
Washington's War: General George Washington and the Revolutionary War
Special | 18m 18sVideo has Closed Captions
Revolutionary battles where General Washington secured his legacy as "First in War."
Congress created the Continental Army on June 14, 1775, and John Adams nominated George Washington to serve as the army's Commander-in-Chief. While there were over 230 skirmishes and battles fought over eight years during the American Revolution, this film highlights the battles where General Washington personally secured his legacy as "First in War."
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Washington's War: General George Washington and the Revolutionary War is a local public television program presented by WETA

Washington's War: General George Washington and the Revolutionary War
Special | 18m 18sVideo has Closed Captions
Congress created the Continental Army on June 14, 1775, and John Adams nominated George Washington to serve as the army's Commander-in-Chief. While there were over 230 skirmishes and battles fought over eight years during the American Revolution, this film highlights the battles where General Washington personally secured his legacy as "First in War."
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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(Dramatic Music) It is 1775, and the long simmering rebellion has burst out into open warfare.
The Americans, the rebels, have the British army surrounded at Boston.
General George Washington, appointed by Congress to lead the Continental Army, rides to the front lines.
He finds his ranks filled with farmers, shopkeepers and laborers.
Not only are they inexperienced and undisciplined, but they also lack heavy guns and gunpowder.
Though he is one of the most experienced officers in the colonies, Washington has never commanded a large army.
And it's been 16 year since he was last in a battle.
Now, he faces one of the most capable armies in the world.
The British Army occupie a strong position within Boston.
To drive the redcoats from the city will require a new and audacious plan.
The key to the British position is Boston Harbor and the ships that supply the Crown's army.
What if their supplies, thei lifeline, could be threatened?
Washington realize that if he can occupy Dorchester Heights to the south, he can bring down cannon fire upon the harbor and its shipping.
But where to get the guns?
Washington orders Colonel Henry Knox to bring 50 artillery pieces from Fort Ticonderoga.
In one of the great feats of the war, his men haul the cannon 300 miles over rugged terrain to Boston.
In just two months.
The guns are quickly put to use as Washington unleashes three nights of bombardment upon the British lines.
But it was just a diversion as the Americans secretly move to fortify Dorchester Heights.
Under cover of darkness, 2000 men worked to build a massive fort on high ground.
Confronted at dawn by Washington's heavy guns on Dorchester Heights.
The exposed British realiz they have only one good option to evacuate.
Boston is now back in American hands.
The Army celebrates its first great victory.
Some believe the war is over.
But, the battle for America is only just beginning.
Washington's victory at Boston encourages America's declaration of independence.
Convinced the rebels will become Americans.
But even as the army celebrates the new declaration, the British arrive in New York Harbor with 32,000 soldiers, including Hessians, German soldiers for hire.
It's the largest expeditionary force the Crown has ever assembled.
They rout Washington's army in battle after battle from Long Island to Manhattan and out into the New Jersey countryside.
His army, once nearly 20,000 strong, is, by December 1776, reduced to just 3000.
Many Americans believe that the cause is lost.
Thomas Paine captures the desperate hopes of the moment.
“These are the times that try men's souls.
The Summer soldie and the Sunshine Patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country.
But he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” While many have given up hope, General Washington has not.
determined to strike a blow before the year was out, he spies a weak point in the British lines.
A Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey appears isolated and vulnerable.
But to reach them, his army must cross the ice choked waters of the Delaware River.
Undaunted, Washington develops a risky plan of attack.
He will cross the river on Christmas night and surprise them at dawn.
He will divide his army, sending one column south to block reinforcements, a secon to cut off the Hessian retreat, and the third, under his personal command, to attack Trenton at dawn.
All depends on stealth.
The cover of night and good weather.
(Dramatic Music) Battered by sleet and high winds Washington's boats struggle to cross in the face of huge chunks of river ice.
They make it to New Jersey without the loss of a man, but they are now three hours behind schedule.
Worse, the other two columns fail to cross.
His plan has fallen apart.
Without surprise, with his army be exposed and destroyed?
Washington, with the weight o the revolution on his shoulders, decides to press on to Trenton.
Overcoming the pickets.
The Americans discovered, to their amazement, that most of the Hessians are still in their quarters.
Surprise has been achieved.
Washington quickly positions his artillery on the heights north of town, overlooking Trentons streets.
His force divides into columns and move swiftly to encircle the stunned Hessian.
The Hessians attempt several counterattacks, but the swift American advance and the mortal wounding of their commander proves too much.
The remaining Hessians, some 900, surrender.
With their captives in tow.
Washington's army slips back across the river.
Miraculously, the Americans lose only two men lost, not to Hessian bullets, but to the vicious cold.
The battle at Trenton, where Washington famously crossed the Delaware River, is one of the most decisive victories of the war.
But how to capitalize on the victory?
Many of Washington's best soldiers are nearing the end of their tours of duty, and the British are already plotting their revenge.
To keep his army from disintegrating.
