[captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] welcome to many of our new students. Happy 40th birthday, cspan. We will focus on the Continental Army and were situating this very much in the broad history of war and the military and the Continental Army is different from other armies that preceded it, largely because its one thats very much based on ideals and certain concepts and beliefs, rather than your sort of traditional army. So, what is the Continental Army . Where is it, first of all . America. America ok. It will become the first United States army. But before it is the u. S. Army, it is the army of . America, yes. About what element of america but element of america . When does the Continental Army begin . Its not necessarily with the start of the revolution, but we will pick up with the beginning of the war. A couple classes ago, we were talking about the french and indian war and thats a world war that fundamentally altered several different nations, but primarily france, britain, and the british colonies and Many Americans fought alongside british soldiers and officers during the war. Anyone recall what transpired when the two groups interacted . The british, they looked down on the colonists. Prof. Smith so in a lot of ways, the british are looking down on the colonists for a lot of reasons. And that was having to do with tactics, lack of former military training. Some of it with how they dressed. We know theres lots of resistance. Theres also a large aspect over who holds the higher rank. Theres a colonial officer outranked a british officer, and the british officers of lower rank were saying they outranked any colonial officer. This infuriated a young George Washington. So, our story begins after the french and indian war and the start of the revolution. Who wants to give me the standard answer . What caused the American Revolution . The tea party. Prof. Smith thats part of it. Taxes and give me the phrase. No taxation without representation. Prof. Smith or taxation without representation is tyranny. Perfect. From there, its also more than that. Its about rights. Its about being treated as a full subject or full british subject. And ultimately, it evolves into violence. And this starts after the tea party. There is the boston bill and one of the intolerable acts are going to shut down local governments. Its going to bring into marshall law over boston, massachusetts, and the british actually start under thomas gage start seizing weapons, leading to increased tensions and this is going to build to a potential chance to seize gunpowder in concord, maybe arrest sons of liberty, samual adams or john hancock in lexington. The final result is this, the shot heard round the world, maybe. Some say it happened in concord. One of the first shots in the revolution was fired when the british regulars meet up with colonial militiamen, from massachusetts. And shots are fired. Who fires the first shot . Nobody knows. Prof. Smith exactly. But who do the british say fired . The colonists. Prof. Smith the rebels. Who do the colonists say fired . Good enough, the british, murderers. From this, the war begins. So, a militia unit is anyone from 16 and 60. They would meet up roughly once a month and drill and train in traditional trappings. Think of the National Guard today. Most american colonists do have some experience with a gun, with a musket, more so than the british soldier, largely from hunting or fighting native americans. But they dont have formal military training, fighting in ranks. Shots are fired. Normally, the colonists lose and the british winds, but this is a profound moment that is going to begin the war. And Thomas Jefferson is going to refer to this very specifically. Unprovoked murder in open violation of faith and honor, in defiance of sacred observation of treaties that even savage nations observe. Where is jefferson getting at . He saying what the british did was slaughter. We didnt provoke them. They decided to kill us, even savage is can comprehend its terrible. Prof. Smith there is no ethics behind it. Its fundamentally immoral, but the british have done is so barbaric, to use a term, that this cannot be looked over. This is beyond rights. This is justification for the war. We talked about the idea of a just war principal and what makes a war just in almost every circumstance . It basically comes down to who attacks who. The americans are presenting themselves as an aggrieved party. They are fighting a defensive war, which means what . They are in the right. Their war is just. Largely based on a swiss philosopher who in his law of nations is very much going to cast the correct of the morality or the honor of the war based on who starts it. The british start the war and justifies american resistance. Meanwhile, we get another battle at concord bridge, named that because it has a bridge. Americans are successful at concorde bridge. Why do you think this is . You may remember this from William Wallace scottish rebellion. [inaudible] prof. Smith ok, so you have to cross the bridge, meaning numbers dont matter. You have to funnel in. This is where you get the traditional shot heard round the world, if you believe the 19thcentury poem. This is where americans, under orders, fire. Whereas, as lexington, both sides were under orders not to fire. So, when you think of american colonial militiamen fighting, we probably think of the romanticized notion of the minutemen. Ok, so what is the minutemen . [inaudible] prof. Smith ok, theyre going to jump out of bed ready to fight. Average musket at the time takes a minute and a half to load, so listen to me. So, the idea is the militiamen is fighting a guerrilla style, very much copying the native american style. And why the americans developed this style as opposed to the british, who are fighting in open right formation, as they do in europe . They had and they had to adapt to their tactics. They had to defend themselves and they had to adapt to their tactics. Prof. Smith they adapted over centuries. Also, the british werent equipped to fight in that warfare. Prof. Smith exactly. Weve seen this, specifically, braddocks defeat, where the british army is