Revolutionary War Tactics

1. Revolutionary War Tactics • Sacha Standish • Jason Freewalt • Joe Ruhl • Beth Robinson • Karen Zink

2. Grade Level - 8 • Est. Duration - One Lesson • Objectives • In this lesson, students will gain an understanding of how Native American military tactics influenced the military tactics of the Patriots in the American Revolution. • Ohio Content Standards Addressed by this Lesson • History – Grade 8 • 2: Describe the political, religious and economic aspects of North American colonization including: • c. Interactions between American Indians and European settlers, including the agricultural and cultural exchanges, alliances and conflicts. • 3: Identify and explain the sources of conflict which led to the American Revolution, with emphasis on the perspectives of the Patriots, Loyalists, neutral colonists and the British concerning: • b. Character and significance o the military struggle in the North in the early years of the war and the shift of the battle to the South after 1779. • Social Studies Skills and Methods – Grade 8 • 2: Construct a historical narrative using primary and secondary sources.

3. Pre-Assessment Activity • What do you know about military tactics? Which of these tactics have anything to do with the American Revolution? • [guerilla warfare] [these questions can be used for discussion and/or using the board or post-it notes]

4. The British The Patriots Native Americans Post-Assessment Activity (handout)

5. Similarities between American and British Soldiershttp://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives_military.html • Continental army uniforms were modeled after those of the British army. • Washington based the training of his army on the formations and fighting style of the British army, since he was familiar with it. • Washington’s lack of experience prompted him to hire French and German soldiers to train his troops.

6. Who was Francis Marion? • Was nicknamed the “Swamp Fox” by British Colonel Tarlton because of Marion’s ability to use his knowledge of the terrain as a war tactic against the British. • "Come my boys! let us go back, and we will soon find the game cock, but as for this damned old fox, the devil himself could not catch him." • http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/biography/ASketchoftheLifeofBrigGenFrancisMarion/chap2.html

7. His popularity led to many legends and myths about his use of guerilla warfare. http://web.ftc-i.net/~gcsummers/swampfoxmurals.html From a letter with an unknown author, http://ehistory.osu.edu/uscw/library/letters/hileman/080.cfm “Here was a fine well dug by General Marion, familiarly known as the "Swamp Fox", who greatly harassed the British during the Revolutionary War. We could still plainly see the ruins of the Fort. There was a large hollow sycamore tree which was named Marion's Magazine because of his storing great quantities of ammunition in it. It was always a great surprise to the British to see his ammunition replenished without an expedition for it.”

8. Typical British Strategy • Regiments and corps assembled • Marched at daybreak • Attacked forts • Ranks and files • Cannons • Drummers • Shouts of “hurrah!” • http://www.historycentral.com/Revolt/battleaccounts/NewYork/Ftwashington2.html

9. Native American Strategy • Not until the summer of 1776 did either the Americans or British formally and officially attempt to involve the Iroquois, the most powerful northern nation, on their side. Informal approaches, however, were made with increasing frequency. In July 1775, Ethan Allen, of Vermont, sent a message to the Iroquois urging them to shun the King's side. Allen asserted: • I know how to shute and ambush just like the Indian and want your Warriors to come and see me and help me fight Regulars You know they Stand all along close Together Rank and file and my men fight so as Indians Do I want your Warriors to Join with me and my Warriors like Brothers and Ambush the Regulars, if you will I will Give you Money Blankets Tomehawks Knives and Paint and the Like as much as you say because they first killed our men when it was Peace time. • Barbara Graymont, "The Iroquois in the American Revolution" (Syracuse, New York, 1972), pp. 48-50.

10. The Iroquois sided with the British. • Brant was certainly not dissuaded or criticized by the British or the Tories for his efforts. In fact, the intent of the British with respect to the use of Indians in the Revolutionary War was aptly expressed in the following poetic example of Gen. John Burgoyne, Deputy of the British forces in Canada, and taken from the Introduction to Burgoyne’s Orderly Book, page xxii: • " I will let loose the dogs of hell,Ten thousand Indians, who shall yellAnd foam and tear, and grin and roar,And drench their moccasins in gore:To these IÂ’ll give full scope and playFrom Ticonderog to Florida..." • http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/1998/brant.html