1776

1776

Have you ever wondered what it took to create the United States of America? Like many other countries the United States of America was not given her independence by a couple of letters of a couple of plees, she and her people had to take part in a grueling eight year war against great britain in a quest for freedom. In 1776, David McCullough gives readers a detailed encounter of the battles and bloodshed that occurred during the creation of this great country, also the men who commanded these battles.

The first battle David McCullough writes about is the Battle of Dorchester Heights/ Fortification of Dorchester Heights. The battle begins on March 4,1776 troops from the continental army commanded by George Washington, occupy Dorchester Heights. It was key that the Continental Army take that position to drive out the British Army from Boston. The Continental Army had previously prepared with over 120,000 pounds of mortars and cannons, 58 in total including 12 and 18 pounders and a few monstrous 24 pounders. The initial assault was by the Continental Army who on saturday night March, 2 started the bombardment of Boston. The British fired back, there was constant salvos until morning, neither sides did much damage even though George Washington took more of a hit when 3 of his big mortars burst because of inexperienced men. Firing started again on sunday night. It was the night of Monday March, 4 that both sides fired more furiously than ever before. Fearing losses in military ships the British fled to Nova Scotia on March 17.

After the Battle of Dorchester Heights, Washington moved his troops to New York where he believed the British would try and make another landing, he was correct. There was one major obstacle that washington feared, how could he and a land army with no navy defend a city surrounded by water. David McCullough also gives a detailed description on the british “siege” of Long Island. The British attacked after waiting five days after they...