America: a Narrative History by Tindall and Shi notes Chapter 6
Tindall Ch6 Outline The American Revolution 1776: Washington?s Narrow Escape British landed in Staten island on 7/2/1776 with 32,000 men, compared to Washingtons? force of 19,000 defenders. When morale became low, Thomas Paine wrote The American Crisis to boost morale. On Christmas Washington routed a garrison of 1,500 Hessians at Trenton and repelled the redcoats at Princeton three weeks later. Washington realized the only way to win was to pick at the British slowly but surely. American Society at War Many colonists were divided because of the war, Loyalists were treated very harshly. The British were also unable to use Loyalists effectively to their advantage. American militiamen tended to ambush or fight hand-to-hand, not flat out battles.