How could the Americans win? ? Greatest military 32,000 soldiers Strong navy Experience Well-trained Well-equipped Mercenaries as needed ? 20,000 soldiers Various militias Inexperienced Ill-trained Lack supplies and support Ill-prepared government

Revolutionary Soldiers American History

Reluctant Rebels 1775 – Battle of Lexington and Concord Colonists not expecting a battle 1781 – Battle of Yorktown, VA Decisive victory led to British surrender

Choosing Sides

Loyalists (also known as Tories) Opposed Independence Sided with Britain and the King As many as 20% of Americans Capt. Wilkins

Franklin vs. Franklin BenjaminWilliam

THE AMERICAN SOLDIER

A Mixed Army Varied Soldiers Occupations Training Fighting Force Continental Army Local Militia

“Minutemen” Prepared Every colony maintained a militia Common men Ready at a moment’s notice Except Pennsylvania Quaker influence prevented it

Own Supplies Each militiaman was expected to provide his own weapon, ammunition, clothing, and food for a short expedition Peter Howard

Smoothbore Musket With paper cartridge and some buckshot on top of a ball, a skilled troop can throw up a hailstorm of lead Too slow to load Bayonet attached at end of barrel

The Militia: A Borrow Tradition The Militia was an old British tradition In America, its primary goal was to protect the frontier

The Patriot Forces Enlisted in Continental Army that was created by the Second Continental Congress George Washington chosen as Commander in Chief Colonies asked to supply soldiers Enlistees offered money and property By the Fall of 1776 army consisted of 20,000 Untrained Minimum term of six months

Patriot Advantages Familiar with the land Passionate about the cause of freedom Excellent leaders Respect for George Washington kept many soldiers fighting

Fighting Experience Americans learned from fighting Native Americans who never fought in close formations Indians looked for cover Individual initiative and courage were more important than discipline and control in this form of fighting

The British Soldier

Military Ranks Reflected English Society of 18 th Century Commanding officers were nobles Captains and lieutenants were lesser nobles Soldiers were from the lower classes Peasants The Poor Convicts Gen. Cornwallis

Military Procedure Marched into battle in columns Stood shoulder to shoulder Load, fire and bayonet charge by command Fire was by volley only Considered an advantage to take, not give, an opening volley so an army could return volley at a closer range

Wide Open Spaces European warfare usually occurred in flat open terrain in good weather Traditional Warfare Opposing armies retired to winter quarters come December

The Brown Bess Standard weapon was the flintlock musket with bayonet British model known as the Brown Bess Smoothbore barrel 3’8” long with a 14” bayonet

Inaccurate Musket Rate of fire was about two rounds per minute Accuracy was limited beyond 50 to 100 yards

THE END