Final Draft With Works Cited
-
Upload
anna-bishop -
Category
Documents
-
view
221 -
download
0
Transcript of Final Draft With Works Cited
-
8/2/2019 Final Draft With Works Cited
1/6
Irvine: 1
Matthew Irvine
English 1102
Anthony Borrero
March 3, 2011
American Revolution: A Turning Point in History
During a time of one of historys severe power shift, there was the powerful, mighty
British Empire and an emerging power in the form of the American colonialists. The colonialists
were struggling to gain traction while building a resistance and the British Empire was trying to
suffocate a lowly rebellion. There are engaging stories tied toboth the British and the Patriots,
a name given to the colonists after they engaged in open war with the British Empire. Young
individuals were torn from their families, both involuntary and voluntary; this was the case with
Benjamin Franklins son, Francis, who took sides with the Loyalists, which is another name
for those who support the British Empire in its struggle to put down the patriots.
The colonials military uniform and the British regulars military uniform differ in a
couple ways. Firstly the British were known as the redcoats because of the fact that they did
indeed wear red coats during battle. In 1645, when the British raised its first army, they
permanently adopted the color red for their military uniform. This is because all European
nations chose colors to represent themselves in battle. The Germans chose green and the French
chose dark blue (Nabaht Shafiei). They also wore a headpiece made of bearskin in order to
intimidate their opponents in battle; this was particularly common in the revolutionary war where
any possible scare tactic was employed to minimize casualties for what was originally seen as
more of an uprising than a war. The British also wore Tricorne hats and leather caps depending
on the specific troop designation such as grenadiers, light battalion, or company men (Nabaht
-
8/2/2019 Final Draft With Works Cited
2/6
Irvine: 2
Shafiei). Officers in the British army wore a much more distinctive uniform. The British officer
wore a red coat with dark blue velvet falling on his collar with distinctive hat and feather
(Nabaht Shafiei).
The colonial uniform varied much more in their rank than the British uniform did. For
one thing, the colonialists were named militia until they joined the continental army. The militias
clothing is probably the most varied of all due to no code in uniform, each man wore whatever
they had to wear to battle, usually coming off in a rough, rugged look given that most militia
men werent very wealthy. The continental army was the official name of the organized army
that fought against the British in the revolutionary war. They also had a specific uniform type.
On November fourth 1775, the continental congress officially adopted brown as the primary
uniform color for the army which did not sit well with the soldiers or officers so by 1778 the
preferred color was blue. On March 3, 1779, the continental congress allowed General George
Washington to make the first American uniform and style. General Washington selected blue
as the primary uniform color. Uniforms were to be lined with red or white fabric, depending on
the uniform type. Infantry uniforms were lined with white fabric, while artillery uniforms were
lined with red fabric (Nabaht Shafiei).
Well of course the men in the uniforms did actually fight in battles. One of the most
significant battles of the revolutionary war and the one on the topic of discussion is the battle of
Saratoga. The first thing one should understand about the battle of Saratoga is that it was actually
two battles or engagements; the first was on September 19, 1777 and the next and deciding
engagement was on October 17, 1777. Saratoga itself is located on the Hudson River near the
Adirondack Mountains in what is now upstate New York near Albany. There are several
different significant players who come in at different times during the battle, generals and
-
8/2/2019 Final Draft With Works Cited
3/6
Irvine: 3
colonels alike. General John Burgoyne led the British army, a force of about 7,200 men which
included General Simon Fraser who commanded the Germans who aided the British in pushing
south in order to divide the New England colonies from the southern ones. At Freemans farm,
south of Saratoga, the British met the Americans led by general Horatio gates, Benjamin
Lincoln, Benedict Arnold, Enoch Poor, Ebenezer Learned, and Colonel Daniel Morgan. The
American forces had about 9,000 troops at their commandi(Saratoga). After Colonel Morgan's
men scouted ahead and engaged with the British center column, the two sides met at Freemans
farm about a mile north of the American encampment. The landscape was mainly hilly farms
with scattered trees, considerably a fairly open battle (Battle).
