American Revolution: Warfare

American REvolution

MILITARY STRAGTEGY

FIGHTING DURING THE WAR

• The fighting methods used by the British and the Continental Armies were very similar because they learned military strategies from the same sources and had access to the same types of weapons

• Both armies were able to adapt their fighting methods to the terrain and each specific situation
• Sometimes, they fought in tightly regimented rows
• Other times, they abandoned the rows and used their surroundings for cover

fighting during the war

• When fighting a large enemy army in an open field, soldiers lined up in rows within shot distance (about 100 yards)
• The first row fired their muskets in unison on command from the officer and then knelt down to reload while the soldiers in the second row (and sometimes 3rd row) fired in unison
• After a series of volleys, one side fixed bayonets to their muskets and began to charge the enemy’s firing line
• Those who survived the charge then fought hand-to-hand

guerilla warfare

• Guerilla Warfare refers to a type of fighting that uses raids, ambushes, and hit and run tactics
• It was a strategy used by the Native Americans and adapted by the colonial militia for use during the American Revolution
• Guerilla Warfare was not typically used by the Continental Army (the army authorized by the Continental Congress)
• Guerilla Warfare was used by smaller and independent colonial militia
• Examples during the American Revolution:
• The colonial militia who fought the British at Lexington and Concord hid behind trees and fired from inside buildings
• The mountain men in Western North and South Carolina used raids and hit and run attacks against the British
• Swamp Fox Marion’s forces used Guerilla Warfare against the British in South Carolina

weapons used during the war

MUSKET

The Brown Bess musket was the most common musket used by both the Americans and the British during the war They were very inaccurate so they worked best when fired in unison Experienced soldiers could reload and shoot 3-4 times per minute Bayonets were attached to the end of the rifle for charging and for hand to hand combat

RIFLE

The Pennsylvania or Long Rifle was manufactured with spiral grooves in the barrel which made the bullet spin when fired improving its accuracy and increasing its rangeThe Long Rifle was used mainly by Americans in the frontier and played a key role in the victory at King’s Mountain The Continental Army used men with Long Rifles as sharpshooters It was not as effective in open field battles as the musket since it took longer to reload and fire

CANON

• Both armies used artillery to bombard fortifications, sink ships, and fire on advancing troops

• They used cannons (including field guns), mortars and howitzers with ranges that varied between 750-2000 yards

Remember to show me your notes!

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When giving a presentation, there are two objectives to pursue: conveying information and avoiding yawns. To achieve this, it may be good practice to create an outline and use words that will burn into your audience's memory.

WRITE ATITLE HERE

When giving a presentation, there are two objectives to pursue: conveying information and avoiding yawns. To achieve this, it may be good practice to create an outline and use words that will burn into your audience's memory.