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Dadarian said:
That's just because you don't have 11,400 men and 35 guns.
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This.

I was going to offer him one of the positions but he said the Revolution is too "traitorous" and "rebellious".

Just waiting on @Deaghaidh for his orders now. Reminder that orders are due this Thursday.
 
The Honourable Mr. Tarleton, if you will.
 
Henry Hamilton or Hugh Mercer would be my picks depending on balance requirements. Hamilton would be my preferred pick.
 
March – April, 1776​

Quebec Campaign

Benedict Arnold was in a tight situation. Wounded in the leg from the Battle of Quebec on 31 December, and having assumed command over what remained of the patriot invasion force in Canada, he faced a force under Governor Carleton over twice his size with eight guns to his three. Ammunition was low and his men struggled to forage for food; water was infected and dirty in most cases, and many of his men fell ill to dysentery and pneumonia; several died. Knowing he could not maintain his current situation – and having been notified on 21 March that he would not receive any reinforcements from General Washington in Boston – he made it his duty to withdraw back to friendly territory and save the lives of his men.

His withdrawal began the night of 24 March. Arnold's 840 men climbed aboard several commandeered boats and prepared to cross the St. Lawrence River in the dead of night. Arnold, riding wounded on horseback, ordered his men not to utter a word. Campfires were left glowing in camp, 9 miles west of the city, to give the British the impression that they remained where they were; the cannons, invaluable in their small number, were brought across with their crews first. By four in the morning on the 25th, nearly all of Arnold's force was across the river. But Arnold's plan was to be foiled: Carleton had planned an early-morning sortie to attack the patriot camp that day. Three companies of the 84th Regiment of Foot approached the camp several minutes before dawn to discover it devoid of the enemy; the Americans had escaped.

Carleton had hoped to be the one to move first, but Arnold had beaten him. The same day, Carleton received great news: Major General Clinton, commanding some 2,600 men and a dozen cannon, was being sent to support him in ousting General Arnold's Americans from Canada altogether. Carleton, wanting to score a victory before Clinton arrived, quickly prepared to cross the river and give chase to the fleeing Americans. However, he could only muster some 700 men and 3 cannon; the rest had to be left on the northern bank of the river to defend the city.

At noon on the 25th Arnold's men came upon the town of Saint Lambert, about twelve miles south of Quebec on the east bank of the Chaudière river. Arnold's scouts reported two companies of militia forming in the town square. Hoping to capture their munitions and supplies, Arnold split his force in twain – half crossing the river – and marched south to attack. The militia captain, not expecting any Americans to attack the town (and from the north, no less), barely offered any resistance. When some militia tried fleeing west across the bridge over the river, they faced several hundred of Arnold's infantry lying in wait. Over 80 militiamen were captured, and only two killed. Arnold seized what little powder and supplies they had and began marching west; British efforts at raising militia companies in the immediate area had been completely quashed.

a4.jpg

Brigadier General Arnold, on horseback, leads the American attack on Saint Lambert, 25 March 1776.​

Carleton arrived at the town at about five in the afternoon that day; he discovered from the locals the ransacking of the town and the capture of the entire town's militia. Infuriated, and reinforced with a few hundred more men that had been ferried across to Quebec, he went where the locals said Arnold had gone: West, to Montreal.

On 26 March Clinton arrived just to the east of Quebec on the southern bank of the St. Lawrence. Several hundred of his men had fallen ill during the voyage; and, finding Quebec nearly devoid of British troops, it would not be until 28 March that he received word from Carleton that he was giving chase to Arnold further to the west. Clinton, once his force was organized, set to march west on 3 April.

Arnold had a plan of his own, though. After a week of campaigning all over the area – the Americans seemingly making several attempts to mislead Carleton, who was assured the former were headed for Montreal – Carleton's force of 1,700 men and 8 guns settled in for the night to the south of Sorel on the east bank of the Richeliu river, some 30 miles from Montreal itself. Carleton, not an inept commander, took advantage of a slight bend in the river for the location of his camp, and had his men construct rudimentary earthworks for the army's pickets and cannon. Carleton's army was very tired from the constant marching and from Carleton's commitment to a goose-chase of Arnold. Just before midnight on 5 April, Carleton's regulars and militia came under sudden attack from a concentrated assault on his right flank from Arnold's men. Men were woken from their slumber half-naked; Carleton himself had been bathing in his tent, and rushed outside half-dressed to assume command of his men in the chaos. Arnold, despite still suffering from his wound and in great pain, essentially led from the front. His first assault quickly overran the first line of the defense on the British right, but were stopped after two more companies of infantry were deployed to hold the line. Arnold ordered two more assaults and, when they both failed, yelled, “Give them cold American steel!” Four hundred American infantry – many not even armed with bayonets, but with axes, or simply the butts of their guns – charged into the fray, initiating a melee.

