REVOLUTIONARY WAR IN AMERICA 4987 REVOLUTIONARY WAR IN AMERICA 



averaged each year about 31,500 men, but at the 

 lowest ebb in the tide of the new nation's for- 

 tunes it was not greatly in excess of 3,000 men. 

 Until July, 1776, the army's flag was the British 

 field, with thirteen stripes to represent the 

 colonies. The new American flag, credited to 

 the designing skill of George Washington, Rob- 

 ert Morris and Mrs. Betsy Ross, soon flew in 

 evidence of the political separation from the 

 mother country. 



During the first period of the war an expedi- 

 tion was sent to capture Quebec, intrusted to 

 the leadership of Montgomery and Arnold. On 

 December 31, 1775, they assaulted the city; 

 Montgomery was killed, Arnold had his leg 

 fractured, and the attack failed. Before the 

 summer of 1776 the American forces were 

 driven south to Lake Champlain. While this 

 drama was being enacted Washington drove 

 the British out of Boston; they embarked for 

 Halifax, from which point they returned later 

 to take part in the campaign around New York. 



Second Period. This division of the war cov- 

 ers the time from the Declaration of Inde- 

 pendence to the entrance of France into the 

 struggle, in May, 1778. Two sections of the 

 country were principal centers of activity dur- 

 ing these two years. New York City and vi- 

 cinity witnessed changing fortunes of war, and 

 Philadelphia was the center of the campaign 

 farther south. 



When Howe evacuated Boston and went to 

 Halifax he remained there only long enough 

 to learn the British plans. Soon his troops were 

 reembarked and set sail for New York. Wash- 

 ington realized the importance of holding that 

 city, for if it fell to the enemy the British 

 would control the Hudson River and might be 

 able to cut off New England from the re- 

 mainder of the country. Howe encamped on 

 Staten Island, now the Borough of Richmond 

 (see page 4205), and planned his operations. 

 When ready, he captured Brooklyn Heights, in 

 an engagement known as the Battle of Long 

 Island. This was the key to New York's de- 

 fense and the British victory forced the hurried 

 evacuation of the city, in September, 1776. 



Washington crossed the Hudson and was 

 steadily pursued southward through New Jer- 

 sey, losing ground continually in the face of 

 overwhelming numbers of his pursuers. Forts 

 Washington and Lee were lost, and in Novem- 

 ber began one of the most famous and most 

 masterly retreats in all history. Washington's 

 only hope lay apparently in his ability to cross 

 the Delaware and get to Philadelphia, otherwise 



his entire army might be captured. Sometimes 

 the pursuers were so close that when they en- 

 tered a town the pursued were just leaving it. 

 By destroying bridges and leaving obstructions 

 in the way Washington got to Trenton ahead 

 of his enemy, on December 8. Seizing every 

 boat for miles up and down the river he em- 

 barked his men, and the British, coming up, saw 

 the last boatloads push out from shore. 



Cornwallis, who commanded this chase, went 

 into quarters at Trenton and at Princeton until 

 he could build boats enough to put his army 

 across to take Philadelphia. He did not antici- 

 pate attack, but on Christmas night, 1776, 

 Washington recrossed the river and in the 

 morning surprised the enemy in a spirited at- 

 tack. The Battle of Trenton was an audacious 

 undertaking; the effect was as great as though 

 it had been a victory won in a struggle on a 

 vast scale, for it was the first ray of hope the 

 country had received from its armies. The 

 long retreat had discouraged the people and 

 had almost bred treason in the army. Corn- 

 wallis planned to hurl his forces upon Washing- 

 ton before the latter could get across the river 

 again, but he lacked the proper initiative. 

 Thinking he had Washington trapped on the 

 night of January 2, he could afford to wait 

 until morning and make an easy capture. The 

 Americans, however, did not sleep that night. 

 Hurrying inland, they surprised the garrison 

 Cornwallis had left at Princeton under com- 

 mand of Rahl, at daybreak on January 3, and 

 completely routed the entire British line. 

 These two victories destroyed the British line 

 of campaign and gave new courage to th<> 

 Americans. Frederick the Great, Europe's 

 greatest warrior, characterized the ten days* 

 movement as the most brilliant in the history 

 of warfare. 



Howe left New York to march across New 

 Jersey to capture Philadelphia ; the Continental 

 army, small but energetic, placed every con- 

 ceivable obstacle in the way, and after several 

 weeks spent in a vain effort to achieve his ob- 

 ject he returned to Staten Island. His next 

 attempt to reach Philadelphia was by sea, but 

 obstructions had been placed in the Delaware 

 River, and his troops landed sixty miles from 

 tin- city. The march towards Philadelphia was 

 made difficult, but this time Howe was suc- 

 cessful. He defeated the Continentals at 

 Brandywine (September 11, 1777) and at Ger- 

 nmntown (now a part of Philadelphia) three 

 weeks later. Washington retired to Valley 

 Forge for the winter, and the victorious Howe 



