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The American Revolutionary War 1775-1782

-The short that is heard across the world is fired. No one is sure who fired first, how the Battles of Lexington and Concord are viewed as the start of the American Revolutionary War and the first step in world affairs that shifted world power from Europe to the Americas.

-Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord the colonies move to lay siege to the British who are holed up in Boston. The British under General Gage move to break the siege, this leads to the Battle of Bunker Hill even through the battle itself was fought on Breed’s Hill. The colonies who were short on powder order their troops to wait till they saw the whites of their eyes before firing. This caused mass casualties on the British as they took the full effect of the broadside. Only on the late third charge of the day did the British finally take the ground but at heavy losses and the fact the Colonial troops had used all their powder.

-General Gage is relieved of command shortly after the Battle of Bunker Hill and is replaced by General Howe. Howe let the colonials keep up their siege of Boston as he has the Royal Navy bring supplies in. General Washington who had just been named commander and chief of all colonial forces was more than willing to allow this to go on as he knew his troops weren’t up to the task of facing the British in the open field nor did he had the powder for an attack.

-General Washington in an effort to weaken the British in Boston grants newly promoted Brigadier Benedict Arnold the task of taking Quebec City. He is one of the unsung heroes of seizing Fort Ticonderoga, and this is General Washington’s way of showing his thanks by giving him a flying column.

-In a somewhat surprising moving, General Washington sends a team to Europe with the hope of recruiting officers for the Continental Army. Washington knew that a good officer corp was needed for any hope of defeating the British.

-In a daring night assault on the last day of the year, Brigadier Arnold is able to take Quebec City from the British. In later years this had been talked about as the perfect battle as the Americans were helped by the timely deaths of General Guy Carleton and Allan Maclean of Torloisk, and the remaining British officers infighting about what to do next. This allows Arnold to take the city with few losses than the British.


1776

-Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet Common Sense. It goes on to become the best selling book in America in history and remains in print in the 21st century.

-The British evacuate Boston following General Washington fortifying the Dorchester Heights. At first General Howe wants to contest continental positions on the Heights. However, a snow storm delays this and officers who were veterans of Bunker Hill talk Howe into withdrawing from Boston. Washington allows Howe to leave in peace as he lacked the powder needed to use all the cannons on the heights.

-The Assault on Fort Cumberland is led by Jonathan Eddy with limited support from Brigadier Arnold from Quebec City. The assault is a bloody affair on both sides. In the end the fort is in Eddy’s hands. Arnold refuses any other efforts in Nova Scotia as he didn’t want to spread himself to thin.

-With Quebec and parts of Nova Scotia under Continental forces, both colonies send teams to Philadelphia to join the Second Continental Congress. The delegation from Nova Scotia is easily merge into the Continental Congress. The delegation from Quebec, it’s a far different story. Tension quickly mounts between the Quebecois Delegation and the rest of the Continental Congress and they leave after the rest of the Continental Congress refused to remove references to the Quebec Act in the draft Declaration of Independence. They would never return.

-On July Fourth 1776 the Fourteen Colonies sign the Declaration of Independence.

-The British launches a duel offensive to roll back Continental Forces. General Howe leads the bulk of British forces in North America against Washington and his forces defending New York City. A smaller force under Lord Cornwallis is directed at retaking Quebec City. Cornwallis decides to bypass central Nova Scotia which is in the hands of the Americans and make for Quebec City in the hope that with the withdraw of the Quebecois Delegation from the Continental Congress that he would find support there.

-Howe strikes first. He defeats Washington and his army on Long Island. Howe is able to flank Washington’s army as Washington knew his army had no chance in an open field battle against the British so he dug his army into trenches in what he believed were unflankable positions. Howe however found the flank and turned it. Washington’s army comes apart in the open field battle like he was scared of. Washington, through was able to keep his army from melting into the civilian population.

-Cornwallis soon after Howe’s victories on Long Island starts the Second Battle of Quebec City. Arnold’s position becomes untenable due to Quebecois citizens informing on Arnold’s movements. Arnold withdraws south back to Montreal. Cornwallis is nipping at Arnold’s heels the whole way. The great city of the north is in British hands again through.

-As the tide of war turns against the Continental Army, Thomas Paine publishes The American Crisis.

-In an effort to savage his position Washington launches a campaign to regain New Jersey. Washington in an impressive skill of leadership Washington finds and defeats small detachments of the British Army at Trenton and Princeton before the new year. These victories breath new live into the Continental Army and the Revolution which had been in doubt at the start of the moment.

-Arnold entrenches at Montreal to hold against Cornwallis.


1777

-Washington after his victories at Trenton and Princeton, he moves his army to winter quarters at Morristown. At Morristown, Washington’s Army is joined by Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben who starts training the Continental Army.