Not wanting to risk friendly fire, both Carleton and Arnold ordered their cannon to cease fire. Carleton, walking on foot among his soldiers, frantically issued orders, firing his pistol at Americans when he saw them. His jacket unbuttoned and his hair messy, one of his lieutenants would later describe the fifty one-year old as “A mad red Devil the likes of which I never have seen.” By one in the morning, British training and numbers became evident in their weight; several Americans began to break rank and run. Arnold rallied his men and organized a timely withdrawal through the wood to the east; one single company of American regulars fought the rear-guard action, skirmishing back into the woods and preventing any counterattacks. The Battle of Sorel was a British tactical victory in that Carleton managed to hold his position, but a failure too: Arnold was still within striking distance of Montreal, and Arnold's selfless manner – putting himself at risk in battle despite being wounded – inspired his men and renewed their faith in the cause for which they fought. [-112 men to Carleton. -87 men to Arnold]

battlepaoli.jpg

Arnold leads his men in a night attack on Carleton's camp, 5 – 6 April 1776.​

Arnold withdrew several miles to the south. Closer to his supply base than when he was outside Quebec, his supply situation had improved slightly. His men were in higher hopes after having nearly defeated the British at Sorel; a whole host of men, from the southern colonies and from Canada, flocked to Arnold's ranks. His situation was not perfect, but it could be regarded as a minor victory. Arnold bided his time as the month went on, seizing what powder and munitions he could from the small towns in the area, always managing to stay one step ahead of the British Governor. By 27 April, however, Major General Clinton had crossed back over the St. Lawrence and occupied Montreal. Arnold now faced over 4,500 men, a force over four times the size of his. He was lucky in one regard, though: Carleton, a skilled negotiator, had a rich past in dealing with the Indians of the region. His attempts at wooing the Indians to join the British, with Clinton's help, won him some one-hundred warriors that fell under the latter's command; but the Iroquois chiefs had not pledged their allegiance to the Crown. [+120 Indians to Carleton. +380 men to Arnold]

New England & Nova Scotia

Following the capture of Boston, for the rest of March and April, General Washington knew that General Howe would return to the colonies to bring the patriots to their knees. Washington, a veteran of the French and Indian war, knew that his force would have to be trained in European-style tactics, maneuver, and drill. Throughout these months, he attempted to train at least a portion of his army in these drills and procedures, and largely failed. Many of the militia simply cared about killing the British and going home to their families; and though the huge majority of the militia and “regulars” held Washington and his commanders in great respect and esteem, some of them just weren't “soldier” material. By the end of April, only about four companies of regulars had been trained to the point of being deemed fit for line infantry combat; a further seven companies of militia had received “adequate” training. The army's gunners were reasonably skilled in firing and loading round and canister shot, but they were perhaps the only part of the army that was, on a whole, adequate in their skill.

General Howe, with his command in Nova Scotia, had his brother, Richard Howe, bring a full blockade upon Boston, New York, Newport, and Philadelphia. Reaction within the colonies was terrible; many people in these cities, and in the surrounding countryside, threw their lot in with the rebels. Washington's army grew as common folk, angered at the actions of the British, brought their musket and joined the patriot ranks. Many of these people were poorly-trained, if at all, but it bolstered Washington's army nonetheless. [+1,900 men to Washington]

At the same time, however, Howe was nullifying this patriot benefit. He drilled his men six hours per day for nearly all of March and April and, utilizing his experience as a light infantry commander in the French and Indian war, trained the army's light infantry and skirmishers in the tactics of the Indians; that is, sudden and terrible ambush, hit-and-run, and the likes. This proved difficult, as his light infantry had already been extensively trained in European tactics and maneuver, but eight or nine companies of light infantry took at least something new home with them by the end of April.

Howe did not keep his actions in Nova Scotia alone, however; he sent scouts and spies to the major blockaded cities, plus Charleston in the south, to gauge public sentiment and the strength of rebel defenses, if any. He found Boston heavily fortified by the entirety of Washington's army, which seemed to be in training; Philadelphia, New York, and Newport were only defended by non-mobilized militias of insignificant strength. Charleston, however, was another story.