defeated by french and native allies using the same tactics. The british had the higher numbers. They had to adjust their fighting to accommodate. Prof. Smith ok, so they have to accommodate and adapt. Now, the popular perception on the march back from concorde is this attack from the tree line. You see them down here from hidden positions on the exposed flank, the exposed side of the british army. What interesting, on this long march back, the british army is marching back after an immediate march at night from boston to the outskirts, and then marching back with limited ammunition. They can be picked off. What you see here, is you see these explosion marks. Despite the romanticized element of them hiding behind trees, like mel gibson in the patriot, there are battles along this. Its going to force the british to retreat to boston and defend themselves. Ultimately, the british attempt to take fortified colonial positions at bunker hill, which everyone knows, was fought on the americans lose. But they inflict heavy, heavy casualties. But still, this is not the Continental Army. These are colonial militia forces. There were pretty good win loss ratios. They forced a retreat to boston. An empiric victory, the idea the british when, but lose heavy losses due to colonists running out of ammunition. Its this finding in massachusetts that forces a response by the colonies. Is this americas war . Is this massachusetts war . An army is formed by, who do you guess . [inaudible] prof. Smith under the condo congress, were going to get continental congress, were going to get George Washington. He said im serving under my own character, which is different than young washington in his early 20s, where he resigned his commission and says for his own honor and his countrys wellbeing. So its a fundamental reversal of roles, washington saying im taking this up for duty to the nation, enhancing civilian supremacy, saying i take my orders from congress. I dont function as a military there is opposition. A lot of it comes from this man. His name is charles lee. Hes a general. Charles lee, british trained, all around europe trying to change his ranks and he thought he would be one of the people commander in chief. He had a lot of respect. It is not think the americans can win fighting in the traditional europeanstyle, and he thinks the americans should be using this guerrilla hit and run, militia style, in fact even retreat less and make the british chase them. Washington is opposed to this. And washington, he uses multiple styles, very much trying to fight the war on a traditional europeanstyle. And there are a few reasons why and one of them is hes concerned with reputation and how this revolution will be viewed internationally. If they are fighting as the europeans, in a civilized way, it would be respected. If they are not, then they may not gain alliances or support from other nations. So theres differences of opinion and these two will clash many times throughout the revolution. Ultimately, washington would prove successful. Thats the story thats coming. Anyway, washington is going to take command and hes going to meet the Continental Army in boston, late spring, 1775. This is right after the battle of bunker hill. At first, the two sides dont get along, particularly the militiamen of massachusetts. If you think back, we talked about early colonial warfare, the massachusetts militia, in particular, elects their officers. In virginia, where washington is from, they were appointed. What is the problem with elected officers versus appointed officers . In any fighting force . Popular. Prof. Smith in many times, it becomes a popularity contest rather than skill. People often unwilling to order their friends into combat. When youre voting on who is going in, i feel like may be more people dont run as much, or maybe its kind of oh, im going to do this because it seems cool. Prof. Smith and oftentimes, whoever brought the most beer to the barbecue, whatever would happen. So washington is going to try to staff his army. Is going to urge a certain type of individual to be officer. Nowadays, every man is a general. But in the 18 central, it meant something 18thcentury, it meant something different. Washington saying if youre a gentleman, a man of honor in civilian life, we can translate that to military. Because america doesnt have a military academy. They dont have a professional army. So who are your officers . Who are your soldiers . Regular people. No formalized training. Some fought in the french and indian war. But very limited overall. Here are the british, trapped in boston. Youll go to the map, the british forever retreating in this depiction. Any of these elevated positions, you have american colonial excuse me, Continental Army cannons. They forced the british out. The british are going to evacuate boston. And the date of that was two days ago, march 17. Heres the big, overarching map of the campaign. It goes from 1775 to 1783, technically the last major battle in 1781. If you were the british, what are your tactics here . How are you going to beat the americans . Numbers. Prof. Smith numbers, superior army, hands down. He wants to cut them off. Prof. Smith how do you cut them off from the rest of the world . The navy. Prof. Smith there you go. You blockade the coast. The british make another tactical decision. They believe since the war begun in massachusetts, if you cut off massachusetts, what can you stop . The war. Prof. Smith so how do you cut off massachusetts . Create a border, almost, cut them off from the ocean. Prof. Smith you blockade them and . Dont you blockade the hudson . Prof. Smith yeah. You take new york and split them off. This is one of the worst kept military secrets. Washington knows they will attack their. The british know they will attack their. So why attack their . Its the only thing they can do. Prof. Smith the harbor, they can use the navy. Washington reluctant to defend this. What is the basic obligation of the government . [inaudible] prof. Smith there you go. If they dont do it, they are failing as the british have and attacking their citizens in lexington and concord. The declaration of independence is