-Vermont declares its independence from New York and New Hampshire.

-Cornwallis before being withdrawn for a different command is able to force Arnold from Montreal. Arnold withdraws back into New York.

-Howe starts a new campaign, this time his aim is to capture the American capital at Philadelphia.

-Arnold is able to defeat General Burgoyne at the Battles of Fort Ticonderoga. The battle is fatal for General Arnold as he is shot from the house he was leading the second battle. General Benjamin Lincoln accepts the surrender of General Burgoyne.

-In the Philadelphia campaign things do not go as well. The Continental Army holds together far better than the year before, but its clear they are not ready for open field battles with the British at the moment.

-The Continental Congress approves the Articles of Confederation to be drafted.

-Washington after a series of defeats withdraws into Valley Forge for winter quarters. Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben keeps on with the training he started at Morristown earlier in the year.

-In Paris, Louis XVI the King of France grants reorganization to the United States as their own nation. France joins in with the Americans in their war against the British.


1778

-Washington launches an effort to retake Philadelphia after Howe decides to withdraw with troops being withdrawn from the Americas to defend against the French. This leads to the Battle of Monmouth. The Americans perform far better than the year before and they are able to go to the cold steel of bayonet against the elite Black Watch and Coldstream Guards during the battle. Of the 13,000 British troops at Monmouth over 2,000 are killed, wounded, or captured by Washington’s Army. Washington suffered close to 1,000 casualties of his own.

-Fort Kaskaskia falls to Americans in the west.

-Savannah falls to the British.

-Spain enters the war as allies of the Kingdom of France.


1779

-The British knew that by this point retaining all the colonies was impossible at this point. They saw hope for retaining some of the southern colonies. They launch a campaign to take Charleston which causes the largest surrender of troops in the war when they take the city.

-Washington sends a second force to the south under General Nathanael Greene on learning of the news of Charleston. Greene reached the remaining southern forces at Camden. Greene saw the forces that had escaped from Charleston and his own were no match for the British and withdraws to the north instead of meeting the British in open battle.

-Washington also sends a small force under General Anthony Wayne to Nova Scotia to help hold the territory.

-With everything in motion Washington launches a punitive expedition against the Iroquois. Washington gave command of this punitive expedition to Horatio Gates. The Americans are angry with the Iroquois for their support of the British in the Fort Ticonderoga Campaign and general support for them in general. Gates punitive expedition would kill many civilian Iroquois and kill their leader Joseph Bryant.

-Wayne launches stealth attack on Fort Howe and is able to take the fort in a mostly bloodless battle. Saint John falls the next day.

-A joint American-Spanish force capture the Bahamas.


1780

-Bermuda is captured by John Paul Jones in a surprise attack.

-The British recaptures the Bahamas.

-The Dutch join the war in an effort to gain at what is viewed as the British downfall.

-Thomas Jefferson dies after his house throws him as he moves the government of the Commonwealth of Virginia away from Richmond.

-A flying column under Daniel Morgan defeats Banister Tarleton at the Battle of Bedford. At Bedford, Morgan destroys Tarleton’s force.

-Greene after regrouping his army from the year before launches a counterattack against Cornwallis who had made his way into Virginia. At the Battle of Wakefield Greene is able to defeat Cornwallis. Cornwallis falls back to the small port city of Smithfield, Virginia.

-Washington leaves a token force guarding New York City after meeting with French Admiral de Grasse on learning about Greene’s victory at Wakefield in an effort to force Cornwallis to surrender. The Siege of Smithfield starts after the French Navy defeats the Royal Navy in the Battle of the Hampton Roads.


1781

-After months of being under siege, Cornwallis surrender his force to the joint American-French force.

-On learning of the defeat of Cornwallis at Smithfield, the British decide to ask for a cease fire and peace talks.

-General Washington is able to calm down fears of a possible coup led by Horatio Gates as the army has been under paid the whole war and there were a host other issues.


1782

-In Early 1782 the Treaty of Paris is signed which brings an end to the war.

1)The United States of America is granted independence and in control of all 13 Colonies, America Nova Scotia(OTL New Brunswick), and Bermuda.

2)Peace is hereby declared and all fighting ends.

3)East and West Florida and the Island of Minorca are ceded to Spain.

4)Tobago, Grenada, Senegal, and Quebec are ceded to France. (Note the border of Quebec in not agreed on by the United States and France)

5)All other territories are to be return to the possessor prior to the war.

6)All prisoners of war and interned civilians and merchantmen would be released as quickly as is practical.

7)The US shall have fishing rights off the Grand Banks.

There are many other points to the Treaty of Paris but most of these mean nothing in the grand schemes of things.
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