Battle of Yorktown Was Better

Ferguson 1
Pat Ferguson
Mrs.Ferguson
Period 4
31 March 2010
The year was 1776 when the Americans would start a war that would become the most important war of this inspiring country’s history. The Americans relied on sneak attacks and guerilla warfare to get their victories on the battlefield. The Americans rarely fought fair or as the British would say gentlemanly. Sun Tzu says “According circumstances are favorable one should change his plans.” (3) Which means if the things in war are not going the general’s way the general should change his plans to make them favorable to the commander. One of the most famous accounts of the Americans putting things in their favor was at Trenton where the Americans sneaked up on the sleeping hessians and annihilated the Germans. Although the battle of Trenton was an important fight the battle for Yorktown was the most important battle of the American Revolution.
Ferguson 2
so in late November Howe decided to set up his army’s winter camp on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. The confidence of the patriots was extremely depleted as they had to abandon their outpost in New York and retreat all the way across New Jersey. Also to add to Washington’s stress was that most of his enlistments contracts were up at the end of the year and the way things were going for the Americans at the time most of the enlistments were not going to reenlist in the continental army. So Washington had to do something drastic and bring up his troops morale; but with winter coming there was not much the general could do. Until Christmas came around and Washington saw his opening; with his troops contracts up in just a few short days Washington decided to cross the Delaware while it was still half frozen. With the cover of darkness and the Hessians still recovering from their late night of celebrating the continental army crossed the river