✦ History

American Revolutionary War

April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783

Result American and allied victory

Ended by Treaty of Paris (1783), Peace of Paris (1783)

19 April 1775-3 September 1783 war in which American Patriot forces, the Continental Army under George Washington, defeated the British Army. Fought in North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic, its decisive moment came with Washington's 1781 victory at Yorktown. The 1783 Treaty of Paris acknowledged the independence of the Thirteen Colonies, creating an independent United States.

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Battles and events 137

September 1, 1774 – March 17, 1776
Boston campaign American victory Massachusetts George Washington, Thomas Gage, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
1775
Battle of Gloucester (1775) Massachusetts Bay victory Cape Ann
April 19, 1775
Battles of Lexington and Concord American victory Lexington Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, Francis Smith, John Pitcairn
April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776
Siege of Boston American victory Boston George Washington, Thomas Gage, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
April 20, 1775
Gunpowder Incident Resolved peacefully Williamsburg, Virginia
May 10, 1775
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga American victory Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
May 28, 1775
Battle of Chelsea Creek American victory Suffolk County Israel Putnam, John Stark
June 1775 – October 1776
Invasion of Quebec (1775) British victory Quebec City Benedict Arnold, John Burgoyne, Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
June 11–12, 1775
Battle of Machias American victory Machias James Moore
June 17, 1775
Battle of Bunker Hill British victory Charlestown Thomas Gage, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Henry Clinton
September 17 – November 3, 1775
Siege of Fort St. Jean American victory Fort Saint-Jean Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, Sir Charles Preston, 5th Baronet
September 25, 1775
Battle of Longue-Pointe British victory Montreal Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
October 18, 1775
Burning of Falmouth Town destroyed by British bombardment Falmouth, Massachusetts, United Colonies
November 15, 1775
Battle of Kemp's Landing British victory Kempsville
December 9, 1775
Battle of Great Bridge Patriot victory Great Bridge Battle Site
December 31, 1775
Battle of Quebec (1775) British victory Battle of Quebec (1775) Benedict Arnold, Daniel Morgan, Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
1776 – 1794
Cherokee–American wars United States victory Anthony Wayne, Isaac Shelby, John Sevier
February 27, 1776
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge North Carolinian victory
March 2–3, 1776
Battle of the Rice Boats Savannah Lachlan McIntosh
March 3–4, 1776
Raid of Nassau American victory Nassau, Bahamas Esek Hopkins, Samuel Nicholas, Montfort Browne
March 4–5, 1776
Fortification of Dorchester Heights British forces evacuate Boston on March 17 Dorchester Heights George Washington, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, John Thomas
March 17, 1776
Evacuation Day (Massachusetts) Boston
March 25, 1776
Battle of Saint-Pierre American victory
April 6, 1776
Battle of Block Island British victory
June 8, 1776
Battle of Trois-Rivières British victory Battle of Trois-Rivières National Historic Site Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, Arthur St. Clair, Simon Fraser
June 28, 1776
Battle of Sullivan's Island South Carolinian victory Battle of Sullivan's Island Henry Clinton, Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet
July 1776 – March 1777
New York and New Jersey campaign New York: British victory New York George Washington, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Charles Cornwallis
August 26, 1776
Battle of Long Island British victory Brooklyn George Washington, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Charles Cornwallis
September 11, 1776
Staten Island Peace Conference Billop Manor, Staten Island, New York John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
September 15, 1776
Landing at Kip's Bay British victory Kips Bay George Washington, Henry Clinton, Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
September 16, 1776
Battle of Harlem Heights American victory New York City George Washington, Nathanael Greene, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
October 11–13, 1776
Battle of Valcour Island British victory Battle of Valcour Island Benedict Arnold, Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
October 18, 1776
Battle of Pell's Point British victory The Bronx William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Henry Clinton, John Glover
October 28, 1776
Battle of White Plains British victory Battle of White Plains George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
November 16, 1776
Battle of Fort Washington British victory Battle of Fort Washington George Washington, Nathanael Greene, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
December 22–23, 1776
Battle of Iron Works Hill Mount Holly
December 26, 1776
Battle of Trenton American victory Trenton George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Nathanael Greene
1777 – 1778
Philadelphia campaign Inconclusive New Jersey George Washington, Nathanael Greene, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
January 2, 1777