Southern Theater

Upon hearing of Washington's victory over Howe in Boston – and soon, of the battles near Quebec and Montreal – William Moultrie, a colonel in the South Carolina militia and previously the commander of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment, announced he was raising a regiment of militia in the defense of South Carolina. By April, only a few had taken up arms and joined him. More, however, were sure to come. He organized a camp on Sullivan's Island, just outside of Charleston, and seized two cannon from the local armory. Though not a terrible threat, he could certainly put up a fierce defense of Charleston if she were to be threatened. [+210 men, 2 guns to Moultrie. Colonel William Moultrie activated]

Illinois Country

Far to the west, the British, too, were organizing militias. Henry Hamilton, one of five Lieutenant Governors of Canada, began doing what he could to organize a militia force in his base, Fort Detroit. The population in the region was extremely low, and only a few white men joined the Lieutenant Governor (a Brigadier General). Alongside these white men, too, were almost a hundred Indians, who had come to join Hamilton in their quest to remove the white man – in this case, the Americans – from their lands once and for all. [+130 men (110 Indians) to Hamilton. Lt. Gov./Brigadier General Henry Hamilton activated]
 
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Map
Date: 1 May 1776
Foreign intervention rating: 21

Kingdom of Great Britain
National morale: 91
320px-Union_flag_1606_%28Kings_Colors%29.svg.png
​

Forces:

Major General Sir William Howe (Revan529)
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Strength: 9,900 men, 40 guns
Training: Good
Experience: Seasoned
Supply: Plentiful
Morale: Average
​
Major General Sir Henry Clinton (Deaghaidh)
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Strength: 2,592 men (80 Indians), 12 guns
Training: Good
Experience: Little
Supply: Good
Morale: Average
​
Governor/Major General Sir Guy Carleton (Stingrex)
Location: South of Sorel, Quebec
Strength: 1,755 men (120 Indians), 8 guns
Training: Adequate
Experience: Little
Supply: Good
Morale: Average​

Lieutenant Governor/Brigadier General Henry Hamilton (Ranger900)
Location: Fort Detroit, Illinois Country
Strength: 130 men (110 Indians)
Training: None
Experience: None
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Average​

Reserve commanders:

John Burgoyne
Charles Cornwallis/Lord Cornwallis
John Campbell
Charles Grey
Banastre Tarleton
Patrick Ferguson
Alexander Leslie
James Grant
Archibald Campbell
William Fawcett
Francis Rawdon/Lord Rawdon
Sir William Erskine
Friedrich Adolf Riedesel
Hugh Percy/Lord Percy
Charles Mawhood
William Medows
Charles O'Hara
William Phillips

Thirteen Colonies
National morale: 96
320px-US_flag_13_stars_%E2%80%93_Betsy_Ross.svg.png
​

Forces:

General George Washington (Dadarian)
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Strength: 13,143 men, 35 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: Little
Supply: Poor
Morale: Excellent
​
Brigadier General Benedict Arnold (aedan777)
Location: East of Montreal, Quebec
Strength: 1,073 men, 3 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: Little
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Good
​
Colonel William Moultrie (baboushreturns)
Location: Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
Strength: 210 men, 2 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: None
Supply: Poor
Morale: Good​

Reserve commanders:

Daniel Morgan (POW)
Nathanael Greene
Horatio Gates
Gilbert du Motier/Marquis de Lafayette
Benjamin Lincoln
John Sullivan
William Alexander/Lord Stirling
Anthony Wayne
Johann de Kalb
Henry Knox
Charles Lee
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben/Baron von Steuben
Israel Putnam
Casimir Pulaski
Thomas Mifflin
Alexander McDougall
Nicholas Herkimer
George Rogers Clark
Hugh Mercer
 
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((Did I get any Indian scouts? Cause I ain't going in the woods without Indian scouts))
 
Deaghaidh said:
((Did I get any Indian scouts? Cause I ain't going in the woods without Indian scouts))
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Stats edited to reflect this reality. Orders for the next turn due FRIDAY 5 February 2016 (go away Sealy)
 
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Olligarchy said:
(Silly question... would it be possible to get Wilhelm, Reichsfreiherr zu Innhausen und Knyphausen and his Hessians? Don't know the other commanders well enough to take over for them, but would love to get a chance to wreck some Americans with good old fashioned Hessian mercenaries!)
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The British already get Friedrich Adolf Riedesel as a Hessian commander. You are welcome to apply for him if you wish.
 
