5.11. Standard 4.31 Lesson www.ck12.org

under Brigadier General John Cadwalader to help him. The militia, on seeing the flight of Mercer’s men, also beganto flee. Washington rode up with reinforcements and rallied the fleeing militia. He then led the attack on Mawhood’stroops, driving them back. Mawhood gave the order to retreat and most of the troops tried to flee to Cornwallis inTrenton.

In Princeton itself, Brigadier General John Sullivan encouraged some British troops who had taken refuge in NassauHall to surrender, ending the battle. After the battle, Washington moved his army to Morristown, and with theirthird defeat in 10 days, the British evacuated southern New Jersey. With the victory at Princeton, morale rose in theranks and more men began to enlist in the army. The battle (while considered minor by British standards) was thelast major action of Washington’s winter New Jersey campaign.

Battle of Saratoga

The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the American Revolution. From Mr. Nussbaum’s history site, readabout the battle and watch the video.

http://www.lessonpaths.com/learn/i/the-13-colonies-2/mrnussbaumcom-13-colonies-profiles-11

Watch Liberty’s Kids as they witness the Battle of Saratoga!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqTXSmfoA50

330

www.ck12.org Chapter 5. The War for Independence (1760-1789)

The Turning Point - The Battle of Saratoga

By October 1777, the British were on the move to control the Hudson River in New York and Lake Champlain inpresent-day Vermont. In the British Army’s way was the American army and a fort near a town called Saratoga. Thetwo armies met in late September and early October of 1777. One of the American leaders was General BenedictArnold. The British, led by General Burgoyne, suffered many losses and they also ran out of food. In contrast, theAmerican army was growing every day in huge numbers. On October 17, 1777, Burgoyne surrendered his armyto the Americans. This battle is know as a turning point in the Revolutionary War. With this strong defeat of theBritish, the Americans showed the world that they were strong enough to win the war. After the Battle of Saratoga,France decided to join the battle to help the Americans.

This battle was also a turning point for Benedict Arnold. He was wounded in this battle and never was able to leadhis troops again. In 1780, Arnold was paid by the British to join their side. Benedict Arnold was one of the mostinfamous traitors in our American History.

King’s Mountain

The Americans attacked the Redcoats from behind trees, stone hill and walls.

From Tennessee’s own History Bill and the TN History for Kids Website, the following link is very helpful andeducational.

http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/places/kings_mountain

331

5.11. Standard 4.31 Lesson www.ck12.org

The Battle of King’s Mountain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpDDpdRlwrA&list=PL0WRp4oiJt2zP6K5OGC7FMclmSC0zJljH&index=2

The Battle of Kings Mountain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l447PGjEeDo

Decisive Battles - Kings Mountain Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35T2CP8L6cw

Decisive Battles - Kings Mountain Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwzGLzfvI6c

“If you do not stop your opposition to the

British Arms, I shall march this army over

the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste

to your country with fire and sword.”

-British Major Patrick Ferguson

The British Major Patrick Ferguson had made promises that he would cross the Appalachians and capture Patriotswho kept moving further into the mountains to avoid capture. Ferguson threatened to destroy settlements and thesettlers were also worried that the Cherokees would help the British Army.

A group of local militia members decided to organize a large militia and set out to find and fight the British. Theycalled themselves Overmountain Men. These men had spent years in the mountains and were very skilled in findinghiding places and just knowing their way around the caves, mountains, and hollows. The British were not used tofighting or even traveling in this type of terrain.

The Overmountain Men fought “Indian Style.” They could walk so softly through the forest that no one could hear

332

www.ck12.org Chapter 5. The War for Independence (1760-1789)

them. Their years of fighting the Cherokee helped them gain those skills to be successful when they fought theBritish.

The Overmountain Men and their families began to prepare for war. They gathered, or mustered, volunteers tofight. These men intended to protect their land. They mustered over 1000 volunteers from Virginia, North Carolina,Tennessee, and Kentucky. The women also help them get ready for battle. They sewed clothing, packed and preparedfood. They knew that the Overmountain Men might be fighting in the winter so additional clothing and provisionswere readied.

When all of their preparations were done, they met at Sycamore Shoals. They didn’t have uniforms - they wore theirhunting clothes. They carried hunting knives and rifles. Before they left, a minister said a prayer with them and gavethem a blessing.

