The Battle of Saratoga

Battle map

The Battle of Saratoga occurred during September and October 1777.  The Battle occurred because British forces leaded by Burgoyne wanted to capture Albany, but the American waited them at Bemis Heights (a place chosen by Thaddeus Kosciusko). Bemis Heights was in a perfect spot because in ones side they have the Hudson River and in the other one there was a very dense forest. Burgoyne sent first an attack with 2,000 men leaded by General Fraser. And after that he send a frontal attack on the western part of the Americans. Burgoyne made two attempts to cross the defensive lines, but both failed.

British Attack  on September 19

American attack on October 7

After those attempts he decided to retreat toward Saratoga, but he left all his wounded and most of the supplies at Bemis Heights. After his retreat when he arrived at Saratoga he notice that General Gates was following them, and he realized that there was no way he could support the attack by the Americans that surrounded him. In his last move he called for a Council of War with his officers, and they decided to surrender. At that moment one fourth of British forces were captured, and the victory convinced European powers that an American victory was possible.

Burgoyne surrenders on October 13

The Battle of Princeton

Washingot inspiring his troops to fight

The battle of Princeton occurred on January 3, 1777. At the start general Howe send troops to Trenton to recapture the city. Washington and his army crossed the Delaware again on December 31, 1776. Even though they crossed the Delaware Washington was worried because many of his troops ended their terms on January 1; to avoid staying without troops he promised $10 in bonus to anyone who wanted to stay with him.

General Howe sent 8,000 troops with General Cornwalis to regain Trenton, but Cornwalis mistake was to send frontal attacks to a solid defensive line made by the Americans. During the day in Trenton 500 British soldiers were killed (365 in the frontel attacks and 135 killed by snipers in the road). Overnight Washington and his advisors decided to outflank the British and go to capture Princeton.

When they were arriving to Princeton they found British forces going to Trenton. They started to fight and it looked that the British were going to be, but they returned to Princeton because they were outnumbered. When they were in the city they tried to make a resistance, but it didn’t work. During both days British lost 950 soldiers and Americans only 37.

Washington in his horse

The Battle of Trenton

The Battle of Trenton occurred on December 26, 1776 it was a surprise attack by Washington and his army of 2,400 men. Washington decided to make a last attack before they enter into the winter camp because he didn’t want to lose New Jersey. So Washington made a council that decided that they would attack in the day after Christmas, and will cross the Delaware River in Christmas day without British being able to notice it.

George Washington crossing the Delaware

The town of Trenton was secured by 1,500 Hessians that were commanded by Colonel Rall. In the morning he didn’t send a patrol unit so they never realized that they were going to be attacked. At 8 o’clock in the morning Washington ordered the attack. When they attacked the Hessians tried to resist, but they were surrounded. The Americans killed Colonel Roll, but also killed or injured 150 Hessians, captured 900 of them. 500 Hessians escaped through the Delaware River. 

This was the first victory of the Americans in the war, and it also restored the American morale.

Map with the location of trrops

The Declaration of Independence

Declaring Independence (Finally)

Original Declaration of Independence

You may ask when did the United States of America declared its Independence from Great Britain, and the King. Well for your information America declared its Independence on July 2, 1776, not in July 4, 1776, the day USA celebrate its Independence. The Declaration of Independence is in its majority grievances against the King. The Declaration of Independence was done practically 440 something days after the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The draft was made by Thomas Jefferson, and few changes were made by the Continental Congress. The most important of the changes involved the slaves because if they included that in the Declaration the southern colonies would not sign it. The first one to sign the Declaration was John Hancock that was the leader of the Congress. The other ones were:

·        Connecticut:

Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

·        New York:

William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

·        New Jersey:

Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

·        Pennsylvania:

Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

·        Delaware:

Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

·        Maryland:

Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

·        Virginia:

George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

·        North Carolina:

William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

·        South Carolina:

Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

·        Georgia:

Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton.