independence Section 4

War in the South: British switched their strategy from northern colonies to the southern colonies because they hoped to find support from the large Loyalist populations living in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. They planned to free slaves and have them fight for Britain. War in the south was more brutal because it pitted Americans against one another in direct combat British destroyed crops, farm animals and other property as they marched through the South British officer Banastre Tarleton sowed more fear by refusing to take prisoners and killing soldiers who tried to surrender.

Failed Attack and Guerrilla Warfare August 1780 – Horatio Gates led Patriot forces to drive British out of Camden, SC Attack was poorly executed and Gates only had half of the number of soldiers he expected to have. Only 700 soldiers escaped out of some 4,000 troops. Southern Patriots switched to swift hit-and-run attacks known as guerilla warfare; None was better at this tactic than Francis Marion; he organized Marion’s Brigade, a group of guerilla soldiers. Marion ‘s Brigade used surprise attacks to disrupt British communication and supply.

The Battle of Yorktown and 1781 the war was going badly for the Patriots The British held most of the South, plus Philadelphia and New York City Patriots morale took another blow when Benedict Arnold switched sides Gen. Nathanael Greene began to have the Continental Army harass British Gen. Charles Cornwallis in the Carolinas. Cornwallis moved his 7,200 men to Yorktown, VA George Washington saw the chance to trap the British at Yorktown. He ordered Lafayette to block Cornwallis’ escape by land. He then combined his 2,500 with 4,000 French troops commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau. The Patriots surrounded Cornwallis with about 16,000 troops; Cornwallis surrendered and the Patriots took 8,000 prisoners.

The Treaty of Paris Only a few battles took place after the Battle at Yorktown Lacking the money for a new army, the British entered into peace talks with America. Ben Franklin negotiated on behalf of the Americans. It took more than two years to negotiate. Terms of the Treaty: Set America’s borders A separate treaty between Britain and Spain returned Florida to the Spanish British leaders also accepted American rights to settle and trade west of the original 13 colonies.