Seizing Dorchester Heights Wins Boston and Spurs Independence In 1775, Washington takes command of an inexperienced, ill‑equipped force besieging British‑held Boston. He targets the harbor lifeline by secretly fortifying Dorchester Heights after Colonel Henry Knox hauls heavy guns from Fort Ticonderoga across rugged terrain. A deceptive bombardment masks the overnight works, and by dawn American cannon dominate the harbor. Confronted with this, the British evacuate, returning Boston to American hands. The victory stiffens resolve and helps propel the move toward independence.
Trenton and Princeton Save the Revolution After crushing defeats in New York, Washington’s army dwindles and the cause seems lost. He wagers everything on a night crossing of the ice‑choked Delaware to strike an isolated Hessian garrison at Trenton; despite delays and two columns failing to cross, surprise brings a swift encirclement and 900 prisoners with minimal American loss. To keep the army from dissolving, he couples appeals to the glorious cause with hard cash, then holds Cornwallis at bay near Trenton until nightfall. Slipping away in the dark, he marches around the British and captures Princeton at dawn—his third victory in ten days. The British relinquish their gains, France edges toward alliance, and Patriot morale rebounds, rescuing the Revolution at its nadir.
Yorktown Trap Ends the War and Affirms Civilian Rule After years of scarcity, setbacks, and mounting dread, Washington seizes an opening when Cornwallis concentrates at Yorktown awaiting evacuation. Allied armies converge as Admiral de Grasse’s fleet defeats the British at the Chesapeake, sealing the bay while siege lines and heavy guns close in. Night assaults seize redoubts 9 and 10, enabling point‑blank bombardment that leaves the British cut off and battered; Cornwallis surrenders on October 19, 1781. News of the defeat collapses British will, leading to the 1783 Treaty of Paris. Rejecting power after victory, Washington resigns his commission and returns to Mount Vernon, ensuring the new nation is governed by the people, not a military ruler.