The Siege of Savannah and its effect on the Revolutionary War It (the Siege of Savannah) was the most serious military confrontation in Georgia between the British and Continental (American Revolutionary) troops, as Americans, with help from French forces, tried unsuccessfully to liberate the city from its yearlong occupation by the British. (Smith) This marked the only chance Georgia had at becoming a free state, away from the tight grasps of the British, because they had the help of the French’s navy, superior weapons, and higher manpower. The Siege of Savannah was fought by the British on one side and the French troops and American Patriots on the other side. It was a Franco-American effort against the British, and the French played a major role in the war with General d’Estaing as one of their major generals, but his and the Patriots’ preparations and what went wrong in the battle made it a loss, which led to a chain of events that affected the entire war. When France informally joined the Revolutionary War in 1776, their reason was not to give the United States of America the rightful independence they deserved. They had two main reasons for joining, with the largest being that they had a bitter rivalry with Great Britain. The French’s loss in the French and Indian War made the French dislike the British even more, and they saw the uprising of the colonies as their chance to mess up the British. A second, smaller reason was that they also wanted to be the United States of America’s largest trading partner, and that was granted along with formal declaration of war in 1778 with the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and Treaty of Alliance (“French Alliance”). In 1776 and 1777, the French only provided informal support howeve... ... middle of paper ... ... up with the French and his troops turned his tactical blunders during the Siege of Savannah into a consequence that cost them the lives of many and a needless waste of time, effort, and money. The French made a lasting imprint in history because of their participation in the Revolutionary War. For the Siege of Savannah, however, one of the most crucial times when it was needed in the South, the French did not meet up with their expectations due to a combination of bad luck and strategical mistakes. The result was that many extra battles were fought, many more lives were claimed, and much more time and money was wasted. The Siege of Savannah was not just important for people who lived in Georgia, but also for everyone else participating in the war, whether they produced cloth at mills in Great Britain, or they wrote letters to their husband hoping to be written back.
... to win war. The Union blockade of Charleston is when the enemy fleet took over the Charleston harbor. Sherman’s march through South Carolina was a path of destruction from ransacking people and homes to burning down buildings. When Sherman set fire to Columbia that marked the end of this gruesome war. After Sherman had set fire to the city, the Confederacy was in such despair over there lost town. This caused the Confederacy to finally surrender to the union. The Civil War was a very dark time in American history. One of the bloodiest wars this country has ever experienced. South Carolina was a big player during this war, from battles to their ports, and then the burning of the capitol. This war was a very traumatic time for Americans but in my opinion I believe that if this war hadn’t happened we wouldn’t be the strong, free willed and brave country we are today.
...ew the war he was fighting was not an epic Napoleonic battle but a war of attrition. He proceeded with his plan to slowly shrink Confederate territory and destroy Lee's army to the point that the South could no longer mount a viable defense. Eventually Grant succeeded and Lee's men were all that remained of the Confederate army. Grant surrounded them in trenches at Richmond until Lee was forced to surrender.
Hamilton believed that an alliance with France at the expense of a relationship with England would have been a disaster for his economic plan. Jefferson believed that America was obligated to help France. Though, both Hamilton and Jefferson eventually agreed that neutrality was best, they did not agree on how to declare it. Hamilton wanted Washington to publicly declare that the United States would stay out of the war. Jefferson believed that congress should declare neutrality.
... historians regard the Battle of Sullivan’s Island as the first significant American victory over the British during the Revolutionary War . This American victory was perilous to South Carolina and the American Revolutionary cause. Defeat would have given British troops control over the vital port of Charleston and access to the entire state of South Carolina.
The British army woke up the next morning and was amazed to see how much hard work took place that night by the American army. Since the British army was surrounded they had no other option but to surrender, and vacate the city.... ... middle of paper ... ... But he always learned from his mistakes.
Most of the sources of conflict were placed on land claims. General James Oglethorpe, while in command, made several attempts to seize Spanish territory. Most proved to be unsuccessful because of the use of numerous commanders and varied armed forces which resulted in ineffectiveness spoiling his advantage of surprise (Doc B). Commanders even failed when attempts were made to attack using the combination of land with sea due to the inability to coordinate the two forces (Doc B). Inevitably, despite England’s good defense planning when making Georgia a buffer colony, in the end the constant battle over land with enemies and defiant colonists led to the defensive
... that ended the revolution with an American victory. The English finally surrendered after many years of fighting. Britain had significant military disadvantages. Since they had to cross a sea, their information and resources were delayed. Since the colonies had not been unified under one central government before the war there wasn’t a central area of any kind of significance. This ensemble of factors caused the British to fail.
