AMERICAN REVOLUTION The War, part two
FRANCE
- Ben Franklin goes to France seeking French support, hoping to play on the need for revenge after the humiliating defeat in French & Indian War
- Louis 16th refuses to see him no World War wanted, unless they see the colonists can win
WAR
- British plan to cut off New England by taking the Hudson River, Bases from Quebec in Canada to NYC (Hudson River)
- Fort Ticondaroga is the key to protecting this route (on Lake Champlain)
- Fort Ticondaroga falls w/o a fight the British cut a path up an un-fortified mountain & train guns down on the Fort, Colonists flee (2000 men)
FRANCE AGAIN
- Hopes diminished by loss at Fort Ticondaroga
- French Aristocrats see Franklin as the "new man" the Republican
- Franklin plays this up, no formal attire, plays common wears fur hats
- King Louis still wont see him
WAR ON THE HUDSON
- 8000 British troops (4000 British 4000 Hessians) + 2000 women, children & servants
- General Burgoyne has 30 carts just to carry personal stuff, like Champaign
- 400 Iroquois Indians serve as guides (Proclamation of 1763)
- 23 miles of dense forest to cover, 40 bridges to construct, trees to cut, mile long train of stuff
- General Howe in NYC sails out to where?
- Washington tries to shadow him
- Washington appeals to New England Militia to stop Burgoyne
- Burgoyne appeals to people too but asks in such a way to turn away support like feed us & our animals
- If not, we will send the Indians to reek havoc upon you
- Colonists & Indians are somewhat friendly, but colonists still fear the Indians
- A death of a woman is blamed upon the Indians (fiancée of a British officer)
- New England people rally around this (exaggerated story) block path of army with cut down trees, diverted streams, impede advance, supplies dwindle
- British plunder farms
FARMERS WITH GUNS
- British assume many Tories and loyalists will support them, not so
- General Howe wants to take Philadelphia ships arrive (100)
- Burgoyne is on to Albany
- Indian scouts desert too long of an effort
- 7000 militia await the British as they reach to road to Albany
- Militia shoot from trees at Officers breaking gentlemanly rules of war
- Howe tries to & wins Philadelphia on September 26, 1777
- Congress runs away Capture Capital means war over, right? No
- Burgoyne is outnumbered and suffers defeat at Saratoga
- Benedict Arnold leads an emotional charge
- General Frazier is shot & killed
- Burgoyne surrenders whole army....