Battle of the Assunpink Creek American victory Trenton George Washington, Charles Cornwallis
January 3, 1777
Battle of Princeton American victory Princeton George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Nathanael Greene
January 4 – March 24, 1777
Forage War Inconclusive New Jersey George Washington, Charles Mawhood, William Maxwell
April 13, 1777
Battle of Bound Brook British victory Charles Cornwallis, Benjamin Lincoln
April 27, 1777
Battle of Ridgefield American victory Ridgefield Benedict Arnold, William Tryon
June 26, 1777
Battle of Short Hills British victory Scotch Plains William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Charles Cornwallis, William Alexander
July 2–6, 1777
Siege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777) British victory Siege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777) John Burgoyne, William Phillips, Arthur St. Clair
July 7, 1777
Battle of Hubbardton Hubbardton Seth Warner, Friedrich Adolf Riedesel, Simon Fraser
July 8, 1777
Battle of Fort Anne British victory Claude-Nicolas-Guillaume de Lorimier, Henry K. Van Rensselaer, Pierse Long
August 2–22, 1777
Siege of Fort Stanwix American victory Fort Stanwix Benedict Arnold, Peter Gansevoort, John Butler
August 6, 1777
Battle of Oriskany British victory New York Peter Gansevoort, John Butler, Cornplanter
August 16, 1777
Battle of Bennington American victory Battle of Bennington John Stark, Seth Warner, Friedrich Baum
August 22, 1777
Battle of Staten Island British victory New York City John Campbell, of Strachur, John Sullivan
September 3, 1777
Battle of Cooch's Bridge British victory Newark William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, William Maxwell
September 11, 1777
Battle of Brandywine British victory Brandywine Battlefield Park, Chadds Ford, PA George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Nathanael Greene
September 19 – October 17, 1777
Battle of Saratoga American victory Saratoga Benedict Arnold, Daniel Morgan, John Burgoyne
September 20, 1777
Battle of Paoli British victory Willistown Township Anthony Wayne
September 26 – November 16, 1777
Siege of Fort Mifflin British victory Fort Mifflin William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Samuel Smith, Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
October 4, 1777
Battle of Germantown British victory Germantown George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Nathanael Greene
October 6, 1777
Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery British victory Highlands George Clinton, Henry Clinton, Israel Putnam
October 22, 1777
Battle of Red Bank American victory Fort Mercer Christopher Greene
December 5–8, 1777
Battle of White Marsh Inconclusive Whitemarsh Township George Washington, William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Charles Cornwallis
May 20, 1778
Battle of Barren Hill British victory William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Marquis de Lafayette, Henry Clinton
May 25–30, 1778
Mount Hope Bay raids British victory Mount Hope Bay Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet, William Barton
May 30, 1778
Battle of Cobleskill British-Haudenosaunee victory Cobleskill Joseph Brant
June 1778 – September 1783
Anglo-French War (1778–1783) French victory English Channel Comte de Grasse, George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, John Byron
June 28, 1778
Battle of Monmouth Inconclusive Freehold George Washington, Charles Lee, Henry Clinton
July 3, 1778
Battle of Wyoming Anglo-Iroquois victory Wyoming Valley John Butler, Cornplanter, Sayenqueraghta
August 29, 1778
Battle of Rhode Island Inconclusive Battle of Rhode Island Nathanael Greene, Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet, Francis Smith
September 7, 1778
Invasion of Dominica (1778) French victory Dominica
September 7–18, 1778
Siege of Boonesborough American victory Boonesborough
October 15, 1778
Affair at Little Egg Harbor British victory Casimir Pulaski, Patrick Ferguson
November 11, 1778
Cherry Valley massacre Cherry Valley
December 15, 1778
Battle of St. Lucia British victory Saint Lucia Samuel Barrington
1779
Battle of Martinique (1779) British victory Martinique Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet
1779 – 1781
Gulf Coast campaign Spanish victory Bernardo de Gálvez, Francisco de Miranda, José de Solano y Bote
February 3, 1779
Battle of Beaufort American victory Port Royal Island William Moultrie
February 14, 1779
Battle of Kettle Creek United States victory
March 3, 1779
Battle of Brier Creek British victory Screven County
June 1779 – September 1783
Spain and the American Revolutionary War Spanish victory English Channel Bernardo de Gálvez, George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, John Campbell, of Strachur
June 18 – October 3, 1779
Sullivan Expedition American victory New York John Sullivan, John Butler, Cornplanter
June 24, 1779 – February 7, 1783
Great Siege of Gibraltar British victory Gibraltar Luis de Córdova y Córdova, George Augustus Eliott, Louis Des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, duc de Mahon
July 2–4, 1779
Capture of Grenada (1779) French victory Grenada
July 6, 1779
Battle of Grenada French victory Grenada John Byron
July 16, 1779
Battle of Stony Point American victory Battle of Stony Point Anthony Wayne
July 19–22, 1779
Battle of Minisink Anglo-Haudenosaunee victory Highland Joseph Brant
July 24 – August 14, 1779
Penobscot Expedition British victory Penobscot Expedition George Collier, Henry Mowat, Solomon Lovell
August 19, 1779