The French and Indian war, also better known as the seven year war, was in 1754. It all began in the early spring of 1754 through 1763, when George Washington and some 160 Virginians and hand full of Mingo Indians started to move when they were concerned about the French military presence in their county. The battle first started when a Mingo chief, the Indian leader that was with George Washington in his campaign, led a unit of soldiers into a small French encampment in the woods. It was a very small battle but, the fight ended up with 14 French men wounded. While Washington was trying to get all the available information from their French dying commander to help their plans in the war, the Indians killed and scalped the remaining survivors including the commander.
The American Revolution: the war for our independence. This revolution opened the door to our liberty, freedom, and basically what America is now. Most Americans have heard the stories of famous battles, important people (George Washington for instance), and everything in between. However, this was only for our side of the American Revolution and a small fraction of people have been told of Britain’s campaign of the revolution. The only thing people have been told was the Britain lost the war. What of Britain’s triumphs, strategies, and everything that happened in the span of a few years? Not many people know it, but the British struck a major blow against the Patriots in the last few years of the war. Even though the United States won the American Revolution, Britain struck a major blow against the colonists when the British successfully and brutally took the town of Charleston, South Carolina.
The American Revolution began due to problems within the British economy. The most prevalent issue of the time was "taxation without representation". Unlike the leaders of America, the leaders of the French did not turn out to be as positive for the country. In fact, some of these leaders have caused much more harm than good.
This is because the American Revolution had influenced the French Revolution. The French Revolution is believed to have an even greater impact on Europe. Brad Mackey in his article “American Revolutionary Influences on the French Revolution” claims, “…the influence of the American Revolution on the French Revolution must include recognition that the French were interpreting the American Revolutionary ideological successes first…”. Mackey says this to explain how the French may have used America has an example when identifying their own problems. One way the American Revolution influenced The French Revolution as that it showed the Americas problem with the King of England and taxation was similar to the kings In France and the taxations of the French people. Mackey states, “the conflict between the people of America and the King of England over taxation and American representation in the British Parliament was, to the French, similar to the conflict over taxation between the Kings of France and the people of France who had been represented in the judiciary by the hereditary noble-dominated parliaments of France”. Perhaps the greatest influence on the French Revolution from the American Revolution was the similarity between them with monarchies having total control over them. In his article, Richard Mackey writes, “These conflicts in France had has as their primary source the disagreement between the monarchical government, which had claimed absolute power, and the parliamentary judiciary system which had been, since 1615, the only institution which had had the right to question that absolutism”. These are all examples of how the French had used America has a model in their revolution and also how the American Revolution had an impact in the French
...in later years. Pontiac’s rebellion also caused Britain to be short of cash after having to pay for two consecutive battles. The British looked to the colonies for money without giving the colonies any say in the matter. This lead to the famous phrase, “no taxation without representation.” Another thing that happened during the French and Indian war was a much underpublicized meeting between the colonists. This was the first meeting the colonists ever had by their own accord. The meeting was called by Benjamin Franklin and was known as The Albany Plan of Union. Although the meeting got very little accomplished it still has to be considered a success because it showed that there were colonists willing to have independence. The over taxation and the fact the colonists got to see someone stand up to the British were the major events that lead to the American Revolution.
The Revolutionary War was full of momentum swings on both sides which caused the Redcoats to steal the bells. Charleston seemed hopeless because the Redcoats had total control of every aspect in the war. Charleston was in total destruction and it would take people a long time
...e gun, it seemed, the greater the owner‘s pride in it.” (McCullough 33) The Continental army certainly did not look like an army yet these people were brought together in this fight for freedom and prevailed even winning the support of Americans who had no hope the British would be defeated.” Merchant Erving had sided with the Loyalists primarily because he thought the rebellion would fail. But the success of Washington‘s army at Boston had changed his mind as it had for many” (McCullough 108). The reader must comprehend the power of this accomplishment for the rag-tag army. “Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call it was at the beginning-how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference- the outcome seemed little short of a miracle.” (McCullough 294).
A week later on October 28, 1781 the British relief fleet reached Virginia and learned that Lord Cornwallis had surrendered. At this time the Loyalists in the colonies fled to the British colonies in Canada. The fleet returned to New York several days later without engaging the French navy. The war was over and America was born. Now flash forward two hundred and thirty three years and look at what America has become. It has become a great nation with a great military. We are no longer the disorganized colonies. We have 50 states in our great nation and we are pretty organized. But all of this would not be possible if it wasn’t for the brave men that fought in the Revolutionary War and for the French army’s help. Without all of their efforts the United States of America would not be where it is today. Dolores Jane Umbridge once said, “Progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be