read right before the battle of brooklyn, battle of long island, and these are the reasons they are getting, some of the chief reasons for breaking away from britain. The king had advocated government by declaring us out of his protection in waging war against us. So how do you split with the king . [inaudible] prof. Smith hes no longer your king. Hes done something wrong. Americans are taking issue with the conduct of the war, particularly the british are going to hire mercenaries, known as hessians. They are from the german state, and the popular belief is that they are mercenaries fighting purely for money. Theyre actually, the army is rented out by their parents. They are fighting for regular wages. Its just the prince thats cashing in on this. So, battle of new york does not go well. In fact, it is numerous retreats. Heres washingtons retreat from long island to manhattan island. Extremely difficult moving and army across any body of water. The washington proves quite successful. The british easily take new york. The Continental Army is forced to retreat. Traditionally, a major defeat like this would be crushing to a war, crushing to a commander. But its how washington interprets this and uses this to change the way we look at the military and warfare. And how does he do that . Well, he studies. Washington could complain about his education his whole life. How do most american officers learn to become officers . You have a handful, like charles lee, that have been trained by the british. How do most learn . [inaudible] prof. Smith they get a book. Two of your most successful generals, henry knox and medic arnold, American Hero benedict arnold, American Hero, up until a certain time, anyway, both sold books. Maybe to get a little simplistic, henry knox becomes head of artillery because he read a book on it. So theyre many ways, selftaught, so they learn how to be officers and soldiers. Religion, upon which true founders. Honor consists in common practice of virtue and the duty of a soldiers honor properly performed. The idea that if you act well in a battle or in a campaign, that you are doing your duty. You can receive honor. It used to be on her only for the victor. James wolf, who was a british general that died during the french and indian wars in quebec, is going to say the character of your army. He doesnt want a drunken, vicious, regular army. Its a poor defense to the state. But obedient troops are a sure guard against all assault to execute their part in honor and spirit. Why dont you want a drunken, vicious army, raping, pillaging, brutalizing . You cant organize them, and they cant take orders. Prof. Smith they cant maintain order. That breaks down the military. In the revolution is about ideals. So who do you want on your side . Gentlemen. Prof. Smith who else . Youre fighting this war in america. Americans. Prof. Smith you dont want to upset the balance between patriots and neutrals. So frederick the great, king prussian general, we focused on him before. And in this point, numbers are an essential point of war. They always take extreme care to recruit troops, the idea that theyre taking his concern with the wellbeing of average soldiers. If you think about war and the common soldier prior to this, they were the dregs of society, absolute lower classes. He joined the military because you had no choice. They are viewed as expendable. What is he doing here that is fundamentally different . Hes talking about how the numbers of the army is really important because each individual man can be the tipping point, like a Single Person could make it win or lose. Prof. Smith so youre depending on the conduct of your soldiers. For washington, what happens if the army is defeated and loses too many men . This is the revolution. The war is over. This is what he has. So theres an understanding of soldiers, something different. Another british general publishes a book that the Continental Army takes seriously. Youre going to lose. At some point, you will lose. And it shouldnt be officers are chasing victory or the potential of victory so long as they put in a valid effort when the odds makes sense. They can be honorable. Washington is going to relay this to lafayette, a general and pseudoson when he says no rational person will condemn you for not fighting with the odds against you and while so much of it is depending on it, all will censure a rash step if not tendered with success. What is he getting at . Its ok if you decide not if the odds are against you, dont do it but you have a small chance the odds are with you and you brush it prof. Smith yes, you have an obligation to preserve the army. Some of it is protecting, not the complete rank differences where you have aristocracy. Theres less difference between the gentleman officer and the soldier. So, washingtons going to use, going back to this fabian tactics, the roman general, and the classic defensive tactics that are first employed against cartledge in the classical era. And fabian strategy, which we talked about long ago, involves defensive war, also known as a war of post. So, a defensive war implies fighting when it makes sense for you, forcing the enemy to act. So, washingtons only going to fight when it makes sense. Otherwise, hes going to retreat. Hes literally going to retreat from new york to new jersey and hes got the british chasing him, particularly charles cornwallis. He also plays ben franklin in the john adams miniseries. He refers to George Washington as the fox. And he treats it as a game, he is literally hunting washington and washington is running and hiding. Hes using these tactics not as cowardice. Hes using it because he wants to maintain the army. When the situation is in his favor, such as here, crossing the delaware, he is able to spring these very elaborate, difficult, silent night crossings of rivers, the delaware, and attacking hessians in successful battles, keeping and preserving the war, giving americans this moral boost at a time where favor at the war is waning and commissions running out. Its fighting defensive waves instead of being ultraaggressive. And washingtons going to view the army differently. Is going to say i should hope