Battle of Paulus Hook American victory Paulus Hook Henry Lee III
August 29, 1779
Battle of Newtown American victory Chemung County John Sullivan, John Butler, Cornplanter
September 7, 1779
Capture of Fort Bute Spanish victory East Baton Rouge Parish Bernardo de Gálvez
September 16 – October 18, 1779
Siege of Savannah British victory Siege of Savannah Benjamin Lincoln, Lachlan McIntosh, Casimir Pulaski
September 20–21, 1779
Battle of Baton Rouge (1779) Spanish victory Baton Rouge Bernardo de Gálvez
September 23, 1779
Battle of Flamborough Head Battle of Flamborough Head John Paul Jones, Richard Pearson
1780 – 1784
Fourth Anglo-Dutch War Peace of Paris (1783) North Sea George III, George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, William V, Prince of Orange
January 8, 1780
Action of 8 January 1780 British victory George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
March 2–14, 1780
Battle of Fort Charlotte Spanish victory Mobile Bernardo de Gálvez, Elias Durnford
March 29 – May 12, 1780
Siege of Charleston British victory Siege of Charleston Charles Cornwallis, Henry Clinton, Benjamin Lincoln
April 17, 1780
Battle of Martinique (1780) Inconclusive Martinique George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
May 26, 1780
Battle of St. Louis American and Spanish victory St. Louis
May 29, 1780
Battle of Waxhaws British victory Battle of Waxhaws Banastre Tarleton, Abraham Buford
June 23, 1780
Battle of Springfield American victory Springfield Nathanael Greene, Wilhelm von Knyphausen
August 9, 1780
Action of 9 August 1780 Franco-Spanish victory Cape St. Vincent
August 16, 1780
Battle of Camden British victory Battle of Camden Charles Cornwallis, Horatio Gates, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
October 7, 1780
Battle of Kings Mountain American victory Kings Mountain National Military Park, SC William Campbell, Benjamin Cleveland, Isaac Shelby
1781
Yorktown campaign Franco-American victory George Washington, Charles Cornwallis, Benedict Arnold
January 17, 1781
Battle of Cowpens American victory Cowpens Daniel Morgan, Banastre Tarleton
March 9 – May 10, 1781
Siege of Pensacola Franco-Spanish victory Siege of Pensacola Bernardo de Gálvez, Francisco de Miranda, José de Solano y Bote
March 15, 1781
Battle of Guilford Courthouse British victory Greensboro Nathanael Greene, Charles Cornwallis, Banastre Tarleton
March 16, 1781
Battle of Cape Henry Inconclusive Cape Henry Mariot Arbuthnot
April 16, 1781
Battle of Porto Praya Inconclusive Praia George Johnstone
April 25, 1781
Battle of Hobkirk's Hill British victory Camden Nathanael Greene, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
April 25, 1781
Battle of Blandford British victory Petersburg, Virginia Benedict Arnold, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, William Phillips
April 30, 1781
Battle of Fort Royal French victory Comte de Grasse, Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
July 6, 1781
Battle of Green Spring British victory Yorktown Marquis de Lafayette, Charles Cornwallis, Banastre Tarleton
July 21, 1781
Action of 21 July 1781 French victory Sydney
August 19, 1781 – February 5, 1782
Invasion of Minorca (1781) Franco-Spanish victory Menorca James Murray
August 24, 1781
Lochry's Defeat British-Indian victory Joseph Brant
September 5, 1781
Battle of the Chesapeake French victory Battle of the Chesapeake Comte de Grasse, Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
September 6, 1781
Battle of Groton Heights British victory New London Benedict Arnold
September 8, 1781
Battle of Eutaw Springs Battle of Eutaw Springs Nathanael Greene, Alexander Stewart
September 28 – October 19, 1781
Siege of Yorktown Franco-American victory Yorktown George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Lafayette
December 12, 1781
Battle of Ushant (1781) British victory Ouessant
January 19 – February 13, 1782
Siege of Brimstone Hill French victory Saint Kitts and Nevis Comte de Grasse, Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, Sir Thomas Shirley, 1st Baronet
January 25–26, 1782
Battle of Saint Kitts British victory Comte de Grasse, Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
February 17, 1782
Battle of Sadras Inconclusive Bay of Bengal
March 8, 1782
Gnadenhutten massacre Gnadenhutten
April 9–12, 1782
Battle of the Saintes British victory Battle of the Saintes Comte de Grasse, George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, Sir Francis Samuel Drake, 1st Baronet
April 12, 1782
Battle of Providien Inconclusive Trincomalee
April 18 – May 8, 1782
Capture of the Bahamas (1782) Spanish victory Nassau, Bahamas Francisco de Miranda
April 19, 1782
Battle of the Mona Passage British victory Mona Passage Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
April 20–21, 1782
Battle of Ushant (1782) British victory Bay of Biscay John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, Samuel Barrington
May 25 – June 12, 1782
Crawford expedition British-Indian victory Captain Pipe, Dunquat
July 6, 1782
Battle of Negapatam (1782) Inconclusive Bay of Bengal
August 8, 1782
Hudson Bay expedition French victory Hudson Bay Samuel Hearne
August 25 – September 3, 1782
Battle of Trincomalee Inconclusive Trincomalee
October 20, 1782
Battle of Cape Spartel Inconclusive Cape Spartel Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
1783
Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 Pennsylvania
April 14–18, 1783
Capture of the Bahamas (1783) British victory Nassau, Bahamas Andrew Deveaux
June 20, 1783
Battle of Cuddalore (1783) French victory Pondicherry

