the battle of pell's point

 In October of 1776, Washington's Army was at Harlem Heights, New York. The British forces landed at Throgs Neck to execute a flanking maneuver against Washington on the island of Manhattan. The Colonials ruined this landing and the commander of the British forces, General Sir William Howe, looked for another landing point. 

Howe

On October 18, 1776, Howe disembarked 4,000 men at Pelham, about 3 miles north of Throgs Neck. 750 men of John Glover's brigade were inland. The Continentals used stone walls for cover to attack the British forces and fell back. The British broke off and the Americans retreated. 

The battle delayed the British movement long enough to give General George Washington time to move his forces to White Plains. Washington gave up Manhattan to keep his army from being surrounded.

By the 17th Washington was on his way to White Plains after hearing of the Throgs Neck landing. Washington left 2,000 men to support Fort Washington.

The battle is also known as the Battle of Pelham. The fighting took place in what is now part of Pelham Bay Park. 

Washington felt safe at White Plains. Glover retreated to Younkers. He report 8 killed, 13 wounded. The British had 3 killed, 20 wounded. The Hessians had no casualties. Howe moved his army through New Rochelle and Scarsdale. 

yorktown

 On September 28, 1781, the Siege of Yorktown began. American and French troops surround the British forces. 

The British held out for 21 days. The Americans and French had help from the Spanish Governor. He was able to bottle up British forces in Pensacola, Florida. This depleted the British forces at Yorktown.

Bernardo de Galvez

Cornwallis had established a base of operations at Yorktown, hoping for resupply and reinforcement by sea. The French victory at the Battle of the Capes on September 5, 1781, removed this possibility, and cut off Cornwallis by sea. With the arrival of American and French troops, the encirclement was complete, and the siege began on September 28, 1781.

Learn more on the Southern Theater of the Revolutionary War from battlefields.org

the lee resolution

 Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances. That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.

The Lee Resolution was an act of the Second Continental Congress declaring the Thirteen Colonies to be independent of the British Empire.

It is the earliest form and draft of the Declaration of Independence.

washington to the bostonians

George Washington, Address to the Residents of Boston (October 27, 1789)

they stood up

The colonial militiamen followed the British Army after Lexington - Concord towards Boston. The British were looking for cover in Boston. When the colonists got there, they built fortifications to the north, south, and west. The British were protected in the east by the navy.

The British, to aid in their defense, sent troops on the Charlestown peninsula across Boston Harbor to the north. On June 13, 1775 the colonists learned of the British plan. In response, Colonel Willian Prescott, with 1,200 troops went to Bunker Hill on the north end of the peninsula and Breed's Hill, closer to Boston. The colonial militiamen constructed fortifications on Breed's Hill. 

On June 17, the British, under General William Howe, with support of naval ships, attacked Breed's Hill. Two assaults were pushed back by the colonial militiamen. The third attack was successful.

The militiamen retreated over Bunker Hill to Cambridge. The British were still in Boston, but soon besieged. 

The result was a British tactical victory, but they learned the militiamen could fight well. The Americans had 450 casualties and the British had 1,054.

The Battle of Bunker Hill was used as the source for this post.