Stats have been updated with map (at the top of the post). Glorious thanks to the Honorable @Noco19.
 
Would love to be Marquis de Lafayette,
 
May – June, 1776 ​
Quebec Campaign

The surprising initiative shown by General Arnold in March and April seemed to set the tone of the Quebec Campaign for late spring and early summer. Governor Carleton, now reinforced by another 2,600 men (and 12 guns) under Major General Clinton, were committed to ascertaining Arnold's intentions, giving chase, bringing him to battle, and defeating him decisively and easily. Arnold, however, would not make their job any easier.

After roughly one week of collective rest and recuperation in late April, Arnold set about on 4 May southward, toward Lake Champlain, along the eastern bank of the Chambly River. Carleton realized the Americans' departure late that day; he sent a messenger to Clinton telling him to make haste south, and immediately departed in pursuit, his plans of launching a surprise night attack completely ruined. Arnold stole all the powder and cannon that remained in Fort Chambly, and then ordered his men to dismantle it as much as possible so as to prevent its future use by the British; the barracks inside was burned down and some of the wooden rampart heavily damaged. Along the way down the river, Arnold had every boat he came across either burned or salvaged for spare wood. Carleton, accompanied some fifteen miles to the west by Clinton's larger force, was barely a day behind the American commander. Carleton's small contingent of cavalry – supported when possible by Clinton's own troopers – harassed Arnold's men constantly, causing few casualties but proving to be a nuisance. At midday on 8 May, Arnold reached the northern shore of Lake Champlain.

Hoping to continue salvaging what large and small boats he could find before withdrawing to Fort Crown Point, Carleton hoped to press the disadvantaged Arnold and attack. Arnold ordered his five cannon onto the boats and ordered them south to the Fort; his men would have to beat a fighting withdrawal south along the western bank of the lake. Arnold, mostly recovered from his wounds now, was again leading from the front, ordering nearly every infantry unit to reform, fire at will, break and retreat, and reform once again. At two in the afternoon Carleton ordered his Indian scouts, all on horseback, to swing west and hit the American left flank from the rear. This they did, killing numerous Americans before being driven back by disciplined fire from a company of New Hampshire men under Major Alexander Scammell. However, Arnold was not moving fast enough: Clinton was moving in fast from the northwest. The British general had at least one regiment slip further south and get in on the rear of the Americans. Clinton ordered the infantry to hold their ground at all cost, hoping to buy time to allow the rest of his force to catch up and tighten the noose around Arnold's neck. Carleton was increasing the pressure from the north and, not wanting to be caught and captured, Arnold ordered his men to charge south right into the British infantry.

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The American charge against the British infantry at Chazy, 8 May 1776. ​

The bloody melee that ensued left dozens dead and many more wounded. Arnold concentrated the attack on the enemy regiment's left flank – the weakest point – and broke through after several intense minutes. Clinton, frustrated, ordered Carleton to attack full-on. By now, two more of the former's regiments were being deployed into the battle, and could now bring their own muskets against Arnold. Carleton's artillery, constantly having to be moved forward to be able to fire against the patriots, were almost useless.

By seven o'clock Carleton and Clinton were ready to retire as it grew increasingly dark. Between eight and nine, Arnold had been reinforced by about 150 fresh militia that had just arrived from the Albany area, bolstering his men's flagging morale. The British generals knew that they would have to follow-up with a more concerted attack the following day, lest Arnold and his men reach the safety of Fort Crown Point. Sure enough, at 7 am on 9 May, Carleton and Clinton committed their Indian riders in a concentrated shock attack on the Americans – who had been on the move all night long – to cause havoc and hopefully disperse the army in a panic. The Americans once again held strong, however, and forced the Indians off after an hour of consistent harassment. At eight-thirty, after a continued period of shadowing Arnold, Clinton and Carleton launched yet another attack, committing nearly all of their infantry units to try and pin the Americans to the bank of the river and force them to surrender. It was again repulsed, along with three more successive attacks. The high-speed retreat to Crown Point was driving the Americans to the point of near-exhaustion, and handfuls of them deserted outright; but Arnold continued the withdrawal south, hoping to make it there by nightfall. The British just as exhausted as the Americans, the British generals did not launch any further attacks for the rest of the day. By nine that night, Arnold arrived at Fort Crown Point. He absorbed the 80 men garrisoning the fort into his command along with the ten cannon deployed there – on top of the three he had sent across the lake the day before. Now firmly in American territory, Arnold would have to rapidly fortify his position and draw on recruits from the area if he were to fend off the still-large and determined British force to the northwest.

