Quote notes

[jamizoid]

IGNORE THIS. This is me being derptastic and taking notes since I suddenly have four books to read.

Seriously. This is tl;dr at it's finest.

The American Revolution 100
1: George Washington; American General
- "As the commander of the Continental Army, Washington led an assembly of citizen soldiers that he described as 'sometimes half starved; always in rags, without pay and experiencing, at times, every species of distress which human nature is capable of undergoing.'"
- Became disillusioned with the British during the Seven Years' War; British officers had a superior attitude and little knowledge of American terrain or people
- "While [Washington's wife] preferred him to remain with her at their Mt. Vernon estate, she later wrote, 'I cannot blame him for acting according to his ideas of duty in obeying the voice of his country.'"
- Represented VA in the First Continental Congress
- Appeared before the Second Continental Congress in military dress offering his service; was unanimously voted to be commander-in-chief of the new Continental Army-- was not elected for military skills, but rather his ability in unifying Americans to a common cause
- Took command during the Boston Siege, July 1775
- Realized that he could not defeat the better trained and supplied British army in open combat, but also realized that time was on his side-- the longer the war went on, the less the public opinion of the English would think about the distant war
- "Quite simply, Washington understood that as long as he had an army in the field, victorious or not, the newly declared United States of America existed."
- Did not personally participate in Saratoga; remained near New York when the war moved to the South
- Moved south when Greene had the British on the run to Yorktown; was the only decisive victory Washington personally participated in

2: Yorktown, Virginia
--May-October, 1781
- Final major land battle of the Revolution
- Cornwallis' decided that, after several exhausting battles and Pyrrhic victories in the South, the best course of action would be to march up the VA coast and await naval support/supplies
- Upon the arrival of Rochambeau, de Grasse, and 7,000 French soldiers, Washington wanted to attack Clinton and siege NYC, but the French convinced him to attack Cornwallis and Yorktown instead; began the march on August 21 and marched the 200 miles in only 15 days
- Clinton believed NYC was still the main target, and did not move to aid Cornwallis
- With the allied infantry on the way south, the French fleet drove the British navy out of the Chesapeake during the Battle of Chesapeake Capes in early September; French blockaded the bay and landed another 3,000 French soldiers to assist the allies
- By October 6, Washington had the 9,500-man British force surrounded with its back to the river while his 20,000 strong army occupied the areas to the river's east, south, and west; De Grasse's navy prevent retreat by sea
- October 9: 52 rebel siege guns begin shelling the British positions, infantry dug trenches towards the British defensive redoubts
- October 14: American/French force capture the forward British fortifications and position their artillery to they could fire directly into the remaining British defenses
- October 16: British counterattack fails
- October 17: Cornwallis asks for a ceasefire
- October 19: Cornwallis agrees to an unconditional surrender
- British losses: 600 dead/wounded, 8,000 prisoner, 214 pieces of artillery captured, over 7,000 small arms captured
- American losses: 20 dead, 56 wounded; French losses: 52 dead, 134 wounded
- "Cornwallis, claiming illness, sent his deputy Charles O'Hara to surrender in his place. While the British band played 'The World Upside Down,' O'Hara approached Rochambeau to surrender his sword to his European peer rather than the rebel colonist. The French officer recognized the ploy and deferred to Washington. The American commander turned to his own deputy, Benjamin Lincoln, who accepted O'Hara's sword--deputy to deputy--and the British surrender."
- Few small skirmishes took place after Yorktown, but for all intents and purposes, the war was won

