The American Revolution: the War in Boston, Canada and the Southern Colonies

By Peter Cameron

June 2026

On June 17, 1775, the British attacked the Colonial Militia holding the heights on the Charlestown peninsula. The British knew if they controlled the heights they had control of Boston. 3,000 British troops attacked the heights that were defended by 1,000 Continental Militia. The British stormed the hill two times, the rebels firing down from above cut them to ribbons. The British tried a third time and broke through when the militia ran out of powder and withdrew. The British suffered 1,000 casualties. This proved the colonial militia could hold their own against a professional army. The shocking loss of men gave the British pause in considering other offensive operations.

In late 1775, a Boston bookseller named Henry Knox, with a colonial commission as a Colonel met with General Washington, newly the Commander of the Continental Army. Washington needed the artillery at Ticonderoga to break the British hold on Boston. He gave Knox the job of transporting the artillery pieces from Ft. Ticonderoga to Boston. In November 1775, Knox left for New York. At Ticonderoga, he selected 58 pieces of artillery weighing more than 60 tons and began his journey. By boat, sledge and cart he made his way down the Hudson, over the Berkshires, across the Connecticut River arriving in Boston in late January 1776. This feat of military engineering is referred to in military circles as one of the greatest logistical feats in the history of warfare. On the night of March 4, 1776, the guns were moved onto Dorchester Heights commanding all of Boston and its harbor. Unable to counter the threat of the artillery, on March 17, 1776, the British evacuated Boston heading for Nova Scotia. The British would never threaten or occupy Boston again.

On November 23, 1775, The Americans attacked and took Montreal during the invasion of Canada, an attempt to get the Canadians to come into the war on their side. A second attack on Quebec City on Dec 31, 1775, failed when the British reinforced the city. The American force in Canada abandoned the effort and returned south in defeat.

There were two points of view in the colonies. The “patriots” wanted, at the very least proper representation in Parliament and if not, then outright independence from England. There was another large percentage of the population that supported the King and the colonies connection with Britain, the loyalists. Throughout the colonies the Patriots vs Loyalists resulted in what amounted to a civil war, brother against brother, father against sons.

In the northern colonies the Patriots outnumbered the Loyalists, so conflicts were overwhelmingly in favor of the patriots. In the southern colonies of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina the split was almost 50/50. Here there were no British troops so when conflicts broke out, and there were many, they were Patriot vs Loyalists. This civil war raged in the southern colonies. Most were stalemates, but slowly the patriots gained the upper hand.

On January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine published “Common Sense,” a 46-page pamphlet advocating independence from England. It was a convincing essay citing reasons for independence and highlighting the violation of colonist’s rights by England. It was massively printed, distributed and read across the colonies. It is still in print today and remains the #1 printed manuscript after the Bible. This single pamphlet changed more minds toward independence across the colonies than any other one thing or event.

On June 7, 1776, at the 2nd Continental Congress Virginia representative Richard Henry Lee proposed a radical resolution. He formally proposed that the congress declare independence from England, form a confederation of the colonies and seek foreign alliances. It was controversial, economically risky and not universally accepted at first. Much debate followed.

Next Month: “ We Declare Independence.”