale, who founded the Boston Daily Advertiser and helped establish the North American Review.

In 1769, when Nathan Hale was fourteen years old, he was sent with his brother Enoch, who was sixteen, to Yale College. He was a classmate of fellow Patriot spy Benjamin Tallmadge. The Hale brothers belonged to the Linonian Society of Yale, which debated topics in astronomy, mathematics, literature, and the ethics of slavery. Nathan graduated with first-class honors in 1773 at age 18 and became a teacher, first in East Haddam and later in New London.

Intelligence-gathering mission

Hale volunteered on September 8, 1776, to go behind enemy lines and report on British troop movements. He knew it was an act of spying, punishable by death. He was ferried across the Long Island Sound to Huntington, New York, on British-controlled Long Island, on September 12. Hale planned to disguise himself as a Dutch schoolteacher looking for work, though he reportedly carried with him his Yale diploma bearing his real name.

While Hale was undercover, New York City (then the area at the southern tip of Manhattan, mostly south of what is now Chambers Street) fell to British forces on September 15, and Washington was forced to retreat to the island's north in Harlem Heights (what is now Morningside Heights). Shortly after, on September 21, a quarter of the lower portion of Manhattan burned in the Great New York Fire of 1776. The Americans accused British soldiers of starting the fires without orders from their superiors so they could sack the city. In the fire's aftermath, more than 200 American Patriots were detained by the British for questioning.

Hale was captured, too. Major Robert Rogers of the Queen's Rangers saw Hale in a tavern and recognized him. Rogers pretended to be a Patriot himself and tried to convince Hale to become a betrayer. Hale refused, and Rogers and his Rangers arrested him near Flushing Bay in Queens, New York. Another story is that Hale's cousin, a Loyalist named Samuel Hale, was the one who revealed his true identity.

Death and purported last words

According to the standards of the time, spies were hanged as illegal combatants. On the morning of September 22, 1776, Hale was marched along Post Road to the Park of Artillery, which was next to a public house called the Dove Tavern (at modern-day 66th Street and Third Avenue), and executed. He was 21 years old.

No official records were kept of Hale's final speech. It has traditionally been reported that his last words, either entirely or in part, were: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." The account of the quote originated with British Captain John Montresor, who was present at the hanging.

Because Hull was not an eyewitness to Hale's speech, some historians have questioned the reliability of this account. Over the years, there has been a great deal of speculation as to whether or not Hale specifically uttered this line, or some variant of it. It is almost certain that Hale's last speech was longer than one sentence.

The May 17, 1781, issue of the Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser gave the following version: "I am so satisfied with the cause in which I have engaged, that my only regret is, that I have not more lives than one to offer in its service."

Hale's body was never found. His family erected an empty grave cenotaph in Nathan Hale Cemetery in South Coventry Historic District, Connecticut.

Statues and appearance

Statues of Hale are based on idealized archetypes; no contemporaneous portraits of him have been found. Documents and letters reveal Hale was an informed, practical, detail-oriented man who planned ahead. Of his appearance and demeanor, fellow soldier Lieutenant Elisha Bostwick wrote that Hale had blue eyes, flaxen blond hair, darker eyebrows, and stood slightly taller than the average height of the time, with mental powers of a sedate mind and piousness. Bostwick wrote:

I can now in imagination see his person & hear his voice-his person I should say was a little above the common stature in height, his shoulders of a moderate breadth, his limbs strait & very plump: regular features-very fair skin-blue eyes-flaxen or very light hair which was always kept short-his eyebrows a shade darker than his hair & his voice rather sharp or piercing-his bodily agility was remarkable. I have seen him follow a football and kick it over the tops of the trees in the Bowery at New York, (an exercise which he was fond of)-his mental powers seemed to be above the common sort-his mind of a sedate and sober cast, & he was undoubtedly Pious; for it was remark'd that when any of the soldiers of his company were sick he always visited them & usually Prayed for & with them in their sickness.

Hale has been honored with two standing images:

A statue designed by Frederick William MacMonnies was dedicated on the anniversary of Evacuation Day, November 25, 1893, at City Hall Park, New York. The statue established Hale's modern idealized square-jawed image. A copy of MacMonnies's statue stands in Williams Park in New London, Connecticut.

A statue of Hale, sculpted 1908-1912 by Bela Pratt, was cast in 1912 and stands in front of Connecticut Hall, where Hale resided while at Yale. Copies of this sculpture stand at the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts; the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry; the Connecticut Governor's Residence in Hartford, Connecticut; Fort Nathan Hale in New Haven, Connecticut; Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut; the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.; Tribune Tower in Chicago; and at the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia.

Other statues/markers include:

In January 1899 a play based on Hale's life, Nathan Hale by Clyde Fitch opened at New York's Knickerbocker Theatre, where it played successfully for eight weeks. It then toured for more than a year, with 41-year-old Nat Goodwin playing Hale and Goodwin's wife Maxine Elliott playing Alice Adams.

Namesake items

The hamlet of Halesite, New York (formerly Huntington Harbor) on Long Island is named after Hale. There is a memorial plaque set into a large boulder, which was removed from the beach nearby where Hale is thought to have landed on his fateful mission.

Nathan Hale Army Depot, a U.S. Army installation, is located in Darmstadt, Germany.

Fort Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War-era fort and historic site in New Haven, Connecticut, is named after him.

The Nathan Hale dormitory on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs, Connecticut, is named after Hale.

The Nathan Hale dormitory, traditionally a freshman girls' dorm, at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, is named after Hale.

The Nathan Hale Center at Robert Morris University, dedicated in 1971, is a classroom building located on campus.

Nathan Hale Hall is a building at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, New York, which is home to Biology and Art Centers.

Nathan Hale Hall is a barracks building at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.

Nathan Hale Hall is the main academic building at Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut.

The Nathan Hale Memorial Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized June 6, 1900, in East Haddam, Connecticut. The ceremony took place at the one-room schoolhouse where he once taught.

High schools named after Hale include Nathan Hale-Ray High School in East Haddam, Connecticut (where he was schoolmaster), Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Washington, and high schools in West Allis, Wisconsin, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Middle schools named after Hale include Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School in East Haddam, Connecticut; Nathan Hale Middle School in Norwalk, Connecticut (the departure point for his final mission); and Captain Nathan Hale Middle School in Coventry, Connecticut (his birthplace); as well as middle schools in Northvale, New Jersey; Omaha, Nebraska; Cleveland, Ohio; and Crestwood, Illinois.

There are elementary schools named after Hale in Roxbury, Boston; New London, Connecticut; Enfield, Connecticut; Manchester, Connecticut; Meriden, Connecticut; New Haven, Connecticut; Whiting, Indiana; Schaumburg, Illinois; Lansing, Illinois; Crestwood, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; Carteret, New Jersey; Northvale, New Jersey; Mesa, Arizona; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The United States Navy submarine USS Nathan Hale (SSBN-623) was named in his honor.

The Nathan Hale Ancient Fife and Drum Corps from Coventry, Connecticut, is named after him and includes a division called Knowlton's Connecticut Rangers.

"Nathaniel Hale" Battalion is the name of the Battalion for Army ROTC based at the University of Connecticut, with Knowlton Company (Company A) at the University of Connecticut and Sillman Company (Company B) at Sacred Heart University.

Campsite Nathan Hale at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp, Baiting Hollow, New York.

Two early ballads attempt to recreate Hale's last speech. Songs and Ballads of the Revolution (1855), collected by F. Moore, contained the "Ballad of Nathan Hale" (anonymous), dated 1776: "Thou pale king of terrors, thou life's gloomy foe, Go frighten the slave; go frighten the slave; Tell tyrants, to you their allegiance they owe. No fears for the brave; no fears for the brave."; and "To the Memory of Capt. Nathan Hale", by Eneas Munson Sr., was written soon after Hale's death:

"Hate of oppression's arbitrary plan,
The love of freedom, and the rights of man;
A strong desire to save from slavery's chain
The future millions of the western main,
And hand down safe, from men's invention cleared,
The sacred truths which all the just revered;
For ends like these, I wish to draw my breath,"
He bravely cried, "or dare encounter death."
And when a cruel wretch pronounced his doom,
Replied, "'Tis well, - for all is peace to come;
The sacred cause for which I drew my sword
Shall yet prevail, and peace shall be restored.
I've served with zeal the land that gave me birth,
Fulfilled my course, and done my work on earth;
Have ever aimed to tread that shining road
That leads a mortal to the blessed God.
I die resigned, and quit life's empty stage,
For brighter worlds my every wish engage;
And while my body slumbers in the dust,
My soul shall join the assemblies of the just."

Munson had tutored Hale before college, and knew him and his family well, so even though the particulars of this speech may be unlikely, Munson knew first-hand what Hale's opinions were.

Images for kids

Commission of Nathan Hale, captain in the Nineteenth Regiment of foot, commanded by Colonel Charles Webb. Signed by John Hancock. January 1, 1776.

Nathan Hale as depicted in bronze (1890) by Frederick William MacMonnies at the Brooklyn Museum

In Spanish: Nathan Hale para niños

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Learn about the biography of Benedict Arnold, general who turned traitor during the Revolutionary War.

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Benedict Arnold

Today, the name "Benedict Arnold" is associated with being a traitor. However, for much of his life, Arnold supported the efforts of the colonies even to the point of being a Revolutionary War General.

It wasn't until circumstances presented themselves that he couldn't agree with that he decided to change sides from supporting the colonies to supporting the British.

Benedicts Early Life

Benedict was born in Norwich, Connecticut in 1741. He was the son of a successful businessman, and all but one of his five brothers and sisters died from yellow fever.

Add to this that his father was an alcoholic and drank away all of their fortunes, and it threw Benedict into a bad situation.

When things were going well, Benedict attended a private school, but when they lost all of their money, he was forced to quit and became an apothecary apprentice.

His mother then passed away in 1759, and his father died two years later.

Becoming a Business Man

In those days, it was challenging to be a successful merchant, and Benedict made efforts as both a bookseller and an apothecary.

He had some success and expanded to invest with a partner in a trading company. However, the British imposed the Stamp Act on all of the colonies, and this caused many to lose a lot.

It was during this time that Patrick join the Sons of Liberty to organize ways to fight back.

Revolutionary War

As anger arose in the colonies, the Revolutionary War broke out, and Benedict Arnold was given the position of the Connecticut militia captain.

Arnold bravely led militia troops north after the Battle of Lexington and Concord so that they could fight against the British taking over Boston. He was given a commission of colonel so that he could attack Fort Ticonderoga.

He coordinated with the Green Mountain Boys and Ethan Allen, and they succeeded in taking Ticonderoga. It is considered to be the first victory for the colonies.

Arnold considered himself a patriot and continued this philosophy as he joined George Washington's Continental Army.

He held the commission of colonel and led the Quebec City attack. Arnold ended up with a leg wound, and even though the colonists lost the battle, he was promoted to Brigadier General.

Although the title of Brigadier General is a good one, Arnold was upset because he wasn't promoted to Major General.

It made him so mad that he tried to resign, but George Washington knew he was right and refused his resignation.