Major Ferguson died during battle.

In September of 1780, the Overmountain Men began their journey to find the British army. At Kings Mountain,they found about 1000 British soldiers. Major Ferguson was certain that his troops could defeat the ragged lookingvolunteers from the mountains. He was very wrong. The Overmountain Men hid behind trees, rocks, and ledges.The Overmountain Men pushed up the mountain and finally, after the third time, they trapped the British army on aridge. Although both sides fought hard, the settlers defeated the British.

333

5.11. Standard 4.31 Lesson www.ck12.org

The defeat of the British army on Kings Mountain was a surprise to many. This victory discouraged the Loyalistsand the British army. This was a turning point for the Revolutionary War in the South.

Yorktown

334

www.ck12.org Chapter 5. The War for Independence (1760-1789)

Liberty’s Kids at “The Battle of Yorktown.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vku78dGqS3A

General Cornwallis surrenders to General Washington at Yorktown.

Mr. Nussbaum’s website has an excellent overview of the Battle of Yorktown as well as a video and other informativelinks.

335

5.11. Standard 4.31 Lesson www.ck12.org

http://www.lessonpaths.com/learn/i/the-13-colonies-2/mrnussbaumcom-13-colonies-profiles-11

After the British defeat at Kings Mountain and other battles, the British army made its way back to Yorktown,Virginia. They set up camp not knowing that the American and French forces were nearby and were planning toblock the British armies from being able to escape.

The French placed their ships at the mouth of the river while George Washington led his troops into the Virginiacountryside surrounding the British troops. There was no escape and General Cornwallis had no choice but tosurrender.

The war had ended and the 13 colonies were now an independent nation that was called the United States of America.

Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris

The outlook for General Washington and the Americans never looked better.

Although the American military was still enduring losses in 1780, the French were making a difference. The Frenchnavy was disrupting the British blockade. French commanders such as Lafayette and Rochambeau earned the respectand admiration of the American troops.

Although, the British occupied much of the south, they had still been unable to mobilize the local Loyalists.Grumbling in England grew louder over the war’s expense and duration. The morale of Washington’s men wasimproving. The war was by no means over, but the general could now see a bright side.

336

www.ck12.org Chapter 5. The War for Independence (1760-1789)

The Siege of Yorktown

The French navy and the Continental Army conceived a daring plan to entrap Cornwallis in Yorktown. The planworked: Cornwallis surrendered Yorktown, and three weeks later the war was over.

The year 1781 found a large squadron of British troops led by Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Cornwallishoped to keep his men in the Chesapeake town until fresh supplies and reinforcements could arrive from Britain.The French and the Americans conspired to capture the British before that could happen.

A French naval unit led by Admiral de Grasse headed north from the West Indies. Washington’s army was stationednear New York City at the time. Along with a French unit from Rhode Island, Washington’s troops marched over300 miles south toward Yorktown. Along the way, he staged fake military maneuvers to keep the British off guard.

When Washington reached Virginia, Americans led by Lafayette joined in the siege. The French navy kept theBritish out of Chesapeake Bay until Cornwallis was forced to surrender his entire unit of nearly 8,000 troops onOctober 19, 1781. The capture of the troops severely hampered the British war effort

337

5.11. Standard 4.31 Lesson www.ck12.org

Peace and the Treaty of Paris

John Trumbull painted Surrender of Cornwallis in 1786-87. Although Trumbull did sketch the actual scene ofsurrender, his painting was not meant to be a literal recording of the event. Instead, he placed Cornwallis betweenthe French and American forces to show their united effort against England.

Despite the American victory, the British military continued to fight. But the Battle of Yorktown turned the Britishpublic against the war. The following March, a pro-American Parliament was elected and peace negotiations beganin earnest.

Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay met with the British in the hopes of securing a peace treaty. TheAmericans played off European rivalries to reach a most favorable agreement.

In the 1783 Treaty of Paris the British agreed to recognize American independence as far west as the MississippiRiver. Americans agreed to honor debts owed to British merchants from before the war and to stop persecutingBritish Loyalists.

David had triumphed over Goliath. Independence was achieved at last!

338