ii
A battle that would last three
hours broke out and the Americans seemed to have the upper hand given their superior numbers,
but they were flanked and driven back. The British suffered heavy casualties in a so called
victory. The British faced the decision of waiting for General Clintons reinforcements or
engaging the Americans. Three weeks passed and Clinton did not arrive forcing the starving
army to meet the Americans in battle. On October 17 th 1777, the British fought the Americans
with a depleted force that been reduced due to casualties taken in the previous battle. The
Americans forces had grown some 3,000 men and were now near 12,000. Due to superior
numbers and the heroics of Benedict Arnold the Americans forced the British to retreat and the
next day forced their final surrender.
Benedict Arnold is known commonly as a traitor during the revolutionary war, failing to
realize his actual importance to the American cause. Benedict Arnolds infamous betrayal was
not as entirely villainous as one might believe. There are multiple events during his military
career which led to his distaste for fellow officers and a sense of being undervalued by the
continental congress. Benedict Arnold started out as a captain in the governors second company
-
8/2/2019 Final Draft With Works Cited
4/6
Irvine: 4
of guards (Benedict). After hearing of the battle of Lexington and concord, (the official start of
the American Revolution) Benedict Arnold marched off to war. His first Endeavour in the war
was to capture fort Ticonderoga. He requested permission from the Massachusetts committee of
safety to capture the fort. Fort Ticonderoga is located in on the eastern boarder of the state of
New York. Commander Ethan Allen and his green mountain boys also pursued to the capture
of fort Ticonderoga. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen met at Bennington and Arnold was taken
aback that Allen ignored the fact that he had permission to capture the fort but Arnold reluctantly
accompanied Allen to Ticonderoga. Arnold then had an argument with colonel Easton,
challenging Easton to a duel for trying to diminish his role in the campaign to take Ticonderoga.
Colonel Easton declined this offer. Therefore, Arnold resigned his commission and relieved his
men who later were recruited by colonel Easton, which enraged Arnold. After these affairs all
settled Arnold was commissioned into the continental congress, by George Washington, who
favored Arnold, as a colonel in the army (Benedict). Arnold went on to fight in the battle of
Saratoga, and even after he was relieved of his command charged into battle, riding through
crossfire and leading the men fighting to victory although he suffered a leg injury limiting his
actions of the battlefield. His role at Saratoga was very significant.
Arnold married and moved to Philadelphia, being unable to fight after his leg was
crippled during the battle of Saratoga. Arnold lived above what he was financially capable of and
in order to retain this lifestyle made some shady dealings and used military shipments for his
own use. His actions were discovered and court marshaled. Shortly thereafter he contacted the
British and was offered 10,000 pounds and commission in the British military to defect
(Treacherous). Arnold offered to give West Point to the British and started a correspondence
-
8/2/2019 Final Draft With Works Cited
5/6
Irvine: 5
with Major John Andre, intelligence chief for General Clinton of the British army.iii
Andre was
captured, and Arnold defected living the rest of his life out in England.
-
8/2/2019 Final Draft With Works Cited
6/6
Irvine: 6
Works cited
"A Treacherous Plot."History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012.
.
"Benedict Arnold." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 07 Feb. 2012.
.
Nabaht Shafiei, . "Uniforms Worn in the Revolutionary War."lovetoknow.com. LoveToKnow
Corp, n.d. Web. 3 Mar 2012.
Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Initials. "history."Battle of saratoga. N.p., 1999. Web.
3 Mar 2012. .
"The Battle of Saratoga 1777." britshbattles.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar 2012.
.
iThe character in the game will be one of the thousands of troops fighting. The characters brother is fighting on
the opposing side.ii
Using this information I can generate a setting or a world in which my character in the game will travel and fight
through. Its October in the state of New York so the characters breathe may be visible perhaps.iii
One of the characters role in the games is to act as a courier alongside Major John Andre.