Washington appeals to his soldiers patriotism.
He reminds them of the glorious cause and reinforces their patriotism with cold, hard cash.
Responding to their general's appeal, the army once more sets off to confront the British.
On January 2nd, 1777.
Lord Charles Cornwallis the same general who had driven Washington from New Jersey six months earlier, leads a force of 7000 redcoat and Hessian soldiers down the King's Road to Trenton.
These are some of the best troops in the British Army, and they are intent on destroying the American rebellion once and for all.
After fighting through Washington's advance guard, Cornwallis unleashes a series of powerful frontal assaults, each driven back with heavy casualties.
Nightfall fortunately halts the slaughter.
Washington's defenses hold.
Unfazed, Cornwallis declares that he will cross the creek and “bag the old fox” in the morning.
[Bag him in the morning] rather than wait for the British assault, Washington agrees to a bold but risky plan, one that will allow them to retain the initiative and avoid any sense of retreat in the face of the enemy.
[March to Princeton...] Washington uses the cover of night to fool the British and marches his entire army around Cornwallis driving deeper into enemy territory.
When the British awake, Washington's entire army is nowhere to be found.
The old fox has escaped.
just south of the town of Princeton.
Washington rallies his troops and leads the final charge that buckles the British lines.
Princeton is captured, Washington's third victory in just ten days.
The British, once on the verge of total victory, now retreat back to their lines around New York City, surrendering all of their summer gains.
Britain's arch enemy France takes note of the American victories and moves closer to becoming America's ally.
Washington's bold actions and the stunning victories at Trenton and Princeto not only revived Patriot morale, but quite simply saved the American Revolution at its bleakest hour.
The next four years are filled with trials and setbacks.
Although the French Army and Navy have joined the American cause, New York City remains firmly in British hands.
Charleston has fallen, and Benedict Arnold, one of America's most celebrated generals, has deserted to the British side.
America is out of money, and the will to fight seems almost at an end.
Poorly supported by Congress, Washington must plead fo even the most basic necessities for his dwindling army.
Martha Washington, braving capture, camp disease and ferocious winter weather, travels north to stay with Washington at his Valley Forge and Morristown encampments.
[Thank you for your service...] But, even her presence is not enough to overcome his growing sense of dread.
By 1781, Washington wonders how much longer his army and the new country can hold together.
Writing, “Now or never.
Our deliverance must come.” But just when all seems lost, Washington learns of a new opportunity to strike a decisive blow.
His old foe, Lord Cornwallis has led his army to the coastal village of Yorktown, Virginia, where he awaits evacuation.
If the Allied army and Frenc Navy can converge there first.
It might just be possible to capture Cornwallis entire force.
Even before it is certain that the French fleet will arrive.
Washington and his allies decide to seize the opportunity.
As Washington's army reaches Philadelphia.
They learn the exciting news.
A French fleet under Admiral de Grasse has defeated the British Navy at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
The French warships have cut off Cornwallis escape.
When the American and French columns arrive outside of Yorktown, they immediately begin to construct their lines.
With heavy siege guns now in place and the French Navy blocking the sea routes.
Cornwallis and his army are trapped.
Now, they will tighten their grip.
Washington himself fires the first shot of the siege on October 9th, 1781.
Soon, thousands of French and American shells bombard the British lines at Yorktown.
Despite the intense barrage, Cornwallis and his beleaguered troops hold out.
With the threat of autumn hurricanes, the French navy's presence cannot be assured.
Victory requires one more push.
The allies need to seiz two advanced British positions to be able to fire cannons into Cornwallis lines at point blank range.
In a daring night, raid the French attack redoubt number nine.
While the Americans led by a young Alexander Hamilto assault redoubt number ten.
With these redoubts secure, Allied guns fire 1700 rounds a day at point blank range into the British lines.
With no hope of relief.
[Your dismissed.]
Cornwallis considers the unthinkable.
On October 19th, 1781, 8000 British soldiers march out of their lines and surrender.
When news of the disaster at Yorktown reaches across the Atlantic, Lord North, the British Prime Minister, exclaimed, “Oh God, it's all over!” Exhausted by the ongoing struggle and facing growing unrest at home, King George the Third reluctantly, bitterly agrees to end all further attempts to reclaim his wayward colonies.
(Dramatic Music) After learning of the 178 Treaty of Paris ending the war, Washington himself declared, America's victory as little short of a standing mirac Beloved by soldiers and trusted by the public, General George Washington could have become an American king.
Instead, on December 23rd, 1783, he publicly surrenders his military commission to Congress.
His act ensures that the people and their choices, not a military dictator, will govern the future.
After eight long years of war, Washington is finally able to return to his family and cherished home, Mount Vernon.
Here, he plans to live the remainder of his life peacefully, under his own vine and fig tree.
But it won't be long till the new nation, the United States of America, calls for his leadership once more.
(Dramatic Music)
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Washington's War: General George Washington and the Revolutionary War is a local public television program presented by WETA