Not long after that, Benedict Arnold was given the commission of Major General.

American Hero

Believe it or not, at one point, Arnold was considered to be an American hero.

He led the attack at the Battle of Saratoga against the British, where he ended up with a second leg wound.

He was received with a hero's welcome when he returned to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

To some, he wasn't a hero

Like many in higher-ranking military positions, Arnold made enemies along the way in both Congress and the Continental Army.

Some accused him of using his position to profit for himself as well as being greedy.

Others just didn't like him. There were so many complaints that Benedict came under scrutiny for a military court-martial.

Switching Sides

At one point in 1779, Arnold decided to switch sides, and he began to sell secrets to the British spy chief Major Andre.

Benedict's wife, Peggy, was the go-between to get letters to Andre that was written in invisible ink and code.

The kind of information that Arnold was passing was high level, including troop movements, locations for supplies, and even the troop count.

Meanwhile, Arnold was given the position of commander at the West Point fort. It was then that Arnold decided to surrender the fort for 20,000 British pounds.

By a fluke of luck, the surrender failed when Andre was captured, and they found Arnold's papers indicating the surrender and deal.

Once Arnold got wind of Andres capture, he escaped and headed for the British.

Part of Benedict Arnold's plans had involved slowly lowering the fort defenses so that it would be easier for the British to take over.

Benedict met with Andre and the covered their plans for surrender, writing them down on paper. As fate would have it, just a few days later the Americans captured Arnold and were able to see the plans that Arnold and Andre had made for handing over West Point to the British.

Once Arnold found out about the capture of Major Andre, he heading to the British outpost.

Turncoat

Benedict Arnold became what is known as a "turncoat" and was rewarded with the commission of General.

Arnold then led attacks against the colonists in New London and Richmond.

When the war ended, Arnold relocated to England, where he became a merchant with the West Indies.

His reputation was well-known, so when he tried to move to Canada, he was met with a mob that burned an effigy at his house, and he moved back to London where he died.

Facts about Benedict Arnold

He was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut

His father was a wealthy landowner

Arnold was a successful merchant

Arnold made many enemies within the Continental Army and Congress

In 1779, Arnold began to sell secrets to the British

Benedict Arnold considered one of the biggest traitors in the history of the US.

Died: June 14, 1801, in London, England

What did you learn?
What two trades did Benedict Arnold try early in his life?
Apothecary and bookseller
What battle did Arnold lead that made others consider him an American hero?
Battle of Saratoga
What was the first military position held by Benedict Arnold?
Captain of the Connecticut militia
Who did Benedict Arnold use to pass secrets to the British?
His wife Peggy
What place was Arnold going to sell to the British for 20,000 pounds?
Fort at West Point
What happened when Arnold tried to move to Canada?
A mob burned an effigy at his home

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Benedict Arnold Facts - History for kids

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Today, the name "Benedict Arnold" is associated with being a traitor. However, for much of his life, Arnold supported the efforts of the colonies even to the point of being a Revolutionary War General. It wasn't until circumstances presented themselves that he couldn't agree with that he decided to change sides from supporting the colonies to supporting the British.

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For Kids: Benedict Arnold started out as a hero of the Revolutionary War. He ended up a traitor, working for the British. What turned a hero into a traitor?

Things started to go wrong for Benedict back when he was only 13 years old. His family went bankrupt. They lost all their money. He had to get a job. There were not many jobs for a rich boy, now poor, with no training. He was smart. He coped. Ultimately, he became a ship captain. He fought in the French and Indian War and did a really good job. He impressed George Washington with his courage and his leadership ability.

When Benedict was still a young man, the American Revolution started. He fought on the side of the colonists. He was shot in the leg. A horse fell on him in battle and crippled him. He did not let that stop him. He led his men bravely and continued to fight for freedom.

You might think that the American colonists would honor him. But they didn't. He was really hard to get along with. He was always losing his temper and blaming others for his problems. The truth was nobody liked him much. He was accused of things he did not do, like stealing and being a bad leader. He was going to quit and let someone else fight the war. George Washington talked him into staying.

Then something really sad happened. His wife died. He was miserable. He did marry again. His second wife was a loyalist. She supported the British. She was also very greedy and very selfish. She wanted everything, the finest clothes, the finest food, the finest home. But then, so did Benedict. It was not long before the Arnolds had spent more money than they had.

Benedict Arnold had lived though losing all his family money once before. He was not about to let that happen again. When the US Congress created five new generalships, one of those should have been given to Benedict Arnold. He actually earned it. Instead, because he was not well liked, lesser men, men beneath him in rank and service, were promoted to these new positions. If he had received this well deserved promotion, he would have made more money. Things might have gone differently. This increase in salary might have been enough to keep the Arnolds out of financial trouble, at least for a while. That did not happen.

The Arnolds needed money. They found a way to get it. Benedict started working as a spy for the British. They paid him well. He asked for 20,000 pounds, and he got it.

When his British contact, John Andre, was captured by the American military, Arnold escaped on a British ship, leaving Andre to be hanged as a spy.

When he reached London, Benedict was surprised to learn that the British military did not want him. He had deserted Andre without any attempt to save him. They did not want someone like that in their military. The American military wanted him, but only to hang him. He found other ways to support himself until he died at age 60 in England.

To this day, Benedict Arnold remains America's most famous traitor.

Liberty's Kids - Benedict Arnold (video, animated)
The Story of Benedict Arnold - How did Arnold start out a hero and end up a traitor? Other Famous People of the Revolutionary War for Kids
Return to Revolutionary War Battles, People & Happenings for Kids

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The American Revolution for Kids - Benedict Arnold

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For Kids: Benedict Arnold started out as a hero of the Revolutionary War. He ended up a traitor, working for the British. What turned a hero into a traitor? Things started to go wrong for Benedict back when he was only 13 years old. His family went bankrupt.

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James Armistead was a patriot who spied on the British during the American Revolution. The information he provided helped the Americans win the Siege of Yorktown, which ended...

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James Armistead Lafayette (December 10, 1760 - August 9, 1830) was an African American slave. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War as a double agent. He served under the Marquis de Lafayette. He reported on the activities of Benedict Arnold after he had gone over to the British. He also reported on Lord Cornwallis just before the Battle of Yorktown. James gave the British false information on the Americans.

Life and career

He was an African-American slave. He was owned by William Armistead of Virginia. James took his master's name and called himself James Armistead. James was born about 1748 in Virginia.

After getting the consent of his master, he volunteered in 1781 to join the American army under the Marquis de Lafayette. The Marquis used him as a spy. Armistead posed as a runaway slave to the British. He joined the camp of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold the turncoat who was leading some British forces in the area. Pretending to be a spy for the British, Armistead gained Arnold's trust. Arnold used him to guide British troops through local roads. " The ex-slave, who later renamed himself James Armistead Lafayette in the general's honor, served as a double agent against the british under the avowedly antislavery Lafayette."

After Arnold departed north in the spring of 1781, James went to the camp of Lord Charles Cornwallis. Again he posed as a runaway slave. He was given a job serving General Cornwallis. He moved frequently between British camps. In each case the officers would speak openly about their strategies in front of him. James kept this information in written reports. He gave these reports to other American spies. In this way he relayed much information about the British plans for troop movements and about their weapons.

Cornwallis hired James to spy for the British. When he was sent to spy on the Americans he brought back an order for General Daniel Morgan to bring up all his reserves. Morgan didn't have any reserves, it was a false order. But it kept Cornwallis where he was leading to his defeat at the Battle of Yorktown. The intelligence reports from his espionage were also instrumental in helping to defeat the British.

After the war

After the war James had to return to his live as a slave. He was not eligible for emancipation under the Act of 1783 for slave-soldiers. Spies were not considered soldiers. When Lafayette returned to Virginia in 1784 he found out that James was still a slave. The Marquis de Lafayette wrote a letter to the Virginia legislature praising James and what he did. This won James his freedom and a pension. James took the name James Armistead Lafayette.

Armistead continued to live in New Kent County with his new wife, one son and several other children and became a rich farmer . In 1818, he applied to the state legislature for financial aid; he was granted $60 for present relief and $40 annual pension for his services in the Revolutionary War. He died on August 9, 1830 in Virginia.

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James Armistead Lafayette Facts for Kids

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James Armistead Lafayette (December 10, 1760 - August 9, 1830) was an African American slave. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War as a double agent. He served under the Marquis de Lafayette. He reported on the activities of Benedict Arnold after he had gone over to the British.

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Learn about the battles at Fort Ticonderoga during the Revolutionary War including the Green Mountain Boys and General John Burgoyne.

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Early in the morning of May 10, 1775, Ethan Allen, with a small force including his Green Mountain Boys, crossed Lake Champlain from Vermont to New York and advanced stealthily upon Fort Ticonderoga. They surprised the sleeping British garrison and took the fort without a struggle. Today the fort is a handsome sight above the lake's peaceful waters, and its guns are fired only to thrill tourists who throng to the historic site.

The fort was built in 1755 by the French, who named it Fort Carillon. In 1759, during the French and Indian War, it was captured by the British and renamed Fort Ticonderoga after the nearby village. In 1777 the British recaptured Ticonderoga, but they relinquished it after the battles of Saratoga.

One mile (1.6 kilometers) west of the fort is the unincorporated village of Ticonderoga. The name comes from the Iroquois, meaning "the place between two waters." The town (township) of Ticonderoga is located at Lake George and Lake Champlain on La Chute River. Settled in the 18th century, Ticonderoga has become a popular tourist center. Its chief industries are the manufacture of paper and the refining of graphite. ( See also New York.) Population (2010) 5,042.

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Early in the morning of May 10, 1775, Ethan Allen, with a small force including his Green Mountain Boys, crossed Lake Champlain from Vermont to New York and advanced stealthily upon Fort Ticonderoga. They surprised the sleeping British garrison and took the fort without a struggle.

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Capture of Fort Ticonderoga Facts for Kids

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Learn Capture of Fort Ticonderoga facts for kids

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Learn Battle of Bennington facts for kids

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The battle fought on 16th August 1777 that did much to raise the morale of the American colonists and made Brigadier Stark an American hero
The next battle of the American Revolutionary War is the Battle of Brandywine Creek To the American Revolutionary War index
War: American Revolutionary War

Date of the Battle of Bennington: 16th August 1777.

Place of the Battle of Bennington: New York State on the road east of the Hudson River towards Vermont.

Combatants at the Battle of Bennington: Germans, British, Canadians, Indians and loyalist Americans from Major-General John Burgoyne's British Army against American Colonists, largely New England militia.

Commanders at the Battle of Bennington: Colonels Baum and Breyman commanded the Germans. Brigadier John Stark commanded the Americans troops.

Size of the armies at the Battle of Bennington:
Baum's force numbered 650. Stark lead around 2,000 Americans. Breyman came up with 600 men. Baum and Breyman each had two 3-pounder guns.

Uniforms, arms and equipment at the Battle of Bennington: The British wore red coats, with bearskin caps for the grenadiers, tricorne hats for the battalion companies and caps for the light infantry.

The German infantry wore blue coats and retained the Prussian style grenadier mitre cap with brass front plate.

