American Revolution: The War Years (1954)

[Music] is [Music] [Music] the American Revolution was one here at Yorktown it began in a call for Liberty it gained a cause in Independence on the fields of Saratoga its course turned at valet Forge it endured a crisis in Paris it gained strong allies in the courage and determination of George Washington its victory was made possible after the shots were fired at conquered bridge in April 1775 Rebellion flared throughout the colonies in Upper New York Ethan Allen and a band of mountain frontiersmen stormed the fort at taanda and swept British law from control in Philadelphia the Second Continental Congress placed the stamp of legality on the rebellions and put the rebel forces under the command of George Washington but for Washington the Congress could do little more for it had no power to Levy taxes or raise an army so from his headquarters in Cambridge Massachusetts Washington wrote the full I cannot estimate the present Army at more than 14,500 men capable of Duty we labor under great disadvantages for want of tents throughout the war he was forced continually to beg for supplies and for men in the ranks of Washington's Army were few professional soldiers these men were volunteers civilians who knew little discipline and had less respect for authority training such an army was to be the work of a summer and a winter but holding the Army together was to be the trial of the Revolution for 8 years the Frontiers men did not join for a long War he came to fight while the battle was near his home the boy enlisted for 6 months until his father would need him back at work the Tradesman signed up only for the winter months while business was slack lacking Unity of purpose failing in support from Congress the Army's task seemed hopeless and in the winter of 1775 hope flickered and Faded from a colonial press in January 1776 came a work of great influence in his pamphlet Common Sense Tom Payne called out ye that dare oppose not only the Tyranny but the Tyrant stand forth King George was branded the Royal brute of Great Britain and as the pamp that was carried throughout the colonies a singleness of purpose [Music] developed from his headquar in the pamphlet Common Sense will not leave numbers at a loss to decide upon the propriety of a separation and separation or Independence became the battlecry and the cause that summer in Philadelphia representatives of the very ious colonies met and debated their separate Grievances and purposes in rebellion and then signed one of the greatest documents of History the Declaration of Independence it rang throughout the colonies challenging all groups and sections to unite in Williamsburg it proclaimed the right of Revolution and the principle of government by the consent of the government in the harbors of New England it proclaimed the right of free trade and the wrong of taxation without representation in the frontier cabins it proclaimed the principle of human dignity and natural right for all men in the capitals of Europe it sounded a threat to the Empire of Britain and the promise of new trade with the colonies it sounded clearly for all that here were a people United in a common cause Independence in the summer of 1776 Washington had the largest support he was to enjoy as he focused his attention on New York he had an army of 18,000 men but the British were coming with a fleet of ships and 30,000 Men by September of 1776 the British held New York and were moving on Philadelphia Washington was in Retreat November White Plains New York here Washington trying desperately to hold a line and an army was again appealing for Aid the situation of our Affairs is critical and truly alarming the dissolution of our army is fast approaching from 18,000 men his army dropped to 5,000 and as he retreated across New Jersey it dropped to 3,000 men fit for duty to hold men whose enlistments were up New Year's Day Washington needed a victory at Trenton he found it on Christmas night by crossing the Delaware River this surprise maneuver was a success and Washington was able to hold his army together down from the north came the British under General burgoin when the frontiersmen looked out from Fort taand deroga to find the British on the heights above them the fort fell to the British but with the red coats at hand the frontiersmen left their fields to defend their homes Saratoga October 1777 here the colonists defeated the grand strategy of the British the battle was decisive but the news of Saratoga brought little relief to Washington's Army as it moved toward valet Forge here at Christmas the Continental Army stumbled into its winter encampment and here the task of holding that Army together reached its crisis lacking strength to prosecute the war desperately short of food and clothing even Washington came to believe that they must either starve dissolve or disperse [Music] the Army held together through a winter marked with blood and death the price for Independence paid by John Waterman and hundreds of comrades it was from Paris that hope was to come with a skin cap and a smile Benjamin Franklin had been pleading the American cause at the French court on hearing the news of Saratoga France signed a treaty of alliance with the United States of America spurred on by this New Hope Washington fought on for three more years to the siege of Yorktown here in October 1781 Washington's Army augmented by French troops and aided by the French Fleet brought the British army Yorktown marked the defeat of the British effort and the winning of American independence proclaimed 5 years earlier an unworking alliance of colonies had been made to work and to succeed and this was to a remarkable extent the achievement of one man who through character faith and determination preserved an army that a called was might win [Music]