On 24 May, after being reinforced by several hundred more militiamen and fighting several skirmishing actions (defending both Crown Point and the less-defended Ticonderoga to the south from capture), Arnold sortied out of the fort and marched west toward the British force. His regulars briefly engaged Clinton's 7th Regiment of Foot, but was driven back when he brought cavalry and artillery to bear on the patriot force. Arnold withdrew back to Fort Crown Point and would not leave it for the next month; the British would not attack the Americans, either. The Battle of Chazy exhausted Arnold's men but drew the British deeper into American territory, which could potentially prove disastrous in the future. [-149 (5 Indians), -1 gun to Clinton. -119 (9 Indians) to Carleton. -186 men, +12 guns to Arnold]

Between the ninth and twenty-fourth, Arnold had continued construction of his small “fleet” on Lake Champlain, totaling by the end of June eight ships with some forty guns total. The ships were not totally “seaworthy” yet, however – they would not be for several more months – and the British themselves began construction of their own fleet which, while smaller, could certainly contest American control of the lake. [Both American and British fleets are being constructed on Lake Champlain]

New York

Worried about a potential British attack on New York, General Washington had sent some 300 militiamen south to the city in early May. They fell under the command of General Charles Lee, who had already been in the city constructing earthworks to defend it from a possible attack. With this added manpower and firepower, Lee hastened construction of fortifications both along the shore and particularly on Brooklyn Heights, facing both land and the city harbor itself.

Philadelphia Campaign

The most important development during the war in this period, however, was in and around the city of Philadelphia. The capital of the revolution – the site of the first and second Continental Congresses, and the current home of the Congress – the city was incredibly important to the patriot war effort. A failure for the British to take it would be an effectual acknowledgment of defeat; an American inability to defend it would signal the end of their cause.

On 2 May, with his staff split on where the potential British attack would focus, Washington ordered newly-minted Major General William Alexander (hereafter known as “Lord Stirling”) to lead an expedition of 4,500 men – Pennsylvanians, New Jerseyans, and Marylanders – with 2 guns south to establish camp outside the rebel capital and fortify the area in preparation for any British attacks. With him came his second-in-command, Brigadier General Nathanael Greene, until recently just a private. Stirling departed Boston with his force the following day and, after a grueling march of just eleven days, reached the city on 14 May. After according his men one full day of rest, he immediately set to work in fortifying the area: scouting the region for good observation points and easily-defensible positions; potential points of landing from a British force; and areas of potential loyalist sympathies. He absorbed the armories in the area, bringing his number of cannon from just two to fifteen. When he issued a call in Philadelphia and the surrounding towns for able-bodied men to “Join the valiant Cause”, over six-hundred signed up, bringing with them their muskets and what little ammunition they had. He immediately set to work in constructing rifle pits and various earthworks for both cannon and men.

William_Alexander%2C_Lord_Stirling.png

William Alexander, Lord Stirling: Continental Army Major General charged with defending Philadelphia. ​

His preparations would not be in vain. On 19 May, a patriot spy in Halifax sent word to General Washington in Boston: Howe's army had completely vanished overnight. The question then became: where were the British headed? Charleston was an unlikely target; Washington did not yet know if the British were aware that he had split his force and thus weakened himself. Leaving Boston completely unguarded, Washington rallied his men and prepared to march for New York, intent on relieving Lee's miniscule force located there.

Washington was wrong – but it would not be a disastrous miscalculation. Howe had departed the night of 18 May for Philadelphia. Anticipating Washington to sit in Boston or attempt to reinforce New York, he hoped to strike directly at Philadelphia, decapitating the rebellion in one stroke. The Congress could be hanged as traitors and the will of the people to oppose the Crown would falter. He was not, however, aware of Stirling's presence, nor the fact that he had more than 5,000 men under his command. Still, Howe outnumbered the Americans almost two-to-one, and had over twice as many cannon. His men were better-trained, better-equipped, and more experienced; it would not be a difficult fight.

Gen._Sir_William_Howe.jpg

General Sir William Howe, commander of British forces in the Americas. ​

In the early morning of 23 May one of Stirling's observatories on Cape May spotted a British fleet incoming from the northeast: it was Richard Howe's squadron, accompanying the transports carrying William Howe's soldiers. Stirling sent messages both to Boston and to New York – unaware Washington and departed the former – intent on alerting Washington and Lee about the impending British invasion.