Key commanders

American 67

James Monroe John Adams Diplomat, Negotiated the Treaty of Paris Thomas Jefferson Governor of Virginia, Drafted the Declaration of Independence George Washington Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army Alexander Hamilton Benjamin Franklin Minister to France, Secured the French alliance; negotiated the Treaty of Paris Marquis de Lafayette Major General, French volunteer in the Continental Army; served at Yorktown Peyton Randolph belligerent leader Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben Major General, Inspector General of the Continental Army; trained the troops at Valley Forge Horatio Gates Major General, Won at Saratoga; defeated at Camden Nathanael Greene military commander Henry Knox Brigadier General, directed the artillery in the Delaware crossing and the attack John Sullivan military commander Henry Dearborn military commander Benjamin Lincoln military commander Thomas Nelson Jr. military commander Hugh Mercer military commander Anthony Wayne military commander William Alexander military commander William Prescott military commander Israel Putnam military commander Joseph Warren military commander John Stark military commander Charles Lee Major General, commanded the advance guard; court-martialed after the battle Artemas Ward military commander Benedict Arnold field commander, Led American assaults; wounded in the leg Daniel Morgan Colonel, commanded the corps of riflemen William Whipple military commander Casimir Pulaski military commander William Campbell military commander Benjamin Cleveland military commander Isaac Shelby military commander John Sevier military commander Richard Montgomery military commander Alexander McDougall military commander Robert Magaw military commander Arthur St. Clair military commander Philip Schuyler military commander Seth Warner military commander Christopher Greene military commander Solomon Lovell military commander Dudley Saltonstall military commander Peleg Wadsworth military commander Lachlan McIntosh military commander John Paul Jones military commander William Moultrie military commander William Woodford military commander Abraham Buford military commander Johann de Kalb military commander Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouerie military commander John Thomas military commander Comte de Rochambeau military commander Comte de Grasse military commander Nathan Hale military commander Peter Gansevoort military commander Nicholas Herkimer military commander Thomas Knowlton military commander James Clinton military commander Edward Hand military commander William Maxwell military commander John Glover military commander Henry Lee III military commander Samuel Smith military commander George Clinton military commander Henry K. Van Rensselaer military commander Pierse Long military commander William Barton military commander