The Americans dressed as best they could. Increasingly as the war progressed regular infantry regiments of the Continental Army wore blue uniform coats, but the militia continued in rough clothing.

The British and German troops were armed with muskets and bayonets. The Americans carried muskets, largely without bayonets. The Pennsylvania regiments and other men of the woods carried long, small calibre, rifled weapons. cannons, mostly of small calibre.

Winner of the Battle of Bennington: Resoundingly, the Americans.

Background to the Battle of Bennington:
By August 1777, Major-General John Burgoyne's army of British, German and Canadian troops was forcing its way south from Canada, down Lake Champlain, and on to Fort Edward on the Hudson River.

General Schuyler lay with the American Army to the south of the Mohawk River junction on the Hudson, covering the New York State capital, Albany. The rebel colonists' affairs in the North seemed at a low ebb, after the abject abandoning of Fort Ticonderoga and the hurried retreat south.

But Burgoyne's circumstances were far from promising. His army struggled through the heavy forest from Ticonderoga, building a road to carry the artillery and carts. The Americans systematically wasted the country, leaving Burgoyne's army short of supplies and reliable transport. Burgoyne's troops had so few horses that the Brunswick dragoons were still on foot. The difficulties proved yet another reminder of the problems of campaigning in the vast forests of North America, experienced by every British general since General Braddock in 1755.

The final blow was a letter from General Howe at New York, informing Burgoyne that the main British Army was leaving to invade Pennsylvania, rather than advancing up the Hudson River to meet him, as envisaged in the original plan for Burgoyne's campaign devised by Lord Germaine, the minister in London.

Burgoyne directed Colonel Baum to take a force to Manchester in Vermont, to the East of Fort Edward, to find horses for his dragoons and for the army's transport, to collect supplies of food and to overawe the area's rebellious colonists.

At the last moment, Baum's objective was changed to the town of Bennington, based on reports of supplies being available there.

The retreat of the American Continental Army from Fort Ticonderoga and the advance of the British Army was causing considerable alarm in Vermont and New Hampshire.

Distrusting the aristocratic New Yorker, General Schuyler, who with General St Clair was suspected of treachery in giving up Fort Ticonderoga, the New Hampshire Council formed a militia brigade commanded by Brigadier John Stark.

Stark, a veteran of the French and Indian War and the New Jersey campaign, was highly regarded in the region and colonists flocked to join his force. His brigade lay in camp at Bennington. Warner's Green Mountain Boys, licking their wounds after the Battle of Hubbardton, were at Manchester.

As the German officer Colonel Baum advanced on Bennington, his Indians ravaged the countryside. After a skirmish with a small force under Colonel Gregg, Baum advanced to the Walloomsac River outside Bennington.

From there, Baum sent a dispatch to Burgoyne, saying he intended to give battle to the Americans at Bennington. It became clear to Baum that he was substantially outnumbered by Stark's force. Baum sent further more urgent messages to Burgoyne, requesting support, and Burgoyne ordered Colonel Breyman with his regiment to march to Baum's assistance.

Account of the Battle of Bennington:
The battle took place on 16th August 1777, before Breyman's slow moving column came up.

Baum's force lay in positions around the bridge over the Walloomsac River. Some of his troops were in hastily prepared fortification on the south side of the river, while others were on the north side. The main position was a redoubt built by the Brunswick dragoons and British riflemen, on a hill half a mile back from the bridge.

For much of 16 th August, movement for both sides was held up by heavy rain. In mid-afternoon, the Americans began their assault on the dragoon redoubt; Colonel Nichols and Colonel Herrick attacking from the rear and flank.

On hearing the firing, the American Colonel Hobart attacked the Tory militia entrenched on the near side of the river and Brigadier Stark assaulted the main advanced body of German and British troops.

All of Baum's positions collapsed, most of the soldiers and Indians escaping into the woods, other than the dragoon redoubt, which became the focus of heavy fighting. Finally lack of ammunition forced a severely wounded Baum and the remnants of his dragoons to surrender. His force had been annihilated.

Sometime later, Breyman's column approached the area. Stark, with Warner's newly arrived troops, attacked the Germans and, after an initial setback, forced them to retreat. The pursuing Americans subjected the German troops to a continuous galling fire until night fell.

Casualties at the Battle of Bennington:
The German force suffered 900 casualties, killed, wounded and captured. The Americans suffered 70 casualties. The Americans captured the four guns and many small arms.

Follow-up to the Battle of Bennington:
Prior to the battle, a serious clash was impending between Congress and the New Hampshire Council, over Stark's refusal to comply with the instructions issued by Schuyler, to bring his brigade into the army on the Hudson. Following the battle Stark was appointed brigadier in the Continental Army.

Bennington was a major battle in establishing the ability of the Americans to hold their own against regular European troops. It also made Stark one of the leading soldiers of the Revolution.

As with every one of the American victories, the Battle of Bennington did much to revive the colonists' flagging morale and raise the standing of the American cause in the eyes of major European powers such as France and Spain, whose intervention in the war became increasingly likely.

The Battle of Bennington caused major casualties to Burgoyne's army that could not be replaced.
Anecdotes and traditions from the Battle of Bennington:

The Battle of Bennington is celebrated in Vermont as 'Battle Day' annually on 16th August.

Brigadier John Stark, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was the American commander at the Battle of Bennington. In 1752, Stark, while hunting, was captured by Abenaki Indians who made him run the gauntlet. Stark grabbed a club and attacked the Indians who were so impressed by his courage that he was adopted into the tribe, although later ransomed. Stark fought through the French and Indian War as an officer in Roger's Rangers. With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Stark became colonel in the New Hampshire Militia. Stark fought at the Battles of Bunker Hill, Trenton and Princeton, before returning to New Hampshire to raise more men for the Continental Army and leading the Americans at the Battle of Bennington. There are statues to John Stark on the Bennington Battle Memorial and in Stark Park, Manchester, New Hampshire.

References for the Battle of Bennington:
History of the British Army by Sir John Fortescue

The War of the Revolution by Christopher Ward

The American Revolution by Brendan Morrissey

Saratoga by Richard Ketchum
The previous battle of the American Revolutionary War is the Battle of Hubbardton The next battle of the American Revolutionary War is the Battle of Brandywine Creek To the American Revolutionary War index

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colonels baum and breyman commanded the germans. brigadier john stark

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The battle fought on 16th August 1777 that did much to raise the morale of the American colonists and made Brigadier Stark an American hero The next battle of the American Revolutionary War is the Battle of Brandywine Creek To the American Revolutionary War index War: American Revolutionary War Date of the Battle of Bennington: 16th August 1777.

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From Academic Kids

The Battle of Bennington ( August 16, 1777) was an important battle during the American Revolution in which British forces were defeated by American troops. As with many battles, the Battle of Bennington was fought not at its namesake, Bennington, Vermont, but instead a few miles over the border in New York.

British general Burgoyne was trying to push through northern Hudson River valley. After the recent British victories at Hubbardton, Fort Ticonderoga, and St. Clair, Burgoyne's plan was to defeat the American forces in the area and then continue south to Albany and on to the Connecticut River Valley, dividing the American colonies in half.

However by late July, Burgoyne's progress towards Albany had slowed to a crawl and his army's supplies began to dwindle. Burgoyne sent forth from Fort Miller a detachment of about 800 troops under the command of the German Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum. Half of Baum's detachment was made up of German mercenaries, while the other half consisted of local Loyalists, Canadians, and Indians. Baum was ordered to raid the supply depot at Bennington, which was guarded by fewer than 400 colonial militia.

On August 13th, en route to Bennington, Baum learned of the arrival in the area of 1,500 New Hampshire militia under the command of Gen. John Stark. Baum ordered his forces to stop at the Walloomsac River, about 4 miles west of Bennington. After sending a request for reinforcements to Fort Miller, Baum took advantage of the terrain and deployed his forces on the high ground. In the pouring rain, Baum's men dug in and hoped that the weather would prevent the Americans from attacking before reinforcements arrived. Deployed a few miles away, Stark decided to reconnoiter Baum's positions and wait until the weather cleared.

On the afternoon of August 16th, the weather cleared and Stark ordered his men ready to attack. Stark is reported to have rallied his troops by saying, "There are your enemies, the Red Coats and the Tories. They are ours or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow." Upon hearing that the militia had melted away into the woods, Baum assumed that the Americans were retreating or redeploying. However, Stark had recognized that Baum's forces were spread thin and decided immediately to envelop them from two sides while simultaneously charging Baum's central redoubt head-on. Stark's plan succeeded, and after a brief battle on Baum's flanks, the Loyalists and Indians fled. This left Baum and his German dragoons trapped on the high ground without any horse. The Germans fought valiantly even after running low on powder. The dragoons led a saber charge and tried to break through the enveloping forces. However, after this final charge failed and Baum was mortally wounded, the Germans surrendered.

Shortly after this battle ended, while the New Hampshire militia was disarming the German troops, Baum's reinforcements arrived. The German reinforcements, under the command of Lt. Col. Heinrich von Breymann, saw the Americans in disarray and pressed their attack immediately. After hastily regrouping, Stark's forces tried to hold their ground against the German onslaught. Fortunately for the New Hampshire militia, before their lines collapsed a group of several hundred Vermont militiamen arrived to reinforce Stark's troops. The Green Mountain Boys, commanded by Seth Warner, had just been defeated at Hubbardton by British reinforcements and were eager to exact their revenge on the enemy. Together, the New Hampshire and Vermont militias repulsed and finally routed von Breymann's force.

Total British and German losses at Bennington were recorded at 200 dead, 700 captured, compared to 40 American dead, 30 wounded. Stark's decision to intercept and destroy the raiding party before they could reach Bennington was a crucial factor in Burgoyne's eventual surrender, because it deprived his army of supplies.

The American victory at Bennington also galvanized the rebels and was a catalyst for French involvement in the war.

August 16th is a legal holiday in Vermont, Bennington Battle Day. de:Schlacht von Bennington

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The Battle of Bennington (August 16, 1777) was an important battle during the American Revolution in which British forces were defeated by American troops. As with many battles, the Battle of Bennington was fought not at its namesake, Bennington, Vermont, but instead a few miles over the border in…

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From Academic Kids

For the 1759 British victory over the French in the Seven Years War, see Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

The Battle of Quebec was an attempt on December 31, 1775 by American revolutionaries to capture the Canadian city of Quebec and enlist Canadian support for the Revolutionary War. Benedict Arnold and Richard Montgomery were the two primary American commanders in the assault, which failed. The battle put an end to any hopes of Canada rising in rebellion with the Americans.

See also: Arnold Expedition

Events

Seeking to draw Canada into the revolution, American commanders set out to seize the city of Quebec, which was held by a small garrison of 100 British regulars under the command of Guy Carleton, the Governor of Canada, and Col. Allen Maclean. The British were supported by hundreds of poorly-armed militia, using mostly muskets and a few bayonets; city fortifications were in disrepair and supplanted by wooden barricades erected within the urban districts.