3: Saratoga, New York
--October 7,1777
- Turning point of the Revolution
- Thwarted British plan to divide the colonies, boosted morale and proved that the Americans could win in a conventional battle, and brought much needed support from other European countries
- Howe proposed marching on Philadelphia, Burgoyne proposed a move down the Hudson River Valley in two columns while Howe moved north from NYC-- the two armies would meet in Albany and separate the New England states from the others
- Both plans were approved, which called for more offensive operations than the British army in North America could support
- Howe further complicated plans by taking a circuitous route by sea through Maryland; British occupied Philadelphia by October
- Burgoyne had setbacks as well: Howe's slow advance on Philadelphia prevented his movement north to support the invasion from Canada, and the column supporting Burgoyne from the east (St. Leger's), consisting of nearly 1,800 Native Americans, regulars, and militia had the effect of turning moderates into rebels due to residual colonial bitterness towards the natives
- St. Leger eventually turned back to Canada when many of his Native Americans deserted
- July 1: Burgoyne recaptures Fort Ticonderoga with little resistance
- The route onward to Albany is challenging; General Gates destroyed bridges, felled trees across roads, and even rerouted streams to delay the British march
- Gates and his 10,000 Americans had already dug into Bemis Heights when Burgoyne reached Saratoga; British force: 6,500
- September 19: Burgoyne attempts to flank the Americans: Gates sends sharpshooters to kill/wound officers, but they were still outflanked and had to retreat
- 1,000 militiamen joined Gates over the next two weeks; Burgoyne's forces were demoralized and running low on supplies-- he had to attack
- October 7: Burgoyne once again ordered 1,600 men to flank the Americans, Gates sends sharpshooters-- a brief battle commenced with 150 rebel losses compared to 600 British casualties
- British withdrew into the town of Saratoga; Americans quickly surrounded then
- October 17: Burgoyne surrenders the rest of his exhausted army to Gates

4: Nathanael Greene; American General
- Was present at nearly every major battle in the North, took command of the South
- Quartermaster general; streamlined and standardized the army's supply system
- Created a militia company, joined Boston siege
- Only major mistake: trying to recreate Bunker Hill at Ft. Washington, cost 3,000 soldiers becoming prisoners
- Close confidant of Washington throughout the war
-Upon arriving in the South, he made the same improvements to the supply system and then divided his army-- half went to Cowpens, SC, half stayed with Greene to fortify Guilford Courthouse, NC
- "...Greene did not defeat Cornwallis but so weakened his force that the British general decided to quit his quest for victory in the South and to march northward to rejoin other forces. Greene often said and wrote during this period, 'We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again.'"

5: American Allies
- Major allies: France, Spain, Netherlands
- Half-dozen other European countries joined a League of Armed Neutrality to challenge Britain's naval superiority
- Supported Americans not because of belief in their cause, but because they saw profit in weakening the British Empire and opening a new source of trade
- France in particular observed with interest, since any opposition to George III could only benefit them; liberal thinkers admired the American cause, but the main reason they joined was to do battle with a common enemy
- France was not confident that the Americans would not try to negotiate with the British in the early war; offered military and economic aid instead of open support
- French support increased after the Declaration
- "The American victory at Saratoga inspired the British to consider giving the Americans home rule within the Empire. France--fearful of a reconciliation between the King and the colonies and now convinced by Saratoga that the Americans just might win--offered a treaty of alliance to recognize the independence of the United States and officially provide support to defeat the British."
- Early military efforts by the French did not go well; Newport, Savannah-- but with a change in leadership and increase of support/supplies, the alliance recovered
- Spain also sent aid secretly during the early war; Louisiana governor recaptured forts in Mississippi, Alabama, and West Florida once open war was declared
- Netherlands offered naval and economic support
- Russia, Denmark, Norway, HRE, Prussia, Poland, and Sicily all joined the League of Armed Neutrality; united in a "passive hostility" against England
- "The Armed Neutrality freed neutral-flagged merchant vessels to sail into and deliver supplies to foreign ports regardless of their status of war with other countries. These efforts weakened the British control of the sea and increased the amount of non-British supplies reaching the Americans."
- Americans benefited far more than any Europeans

6: Robert Morris; American Financier
- "Morris was solely responsible for securing money to pay the troops and to purchase the arms, ammunition, and other supplies.. When sufficient funds were not available, he drew upon his own personal fortune to finance the Revolution."
- September 18, 1775: Congress establishes a committee to secure arms and ammunition for the army, and that committee contracted with Morris's company.
- "The first ship in the newly established US Navy, the Alfred, came from the Morris fleet of cargo vessels.
- November 3, 1775: Morris joins as a delegate from Pennsylvania; opposes independence at first
- Initiated lotteries to raise money and dispatched his own fleet as privateers to capture English shipping goods; scrounged for any lead he could find to make musketballs
- Always opposed created a currency with no gold or silver backing; currency system collapsed in 1781-- "as worthless as a Continental"
- First action as superintendent of finances was to create a national financial institution to centralize the finances of the Revolution and the country
- Soldiers were reluctant to march to Yorktown without pay; Morris approached French officers for a loan which they approved on Morris's personal promise of repayment
- Was in debt for the rest of his life

