The Battle of Monmouth

Date: 28th June 1778.

Place: New Jersey.

Combatants: The army of British and German troops against American Continental troops and militia.

Generals: Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, Major General Earl Cornwallis and Major General Knyphausen against General George Washington and Major General Charles Lee.

There Were: 10,000 British troops against 11,000 Americans.

Winner: The battle is generally taken as a draw.

The Battle of Princeton commanded by General George Washington

General George Washington and his army spent the winter of 1777/8 at Valley Forge in harsh and deathly circumstances.

Memorably the Prussian officer General Steuben trained the American regiments in a form of European battle drill, devised and adapted to suit American troops.

in the other hand the British army spent the winter in Philadelphia. Lieutenant General Howe returned to England, relieved of his appointment in command in America at his own request, to be replaced by General Clinton. Clinton arrived with orders to evacuate Philadelphia and concentrate the British forces at New York.

On 18th June 1778 the British army with artillery, left Philadelphia and began the laborious march to the North-East.

General Washington marched east from Valley Forge seeking to intercept the slow moving British troop. He did so at Monmouth Courthouse.

General Lee unsuccessful attack

France had initially doubted America's resolve and ability to wage an effective war against Britain, but was now willing to join forces with them and intercept the British. 

General Washington, bringing the main American army along the Monmouth road, encountered, not the rear of the British column, but Lee’s regiments, retreating in considerable disorder with the British advancing behind them. What was the main problem with Lee tactics was that he didn't gave strict orders but left the troops do as they wished which resulted in sort of a chaos. Later with the invaluable assistance of Baron von Steuben, Washington managed to re-form the American ranks and engage the enemy again; the fighting continued throughout the remainder of the day.


Washington's attack after Lees retrieving 



During the night the British broke camp and marched on they quickly embarked upon a short voyage over Lower New York Bay and through The Narrows to Manhattan. Washington prudently decided not to follow and instead marched his army northward to rejoin other the American force that was camping along the Hudson River. Eventually The patriot forces took credit for their enemy's flight from Philadelphia and New Jersey
Something curious was that Up to 100 men are thought to have died of heatstroke during the battle.
 

The Battle of Princeton

Another battle that took place during the American Revolution battles was the Battle of Princeton.

Date: 3rd January 1777

Place: Princeton in New Jersey, USA

Generals: General George Washington against Major General Lord Cornwallis

There were: 7,000 Americans against 8,000 British and Hessians. But only 1,200 British troops were directly participated.

Winner: George Washington with his army ( The Patriots)

 

General Mercer death at the Battle of Princeton

After the surprise of Hessians in the previous Battle of Trenton in 1776 General George Washington intended to return within a few days and attempt a recovery of New Jersey from the British.

Before the Attack something concerning happened to Washington he faced the curious crisis, that many of his soldiers were about to become “time expired”. That is their period of enlistment lapsed or ended at midnight on 31st December 1776. With some bargaining and convincing many of these men were persuaded to stay for six weeks more. The Battle of Princeton map The weather was wet and the roads muddy. Cornwallis advanced, driving the American force back to Trenton. Resisting strongly the American troops were forced back through the town to their positions on the south bank of the Assunpink. Attempts were made that evening by the British , but in the face of stiff resistance were postponed to the morning.  In the middle of the night the Americans left fires burning and marched off to the East and then to the North towards Princeton. As the Americans approached the Princeton road a rumour passed along the column that the Hessians were attacking. Some of the inexperienced militia turned and fled south, the rest continued towards Princeton. British Grenadier There were a not so good casualties. The British lost only 40 dead, 58 wounded and 187 missing. The Americans lost a number of able officers: General Mercer, Colonel Haslet and several others. They also lost 40 soldiers killed and wounded. The favorable results of this battles caught some Europeans attention. Obtaining as a later result the intervention  of France and Spain and it also proved Washington as a leader of resource and decision.

The Battle of Trenton

George Washington crossing the Delaware on
Christmas night of 1776

During the American Revolution countless of battles took place. In class we have studied many of them so we decided to start with some of them that seemed important to us. They will go chronologically.
The first one of them all is The Battle of Trenton.


Date: 25th December 1776

Place: Trenton, New Jersey on the Delaware River

The Battle of Trenton

Generals: General George Washington against Colonel Rahl.

There were: 2,400 American troops with 18 guns. 1,400 Hessians with 6 light guns.

Winner: George Washington with his army ( The Patriots)



Washington’s plan was to cross the Delaware at three points with a force commanded by Lt Col Cadwallader with a Rhode Island regiment, some Pennsylvanians, Delaware militia and two guns, a second force under Brigadier Ewing of militia and the third commanded by himself which would cross the river above Trenton and attack the Hessian garrison in the town. Washington had as his subordinates, Major Generals Nathaniel Greene and John Sullivan.

It was a really cold dark night and the river was running with pieces of ice.  ---> Poor soldiers!


 At about 11pm a heavy snow storm started. Washington’s force did not reach the east bank until around 3am. His soldiers were badly clothed and many did not have shoes.------------------------> Even worse!

The surrender to General George Washington of the dying Hessian commander, Colonel Rahl, at the Battle of Trenton

After this Washington’s men marched to Trenton, some of the men even left traces of blood on the snow.

On the night before the attack Rahl was at dinner when he was brought information that the Americans were approaching. He ignored the message which was found in his pocket after his death. -----> next time you better watch out

This battle gave the American colonies like a moral push. They felt stronger now than the British and also including the fact that British troops could barely defend themselves during the battle after their surrender.

Revolutionary Women!!

Many people knows about John Adams, Paul Revere, George Washington etc. But what about women??Did they had a significant role on the revolution???

Have you heard about Molly Pitcher or Ann Bailey?? Here is a brief information 
about them.


Ann Bailey: She was also known as Mad Anne.  
Enlisted in 1777 as Samuel Gay, three weeks later she was 
promoted to corporal. After this her men disguise 
was discovered and ran away.
A few months later, Bailey was found and tried
in court. She was finally sentenced to two 
months in jail, and discharged from the army. 








Molly Hays: Also known as Molly pitcher, she was a 
legendary water carrier along with another women 
named Margaret Corbin.
Molly took over her husband when he collapsed from 
heat.
One soldier recalls she kept firing the cannon even after
a British cannon ball blew off the lower part of her petticoat.












Margaret Corbin:  The other legendary water carrier.                            
She took over her husband's cannon when he was killed 
in battle and fired it until her arm was nearly torn apart by 
grapeshot (a small iron ball shot from a cannon).










These were only some of the most important revolutionary women who contributed to the
American Revolution. There were even others who maybe didn't fought but contributed 
by setting fire to their own property to keep loyalists from using it which was a great sacrifice.