Henry Clinton Characteristics

The British military began focusing their efforts southward in America. The new commander of the British army in America was General Sir Henry Clinton. There was less Loyalists in the south than originally thought by General Sir Henry Clinton. The British efforts forced some undecided colonists the support and join the Patriots. The British and Loyalist soldiers acted harshly and allowed some Loyalists to switch and support the Patriots as well. In November of 1778, the British attacked Savannah, Georgia. This was the capital and largest city in Georgia. The British gained control of Savannah, Georgia. Charles Cornwallis also helped General Sir Henry Clinton direct the British soldiers. In May of 1780, the Patriots surrendered in …show more content…
The southern colonies were worth more to the British because the southern colonies produced staple crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo. Georgia and most of South Carolina was under British control by 1780 by General Cornwallis. The British burned Patriot farms, livestock, and take their slaves. The Battle of King’s Mountain was an important turning point of the war in the south. General Nathanael Greene, known as “the fighting Quaker of Rhode Island” became the new commander in 1780. General Nathanael Greene had many great qualities that made him the best suited general Washington had, and allowed him to be the best man suited for the war ahead. General Greene and his army moved eastward from Charlotte, North Carolina. General Daniel Morgan of the Patriots went to Cowpens with about seven hundred men. There they encountered the British army …show more content…
There they joined forces with General Greene’s army. Together, these two armies attacked General Cornwallis army at the Guilford Courthouse in March of that same year. The Patriots did so much damage to the British during this attack that General Cornwallis did not fight back. Instead, General Cornwallis and his army marched towards Wilmington, North Carolina to get supplies from British ships and pout. By prolonging the war, the Americans were actually winning the war for their independence. If the war ended without the British acknowledging America as a country, they would not be able to fight for their independence from Great Britain. General Cornwallis moved his British army northward towards Virginia. He decided by taking control of Virginia first, he would be able to take control of the Carolinas next. He thought that by taking control of Virginia it would take the Patriots supplies and reinforcements. Therefore, in May of 1781, the British soldiers arrived in Virginia. Benedict Arnold was at the time a British general, however, he had been an American Patriot commander and was now seen as a traitor by the Americans. General Cornwallis combined