Battles of the Revolution

Let's take a moment and recognize how fortunate we are to be anticipating America's 250th (Semiquincentennial) in 2026. The celebrations have already begun! Check america250.org for a full list of events scheduled. The Smithsonian is also hosting events to commemorate the anniversary. A must see online exhibition can also be found on their website here.

It's a good time to brush up on your knowledge of the American Revolution! Here's what you need to know:

The American Revolution (1775–1783) was a series of military and political struggles through which thirteen British colonies in North America won independence and became the United States. It began as a colonial protest against taxation and imperial control but evolved into a global conflict involving Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The war unfolded in several phases—New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern campaigns—each marked by dramatic reversals of fortune.

The opening clashes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775 ignited the war, as colonial militias confronted British troops near Boston. The bloody Battle of Bunker Hill soon followed, proving that the inexperienced colonists could stand against the world’s most powerful army. In 1776, George Washington’s daring victories at Trenton and Princeton revived American morale after the loss of New York. The turning point came in 1777 at Saratoga, where an entire British army surrendered, persuading France to ally with the Americans. The war shifted south in its final years. Despite early British successes in Georgia and the Carolinas, guerrilla warfare led by partisans like Francis Marion wore down royal forces. Washington’s and Rochambeau’s combined armies trapped General Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781, forcing his surrender and effectively ending the conflict. Sporadic fighting and negotiation continued until the Treaty of Paris was signed, on September 3, 1783, officially ending the war.

Below is a list of all the major (and some minor) battles of the American Revolution. These are just a fraction of the hundreds of skirmishes and engagements that were part of America's fight for independence. Choose a link to watch a short video about any battle. You can also start at the beginning of the playlist on youTube here. Subscribe for updates!

Major Battles of the American Revolutionary War:

1775

Battles of Lexington and Concord – April 19, 1775

Siege of Boston – April 1775–March 1776

Battle of Chelsea Creek – May 27–28, 1775

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga - May 10, 1775

Battle of Machias, Maine - June 1775

Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill) – June 17, 1775

Battle of Great Bridge, Virginia - December 9, 1775

1776

Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge – February 27, 1776

Battle of Sullivan’s Island (Charleston) – June 28, 1776

Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776

Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn Heights) – August 27, 1776

Battle of Harlem Heights – September 16, 1776

Battle of Valcour Island - October 11, 1776

Battle of White Plains – October 28, 1776

Battles of Fort Washington & Fort Lee – November 16, 1776

Battle of Trenton – December 26, 1776

1777

Battle of Princeton – January 3, 1777

Battle of Ridgefield – April 27, 1777

Battle of Short Hills - June 26, 1777

Siege of Fort Ticonderoga - July, 1777

Siege of Fort Stanwix - August, 1777

Battle of Bennington - August 16, 1777

Battle of Cooch's Bridge - September 3, 1777

Battle of Brandywine – September 11, 1777

Battles of Saratoga (Freeman’s Farm & Bemis Heights) – September 19 & October 7, 1777

The Paoli Massacre - September 21, 1777

Siege of Fort Mifflin - September 26, 1777

Battle of Germantown – October 4, 1777

Battle of Fort Clinton & Fort Montgomery - October 6, 1777

Battle of Red Bank (Fort Mercer) - October 22, 1777

Battle of White Marsh – December 5–8, 1777

Winter at Valley Forge - December 1777

1778

Battle of Monmouth – June 28, 1778

Battle of Wyoming - July 3, 1778

Battle of Rhode Island – August 29, 1778

Battle of St. Lucia (Caribbean) – December 15, 1778

1779

Battle of Kettle Creek – February 14, 1779

Sullivan Expedition - June to September, 1779

Battle of Stony Point – June 16, 1779

Battle of Paulus Hook - August 19, 1779

Siege of Savannah – September 16–October 18, 1779

1780

Battle of Waxhaws Creek - May 29, 1780

Siege of Charleston – March 29–May 12, 1780

Battle of Springfield, New Jersey - June 23, 1780

Battle of Camden, South Carolina – August 16, 1780

Battle of King’s Mountain – October 7, 1780

1781

Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina – January 17, 1781

Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina – March 15, 1781

Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, South Carolina – March 15-April 25, 1781

Battle of Ninety Six (Siege) – May 22–June 19, 1781

Battle of Chesapeake, Virginia - September 5, 1781

Battle of Groton Heights, Connecticut - September 6, 1781

Battle of Eutaw Springs – September 8, 1781

Siege of Yorktown, Virginia – September 28–October 19, 1781

Each of these battles reflects the ebb and flow of the Revolution—an unlikely triumph of endurance, leadership, and the growing conviction that liberty was worth the cost. By the grace of God and sheer American grit, we're still here 250 years later!

#AmericanRevolution #RevolutionaryWar