7: Continental Army
- "These 'regulars' described in their early years by friend and foe alike as 'uncoordinated amateurs,' went through a series of organizations and reorganizations before they emerged with enough training, skills, and leadership to be victorious."
- "Some of the colonial militias joined the British during the French and Indian war... but at no point was there any real desire by the colonies to form a united military force."
- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire militia besieged Boston after Lexington and Concord
- "Prior to this siege, delegates of the Continental Congress had had an aversion to a standing army, fearing loss of powers for the individual states. They now realized, however, that the numerous militia units from many states could not operate without central command and control."
- June 14, 1775: Congress creates the Continental Army out of the state militias surrounding Boston
- June 15, 1775: George Washington is unanimously voted the army's commander
- July 3, 1775: Washington arrives at Boston to take command of the 17,000 soldiers gathered there, all former militiamen and all of whom were nearing the end of their year of service commitment
- "Over the next six months, Washington recruited vigorously as he converted militia companies and regiments into regular units. Fewer than 6,000 men volunteered, so Washington had to ask the former militiamen to remain on active duty after their discharge dates."
- January 1, 1776: The old militia units from the four states are reorganized into regiments
- Washington felt the militiamen not enlisted into the army did more harm than good; also complains of short-term enlistments
- February 1, 1776: Washington writes, "It takes you two or three months to bring new men in any tolerable degree acquainted with their duty. It takes a longer time to bring a people of the temper and genius of these into such a subordinate way of thinking as is necessary for a soldier. Before this is accomplished, the time approaches for their dismissal."
- September 16, 1776: Congress responds to Washington by ordering the 13 states to contribute 88 regiments based of their proportional populations; they also authorized enlistment bounties and set the terms of enlistment to be 'the length of the war'
- March 19, 1779: Number of regiments is reduced to 80
- Total enlistments during the entire war: 231,771; Greatest strength the army had at any one time: 35,000~ in late 1778
- At no time did Washington have more than 17,000 soldiers in the field; during Trenton/Princeton, Washington only had 4,000
- Was mostly made up of poor men looking for pay and rations; officers were often looking for wealth and privilege, sometimes letting arguments over rank impede their leadership
- After the British left, neither Congress nor the American people wanted a standing army
- September 3, 1783: Army is reduced to 700; is reduced to 80 the following year
- "The success of the Continental Army, like that of the Revolution itself, defied logic." (WAY TO PUT IT SO BLUNTLY, BOOK)