British 71

Thomas Gage William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe Charles Cornwallis Lieutenant General, Surrendered at Yorktown, October 1781 George III King of Great Britain, British head of state through the war Henry Clinton General, Commander-in-Chief of British forces in North America, 1778-1782 John Burgoyne General, Surrendered at Saratoga, October 1777 Frederick North, Lord North Prime Minister William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne belligerent leader George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville Secretary of State for the Colonies, Directed British strategy in America Banastre Tarleton military commander Robert Abercromby of Airthrey military commander Charles O'Hara military commander Charles Mawhood military commander Wilhelm von Knyphausen military commander Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet military commander John Pitcairn military commander Leopold Philip von Heister Lieutenant General, commander of the Hessian troops; commanded the center of the British line Francis Smith military commander James Grant military commander Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland military commander Heinrich von Breymann military commander William Phillips military commander Friedrich Adolf Riedesel military commander Simon Fraser military commander Patrick Ferguson military commander Abraham de Peyster military commander Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester military commander Allan Maclean of Torloisk military commander Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet military commander Johann Rall military commander Alexander Leslie military commander Friedrich Baum military commander Richard Prescott military commander George Collier military commander Henry Mowat military commander Augustine Prévost military commander John Maitland military commander Richard Pearson military commander Mariot Arbuthnot military commander Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings military commander John Campbell, of Strachur military commander Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves military commander Alexander Stewart military commander George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney military commander Sir Francis Samuel Drake, 1st Baronet military commander John Butler military commander Cornplanter military commander Sayenqueraghta military commander Benedict Arnold military commander Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe military commander Joseph Brant military commander Sir John Johnson, 2nd Baronet military commander George Augustus Eliott military commander George Johnstone military commander James Moore military commander August de la Motte military commander Roger Curtis military commander Sir Charles Preston, 5th Baronet military commander John Byron military commander Captain Pipe military commander Dunquat military commander James Murray military commander Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet military commander James Wallace military commander Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood military commander William Tryon military commander John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent military commander Samuel Barrington military commander Claude-Nicolas-Guillaume de Lorimier military commander Elias Durnford military commander Sir Thomas Shirley, 1st Baronet military commander

French 4

Comte de Rochambeau Lieutenant General, commander of the French expeditionary force in America Comte de Grasse Lieutenant General of the Naval Armies, commanded the French fleet operating in American waters Louis XVI King of France, Allied France with the United States in 1778 Louis-Antoine de Bougainville military commander

Hesse-Kassel 1

Johann Rall Colonel, Commanded the Hessian garrison; mortally wounded in the battle

Spanish 8

Bernardo de Gálvez military commander Francisco de Miranda military commander José de Solano y Bote military commander Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo military commander Juan de Lángara military commander Luis de Córdova y Córdova military commander Louis Des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, duc de Mahon military commander Martín Antonio Álvarez de Sotomayor y Soto Flores military commander

New England Colonies 3

George Washington military commander Henry Knox military commander Artemas Ward military commander

United Colonies 3

Arthur St. Clair military commander Esek Hopkins military commander Samuel Nicholas military commander

Kingdom of Great Britain 4

George III belligerent leader George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney military commander Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet military commander George Johnstone military commander

Dutch Republic 2

William V, Prince of Orange belligerent leader Johan Zoutman military commander

United States 5

Anthony Wayne belligerent leader Isaac Shelby belligerent leader John Sevier belligerent leader George Washington military commander William Maxwell military commander

Hudson's Bay Company 1

Samuel Hearne military commander

Spain 3

Bernardo de Gálvez military commander Francisco de Miranda military commander José de Solano y Bote military commander

Great Britain 5

John Campbell, of Strachur military commander Charles Mawhood military commander Johann Ewald military commander Montfort Browne military commander Andrew Deveaux military commander

Other 1

Edward Rutledge signatory