The Revolutionary War was nearly lost for Americans. Independence from the King and parliaments taxes was the goal. Patriotism and the love of country was the force that drove General Washington. Washington led the troops into battles knowing they were severely outnumbered. Americans probably didn’t know whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about the war; they were simply driven by the dream of independence.
During the Revolutionary War, many battles were won by the British. They simply outnumbered and outmaneuvered the American army. George Washington did what he could with a ragtag army of men inexperienced in war, seeming to mostly care about rum. Many colonists, especially in New York were still loyal to King George IV, creating a lack of trust in soldiers and there were deserters on either side. In David McCullough’s “1776,” McCullough informs the reader of three noteworthy battles of that…show more content… November 2nd in White Plains, “an American staff officer named William Demont, turned traitor, defecting to the British from Fort Washington and bringing with him copies he had made of plans for the fort and the placement of cannon, as well as accounts of the mounting discontent and animosity between the rebels from New England and those from the South” (238). November 12th, General Howe of the British army sent Colonel Magaw a letter stating, “surrender the fort or face annihilation” (239). Colonel Magaw’s reply was in refusal of surrendering. November 16th the battle begun and it was a huge upset. The total of American prisoners captured by the British after the two losses, was nearly 4,000 men. Many less the fifteen years old or old men without shoes and ununiformed (243). Washington worried for his reputation. American’s were being slaughtered and he had exhibiting poor judgement. The morale of Washington’s army was gone, along with that of the American