8: Trenton, New Jersey
--December 26, 1776
- "The battles served as a rallying point for the American people, who had become disillusioned with the failures of the Revolution. After Trenton, and the subsequent victory at Princeton a week later, volunteers for the militias came forward and the civilian population renewed their support in providing supplies and provisions for the rebel army."
- Losses at Long Island, White Plains, and Ft. Washington forced the Continental Army to retreat to NJ with the British army in pursuit
- During the retreat, many of the enlistment contracts ran out, and many men left or simply deserted; civilians feared the Revolution was a lost cause and stopped providing food and shelter during the winter
- Washington felled trees across roads and destroyed bridges to slow the British pursuit; reached the Delaware in early December-- by the time the army reached PA, it consisted of merely 3,000 men, many of which were wounded or ill
- British reached the Delaware December 8, but did not pursue any further; Howe took up quarters NJ and NY and ignored subordinate pleas to "finish off the rebels"
- Washington knew he had to take action of the Revolution might fail; called for reinforcements-- army 'swelled' to 4,700
- Chose the Hessian garrison of Trenton to be his target; would attack during early morning when he hoped the Hessians would be sleeping off Christmas Day celebrations
- December 25: After dark, Washington ferries his men over the Delaware; icy snowstorm prevents rebels from getting about a third of their army over, but as daylight neared, Washington had 2,400 men and 18 cannons prepared
- Meanwhile, 1,400 Hessians slept, the town guarded only by a few pickets; the regular night patrols had actually been called off because of the snowstorm
- "[The Hessian commander] had also delayed the building of fortifications at the town's primary approaches, declaring, 'Let them come. We need no trenches. We will go at them with the bayonet.'"
- Around 8AM December 26, the Americans had reached Trenton and easily swept through the streets; the snowstorm prevented the use of musket fire, but the Americans still had their cannons and blades
- The four senior-most officers were almost immediately killed, and the Hessians surrendered soon after; about a one hour fight
- Hessian losses: at least 23 dead, 90 wounded, and 918 captured
- American losses: 2 dead, 5 wounded, and several more casualties due to the weather
- Cornwallis was sent to retake the town a few days later, but Washington used campfires as a ruse for his real location and slipped away to attack Princeton
- Princeton losses: 40 Americans dead, 1 wounded; more that 300 British/Hessians dead
- Americans withdrew to Morristown, Howe called off further operations until warmer weather
- Victory reengerized support for the Revolution
- "A Hessian officer, noting the lack of trenches and brest-works at Trenton, wrote, 'We must now give them the honor of fortifications.'"

9: George Sackville Germain; British Secretary of State

10: Continental Congress

11: British Army

12: Henry Knox; American General

13: Chesapeake Capes, Virginia
--September 5, 1781

14: Declaration of Independence
--July 4, 1776

15: William Howe; British General

16: Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

17: Henry Clinton; British General

18: Navigation, Stamp, Townshend, Boston Port, Quebec, and Quartering Acts

19: Cowpens, South Carolina
--January 17, 1781

20: George III; King of Great Britain

21: Common Sense and The Crisis

22: Charles Cornwallis; British General

23: Bunker Hill, Massachusetts
--June 17, 1775

24: Jean Baptiste de Rochambeau; French General

25: Benjamin Franklin; American Diplomat

26: Guilford Court House, North Carolina
--March 15, 1781

27: Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse; French Admiral

28: Valcour Island, New York
--October 11-12, 1776

29: Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; French Merchant

30: West Point, New York

31: Horatio Gates; American General

32: Long Island, New York
--August 27, 1776

33: John Burgoyne; British General

34: Loyalists

35: Daniel Morgan; American General

36: King's Mountain, South Carolina
--October 7, 1780

37: German Mercenaries (Hessians)

38: Anthony Wayne; American General

39: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
--December 19, 1777 - June 18, 1778

40: Bernardo de Galvez; Spanish General

41: Naval Operations

42: John Eager Howard; American Lieutenant Colonel

43: Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts
--April 19, 1775

44: Banastre Tarleton; British Lieutenant Colonel

45: West Indies

46: Marquis de LaFayette; American General

47: Charleston, South Carolina
--Feburary 11 - May 12, 1780

48: Germantown, Pennsylvania
--October 4, 1777

49: Guy Carleton; British General and Governor of Canada

50: Boston Siege
--April 19,1775 - March 17, 1776

51: John Adams; American Statesman

52: Ticonderoga, New York
--May 10,1775

53: American Militias

54: Population and Resources

55: George Rogers Clark; American General

56: African Americans

57: Moores Creek Bridge, North Carolina
--February 27, 1776

58: John Paul Jones; American Naval Captain

59: Mommouth, New Jersey
--June 28th, 1778

60: Francis Marion; American General

61: Privateers

62: Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben; American General

63: Eutaw Springs, South Carolina
--September 8, 1781

64: Barry St. Leger; British Colonel

65: Camden, South Carolina
--August 16, 1780

66: John Trumbull; American Colonel and Painter

67: Pay, Rations, Uniforms, and Medicine

68: John Stark; American General

69: Treaty of Paris
--September 3, 1783

70: Weapons and Tactics

71: John Sullivan; American General

72: Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania
--September 11, 1777

