1. Chapter 6 The American Revolution (1776-1783)
Section 3 The War Moves West and South

2. Native Americans
Mohawk chief Joseph Brant and other Native Americans were concerned about the events of the Revolutionary War
Battles took place with Native Americans along the Western frontier
Some sided with the Patriots
Most sided with the British
The British seemed like less of a threat

3. The British and Native Americans
Brant and allies raided American settlements in New York and northern Pennsylvania
Henry Hamilton was the British commander at Detroit
Hamilton’s nickname was the “hair buyer” because he would pay for American scalps

4. Vincennes
George Rogers Clark from the Virginia militia set out to stop the attacks on western settlers
July Clark and 175 soldiers went down the Ohio River
Took Kaskaskia and then Vincennes
Henry Hamilton then took Vincennes back in December
Clark vowed to get it back
February Clark surprised the British and forced Hamilton to surrender
This strengthened the American position in the West

5. Glory at Sea Battles raged on sea
The British navy kept the Patriots ships from entering or leaving American harbors
The blockade prevented supplies and reinforcements from reaching the Continental Army

6. Privateers Continental Congress ordered 13 warships built
Only two sailed, the others were captured by the British
The American navy was too weak to operate effectively
Congress authorized about 2,000 ships to sail as privateers
Privately owned with weapons
Getting crews for these ships was easy because it was very profitable
The privateers captured more British ships than the American navy

7. John Paul Jones John Paul Jones raided British ports
Near Great Britain in September 1779
Jones’ ship, the Bonhomme Richard, met the British ship the Serapis escorting merchant ships
The two ships fought for hours
Jones’ ship was sinking and the British captain asked him to surrender
Jones responded “I have not yet begun to fight”
In the end the Serapis’ captain surrendered

8. Struggles in the South
In 1776, the Americans crushed the Loyalists at the Battle of Moore’s Creek
Also saved Charles Town from the British
It was a small battle, but its impact (effect) was great
1778- The British saw that they were no closer to victory, so they moved the war to the South
There were more Loyalists there
They could also use their sea power more in the South

9. British Victories
Late General Henry Clinton sent 3,500 troops from NY to take Savannah Georgia
The British occupied the coastal cities and overran most of the state
Early Clinton himself headed south with a large army to attack Charles Town
Charles Town surrendered in May
Patriots lost about 5,500 soldiers
Worst American defeat of the war

10. New Commander in the South
Clinton returned to NY, leaving General Charles Cornwallis in command of the British forces in the South
Horatio Gates was sent to face Cornwallis
The armies met at Camden, South Carolina
The British won
The British army soon met a new kind of warfare

11. Guerrilla Warfare
The British didn’t get the Loyalist support they expected
Small forces of Patriots attacked the British as they moved across the countryside
These bands used guerrilla warfare (hit and run attacks)
Caught the British off guard
Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, operated out of the swamps in South Carolina
One British colonel grumbled that “the devil himself” could not catch Marion

12. Help From Spain
Bernardo de Galvez loaned thousands of dollars to the Americans
Galvez opened the port of New Orleans
Tons of supplies and ammunition were shipped up the Mississippi River
With these supplies, George Rogers Clark captured key posts
1779- Spain declared war on Britain
Galvez raised an army of Spanish soldiers along with Creoles, Native Americans, and African Americans
Captured key forts and opened supply lines for military supplies from Spain, France, Cuba, and Mexico

13. Patriot Victories
The British moved northward through the Carolinas in September 1780
Patriots defeated the British at Kings Mountain and brought new support for independence
October Nathaniel Greene replaced Gates as commander in the South
Greene avoided full scale battles and split the army in two
The British were defeated at the Battle of Cowpens under Patriot General Daniel Morgan
The forces were reunited in March and met Cornwallis’ army at Guilford Courthouse (Greensboro, NC)
Greene’s forces were forced to retreat
The British sustained (suffered) great losses

14. British Retreat Cornwallis knew he had to act quickly to win the war
More French troops were on the way
Lord Cornwallis marched to Virginia in April 1781
The British almost captured Governor Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature
Jefferson fled on horseback
Washington sent Lafayette and General Anthony Wayne to fight Cornwallis
Cornwallis set up camp at Yorktown and waited for further orders from Clinton in New York