Two expeditions were launched toward Quebec. Brigadier General Montgomery came up via Lake Champlain; General Benedict Arnold took his armies through the backcountry of Maine. Meanwhile, General Washington maneuvered his armies to block the British from sending reinforcements north. In late October 1775, the American forces came within view of the City of Quebec. In November 1775, Arnold took his forces across the St. Lawrence River onto the Plains of Abraham, where he summoned the city's garrison to come out and fight. (During the Seven Years War, Gen. Montcalm had done so, and was defeated.) Getting no response, Arnold attacked at night, but his forces were beaten back; many were captured, making a repeat assault impossible. With this British victory the Americans left Canada and there was never another serious attempt to bring Canadians into the American Revolution against the British.

References:

History of the British Army by Sir John Fortescue

The War of the Revolution by Christopher Ward

External links

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For the 1759 British victory over the French in the Seven Years War, see Battle of the Plains of Abraham. The Battle of Quebec was an attempt on December 31, 1775 by American revolutionaries to capture the Canadian city of Quebec and enlist Canadian support for the Revolutionary War.

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Invasion of Quebec, 1775

Part of the American Revolutionary War

The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775 ( John Trumbull, 1786)

Belligerents

United Colonies

Great Britain

Commanders and leaders

Sir Guy Carleton

Strength

10,000

700-10,000+

Casualties and losses

400 killed,
650 wounded,
1,500 captured,
5,000 infected by smallpox

100 killed,
about 230 wounded,
600 captured

The Invasion of Quebec (June 1775 - October 1776, French: Invasion du Québec) was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to seize the Province of Quebec (part of modern-day Canada) from Great Britain, and persuade French-speaking Canadiens to join the revolution on the side of the Thirteen Colonies. One expedition left Fort Ticonderoga under Richard Montgomery, besieged and captured Fort St. Johns, and very nearly captured British General Guy Carleton when taking Montreal. The other expedition, under Benedict Arnold, left Cambridge, Massachusetts and traveled with great difficulty through the wilderness of Maine to Quebec City. The two forces joined there, but they were defeated at the Battle of Quebec in December 1775.

Montgomery's expedition set out from Fort Ticonderoga in late August, and in mid-September began besieging Fort St. Johns, the main defensive point south of Montreal. After the fort was captured in November, Carleton abandoned Montreal, fleeing to Quebec City, and Montgomery took control of Montreal before heading for Quebec with an army much reduced in size by expiring enlistments. There he joined Arnold, who had left Cambridge in early September on an arduous trek through the wilderness that left his surviving troops starving and lacking in many supplies and equipment.

These forces joined before Quebec City in December, and they assaulted the city in a snowstorm on the last day of the year. The battle was a disastrous defeat for the Continental Army; Montgomery was killed and Arnold wounded, while the city's defenders suffered few casualties. Arnold then conducted an ineffectual siege on the city, during which successful propaganda campaigns boosted Loyalist sentiments, and General David Wooster's blunt administration of Montreal served to annoy both supporters and detractors of the Americans.

The objective of the American military campaign, control of the British province of Quebec, was frequently referred to as "Canada" in 1775. For example, the authorization by the Second Continental Congress to General Philip Schuyler for the campaign included language that, if it was "not disagreeable to the Canadians", to "immediately take possession of St. John's, Montreal, and any other parts of the Country", and to "pursue any other measures in Canada" that might "promote peace and security" of the colonies. Even relatively modern history books covering the campaign in detail refer to it as Canada in their titles (see references). The territory that Britain called Quebec was in large part French Canada until 1763, when France ceded it to Britain in the Treaty of Paris (1763), which formally ended the French and Indian War. (French leaders had surrendered the province to the British military in 1760.) The name "Quebec" is used in this article, except in quotations that specifically mention "Canada", to avoid confusion between this historic usage, and usage with respect to the modern nation of Canada.

Background

In the spring of 1775, the American Revolutionary War began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The conflict was then at a standstill, with the British Army surrounded by colonial militia in the siege of Boston. In May 1775, aware of the light defenses and presence of heavy weapons at the British Fort Ticonderoga, Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen led a force of colonial militia that captured Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Crown Point, and raided Fort St. Johns, all of which were only lightly defended at the time. Ticonderoga and Crown Point were garrisoned by 1,000 Connecticut militia under the command of Benjamin Hinman in June.

Congressional authorization

Following the capture of Ticonderoga, Arnold and Allen noted that it was necessary to hold Ticonderoga as a defense against attempts by the British to militarily divide the colonies, and also noted that Quebec was poorly defended. They each separately proposed expeditions against Quebec, suggesting that a force as small as 1200-1500 men would be sufficient to drive the British military from the province. Congress at first ordered the forts to be abandoned, prompting New York and Connecticut to provide troops and material for purposes that were essentially defensive in nature. Public outcries from across New England and New York challenged the Congress to change its position. When it became clear that Guy Carleton, the governor of Quebec, was fortifying Fort St. Johns, and was also attempting to involve the Iroquois in upstate New York in the conflict, Congress decided that a more active position was needed. On June 27, 1775, Congress authorized General Philip Schuyler to investigate, and, if it seemed appropriate, begin an invasion. Benedict Arnold, passed over for its command, went to Boston and convinced General George Washington to send a supporting force to Quebec City under his command.

Defensive preparations

Following the raid on Fort St. Johns, General Carleton was keenly aware of the danger of invasion from the south, and requested, without immediate relief, reinforcements from General Thomas Gage in Boston. He set about raising local militias to aid in the defense of Montreal and Quebec City, which met with only limited success. In response to the capture of Ticonderoga and the raid on Fort St. Johns, he sent 700 troops to hold that fort on the Richelieu River south of Montreal, ordered construction of vessels for use on Lake Champlain, and recruited about one hundred Mohawk to assist in its defense. He himself oversaw the defense of Montreal, leading only 150 regulars, since he relied on Fort St. Johns for the main defense. The defense of Quebec City he left under the command of Lieutenant-Governor Cramahé.

Negotiations for Indian support

Montgomery's expedition

The primary thrust of the invasion was to be led by General Schuyler, going up Lake Champlain to assault Montreal and then Quebec City. The expedition was to be composed of forces from New York, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, as well as the Green Mountain Boys under Seth Warner, with provisions supplied by New York. However, Schuyler was overcautious, and by mid-August the colonists were receiving reports that General Carleton was fortifying defensive positions outside Montreal, and that some Native tribes had joined with the British.

Approach to St. Johns

On August 25, while Schuyler was at the indigenous peoples conference, Montgomery received word that ships under construction at Fort St. Johns were nearing completion. Montgomery, taking advantage of Schuyler's absence (and in the absence of orders authorizing movement), led 1,200 troops that had mustered at Ticonderoga up to a forward position at Île aux Noix in the Richelieu River, arriving September 4. Schuyler, who was falling ill, caught up with the troops en route. He dispatched a letter to James Livingston, a Canadian prepared to raise local militia forces in support of the American effort, to circulate in the area south of Montreal. The next day, the forces went down the river to Fort St. Johns, where, after seeing the defenses and a brief skirmish in which both sides suffered casualties, they withdrew to Île aux Noix. The skirmish, which involved mostly indigenous people on the British side, was not supported from the fort, prompting the Indians to withdraw from the conflict. Any additional indigenous support for the British was further halted by the timely arrival of Oneidas in the area, who intercepted a Mohawk war party on the move from Caughnawaga toward St. John's. The Oneidas convinced the party to return to their village, where Guy Johnson, Daniel Claus, and Joseph Brant had arrived in an attempt to gain the Mohawks' assistance. Refusing to meet directly with Johnson and Claus, the Oneidas explained to Brant and the Mohawks the terms of the Albany agreement. Brant and the British agents left without any promises of support. (In a more formal snub of the British, the war belt that Guy Johnson gave to the Iroquois in July was turned over to the American Indian commissioners in December 1775.)

Following this first skirmish, General Schuyler became too ill to continue, so he turned command over to Montgomery. Schuyler left for Fort Ticonderoga several days later. After another false start, and the arrival of another 800-1000 men from Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York, as well as some of the Green Mountain Boys, Montgomery finally began besieging Fort St. Johns on September 17, cutting off its communications with Montreal and capturing supplies intended for the fort. Ethan Allen was captured the following week in the Battle of Longue-Pointe, when, overstepping instructions to merely raise local militia, he attempted to take Montreal with a small force of men. This event resulted in a brief upturn in militia support for the British; but the effects were relatively short-lived, with many deserting again in the following days. After an attempt by General Carleton to relieve the siege failed on October 30, the fort finally surrendered on November 3.

Occupation of Montreal begins

Before departing Montreal for Quebec City, Montgomery published messages to the inhabitants that the Congress wanted Quebec to join them, and entered into discussions with American sympathizers with the aim of holding a provincial convention for the purpose of electing delegates to Congress. He also wrote to General Schuyler, requesting that a Congressional delegation be sent to take up diplomatic activities.

Much of Montgomery's army departed due to expiring enlistments after the fall of Montreal. He then used some of the captured boats to move towards Quebec City with about 300 troops on November 28, leaving about 200 in Montreal under the command of General David Wooster. Along the way, he picked up James Livingston's newly created 1st Canadian Regiment of about 200 men.

Arnold's expedition

Benedict Arnold, who had been rejected for leadership of the Champlain Valley expedition, returned to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and approached George Washington with the idea of a supporting eastern invasion force aimed at Quebec City. Washington approved the idea, and gave Arnold 1,100 men, including Daniel Morgan's riflemen, for the effort. Arnold's force sailed from Newburyport, Massachusetts to the mouth of the Kennebec River and then upriver to Fort Western (present day Augusta, Maine).

Arnold's expedition was a success in that he was able to bring a body of troops to the gates of Quebec City. However, the expedition was beset by troubles as soon as it left the last significant outposts of civilization in present-day Maine. There were numerous difficult portages as the troops moved up the Kennebec River, and the boats they were using frequently leaked, spoiling gunpowder and food supplies. The height of land between the Kennebec and the Chaudière River was a swampy tangle of lakes and streams, where the traversal was complicated by bad weather, resulting in one quarter of the troops turning back. The descent down the Chaudière resulted in the destruction of more boats and supplies as the inexperienced troops were unable to control the boats in the fast-moving waters.

By the time Arnold reached the outskirts of civilization along the Saint Lawrence River in November, his force was reduced to 600 starving men. They had traveled almost 400 miles through untracked wilderness. When Arnold and his troops finally reached the Plains of Abraham on November 14, Arnold sent a negotiator with a white flag to demand their surrender, but to no avail. The Americans, with no cannons, and barely fit for action, faced a fortified city. Arnold, after hearing of a planned sortie from the city, decided on November 19 to withdraw to Pointe-aux-Trembles to wait for Montgomery, who had recently captured Montreal. As he headed upriver, Carleton returned to Quebec by river following his defeat at Montreal.

On December 2, Montgomery finally came down the river from Montreal with 500 troops, bringing captured British supplies and winter clothing. The two forces united, and plans were made for an attack on the city. Three days later the Continental Army again stood on the Plains of Abraham and began to besiege the city of Quebec.

