REVOLUTIONARY WAR IN AMERICA -198S REVOLUTIONARY WAR IN AMERICA 



entered Philadelphia. At Valley Forge the 

 Continental army endured incredible hardship 

 because of a lack of even the b:uv.-t nee. 



A Decisive Battle. The British soon began a 

 new line of attack in the north. Burpoyne was 

 ordered to descend from Canada to take Ti- 

 conderoga; another force, also from Canada, 



AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR. 



was to march on Albany. The two were to 

 join and meet a force sent by Howe, from New 

 York. Howe received his instructions too late, 

 and was not a factor in the actions fought in 

 September and October. In brief space of time 

 Oriskany, Fort Stanwix, Bemis' Heights and 

 Saratoga told of the Continental army's deter- 

 mined resistance. Saratoga ended the cam- 

 paign, for Burgoyne's army was captured. 

 Creasy in his Fifteen Decisive Battles of the 

 World calls Saratoga one of the few conflicts 

 which have determined great issues; it was the 

 turning point of the war, for France was con- 

 vinced then that its aid should be extended to 

 the struggling republic. Accordingly, an army 

 and fleet were dispatched from France, and 

 thereafter the French had an important part in 

 the struggle. Lafayette was an inspiring leader 

 who rendered invaluable service to the cause. 



Third Period. England was alarmed at the 

 turn of affairs. Plans in the north had mis- 



carried, by the surrender of Burgoyne; the 

 brilliant turning upon the victorious British at 

 Trenton and at Princeton had upset the cam- 

 paign around Philadelphia; British officers re- 

 ported to London that the colonies could not 

 be conquered; the French alliance promised 

 such formidable reinforcements that the task 

 of England took on a most serious aspect. 



Early in 1778 an English commission was 

 empowered to treat for peace. The colonies 

 were promised everything they had begged for 

 in the years before, but every offer was rejected, 

 and the war was pushed with new vigor and 

 added enthusiasm. There were discouraging 

 circumstances, however; the most serious in- 

 ternal trouble of the year was a plot, inspired 

 by Conway, inspector-general of the army, for 

 the overthrow of Washington, who was to be 

 succeeded by Gates, the winner of the Battle 

 of Saratoga. The plan was discovered, and it 

 came to naught. Baron Steubcn was advanced 

 to Conway's post; he exhibited the trait of 

 German thoroughness and made good soldiers 

 out of the men who were offering themselves 

 to the cause. 



Sir Henry Clinton succeeded Howe in the 

 Spring of 1778. Knowing that the French fleet 

 was coming and fearing a blockade of Phila- 

 delphia he evacuated that city and started to 

 move his forces overland to New York. Wash- 

 ington followed and forced a battle at Mon- 

 mouth (June 28) . It was here that Lee was dis- 

 graced for his attempt to avoid a fight; Wash- 

 ington ordered him to the rear, rallied the 

 wavering regiments and defeated the British. 

 Monmouth was the last battle of importance in 

 the north. 



The Northwest. George III had decreed 

 that the country between the Alleghany Moun- 

 tains and the Mississippi River should be re- 

 served for the Indians. The British held au- 

 thority over the vast area by their forts at 

 Detroit, Vincennes, Kaskaskia and Cahokia. In 

 1778 George Rogers Clark undertook the task 

 of winning the territory for the new nation 

 which was slowly but surely making itself ef- 

 fective in the east. He had no authority except 

 that of Patrick Henry, then governor of Vir- 

 ginia, who helped him to muster a group of 

 hardy pioneers. Clark first took Kaskaskia, 

 and in turn Cahokia and Vincennes. The Brit- 

 ish recaptured the latter, and Clark had to re- 

 take it (February, 1779). Only Detroit re- 

 mained in English hands. 



Naval Victories. In 1777 citizens of Ports- 

 mouth, N. H., built a small boat, the Ranger, 