73: Francis Rawdon; British Lieutenant Colonel

74: Waxhaw Creek, South Carolina
--May 29, 1780

75: Intelligence

76: Benjamin Lincoln; American General

77: White Plains, New York
--October 28, 1776

78: Future US Presidents

79: Charles Lee; American General

80: Savannah, Georgia (First Savannah)
--December 29, 1778
- "Only the several hundred Redcoats who approached through the swamp and the hundred or so rebels who initially opposed them in the rear actually participated directly in the fight. A total of 83 Americans either died in the brief battle or drowned fleeing across the swamp in it's aftermath. Another 483, including 38 officers, became prisoners. The British also captured 48 cannons, 23 mortars, and 14 naval and river vessels of various sizes. British causalities totaled only 3 dead and 10 wounded."
- "The British occupation of Savannah gave the Redcoats control of nearly all of Georgia and removed that state's agricultural production from support of the Revolution."

81: James Grant; British General
- Advocated burning cities and ports - scorched-earth policy; had contempt for Americans
- Primary tactician of the New York/Pennsylvania/New Jersey campaigns
- Was in command of New Jersey Hessian outposts during Winter 1776-1777; Trenton, Princeton

82: Newport, Rhode Island
--July 29-August 31, 1778
- Joint American-French effort that failed miserably
- Storm came in; forced French naval support to retreat to Boston for repairs
- "American troops on the mainland were cold and wet from the storm, but their commander was angry, and his ire inflamed his compatriots. Sullivan dispatched a letter that claimed that d'Estaing had deserted the operation, declaring that the actions 'stain the honor of France, are contrary to the interests of His Most Christian Majesty, are most pernicious to the prosperity to the United States, and an outrageous offense upon the alliance between the two nations."
- "Sullivan dispatched LaFayette to Boston in an attempt to convince d'Estaing to return to RI. LaFayette found the citizens of Boston about as angry at the French as those in RI. Stories reached him that American and French sailors were rioting against each other in ports from Boston to the Carolinas. LaFayette wrote to Washington on August 25, stating, "I am more upon a warlike footing in the American lines than when I came near the British lines at Newport."
- Washington immediately ordered officers to cease criticisms against France.
- "Fortunately for the Americans and their Revolution, the French did not waver in their commitment. As the war shifted to the Southern states, the French navy and army significantly contributed to the combat while arms and supplies from France supported the Continental Army."

83: Thomas Sumter; American General and Partisan
- From South Carolina; 'Carolina Gamecock'
- Avoided large-scale battles; used 'hit-and'run' tactics/guerrilla warfare
- Sumter's Law; a partisan could kill a Loyalist and then freely pilfer his home and other possessions
- "...fought a civil war within his own state rather than a revolution for national independence and liberty."

84: Canadian Invasion
--August 1775-October1776
- "The Americans believed that the 80,000 French Canadians, who had lived under the British flag only since the end of the French and Indian War a dozen years earlier, would readily join their revolt. In addition to adding a fourteenth state, the capture of Canada would deprive the British a safe haven from which to attack the rebellious colonies."
- Was delayed by Philip Schuyler; gave British time to prepare
- Failure; inadequate forces to take Quebec, smallpox and winter weakened the army further

85: Benedict Arnold; American General and Traitor
- Lead a column during the Canadian Invasion; performed commendably at Valcour Island to prevent the British from taking NYC
- Threatened to resign when 5 other officers got promoted when he didn't; Washington had to speak with him
- Took part in Saratoga; was placed in command of Philadelphia when the British evacuated in 1778 - hosted elaborate parties while in command which he could no pay for, which in turn irritated Congress- court martial proceedings initiated
- Began correspondence with Henry Clinton, but soon stopped when it looked like the court martial was going to be dropped
- The court martial was dropped, but Congress still reprimanded him for financial irresponsibility; angered, he began correspondence again
- Dispatched a letter offering West Point (important Hudson river valley defensive position) September 1780; his courier was caught, Arnold escaped
- Later lead Loyalist operations in VA and CT