Battle and siege of Quebec

While planning the attack on the city, Christophe Pélissier, a Frenchman living near Trois-Rivières, came to meet with Montgomery. Pélissier, who was politically supportive of the American cause, operated an ironworks at Saint-Maurice. Montgomery discussed the idea of holding the provincial convention with him. Pélissier recommended against holding a convention until after Quebec City had been taken, as the habitants would not feel free to act in that way until their security was better assured. The two did agree to have Pélissier's ironworks provide munitions for the siege, which he did until the Americans retreated in May 1776 (at which time Pélissier also fled, eventually returning to France).

Montgomery joined Arnold and James Livingston in an assault on Quebec City during a snowstorm on December 31, 1775. Outnumbered and lacking any sort of tactical advantage, the Americans were soundly defeated by Carleton. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was wounded, and many men were taken prisoner, including Daniel Morgan. Following the battle, Arnold sent Moses Hazen and Edward Antill, another expatriate American, to report the defeat and request support to Wooster in Montreal, and also to the Congress in Philadelphia.

Carleton chose not to pursue the Americans, opting instead to stay within the fortifications of the city, and await reinforcements that might be expected to arrive when the river thawed in the spring. Arnold maintained a somewhat ineffectual siege over the city, until March 1776, when he was ordered to Montreal and replaced by General Wooster. During these months, the besieging army suffered from difficult winter conditions, and smallpox began to travel more significantly through the camp. These losses were offset by the arrival each month of small companies of reinforcements. On March 14, Jean-Baptiste Chasseur, a miller living downstream from the city, entered Quebec and informed Carleton that there were 200 men on the south side of the river ready to act against the Americans. These men and more were mobilized, but an advance force was defeated in the Battle of Saint-Pierre by a detachment of pro-American local militia that were stationed on the south side of the river.

Congress, even before it learned of the defeat at Quebec, had authorized as many as 6,500 additional troops for service there. Throughout the winter, troops trickled into Montreal and the camp outside Quebec City. By the end of March, the besieging army had grown to almost 3,000, although almost one quarter of these were unfit for service, mainly due to smallpox. An American veteran of the invasion, John Joseph Henry, later recalled that American troops inoculated themselves against smallpox during the campaign "by laceration under the finger nails by means of pins or needles." This practice continued ever after military officials attempted to prohibit it, as it was reducing the invasion force's combat efficiency. Furthermore, James Livingston and Moses Hazen, commanding the 500 Canadians in the army, were pessimistic about the loyalty of their men and the cooperation of the population due to persistent Loyalist propaganda.

Congress was conflicted about requests that Arnold made for a more experienced general officer to lead the siege effort. They first chose Charles Lee, a major general with experience in the British Army, to lead the troops in Quebec in January. One week later, they retracted the step, and instead sent Lee into the southern states to direct efforts against an anticipated British attack there. (The British attempt was thwarted in the June 1776 Battle of Sullivan's Island.) They finally settled in March 1776 on Major General John Thomas, who had served in the army besieging Boston.

Discontent in Montreal

When General Montgomery left Montreal for Quebec City, he left the administration of the city in the hands of Connecticut's Brigadier General David Wooster. While Wooster at first had decent relations with the community, he took a number of steps that caused the local population to come to dislike the American military presence. After promising American ideals to the population, he began arresting Loyalists and threatening arrest and punishment of anyone opposed to the American cause. He also disarmed several communities, and attempted to force local militia members to surrender their Crown commissions. Those who refused were arrested and imprisoned at Fort Chambly. These and similar acts, combined with the fact that the Americans were paying for supplies and services with paper money rather than coin, served to disillusion the local population about the entire American enterprise. On March 20, Wooster left to take command of the forces at Quebec City, leaving Moses Hazen, who had raised the 2nd Canadian Regiment, in command of Montreal until Arnold arrived on April 19.

On April 29, a delegation consisting of three members of the Continental Congress, along with an American Jesuit priest, John Carroll (later the first Catholic bishop in the United States) and a French printer from Philadelphia, arrived in Montreal. The Continental Congress had assigned this delegation the tasks of assessing the situation in Quebec and attempting to sway public opinion to their cause. This delegation, which included Benjamin Franklin, was largely unsuccessful in its efforts, as relations were already significantly damaged. The delegation had not brought any hard currency to alleviate debts to the population that were accumulating. Efforts to turn the Catholic clergy to their cause failed, as the local priests pointed out that the Quebec Act passed by the British Parliament had given them what they wanted. Fleury Mesplet, the printer, while he had set up his press, did not have time to produce anything before events began to overtake the delegation. Franklin and Carroll left Montreal on May 11, following news that the American forces at Quebec City were in panicked retreat, to return to Philadelphia. Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll, the other two delegates, analyzed the military situation in the area south and east of Montreal, finding it a good place to set up a defense. On May 27, they wrote a report to Congress on the situation, and left for the south.

Upriver from Montreal were a series of small British garrisons that the Americans had not concerned themselves with during the occupation. As spring approached, bands of Cayuga, Seneca, and Mississauga warriors began to gather at Oswegatchie, one of these garrisons, giving the commander there, Captain George Forster, a force with which to cause trouble for the Americans. Forster had recruited them on the recommendation of a Loyalist who had escaped from Montreal. Furthermore, while General Wooster, much to the annoyance of both Patriot and Loyalist merchants, had refused to permit trade with the Indians upriver out of fear that supplies sent in that direction would be used by the British forces there, the congressional delegation reversed his decision and supplies began flowing out of the city up the river.

To prevent the flow of supplies to the British forces upriver, and in response to rumours of indigenous peoples gathering, Moses Hazen detached Colonel Timothy Bedel and 390 men to a position 40 miles (64 km) upriver at Les Cèdres (English: The Cedars), where they built a stockaded defense works. Colonel Forster was made aware of these movements by Indian spies and Loyalists, and on May 15 began to move downriver with a mixed force of about 250 Natives, militia, and regulars. In an odd series of encounters known as the Battle of the Cedars, Bedel's lieutenant Isaac Butterfield surrendered this entire force without a fight on the 18th, and another 100 men brought as reinforcements also surrendered after a brief skirmish on the 19th.

Quinze-Chênes

On receiving news of Butterfield's capture, Arnold immediately began assembling a force to recover them, which he entrenched in a position at Lachine, just upriver from Montreal. Forster, who had left the captives in the stockade at Les Cèdres, moved closer to Montreal with a force now numbering around 500, until May 24 when he received intelligence of Arnold's location, and that Arnold was expecting additional forces which would significantly outnumber his. Since his force was dwindling in size, he negotiated an agreement with his captives to exchange them for British prisoners taken during the siege of Fort St. Johns. After a brief exchange of cannon fire at Quinze-Chênes, Arnold also agreed to the exchange, which took place between May 27 and 30.

Reinforcements arrive at Quebec City

American troops

General John Thomas was unable to move north until late April, due to the icy conditions on Lake Champlain. Concerned about reports of troop readiness and sickness, he made requests to Washington for additional men to follow him while he waited for conditions to improve. Upon his arrival in Montreal, he learned that many men had promised to stay only until April 15, and most of these were insistent on returning home. This was compounded by relatively low enrollments in regiments actually raised for service in Quebec. One regiment with an authorized strength of 750, sailed north with but 75 men. These deficiencies prompted Congress to order Washington to send more troops north. In late April, Washington ordered ten regiments, led by Generals William Thompson and John Sullivan, to go north from New York. This significantly reduced Washington's forces that were preparing for a British attack there. This also exposed transport problems: there were insufficient sailing hands on Lakes George and Champlain to easily move all of these men. Furthermore, there was also a shortage of supplies in Quebec, and much of the shipping was needed to move provisions instead of men. As a result, Sullivan's men were held up at Ticonderoga, and Sullivan did not reach Sorel until the beginning of June.

General Wooster arrived in the American camp outside Quebec City in early April with reinforcements. Reinforcements continued to arrive from the south in modest numbers, until General Thomas arrived at the end of April and assumed command of a force that was nominally over 2,000 strong, but in reality was significantly diminished by the effects of smallpox and the hardships of the Canadian winter. Rumors began circulating on May 2 that British ships were coming up the river. Thomas decided on May 5 to evacuate the sick to Trois-Rivières, with the rest of the forces to withdraw as soon as practical. Late on that day he received intelligence that 15 ships were 40 leagues below the city, awaiting favorable conditions to come up the river. The pace of camp evacuation took on a sense of urgency early the next day when ship's masts were spotted; the wind had changed, and 3 ships of the fleet had reached the city.

British troops

After news of Lexington and Concord reached London, the government of Lord North, realizing it would require the support of foreign troops to combat the rebellion, began negotiating with European allies for the use of their troops in North America. Requests to Catherine the Great for Russian troops were refused, but a number of German principalities were prepared to offer theirs. Of the 50,000 troops that Britain raised in 1776, nearly one third came from a handful of these principalities; the number of troops from Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Hanau caused them to be widely referred to as Hessians. Of these 50,000, about 11,000 were destined for service in Quebec. Troops from Hesse-Hanau and Brunswick-Lüneburg sailed in February 1776 for Cork, where they joined a convoy carrying British troops that sailed in early April.

Carleton, having been informed of pace of activity in the American camp, rapidly unloaded reinforcements from the arrived ships, and around noon marched with a force of about 900 troops to test the Americans. The American response was essentially panic; a disorganized retreat began that might have ended even more disastrously for the Americans had Carleton pressed his advantage. Hoping to win over the rebels with a lenient attitude, he was content to send ships up the river to harass the Americans, and to possibly cut them off. He also captured a number of Americans, mostly sick and wounded, but also a detachment of troops that had been abandoned on the south side of the St. Lawrence. The Americans, in their hurry to get away, left numerous valuable military effects, including cannon and gunpowder, in their wake. They regrouped on the 7th at Deschambault, about 40 miles upriver from Quebec City. Thomas held a war council there, in which most of the leadership favored retreat. Thomas opted to retain 500 men at Deschambault while sending the rest to Sorel, and also sent word to Montreal for assistance, since many of the troops had little more than the clothes on their backs and a few days rations.

The Congressional delegation in Montreal, upon hearing this news, determined that holding the Saint Lawrence would no longer be possible, and dispatched only a small number of troops toward Deschambault. Thomas, after waiting for six days for word from Montreal and hearing none, began to withdraw toward Trois-Rivières, but not before having to fight off skirmishers from forces landed from British ships on the river. They reached Trois-Rivières on May 15, where they left the sick, and a detachment of New Jersey troops to defend them. By the 18th, the remaining troops joined reinforcements under General Thompson at Sorel, where on the 21st, a council was held with the Congressional delegates. Thomas contracted smallpox that same day, and died on June 2. He was replaced by Thompson.

Carleton's counteroffensive

Trois-Rivières

On May 6, 1776, a small squadron of British ships under Captain Charles Douglas had arrived to relieve Quebec with supplies and 3,000 troops, precipitating the Americans' retreat to Sorel. However, General Carleton did not take significant offensive measures until May 22, when he sailed to Trois-Rivières with the 47th and 29th regiments. While hearing news of Forster's success at Les Cèdres, instead of pushing ahead he returned to Quebec City, leaving Allen Maclean in command at Trois-Rivières. There he met Lieutenant General John Burgoyne, who had arrived on June 1 with a large force of mostly Irish recruits, Hessian allies, and a war chest of money.

