Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory Savannah and Charles Town - by 1778, the British moved the war South because they couldn’t control Northern cities due to a lack of troops - they also moved their resources to the South because of its proximity to their colonies in the West Indies - in December of 1778, England captured Savannah, Georgia and conquered most of the colony thereafter - by 1780, British General Henry Clinton captured the city of Charles Town, while capturing 5,000 Americans – this was the worst loss during the American Revolution for the
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Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
Savannah and Charles Town
- by 1778, the British moved the war South because they couldn’t control Northern cities due to a lack of troops
- they also moved their resources to the South because of its proximity to their colonies in the West Indies
- in December of 1778, England captured Savannah, Georgia and conquered most of the colony thereafter
- by 1780, British General Henry Clinton captured the city of Charles Town, while capturing 5,000 Americans – this was the worst loss during the American Revolution for the Continentals!
Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
The Swamp Fox and Guerrilla Fighting
- after the loss at Charles Town, Congress assigned General Gates to form a new Southern army
- Gates eventually challenged British General Lord Cornwallis at Camden, South Carolina and was defeated miserably
Lord Cornwallis
Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
- after their victory at Camden, the British set out for Charles Town but were intercepted by multiple guerrilla raids led by Francis Marion, known as the “Swamp Fox”
- the guerrilla warfare tactics were very successful for the Americans!
Francis Marion
Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
The Tide Turns
- after the loss at Camden, Washington appointed Nathanael Greene to run the Southern Army
- Greene was a former Quaker & pacifist, but changed his ways when confronted with British tyranny
- Greene was very effective at fighting the British in the South and made them suffer heavy losses
Nathanael Greene
Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
The End of the War
- by 1781, most of the fighting was being conducted in Virginia
- in July of 1781, Lord Cornwallis set up encampment in Yorktown, Virginia
- Washington used this as an opportunity and attacked in August of 1781 after the French blocked the Chesapeake Bay, which was called the Battle of Yorktown
Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
- the French not only blocked supplies from getting to Cornwallis, but they also provided Washington with many men
- the Americans & French bombarded Cornwallis with cannon fire until he surrendered on October 19, 1781
- England realized the war was pretty much over after the loss at Yorktown – the United States had won their independence!!!!!
Ch.7, Sec.3 – The Path to Victory
The British surrender to Generals Lincoln & Washington at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781!