86: Fort Washington, New York
--November 16, 1776
- "The British victory at Fort Washington on Nov. 16, 1776 left New York City and the lower Hudson River in the hands of the Redcoats. This achievement by the Crown weakened the already sagging morale of the Americans when the rebels witnessed the capture of their veteran infantrymen, muskets, munitions, and other supplies. The battle also once again proved, at least temporarily, the superiority of the generalship of William Howe over George Washington and Nathanael Greene."
- Pentagon earthwork on a 230-foot-high hill that ran for a mile along the river; high cliffs protect the river side, but the landward approach was vulnerable with no ditches/other defenses
- By mid-November, 8,000 British and Hessian troops covered the landward approach; only 2,900 Americans were there to defend it
- British attack during a light snowstorm; Americans pull back into the Fort itself
- British demand surrender; Magaw, fearing annihilation, agreed
- Brief but bloody battle; nearly 100 Americans wounded, 53 dead, 2,813 captured-- captured men were kept in prison ships
- 146 cannons and 2,800 muskets surrendered along with stores of shot, shell, and other supplies; devastated, the Americans had to abandon nearby Fort Lee as well-- the British had captured both forts at the cost of 78 dead and 374 wounded
- "Back in England those who opposed Howe once again criticized him for not pursuing the rebels and then fort accepting the surrender of Ft. Washington. They believed that if the British had overrun the fort and killed most of its defenders, the surviving rebels in the colonies would have capitulated and ended the Rebellion."
- "Whatever his reasons, Howe allowed Washington and the remainder of his army to escape, which, in effect, permitted the American commander to represent a viable United States."

87: Thomas Jefferson; American Statesman
- "In 1774 he published a pamphlet titled A Summary View of the Rights of British America in which he claimed the colonial allegiance to the Crown was voluntary and that 'the God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.'"
- "Jefferson later explained that '[the Declaration] was intended to be an expression of the American mind.'"
- Returned to VA late-1776; was elected governor in June 1779
- "He governed well except for his lack of attention to military matters that left the state's militia poorly prepared for the British attack against Richmond in the spring of 1781."

88: Stony Point, New York
--July 16, 1779
- "The successful night attack by the Americans against the British fort at Stony Point on NY's Hudson River in the summer of 1779 had little strategic influence on the outcome of the Revolution, but it did provide a boost to sagging rebel morale. In combination with the Battle of Monmouth fought a year earlier, the outcome at Stony point encouraged the British to move their offensive operation to the Southern states."
- Stony Point was an important ferry crossing; Washington feared the British would use it to attack West Point
- Cannot attack Stony Point directly-- built on a tall rise and surrounded by the river on three sides, lots of artillery, swamp makes landward approach impossible during high tide
- General "Mad Anthony" Wayne lead assault during the night; ordered men to march with muskets unloaded and bayonets fixed, civilians were ordered to move to the back, dogs were killed to keep them from barking-- absolute secrecy was key
- Wayne's men performed extremely well; British surrender
- "At this stage of the war victors usually gave no quarter, but the rebels exercised the discipline demanded by Wayne and did not harm their prisoners. A British officer... later noted the American valor and honor in his journal, writing, 'The rebels had made the attack with a bravery never before exhibited, and they showed at this moment a generosity and clemency which during the course of the rebellion had no parallel.'"
- Stony Point was evacuated soon after; Clinton's army was approaching

89: Newburgh Addresses
--March 10 & 12, 1783
- Outlined grievances military officers had after the Revolution; were not being compensated for their service
- Could have led to a military insurrection against civilian rule; Washington showed great leadership in preventing that
- Bulk of Continental Army camped in Newburgh, NY after Yorktown and prior to the Treaty of Paris
- Washington appealed to emotion and brought many of his men to tears after taking out his spectacles to read one of the letters; men placed complete loyalty to the Congress after that moment

90: Richard Howe; British Admiral
- Brother of William Howe; "Both brothers favored nonmilitary settlement with the rebellious colonists and attempted to negotiate a peaceful end to the conflict."
- Evacuated the Boston garrison, assisted in the capture of NYC, and partook in Newport
- Left the war early and refused to serve until there was a change in the leadership of the English government
- Sympathizer, but worthy adversary