The Americans at Sorel, on receiving word that a force of "only 300 men" was at Trois-Rivières, thought that they should be able to send a force from Sorel to take Trois-Rivières back. Unaware that major British reinforcements had arrived, and ignorant of the geography around the town, General Thompson led 2,000 men first into a swamp, and then into the teeth of a reinforced, entrenched British army. This disaster included the capture of Thompson and many of his senior officers, as well as 200 men and most of the ships used for the expedition, and forecast the end of the American occupation of Quebec. The American forces at Sorel, now under the command of General Sullivan, retreated. Carleton once again did not press his advantage, even going so far as to eventually return the captives to New York, in great comfort, in August.

Retreat to Crown Point

Early on June 14, Carleton finally sailed his army up the river to Sorel. Arriving late in the day, they discovered that the Americans had abandoned Sorel just that morning, and were retreating up the Richelieu River valley toward Chambly and St. Johns. Unlike the departure from Quebec City, the Americans left in a somewhat orderly manner, although some units were separated from the main force by the arrival of Carleton's fleet, and were forced to march to Montreal to join Arnold's forces. Carleton directed General Burgoyne and 4,000 troops to move up the Richelieu after the retreating Americans, while Carleton continued sailing toward Montreal.

In Montreal, Arnold was ignorant of the events taking place downriver, having recently finished dealing with Forster. A messenger he sent downriver toward Sorel on June 15 for news from General Sullivan spotted Carleton's fleet, escaped to shore, and returned with the news to Montreal on a stolen horse. Within four hours, Arnold and the American forces garrisoned around Montreal had abandoned the city (but not before trying to burn it down), leaving it in the hands of the local militia. Carleton's fleet arrived in Montreal on June 17.

Arnold's troops caught up with the main army near St. Johns on the 17th. Sullivan's army was in no condition to fight, and after a brief council, the decision was made to retreat to Crown Point. The army reportedly got away from St. Johns almost literally moments before the vanguard of Burgoyne's army arrived on the scene.

The remains of the American army arrived at Crown Point in early July, ending a campaign that was described as "a heterogeneal concatenation of the most peculiar and unparalleled rebuffs and sufferings that are perhaps to be found in the annals of any nation", by Isaac Senter, a doctor who experienced much of the campaign. Unfortunately for the Americans, the campaign was not quite ended, since the British were still on the move.

Shipbuilding and politics

The Americans had been careful at every step of the retreat up the Richelieu and across Lake Champlain to deny the British of any significant shipping, burning or sinking any boats they did not take with them. This forced the British to spend several months building ships. Carleton reported to London on September 28 that "I expect our Fleet will soon sail with hopes of success should they come to action". General Arnold, when he and Ethan Allen captured Fort Ticonderoga, had established a small navy that was still patrolling Lake Champlain.

While the British assembled a navy to counteract Arnold's, Carleton dealt with matters in Montreal. Even before the Americans retreated from Quebec City, he formed committees to look into the roles played by local Patriot sympathizers, sending them out into the countryside to arrest active participants in the American action, including those who had detained Loyalists. When he arrived in Montreal, similar commissions were set up.

Valcour Island

General Horatio Gates was given command of the Continental Army's northern forces in early July. He promptly moved the bulk of the army to Ticonderoga, leaving a force of about 300 at Crown Point. The army was busied improving the defenses at Ticonderoga, while Arnold was given the task of building up the American fleet at Crown Point. Throughout the summer, reinforcements poured into Ticonderoga, until the army was estimated to be 10,000 strong. A smaller army of shipwrights labored at Skenesborough (present-day Whitehall) to build the ships needed to defend the lake.

Carleton began to move on October 7. By the 9th, the British fleet was on Lake Champlain. In a naval action between Valcour Island and the western shore, beginning on October 11, the British inflicted heavy damage to Arnold's fleet, forcing him to withdraw to Crown Point. Feeling that Crown Point would be inadequate protection against a sustained British attack, he then withdrew to Ticonderoga. British forces occupied Crown Point on October 17.

Carleton's troops remained at Crown Point for two weeks, with some troops advancing to within three miles of Ticonderoga, apparently in an attempt to draw Gates' army out. On November 2, they pulled out of Crown Point and withdrew to winter quarters in Quebec.

The invasion of Quebec ended as a disaster for the Americans, but Arnold's actions on the retreat from Quebec and his improvised navy on Lake Champlain were widely credited with delaying a full-scale British counter thrust until 1777.Numerous factors were put forward as reasons for the invasion's failure, including the high rate of smallpox among American troops. Carleton was heavily criticized by Burgoyne for not pursuing the American retreat from Quebec more aggressively. Due to these criticisms and the fact that Carleton was disliked by Lord George Germain, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies and the official in King George's government responsible for directing the war, command of the 1777 offensive was given to General Burgoyne instead (an action that prompted Carleton to tender his resignation as Governor of Quebec).

Several hundred men of British and French descent continued to serve in the ranks of the Continental Army following the retreat of 1776. Under Livingston and Hazen, they served in various theaters of the war, including the siege of Yorktown. Being unable to recover the property they lost in the Province of Quebec, many remained in the army out of necessity and continually pushed American political and military authorities to live up to their financial pledges. At war's end, Canadiens reunited with women and children who had survived on rations in Albany and Fishkill, New York; some accepted the opportunity to settle a northern New York tract designated for "refugees" from Canada and Nova Scotia.

During the Paris peace talks, the American negotiators unsuccessfully demanded all of Quebec as part of the war spoils. Benjamin Franklin, primarily interested in the Ohio Country, which had been made part of Quebec by the Quebec Act of 1774, suggested in the peace talks that Quebec should be surrendered to America but only the Ohio Country was ceded.

In the War of 1812 the Americans launched another invasion of British North America, and again expected the local populace to support them. That failed invasion is now regarded as a significant event in Canadian history; it has even been claimed as the birth of modern Canadian identity.

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Invasion of Quebec (1775) Facts for Kids

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Invasion of Quebec, 1775 Part of the American Revolutionary War The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775 ( John Trumbull, 1786) Belligerents United Colonies Great Britain Commanders and leaders Sir Guy Carleton Strength 10,000 700-10,000+ Casualties and losses 400 killed, 650 wounded, 1,500 captured, 5,000 infected by smallpox 100 killed, about 230 wounded, 600 captured The Invasion of Quebec (June 1775 - October 1776, French: Invasion du Québec) was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

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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."

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Battle of Quebec 1775: Date & American Revolution - HISTORY

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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.

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The United States was founded on the ideas of fairness, liberty, and equality for all. These ideas were written down in a document called the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States.

It was approved by Congress on July 4, 1776, and it tells the people that they are free from British rule.

It tells why Congress voted unanimously to end allegiance to Great Britain on July 2nd.

Why was the Declaration of Independence written?

The Americans in the 13 colonies were British citizens, but the British parliament and king treated them in terrible ways. The American colonists tried to argue the laws that were passed by the British Parliament, but they just made things worse for themselves. Keep reading to learn more Declaration of Independence facts.

Eventually, a group of Americans decided to fight back. They wanted independence from Britain because it was unfair how they were being treated.

The colonists were being unfairly taxed to fund British wars. They were tired of feeding and housing British soldiers without compensation. Americans didn't want to obey British laws without any representation in Parliament.

Events changed when people knew they were fighting against a king. They had been trying to make peace with the king, but now they know they need to fight against him. They now had a cause to fight for, and their hearts and hands could work together.

The Second Continental Congress

The 13 colonies wanted to talk about how England was treating them. Representatives from each colony went to the Second Continental Congress and had important discussions. Europe was called "the Continent", that is why this congress was called like that.

Some people thought that they should take action and some said no, but finally the Committee of Five wrote a letter to tell King George III that they did not want to be British colonies anymore.

To be or not to be a colony

Here are some of the advantages of being independent of the British:

France might help Americans with the fight.

The soldiers captured might not be seen as spies or rebels. This would make it hard for King George III to make an example out of them and stop other colonists from fighting against him.

Independence would unite different areas of the colonies that had been arguing with each other about what they wanted.

On the other hand, being independent had some disadvantages:

Americans might lose friends in Britain whosupported their cause but not independence.

If they failed, the leaders of the Revolution might be executed as traitors.

The colonies were poorly prepared for war because they did not have weapons to fight.

The chances of winning this war were slim because Americans would be cutting themselves off from the biggest free empire in the world if they won! The colonists had a sentimental attachment to their homeland which made them nervous about leaving it behind. Nevertheless, the decision to declare independence was made.

July 4, 1776

It was really on July 2, 1776, that the Continental Congress declared its freedom from Britain. John Adams thought that this day would be a national holiday for many generations to come.

To finalize the decision, they needed to have a document explaining what happened. The Committee of Five (John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson) spent time coming up with the Declaration Of Independence in draft form.

It took two days for the document to be ready. That is why the United States of America celebrates its independence on July 4th.

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was given the job of writing the Declaration of Independence by Congress. Thomas Jefferson wrote it in four days, but he didn't finish it yet.

Here are the first words he wrote on it:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation...
Thomas Jefferson
The Declaration of Independence (1776)

Jefferson made two more edits over the next two weeks. Then he gave ohn Adams and Benjamin Franklin a copy to read before they went to the next meeting with Congress.

The signers

Signing the Declaration of Independence was very dangerous. People would have been killed if they got caught doing it.

John Hancock was the first one to sign on July 4, 1776. At the time, he was also President of the Continental Congress.

Not one of the men who signed it was born in America. The other signatures were added later, and Matthew Thornton from New Hampshire last signed on November 4, 1776.

The Declaration is shared

John Dunlap was an American printer who was asked to make about 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence. Only 26 of those have survived until today.

George Washington, who was later to be the first American President, ordered that it be read before the American Army when it was first printed. The First Public reading of the Declaration was in Philadelphia's Independence Square, on July 8, 1776.

Curious fact: The first years of the Declaration

The Declaration of Independence did not get enough respect when it was first made. The Federalists (like John Adams) and the Republicans (like Thomas Jefferson) fought all over it. But it became more popular after the Federalists disappeared from politics after 1812.

The five parts of the Declaration of Independence

The document is composed of five main divisions:

Introduction

Preamble

The King George III indictment

The British denunciation

Conclusion

The contents of the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence said that the king had not let the colonies have their freedom. He took away their rights and did not let them make decisions. This is why we had a revolution.

The Declaration of Independence also said that Parliament never had complete control over the colonies. The British crown had the right to enforce rules, but it did this only under a contract with the Americans. George III broke this contract many times, and so the right to revolution was invoked.

The Declaration says people should be able to have their own government. The Declaration of Independence has some phrases that are still used today. One is "All men are created equal". This means we all have rights, like life and freedom. Another phrase is "We hold these truths to be self-evident". This means that it was clear and easy to understand the rights people had.

Main ideas in the Declaration of Independence

1. The Declaration states that the Americans are a different people than the British, and not just as members of their colony. The people are not a group, but many separate individuals.

