The Importance of the Battle of Monmouth in the American Revolutionary War

3851 Words8 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: British involvement in the American Revolution

The Importance of the Battle of Monmouth in the American Revolutionary War

Few, when writing about the American Revolution, list the Battle of Monmouth among the significant battles. It was hardly a bloody battle, with only about seven-hundred total casualties. It was not a decisive battle, it was not a battle in which we gained or lost a key position, and it was not a battle in which we point to as an example of how to conduct an engagement. In fact, it was not a battle in which one can say that the Revolutionaries truly won. Yet, with all this, it was probably the battle that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. "Beneath a blazing sun at Monmouth Courthouse, it was shown to the rest of the Continental Army that the training of Freidrich Von Stueben had, indeed, paid off. Here, Revolutionists stood toe to toe with the greatest Army in the world, and drove them off the field." Heroes were made here, such as the famous Molly Hays McCauly , better known as Molly Pitcher. In truth, and in accordance with legend, she took up her husband's place at his cannon on Comb's Hill after he had fallen. Another legend that began here was the insanely courageous moves of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. His hold against the Grenadiers earned him this nickname, which stuck until his death . Truly, this battle sent a rejuvenated spirit across the entire Continental Army. Contrary to popular belief, they could beat the British regulars. This would no longer be by some fluke, or by poor commanding on the British side, but by the excellent fighting that had been instilled on them during the harsh winter at Valley Forge.

To set the stage for this battle, we must first understand what the British were thinking at the time. The British had not ...

... middle of paper ...

...o the Campaigns in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Washington Crossing,

Pennsylvania: Council of American Historical Sites, 1986

Flood, Charles Bracelen. Monmouth, a Novel. Boston: Houghton Mifflin 1961

Hale, Lieutenant Nathan. "Letter Describing the Events of June 28, 1778". November 25, 2013

Hester, Tom. "Maj. Gen. Charles Lee's Division Retreats in Disorder." The New Jersey Star-Ledger, 5 August 2001

Horner, William. This Old Monmouth of Ours. Freehold, NJ. 1974

Leach, Joseph K. "The Battle of Monmouth, June 1778." . November 1 2001

Lee, General Charles. "Letters to Washington on June 28th, and 30th".

November 1, 2001

Valis, Glenn. "The Battle of Monmouth". . November 1, 2001

Washington, General Washington. "Letter Rebuking and Ordering the Court-Martial of Lee". http://virginia.edu/gwpapers/revolution/lee/lee3.html. Nevember 1, 2001

Show More
Related

  • Analysis of 1776, by David McCullough

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...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).

    Read More

  • Battle of Lexington And Concord by Lucia Raatma

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “Battles of Lexington and Concord”, the goals of the British were hindered due to American preparation. One of the goals of the British was “capturing pat...

    Read More

  • The Battle of Saratoga: Turning Point of the American Revolution

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    and link up with Burgoyne in Albany. The goal of this plan was to isolate

    Read More

  • Revolutionary War: The Battles of Lexington and Concord

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the battle of Concord, Captain John Parker said, "Stand your ground; don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here. " Many famous people were involved in these battles. Paul Revere was a patriot who is well-known for his famous midnight ride.

    Read More

  • 1776 Book Review

    1084 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the summer of 1775, The Americans prepared to attack the British in Boston. But Washington was informed that they were shorthanded on gunpowder. The Americans had fewer than 10,000 pounds, roughly nine rounds per man. The situation was not expected to improve soon. During the night of March 4th, 1776 in Boston. Washington pulled the unthinkable and surprised the British by placing his army up the undefended Dorchester Heights. The British had ships anchored in the Boston Harbor, which were within range of American cannons. 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 ot...

    Read More

  • Stephen Crane and Walt Whitman: The Natural and the Language of Social Protest

    1813 Words  | 4 Pages

    In The Red Badge of Courage, Henry Fleming was drawn to enlist by his boyhood dreams. His highly romanticized notion of war was eclectic, borrowing from various classical and medieval sources. Nevertheless, his exalted, almost deified, conception of the life of a soldier at rest and in combat began to deflate before the even the ink had dried on his enlistment signature. Soon the army ceased to possess any personal characteristics Henry had once envisioned, becoming an unthinking, dispas...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Revolutionary War

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the beginning of the war, the preconceptions of each side show exactly why Britain was destined for failure. On the American team,

    Read More

  • Use of Espionage During the American Revolution

    3426 Words  | 7 Pages

    Mahoney, Harry Thayer, and Marjorie Locke Mahoney. Gallantry in action: a biographic dictionary of espionage in the American Revolutionary War. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1999.

    Read More

  • Benedict Arnold

    1778 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the most notorious names in history is Benedict Arnold, an American Revolutionary War leader, who is known for being the “traitor to his country.” Yet, without his courageous and heroic deeds in the fight against the British, the Americans may have not gained freedom. In Saratoga, New York, a monument is dedicated to Arnold’s contribution to the victory of the Battle of Saratoga; however, there is no name on the monument. Biographer James Kirby Martin once said, “The tragedy of Benedict Arnold is that his incredible acts … have been washed away and basically forgotten.” Although Benedict Arnold was once a respected and admirable leader of the Americans, he was branded as a selfish and unethical traitor after the Revolutionary War and his efforts towards the success of the Americans were often overlooked or forgotten.

    Read More

  • Breaker morant

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    „h There they where watching us fighting such inhumanly, to take out as many of the enemy as possible, and to return none, that was the order and we did nothing but follow it. Something the British where to afraid to do, and we Australians where demanded to endeavor.

    Read More

  • The Daily Life of Civil War Soldiers

    4294 Words  | 9 Pages

    Earl J. Hess, The Union Soldier in Battle, (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1997).

    Read More

  • Major Battles of the American Revolution

    373 Words  | 1 Pages

    The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, when British soldiers and American patriots clashed at Lexington, Massachusetts, and at nearby Concord. The war lasted eight years. It ended on September 3, 1783, when Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which gave independence to the United States.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Boston Massacre

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    One night, on March 5, 1770, a street fight occurred between a group of American patriots and some British soldiers stationed in Boston. The Americans harassed the troops by yelling and shouting names at them and throwing snowballs and sticks. A crowd formed and in the noise and confusion, weapons were fired. In the end, ...

    Read More

  • Individuals That Contributed To The Civil War

    1908 Words  | 4 Pages

    Woodworth, Steven E. Davis and Lee at War. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 1995.

    Read More

  • The Battle of France

    2520 Words  | 6 Pages

    Warfare was in a state of transition. Older commanders and generals in the French and British militaries were very cavalry and infantry focused. These commanders believed that cavalry, infantry, and artillery would assure victory in any circumstance, against any foe. They clung to the static tactics of the bygone World War I era. World War I had been fought primarily on French soil, and the military as well as the government never wanted that to happen again, therefore they wanted to reinforce their main border against any future German. Little did they know that only twenty two years later they would be bested by German forces in a way that would shock the world. This research will be analyzing many important assumptions, oversights,...

    Read More

More about The Importance of the Battle of Monmouth in the American Revolutionary War

Open Document