Stirling immediately ordered the fortification of Chester Island, in the middle of the Delaware River, just twelve miles from the Philadelphia State House. The majority of his force was on the northern bank of the river, prepared to defend the city from any land-based intrusions, intent on forcing a siege if necessary. Howe, on the other hand, hoped to sail down the river unopposed, land, and take the city before the Congress could even react. He would very obviously be surprised.

At nine in the morning the lead ship of the British convoy came under fire from the small battery on Chester Island, sending the crew into a panic. Howe was perplexed: his spies did not report that Washington had left Boston. Howe ordered the fleet to land the army on the northern bank of the river about five miles back downstream. From there, he could get an accurate assessment of what was going on on the ground, and could sweep aside any patriot force standing in his way.

Stirling ordered his men forward – about two miles from the riverbank, so as to be harder to detect from the river – and waited for the unloading process to begin. At ten-thirty, after just about one-thousand men had been landed on shore, Stirling ordered an attack. With ten cannon bombarding the shoreline, he quickly moved his regulars forward, pouring fire – however ineffectual – on the British. Though causing few casualties, if any, it harried the British long enough to force them to bring other ships close in, risking accidental ramming, to bring their cannons to bear on the Americans. Stirling withdrew thirty minutes later, allowing Howe to complete his landing by several minutes after noon. Stirling told the Congress to prepare to evacuate from the city on a moment's notice.

Howe's force was deployed facing northeast, toward the city, with the left flank facing the north and commanded by Major General James Grant. The main body that was to take the primary advance – including the 42nd Regiment (Black Watch) and the 1st American Regiment – was commanded by Major General Charles Cornwallis (“Lord Cornwallis”). Howe ordered a quick advance to the city itself, scouting with his cavalry to ensure Washington (really Stirling) was not waiting in ambush. Indeed, one unruly company of American militia opened fire on the scouting British cavalry, altering Howe to the patriot positions. He ordered a general advance on the enemy positions. The Battle of Philadelphia was on.

The Maryland Line, holding the American right flank, commanded personally by General Greene, was ordered by Stirling to press hard and attempt to turn Howe's flank. Grant, receiving the brunt of this assault around one in the afternoon, was in a shallow ravine and in a generally poor position. Greene's assault forced Grant to immediately withdraw to a gentle slope just to the west. Howe, worried his left was about to collapse under a strong Continental assault, ordered Cornwallis to engage the enemy and “remove him no matter the cost.” Cornwallis' Scots and American loyalists began trading fire with Brigadier General Benjamin Lincoln's men in the patriot center, who faltered and began to retreat under the concentrated British fire. Not wanting to unravel his whole army, Stirling ordered Greene to make a steady withdrawal further northeast. The American-born nobleman brought forward his small reserve, which broke formation and suffered casualties but still put up enough fire to allow a general retreat. Lincoln's men withdrew to another gentle slope facing west, with two batteries of cannon and some fortifications for several New Jersey regiments.

americans-holding-their-ground-at-the-battle-of-the-brandywine-american-revolution-c-1777-web-e1315781548765.jpg

Greene's Marylander regulars holding the American right at Philadelphia, 23 May 1776. ​

Cornwallis, having dealt heavy casualties to the American center and damaging its cohesion, asked Howe if he could press the attack in an attempt to break the American formation entirely and scatter the army. Howe, however, refused; speculation as to why he made such a decision is still common today, but the most commonly-accepted explanation is that he feared a repeat of the Battle of Bunker Hill: that is, attacking uphill against a fortified position.

This allowed Stirling much-needed time to reorganize and prepare his next move. Howe's casualties were not high; his men were still in high spirits. The Americans' morale was steadily in decline, and more and more regiments and companies were becoming disorganized and messy. At two-thirty, Greene requested that Stirling grant permission for another attack on the British left; Stirling denied the request. When Greene asked against at three – after Cornwallis ordered a concentrated artillery bombardment on Lincoln's permission – Stirling granted him permission. Greene advanced forward with his Marylanders – some of the only patriot units that had largely retained their cohesiveness – and then began trading fire with Grant's Irishmen and Englishmen.

Upon hearing fire coming from his left, Howe finally ordered Cornwallis to attack; but the target was not the American center or left, but the right. Howe risked having his right flank enfiladed by American cannon and muskets, but then ordered his reserve, under the command of Brigadier General Hugh Percy (“Lord Percy”), to protect Cornwallis' flank.