91: Ninety-Six, South Carolina
--May 22-June 9, 1781
- One of the last British/Loyalist outposts in the South to offer resistance to the American revolutionaries
- Located on an inland trail; strategic importance
- The commander of the British forces in the region ordered all outpost defenders to withdraw to Charleston, but word never reached Ninety-Six
- Loyalists dug in-- 'Star Redoubt'; Greene dug in paralleling trenches
- Word that British reinforcements were advancing forced the rebels to retreat towards Charlotte
- British had won, but they soon evacuated Ninety-Six and left the interior of SC to the rebels
- Battle was... kind of pointless, since the Loyalists would have gotten the order to withdraw had Greene waited a few more weeks

92: Charles Hector d'Estaing; French Admiral
- "Charles Hector d'Estaing, first the hope and then the despair of the American Revolution, led the initial military support operation led directly by the French. ...D'Estaing's ineptness greatly damaged the morale of the Americans who had looked to the French for assistance and salvation in their fight for independence."
- Was Admiral during Newport and the American siege of Savannah; both missions were failures
- Any influence he had was negative

93: Boston Massacre
--March 5, 1770
- Riot over British occupation of Boston
- Was propaganda'd to be worse than it truly was; more famous than influential

94: Patrick Ferguson; British Major
- Fought in both Northern and Southern theaters
- Invented a breech-loading rifle and then fielded a company of marksmen
- "These accomplishments aside, Ferguson is widely known for something he refrained from doing. During the Battle of Brandywine Creek, he had the opportunity to shoot Washington--but the shot would have been into the back of the American leader, and Ferguson believed that taking such and act was not the gentlemanly thing to do."

95: Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania
--July 3-4, 1778
- "The Battle of Wyoming Valley and the massacre that followed inflamed the hatred between rebels on the one hand and Loyalists and their Native American allies on the other, strengthening the resolve of the rebels and reminding them of their fate if independence failed. The battle illustrates the strong feelings that divided American factions and displays the ruthlessness of the Indians."
- After Saratoga, Loyalists were in the minority in Upstate NY; Loyalist commander wanted to take the fight deeper into rebel territory
- Loyalists stop near a rebel town in the valley; rebels gather, but make a measly force at best
- Rebels attack and nearly surprise Loyalists, but Native Americans alert the Loyalists; 360 v. 1,000-- battle went to the Loyalists
- Rebels break rank and run; Natives pursued, captured, and killed many
- The next day, the Loyalist commander demanded that the town surrender and no longer take arms up against the Crown; town agrees after being told they would not be harmed
- Accounts differ-- either the Natives immediately began looting and killing, or the Loyalist commander kept control and then later destroyed a thousand homes and confiscated livestock and supplies
- Propaganda tool for both sides; deepened resentment

96: Kazimierz Pulaski; American General
- Organized the first formal horse mounted units in the Continental Army
- Most famous Pole to fight and most popular Polish hero in the US
- Arrived in America July 1777, prior to the Battle of Brandywine; served as Washington's volunteer aide
- Continental Army had no formal cavalry-- officers and messengers were mounted, but that was it
- Was not very good in social matters; demanded he outrank all foreign officers outside of LaFayette, refused to follow orders from anyone other than Congress, complained about treatment from other officers but remained devoted to the cause
- Moved to the Southern theater in May 1779
- Died during a 'foolhardy' charge on Savannah, GA

97: Ramseur's Mill, North Carolina
--June 10, 1780
- Extremely bloody battle between Loyalists and rebels
- "This fight between neighbors--and even relatives--over loyalty to King George III produced appalling casualty rates considering the numbers involved. The outcome prevented the British from expanding their occupation of the Southern states into NC."
- NC Loyalists had offered no resistance since the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge in 1776; hoped they would retake control by way of Cornwallis
- Cornwallis called for Loyalists to hold out until fall; Loyalists were impatient and began gathering in summer
- Rebels nearby had heard word of the Loyalist gathering and began marching towards them; a small indecisive skirmish followed
- NC governor ordered forces to prepare at Charlotte; another rebel leader had already gathered 400 soldiers near the 1,300-strong Loyalist camp
- Rebels flanked Loyalists on both sides; neither had bayonets (the battle was fought with musket stocks, clubs, and fists) nor uniforms (so it was difficult for combatants to distinguish enemy from ally)
- Loyalists fell back-- Loyalist commander asked for a cease-fire, rebel commander demanded surrender; Loyalists retreated to Camden
- Ensured rebel control of North Carolina for the remainder of the war