2. The government needs to know what made them want to break away from Great Britain. They need to dissolve the ties between themselves and the British government so they can be in a state of nature again with no one on top telling them what to do.

3. The Founders of our country wanted to give rights that people would always have. They said that these rights are inalienable, which means you cannot lose them. These rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, among others.

4. The Declaration also says that governments should protect the rights of citizens. If they do not, then people will try to overthrow them.

5. The document states that the government should make people happy and safe. The people can change any form of government that is bad, like when Americans did against the British when they were bad.

The Declaration of Independence today

Since Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration, many groups have read it and found different things. The Declaration is important because it explains some of America's most basic beliefs. But the Declaration doesn't make any laws today.

If you want to see the original copy of the Declaration of Independence, you can visit the Rotunda for Charters of Freedom in Washington, D.C.

Inspiration for everybody

The Declaration of Independence has also been inspiring outside the United States. It encouraged people to fight for their independence from Spain in Latin America. It was quoted with enthusiasm during the French Revolution.

The Declaration of Independence is a great historical landmark because it contains the first assertion by a whole people of their right to choose their government.
Read about French Revolution
Sources

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Declaration of Independence Facts for Kids | History, Jefferson, Hancock

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The United States was founded on the ideas of fairness, liberty, and equality for all. These ideas were written down in a document called the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States.

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The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress of the British colonies in North America adopted the declaration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The document proclaimed that the 13 original colonies of America were "free and independent states." It was the last of a series of steps that led the colonies to final separation from Great Britain.

At the time the American Revolution began with Great Britain in April 1775 most colonists were not seeking independence. They simply wanted the British government to listen to their complaints. But as the war continued, many colonists began to favor freedom from British rule.

New reasons for independence from Great Britain appeared regularly. In August 1775 King George III declared that the colonists were rebels and hired foreign troops to fight them. The British attacked the coast of Maine and did great damage in Virginia. In January 1776 Thomas Paine published the pamphlet Common Sense. It pointed out how the colonists were being mistreated by the king. Many copies of the pamphlet were sold, and support for independence grew.

On June 7 Richard Henry Lee, a Virginian, asked the Continental Congress to consider declaring independence from Great Britain. The Congress appointed a committee of five to write the formal declaration. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft. A few changes were suggested by other members of the committee: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston.

On July 2, 1776, Congress accepted the idea of independence. Congress then debated the content of the declaration over the next two days. On July 4 the Declaration of Independence was accepted by the representatives of 12 states. The New York delegation accepted it 11 days later. It was first published in newspapers and read aloud to crowds in towns throughout the colonies. Members of Congress signed the official parchment document on August 2. The document first lists the complaints against the English king and then makes the actual declaration.

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The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress of the British colonies in North America adopted the...

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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The Battle of Trenton was a small but crucial American Revolutionary War battle that took place on the morning of December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. After General George Washington crossed the Delaware River north of Trenton the previous night, he led the main body of the Continental Army against Hessian soldiers stationed at Trenton. After a short battle, almost two-thirds of the Hessian force was captured with few losses to the Americans.

Before the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army had suffered several defeats in New York and had been forced to retreat through New Jersey to Pennsylvania. Morale (confidence during hard times) in the army was low. To end the year on a positive note, George Washington-Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army-designed a plan to cross the Delaware River on the night of December 25-26 and surround the Hessians' garrison.

Because the river was icy and the weather was severe, the crossing was dangerous. Two groups of soldiers were unable to cross the river, leaving Washington with only 2,400 men under his command in the attack. This was 3,000 fewer than he had planned to have. The army marched 9 miles (14.5 km) south to Trenton. The Hessians, thinking they were safe from the Americans' army, had lowered their guard and had no long-distance outposts or patrols. Washington's forces caught them off guard. After a short but fierce resistance, most of the Hessians surrendered and were captured. About one-third escaped across Assunpink Creek.

Even though the battle did not involve a large number of soldiers, the victory inspired patriots and sympathizers of the newly formed United States. Because so many were questioning whether or not the revolution would be successful just a week earlier, the army had seemed like it was about to collapse. The dramatic victory inspired soldiers to serve longer and attracted new recruits to the ranks.

Background

In the 1760s, the American colonies started a revolution because they wanted to become independent from English rule. The English wanted to remain in control of the American colonies. This is what had begun the Revolutionary War in 1775. By 1776, American soldiers had been fighting the British for over a year, and the morale was extremely low. The Americans had been pushed out of New York by the British and their hired Hessian auxiliaries (a group of soldiers who are serving a nation at war but are not part of the regular army). The Continental Army had been forced to retreat across New Jersey. Ninety percent of the Continental Army soldiers who had served at Long Island were gone. Soldiers had deserted, feeling that independence from England was no longer possible. Even Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, had expressed some doubts, writing to his cousin in Virginia, "I think the game is pretty near up."

At the time, a small town in New Jersey called Trenton was occupied by four regiments of Hessian soldiers (numbering about 1,500 men). The Hessian soldiers were commanded by Colonel Johann Rall.

On December 20, 1776, about 2,000 troops led by General Sullivan arrived in Washington's camp. They had been under the command of Charles Lee and had been moving slowly through northern New Jersey when Lee was captured. That same day, an additional 800 troops arrived from Fort Ticonderoga under the command of Horatio Gates. Washington's army now contained 2,400 men. The infantry divisions were commanded by Major Generals Nathanael Greene and John Sullivan. The artillery division was under the direction of Brigadier General Henry Knox.

Intelligence

George Washington had placed a spy named John Honeyman, posing as a Tory, in Trenton. Honeyman had served with Major General James Wolfe in Quebec at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham on September 13, 1759, and had no trouble being able to pose as a Tory. Honeyman was a butcher and bartender who traded with the British and Hessians. This helped him to gather intelligence (collect facts about an opposing army) and to convince the Hessians that the Continental Army was in such a low state of morale that they would not attack Trenton. Shortly before Christmas, Honeyman arranged to be captured by the Continental Army. They, of course, had orders to bring him to Washington unharmed. After being questioned by Washington, he was imprisoned in a hut to be tried as a Tory in the morning, but a small fire broke out nearby, enabling him to "escape." This plan allowed Honeyman to give Washington any news he had without the Hessians suspecting anything.

During the week before the battle, the U.S. sent small groups of soldiers to ambush enemy cavalry patrols. The U.S. soldiers captured despatch riders and attacked Hessian guards.

The U.S. plan depended on being able to attack at the same time from three different directions.

General John Cadwalader would cross at Dunk's Ferry and start an attack against the British garrison at Bordentown, New Jersey, to block off British reinforcements from the south and to create a diversion.

Washington's main-attack force of 2,400 men would cross the river 9 mi (14 km) north of Trenton and split into two groups. Generals Greene and Sullivan would begin attacking before dawn. Sullivan would attack the town from the south and Greene from the north. Depending on the success of the operation, the Americans would possibly follow up with separate attacks on Princeton and New Brunswick.

General James Ewing would take 700 militia across the river further south at Trenton Ferry, seize the bridge over the Assunpink Creek, and prevent enemy troops from escaping.

Washington ordered Ewing and his Pennsylvania militia to try to get information on Hessian movements and technology. Ewing instead made three successful raids across the river. On December 17 and 18, 1776, they attacked an outpost of jägers, and on the 21st, they set fire to several houses. Washington had soldiers constantly watching all possible crossings near the Continental Army encampment on the Delaware River because he believed William Howe would attack from the north if the river froze over.

Hessian moves

On December 14, 1776, the Hessians arrived in Trenton to set up their winter quarters. At the time, Trenton was a small town with about 100 houses and two main streets: King (now Warren) Street and Queen (now Broad) Street. Carl von Donop, the Hessian Colonel Johann Rall's superior, had marched south to Mount Holly on December 22 to fight with some New Jersey militia there on December 23.

Donop despised Rall and did not want to give command of Trenton to Rall while he was in Mount Holly. Rall was known to be loud and unfamiliar with the English language, but he was also a 36-year soldier with a great deal of battle experience. His request for reinforcements had been turned down by British commander General James Grant, who thought the American rebels were poor soldiers. Despite Rall's experience, the Hessians at Trenton did not admire their commander.

Trenton did not have city walls or fortifications, which was normal for U.S. settlements. Some Hessian officers had suggested to Rall that it would be wise to fortify the town, and two of his engineers had advised that a redoubt be built at the upper end of town and fortifications be built along the river. The engineers even drew up the plans, but Rall disagreed with them. When Rall was again urged to fortify the town, he replied, "Let them come...We will go at them with the bayonet."

As Christmas Day approached, Loyalists and deserters told the Hessians that the Americans were planning to come across the river and that they were preparing rations for the soldiers. This news worried Rall. He acted like a confident leader, but he secretly wrote letters to his superiors to tell them that he felt as if the Americans could attack at any moment. He asked that British troops come to help by establishing a garrison in Maidenhead (now Lawrenceville). He felt that because Trenton was "indefensible," a nearby garrison would help defend the roads from Americans. The British denied his request.

The main Hessian force of 1,500 men was divided into three regiments led by Knyphausen, Lossberg, and Rall. That night, they did not send out any patrols because of the severe weather.

Crossing and march

At approximately 11:00 p.m. on Christmas Day, Washington and his soldiers began to cross the Delaware River. Each soldier carried 60 rounds of ammunition (bullets) and three days of rations for the battle. The soldiers, with John Glover in command, began to cross the river in Durham boats. The horses and artillery crossed on large ferries. Though several men fell overboard during the crossing, no one died, and all the artillery pieces made it over in good condition.

The rain had changed to sleet and then to snow as temperatures dropped. This put the entire mission behind schedule. The crossing into New Jersey, which was supposed to be completed by midnight, was not completed until 3:00 a.m. Washington realized that it was too late to be able to attack Trenton before dawn.

At 4:00 am, Washington's soldiers began to march toward Trenton. Along the way, several civilians joined as volunteers and led as guides (such as John Mott) because of their knowledge of the land. The soldiers marched to Birmingham (now West Trenton) together and then split forces. Greene's force headed east to approach Trenton by the Scotch and Pennington Roads. Sullivan headed southwest to approach by way of River Road.

Many of the troops did not have boots, so they were forced to wear rags around their feet. Some of the men's feet bled, turning the snow to a dark red. Two men died on the march. As they marched, Washington rode up and down the line, encouraging the men to continue. General Sullivan sent a courier to tell Washington that the weather was wetting his men's gunpowder. Washington replied, "Tell General Sullivan to use the bayonet. I am resolved to take Trenton."

About 2 miles (3 km) outside the town, the main companies were startled by the sudden appearance of armed men, but they were American. The men, led by Adam Stephen, had not known about the plan to attack Trenton and had attacked a Hessian outpost. Washington feared that his element of surprise was taken and shouted at Steven, "You, sir! You, sir, may have ruined all my plans by having them put on their guard!" The attack on the Hessian outpost ended up working in Washington's favor. In the event, Rall thought the first raid led by Adam Stephen was the attack which Grant had warned him about, and that there would be no more action that day.