Greene, who had been marched down the gentle slope toward a hedge row (beyond which resided the British), was not coming under fire on his far left from the 42nd Foot. Greene ordered his cannon turned on them and fire canister; in ten minutes, over eighty Britons were killed. Grant reeled, ordering his men back again in an attempt to reorganize. The Maryland Line, suffering higher and higher casualties from both Grant and Cornwallis, continued to hold their position. The location of their stand would later become known as “Greene's Mountain”.

largeBreymann's%20Redoubt%20-%20Battle%20of%20Saratoga.jpg

The Maryland Line holding their position at Greene's Mountain. ​

The inevitability of the American retreat, however, could not be denied. Howe's men were superior in almost every material way to Stirling's, and on top of this he outnumbered the enemy. Just after four in the afternoon, Greene ordered a second withdrawal back to Stirling's position, having suffered heavy casualties from both Grant and Cornwallis. Lincoln still struggled to rally his men; many men panicked and fled back to the city. Howe's disciplined regulars did not break and run nor did they break formation in panic. Grant, under orders from Howe, temporarily absorbed Percy's forces, using them to counter-attack Greene. The American commander, who had already suffered heavy casualties, was now in an untenable position. Stirling could not risk losing his force; he sent a messenger to the Congress to tell them to flee from the city, as its fall was imminent. At about five fifteen, Greene's division finally broke under the strain of attack from Grant's reinforced division. Lincoln gathered what men he could and threw them at the British as a rear-guard; Stirling told both generals that Philadelphia was lost and that they were to withdraw to the north. Lincoln's militia mostly broke rank and ran either to the city, the countryside, or to the planned withdrawal point, while most of his regulars stayed and did most of the fighting. By seven, as dark drew near, Stirling had largely vacated the field – and Philadelphia – to the British. Howe entered the city without any further resistance, but was infuriated when he discovered that the Continental Congress had managed to escape.

The Battle of Philadelphia was the largest of the war so far. Even though the patriot Congress had managed to flee, the loss of the birthplace of the American resistance was a huge blow to morale. Stirling would later be commended for his valiant defense of the city and his defense – for nearly seven hours – against a superior British force. He placed great praise on both Lincoln and Greene for their performance during the battle as well. General Howe was somewhat disappointed in Grant's performance during the battle – being driven back twice by Greene's Marylanders – but went on to hold Cornwallis in high regard. Many American soldiers were killed, and many more fled and deserted the army. The few that remained were encamped some fifteen miles to the north. Six days later, on 29 May, after British scouts began harassing him, Stirling withdrew further to the northeast, just several miles southwest of Easton. Howe consolidated his position in Philadelphia, intent on making it the center of his operations on the mainland. He ordered the blockade on the city lifted in an attempt to reconcile the Crown with the Philadelphians. On 8 June, and again on 13 June, Howe attempted to bring his army north along the Delaware in a campaign to defeat the Continental Army once and for all and threaten New York directly, but the advance elements of his army were continually intercepted and ambushed by patriot militia, forcing him to withdraw back to the city.

Upon hearing word of the battle and the fall of Philadelphia, Washington re-absorbed Lee and his men back into his army, and continued the march south toward Stirling's location. He departed New York with all but 1,000 men and several guns, under the command of Israel Putnam, on 25 May, and arrived at Stirling's location around 10 June; they had picked up a handful of new militia companies and even more regulars recruited to fill state quotas. The Continental Army was now united once more, and prepared to take on Howe's expeditionary force. Whether they could take back Philadelphia, however, would remain to be seen. [-398 men to Howe. -529 men to Stirling. Major General Lord Stirling activated. +1,000 men, +9 guns to Putnam. Major General Israel Putnam activated. +1,600 men to Washington]

South Carolina

Colonel William Moultrie's attempt to make Charleston a “fortress against tyranny” were going reasonably well so far. Construction of Fort Sullivan began in mid-May once the materials were gathered, and both cannon were placed inside. Further supplies were brought from nearby militias, and his force swelled as three-hundred more men joined him. One of his more innovative decisions to acquire supplies – as he severely lacked shot and ammo for his guns – was to purchase powder and supplies from Spanish and French privateers and merchants. They supplied him with some two tons of powder, several dozen more muskets, three more cannon, and enough shot to last him for a reasonably-long siege. He stockpiled food and water and continued building up Fort Sullivan throughout the rest of May and June, making it into a formidable fortification by the beginning of July. Moultrie's men became even better in quality after three straight weeks of training in musket and bayonet, honing the skills of his men to a finer degree. [+330 men, +3 guns to Moultrie]

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A contemporary illustration of Fort Sullivan upon its completion. ​

Illinois Country

In the far west, General Hamilton fared a bit more poorly than his British counterparts. His efforts at recruiting more Indians and white men into his force were abject failures, with barely more than two-dozen more men joining him at Fort Detroit. Training with the men made very little progress – but their skill as soldiers did increase somewhat. [+20 men (10 Indians) to Hamilton].