98: Paul Revere; American Lieutenant Colonel
- 'Midnight ride'
- Served as a producer of propaganda engravings and as a courier between the early Committees of Correspondence and battle leaders
- Designed and printed the first Continental currency and also produced the first official seal of the Continental Congress and the State of Massachusetts

99: Native Americans
- Participated to protect their own land claims; most sided with the British
- Proclamation of 1763-- "reserved" land west of the Appalachians for the Indians
- "The Continental Congress in July 1775 went so far as to issue this statement: 'This is a family quarrel between us and Old England. You Indians are not concerned in it. We don't wish you to take up the hatchet against the king's troops. We desire you to remain at home, and not join either side, but to keep the hatchet buried deep.'"
- Americans were first in successfully enlisting Natives; Massachusetts
- British use of Natives angered American colonists greatly; included in the Declaration-- Jefferson later said he wished the Cherokee to be driven beyond the Mississippi for interfering
- Perceived threat to both sides was more influential than the participation itself

100: John Wilkinson; American General
- "...Serves as the leading example of those Americans who favored their own self-interests and desires over the needs of the Revolution and the future of the US."
- Took credit for critical information found during scouting just before Saratoga; lead to his promotion and the responsibility of carrying information to Congress
- Saratoga --> York is only a few days' ride; Wilkinson did not arrive until Oct. 31 and did not deliver the message until Nov. 3-- had stopped to court a lady and consult with a group of officers who were conspiring to replace Washington with Gates
- Congress was aware of the victory through non-official sources and not pleased with the delay
- Later added theft and treason to his vices; the highest ranking officer in the history of the US to ever commit treason
- Overall, Not A Good Guy

John Adams
Admittedly these are more just quotes that intrigue me rather than anything of true value. Also, starting about 135 pages in; not going to reread for quotes dear god.
- "To the long list of indictments against the King, [Jefferson] had added one assailing the English people, 'our British brethren,' as a further oppressor, for allowing their Parliament and their King 'to send over not only soldiers of our common blood, but Scotch and foreign mercenaries to invade and destroy us.' And therein, Jefferson charged, was the heart of the tragedy, the feeling of betrayal, the 'common blood' cause of American outrage. 'These facts have given the last stab to agonizing affection, and manly spirit bids us to renounce forever these unfeeling brethren,' he had written, 'We must endeavor to forget our former love for them.'

This most emotional passage of all was too much for many in Congress, and to it Jefferson had added a final poignant note: 'We might have been a free and great people together.' Nearly all of this was removed. There was to be no mention of a 'last stab,' or 'love,' or of the 'free and great people' that might have been. Nor was there to be any mention of Scottish mercenaries, James Wilson and John Witherspoon both being Scots."

- "But the most direct and obvious response to the perilous state of Washington and his army, was the attention Congress turned to France. Regrettable as it may have seemed to many, a large majority in Congress now saw that independence could not be won without something more than a people's army, or without help from the outside.

'We look only to heaven and France for succour,' Rush wrote. At City Tavern and the London Coffee House toasts were now commonly raised to His Most Christian Majesty, young King Louis XVI of France, and to 'a speedy alliance' between France and the United States."

- "By September, given the realities of the war, Adams has relinquished his earlier misgiving over a military connection with France, but when the Plan of Treaties was taken up in debate on the floor and motions were made to insert what he called "articles of entangling alliance," he fought them tooth and nail, and with success. As he wrote, the plan passed 'without one particle of such stipulations,' and, in fact, would remain the model for nearly all treaties of the United States for the next 25 years."

Adopted Son: Washington, LaFayette, and the Friendship That Saved the Revolution

Have not read yet

1776

Read once waaay back in high school, need to read again