At 8:00 a.m., Washington led an assault on a Hession outpost at a copper shop on Pennington Road, about one mile northwest of Trenton. As the Hessian commander of the outpost, Lieutenant Andreas Wiederholdt, left the shop, an American fired at him but missed. Wiederholdt immediately shouted, "Der Feind!" (The Enemy!) and other Hessians came out. The Americans and the Hessians exchanged fire and the Hessians began to retreat from the outpost. The Americans were able to drive the Hessians, who were joined by other companies of Hessians and using houses as cover, to the outskirts of town. One of the companies that joined Wiederholdt's men was posted near the Delaware River. This left River Road into Trenton open. Washington ordered the escape route to Princeton to be cut off, sending infantry in battle formation to block it, while artillery formed at the head of King and Queen Streets.

Leading the southern U.S. column, General Sullivan entered Trenton by the abandoned River Road and blocked the only crossing over the Assunpink Creek to cut off the Hessian escape. Sullivan briefly paused his advance to make sure Greene's division had time to drive the Hessians from their outposts in the north. Soon after, Sullivan's men continued their advance. Lieutenant von Grothausen was stationed, with jägers, at the home of Philemon Dickinson. The Hessians were driven back and the 20 British dragoons also fled. Some tried to swim across the creek, while others escaped over the bridge which had not yet been cut off. As Greene and Sullivan's columns pushed into the town, Washington moved to the high ground north of King and Queen Streets so that he could see the action and direct his troops. By this time, U.S. artillery from the other side of the Delaware River had come into action, destroying the Hessian positions.

When the alarm sounded, the three Hessian regiments who were stationed at Trenton began to prepare for battle. Rall awoke to find that the rebels had taken the "V" of the main streets of the town. This is where the engineers had recommended building a redoubt. Rall ordered his regiment to form up at the lower end of King Street, the Lossberg regiment to prepare for an advance up Queen Street, and the Knyphausen regiment to stand by as a reserve for Rall's advance up King Street. On both sides of town, the U.S. cannons and soldiers fired too much for the Hessian soldiers to be able to fight back. The Hessian soldiers fell back and fled to a field. Many were lost to grapeshot and musket fire. Sullivan led a column of men to block off the escape of the troops across the creek.

Hessian resistance collapses

The Hessians in the field attempted to reorganize and make one last attempt to retake the town so they could make a breakout. Rall decided to attack the U.S. flank (the sides or back of the formation of soldiers) on the heights north of the town. Rall yelled "Forward! Advance! Advance!" and the Hessians began to move, with the brigade's band playing fifes, bugles, and drums to help the Hessians' spirit.

Washington, still on high ground, saw the Hessians approaching the U.S. flank. He moved his troops to assume battle formation against the enemy. The two Hessian regiments began marching toward King Street but were caught in U.S. fire that came at them from three directions. Some Americans had taken up positions inside houses where civilians joined the fight against the Hessians. The Hessians' formations broke, and they began to scatter. Washington led his troops down from high ground while yelling, "March on, my brave fellows, after me!" Most of the Hessians retreated into an orchard with the Americans in close pursuit. Quickly surrounded, the Hessians were offered terms of surrender, to which they agreed.

Although ordered to join Rall, the remains of the Knyphausen regiment mistakenly marched in the opposite direction. They tried to escape across the bridge but found it had been taken. The Americans quickly swept in, defeating a Hessian attempt to break through their lines. Surrounded by Sullivan's men, the regiment surrendered, just minutes after the rest of the brigade.

Casualties and capture

The Hessian forces lost 22 who were killed in action; 83 were wounded and 896 were captured - including the wounded. The Americans suffered only two deaths during the march and five wounded from battle. Two important U.S. officers were wounded while leading the charge down King Street: William Washington, cousin of General Washington, and Lieutenant James Monroe, the future President of the United States. Monroe was carried from the field bleeding badly after he was struck in the left shoulder by a musket ball, which severed an artery. Doctor John Riker clamped the artery, preventing him from bleeding to death. Other losses experienced by the Patriots from exhaustion, exposure, and illness in the following days, however, may have raised their losses above those of the Hessians.

Rall was mortally wounded in the battle and died later that night at his headquarters. All four Hessian colonels in Trenton were killed in the battle. The Lossberg regiment was effectively removed from the British forces. Parts of the Knyphausen regiment escaped to the south, but Sullivan captured about 200 additional men, along with the regiment's cannon, supplies, approximately 1,000 arms, and much-needed ammunition. The Americans also captured the Hessians' entire store of provisions-tons of flour, dried and salted meats, ale, and other liquors, as well as shoes, boots, clothing, and bedding-things that were as much needed by the ragtag Continental forces as weapons and horses. The captured Hessians were sent to Philadelphia and later Lancaster. In 1777, they were moved to Virginia.

On December 28, after the Hessians' surrender, General Washington interviewed Lieutenant (later Colonel) Andreas Wiederhold, who detailed the failures of Rall's preparation. Washington soon learned, however, that Cadwalader and Ewing had been unable to complete their crossing, leaving his worn-out army of 2,400 men isolated. Washington realized he did not yet have the forces to attack Princeton and New Brunswick.

By noon, Washington's force had moved back across the Delaware into Pennsylvania, taking their prisoners and captured supplies with them. Washington would follow up his success a week later in the Battle of the Assunpink Creek and the Battle of Princeton.

This small but crucial battle, as with the later Battle of Cowpens, had an effect that was much greater than its size. The Patriot victory at Trenton gave the Continental Congress new confidence, as it proved that colonial forces could defeat regulars. Soldiers re-enlisted in the Continental Army, and fear of the Hessians decreased. The writings of Thomas Paine and more successful actions by the New Jersey Militia also helped gain colonial support for the rebellion.

The Trenton Battle Monument, standing at "Five Points" in Trenton, endures as a tribute to this U.S. victory. The crossing of the Delaware River and the battle are reenacted by local enthusiasts every year (unless the weather is too severe on the river).

Eight current Army National Guard units (101st Engineer Batallion, 103rd Engineer Batallion, A/1-104th Cavalry Regiment, 111th Infantry Regiment, 125th Quartermaster Company, 175th Infantry Regiment, 181st Infantry Regiment, and 198th Signal Batallion) and one currently-active Regular Army Artillery battalion (1st Batallion, 5th Field Artillery) originated with U.S. units that participated in the Battle of Trenton. There are thirty current units of the U.S. Army with colonial roots.

In 1851, German-American artist Emanuel Leutze painted the second of three paintings depicting Washington crossing the Delaware. At the time of its first exhibition, it gained much attention in Europe and the United States. Leutze hoped it would bring revolutionary feelings in Germany. After six months in Germany, the painting was shipped to New York City where the New York Mirror newspaper praised it with the words, "the grandest, most majestic, and most effective painting ever exhibited in America." It is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is "one of the most famous American paintings." The painting is the centerpiece of the collections in the American Wing. It is still one of the most recognizable paintings at the Metropolitan. It is central to the canon of American historical art images, remaining just as popular now as when it was first exhibited.

Images for kids

In Spanish: Batalla de Trenton para niños

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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.

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Learn Battle of Long Island facts for kids

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From Academic Kids

The Battle of Long Island also known as the Battle of Brooklyn took place on August 27, 1776. On August 22, Admiral Richard, Lord Howe, in supreme command of British forces in New York, ordered his troops to move against the Continental Army at dawn. The American outpost under Colonel Edward Hand sent word to Lieutenant General George Washington that the British were preparing to cross to Long Island from Staten Island. Under the overall command of Lieutenant General Sir William Howe, and the operational command of Major Generals Charles, Lord Cornwallis and Sir Henry Clinton, the British mustered a force of 4,000 men. The British commenced their landing in Gravesend Bay, where, after strengthening his forces for over seven weeks on Staten Island, Admiral Lord Howe moved 88 frigates. The British landed a total of 15,000 men in Brooklyn, out of a total of 32,000 men in the area.

No one knows the exact number of Americans soldiers who fought in the Battle of Long Island, but estimates are that there were at least 10,000, mostly New York militia reinforced from surrounding Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland. It is also estimated that 1,407 Americans were wounded, captured, or missing, and 312 were killed. A British report says that there were 89 American officers imprisoned, and 1,097 other Americans were kept as prisoners.

Out of 22,000 British and Germans (including 9,000 conscripted Hessians) on Long Island, they sustained a total loss of 377. Five British officers and 56 men were killed, while 13 officers and 275 men were wounded or missing. Two Germans were killed, and three officers and 23 men were wounded, out of the Hessian forces under the Count von Dolop.

During the night of August 30, 1776, the Americans evacuated Long Island and crossed to Manhattan. Washington ordered a young patriot named Nathan Hale to go undercover as a Dutch schoolteacher to gather intelligence about the British, a mission that Hale was able to complete successfully. After doing so, however, Hale was caught and hanged.

It was not long after that the British crossed to Manhattan and routed American forces there as well. The British would occupy New York and the surrounding areas until 1784, when they left as per the provisions of the Treaty of Paris (1783).

References

John Gallagher; "The Battle of Brooklyn 1776"; 1995; 2002 Castle Press edition, ISBN 0785816631.

External links

fr:Bataille de Long Island

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The Battle of Long Island also known as the Battle of Brooklyn took place on August 27, 1776. On August 22, Admiral Richard, Lord Howe, in supreme command of British forces in New York, ordered his troops to move against the Continental Army at dawn.

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The Siege of Yorktown ended the fighting in the American Revolution. During the siege, American and French forces, on land and at sea, trapped a major British army on a peninsula (a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides) at Yorktown, Virginia. The siege forced the British army to surrender. This effectively guaranteed that the American colonies would win their independence from Great Britain.

Charles Cornwallis was the British commander in the southern colonies. In May 1781 he began to move his army from North Carolina through Virginia. He reached Yorktown in July. Cornwallis had about 7,500 men at Yorktown. The Americans had only about 4,500 troops in the region. They were led by the marquis de Lafayette and Frederick William Steuben. General George Washington, the American commander in chief, ordered Lafayette to block any possible British escape from Yorktown by land.

Meanwhile, 4,000 French soldiers joined Washington's 2,500 troops in New York. Most of this combined force then moved south and met up with a fleet of 24 French ships. These ships transported the troops to Williamsburg, Virginia, where they joined Lafayette's siege. The fleet maintained a sea blockade of Cornwallis's army.

Throughout early October, French and American forces overtook many of the British army's positions at Yorktown. The British were surrounded and running out of food. Cornwallis surrendered his entire army on October 19, 1781.

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The Siege of Yorktown ended the fighting in the American Revolution. During the siege, American and French forces, on land and at sea, trapped a major British army on a peninsula (a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides) at Yorktown, Virginia. The siege forced the British army to surrender.

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Kids learn about the Battle of Yorktown major event ending the American Revolutionary War.

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Kids learn about The Treaty of Paris; the final end to the American Revolutionary War.

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The Peace of Paris is a collection of treaties signed in 1783 that ended the American Revolution. The treaties were made between representatives of Great Britain on one side…

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Treaty of Paris (1783) for Kids - Kiddle

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The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ratified by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784 and by the King of Great Britain on April 9, 1784 formally ended the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America.