Halifax

Meanwhile, starting on 20 June, reinforcements from Europe began to arrive to bolster the British army in the Americas. 4,000 British regulars arrived in Halifax that day with 13 guns; they were placed under the command of Major General John Burgoyne, returning from Britain for the first time since the fall of Boston. Three days later, another 3,000 men arrived in Halifax – these men, however, did not speak English. The Hessian mercenaries in the service of His Majesty the King were abroad to crush the American rebellion in the name of the King – for a pretty penny, of course. [+4,000 men, 13 guns to Burgoyne. Major General John Burgoyne activated. +3,000 men, 7 guns to Riedesel. Major General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel activated]

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Major General Riedesel, commander of the Hessian mercenaries.​
 
MAP HERE WHEN READY
Date: 1 July 1776
Foreign intervention rating: 14

Kingdom of Great Britain
National morale: 95
320px-Union_flag_1606_%28Kings_Colors%29.svg.png
​

Forces:

Major General Sir William Howe (Revan529)
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Strength: 9,456 men, 40 guns
Training: Good
Experience: Seasoned
Supply: Good
Morale: Good
​
Major General Sir Henry Clinton (Deaghaidh)
Location: West of Crown Point, New York
Strength: 2,427 men (75 Indians), 11 guns
Training: Good
Experience: Little
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Good
​
Governor/Major General Sir Guy Carleton (Stingrex)
Location: West of Crown Point, New York
Strength: 1,631 men (115 Indians), 8 guns
Training: Adequate
Experience: Seasoned
Supply: Good
Morale: Average​

Lieutenant Governor/Brigadier General Henry Hamilton (Ranger900)
Location: Fort Detroit, Illinois Country
Strength: 150 men (120 Indians)
Training: Poor
Experience: None
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Average​

Major General John Burgoyne ( )
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Strength: 4,000 men, 13 guns
Training: Good
Experience: None
Supply: Good
Morale: Average​

Major General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel (Olligarchy)
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Strength: 3,000 men (Hessians), 7 guns
Training: Good
Experience: None
Supply: Good
Morale: Good​

Reserve commanders:

Charles Cornwallis/Lord Cornwallis
John Campbell
Charles Grey
Banastre Tarleton
Patrick Ferguson
Alexander Leslie
James Grant
Archibald Campbell
William Fawcett
Francis Rawdon/Lord Rawdon
Sir William Erskine
Hugh Percy/Lord Percy
Charles Mawhood
William Medows
Charles O'Hara
William Phillips

Thirteen Colonies
National morale: 87
320px-US_flag_13_stars_%E2%80%93_Betsy_Ross.svg.png
​

Forces:

General George Washington (Dadarian)
Location: Southwest of Easton, Pennsylvania
Strength: 9,243 men, 33 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: Little
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Good
​
Brigadier General Benedict Arnold (aedan777)
Location: Fort Crown Point, New York
Strength: 1,117 men, 17 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: Seasoned
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Good
​
Colonel William Moultrie (baboushreturns)
Location: Fort Sullivan, South Carolina
Strength: 540 men, 5 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: None
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Good​

Major General Lord Stirling ( )
Location: Southwest of Easton, Pennsylvania
Strength: 4,578 men, 15 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: Little
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Average​

Major General Israel Putnam (Maxwell500)
Location: New York City, New York
Strength: 1,000 men, 9 guns
Training: Poor
Experience: None
Supply: Adequate
Morale: Good​

Reserve commanders:

Daniel Morgan (POW)
Nathanael Greene
Horatio Gates
Gilbert du Motier/Marquis de Lafayette
Benjamin Lincoln
John Sullivan
Anthony Wayne
Johann de Kalb
Henry Knox
Charles Lee
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben/Baron von Steuben
Casimir Pulaski
Thomas Mifflin
Alexander McDougall
Nicholas Herkimer
George Rogers Clark
Hugh Mercer
 
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