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{{Infobox_President

{{Infobox_President

| name=George Washington

| name=George Washington

In August 1776, British General [[William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe|William Howe]] launched a massive naval and land campaign designed to seize New York and offer a negotiated settlement. The Continental Army under Washington engaged the enemy for the first time as an army of the newly-declared independent United States at the [[Battle of Long Island]], the largest battle of the entire war. This and several other British victories (despite some American victories at the [[Battle of Harlem Heights]] and elsewhere) sent Washington scrambling out of New York and across [[New Jersey]], leaving the future of the Continental Army in doubt. On the night of [[December 25]], [[1776]], Washington staged a [[Battle of Trenton|counterattack]], leading the American forces [[Washington's crossing of the Delaware River|across the Delaware River]] to capture nearly 1,000 [[Hessian]]s in [[Trenton, New Jersey]].

In August 1776, British General [[William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe|William Howe]] launched a massive naval and land campaign designed to seize New York and offer a negotiated settlement. The Continental Army under Washington engaged the enemy for the first time as an army of the newly-declared independent United States at the [[Battle of Long Island]], the largest battle of the entire war. This and several other British victories (despite some American victories at the [[Battle of Harlem Heights]] and elsewhere) sent Washington scrambling out of New York and across [[New Jersey]], leaving the future of the Continental Army in doubt. On the night of [[December 25]], [[1776]], Washington staged a [[Battle of Trenton|counterattack]], leading the American forces [[Washington's crossing of the Delaware River|across the Delaware River]] to capture nearly 1,000 [[Hessian]]s in [[Trenton, New Jersey]].

Washington was defeated at the [[Battle of Brandywine]] on [[September 11]], [[1777]]. On [[September 26]], Howe outmaneuvered Washington and marched into Philadelphia unopposed. Washington's army [[Battle of Germantown|unsuccessfully attacked]] the British garrison at [[Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Germantown]] in early October. Meanwhile Burgoyne, out of reach from help from Howe, was trapped and forced to [[Battle of Saratoga|surrender his entire army]] at [[Saratoga, New York]]. As a result of this battle, France entered the war as an open ally of the Americans, turning the Revolution into a major world-wide war. Washington's loss of Philadelphia prompted some members of Congress to discuss removing Washington from command. This [[Conway Cabal|episode]] failed after Washington's supporters rallied behind him.<ref>Fleming, T: "Washington's Secret War: the Hidden History of Valley Forge.", Smithsonian Books, 2005</ref>

After falling back from an early position at [[Brandywine Springs]], Washington was defeated farther north at the [[Battle of Brandywine]] on [[September 11]], [[1777]]. On [[September 26]], Howe outmaneuvered Washington and marched into Philadelphia unopposed. Washington's army [[Battle of Germantown|unsuccessfully attacked]] the British garrison at [[Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Germantown]] in early October. Meanwhile Burgoyne, out of reach from help from Howe, was trapped and forced to [[Battle of Saratoga|surrender his entire army]] at [[Saratoga, New York]]. As a result of this battle, France entered the war as an open ally of the Americans, turning the Revolution into a major world-wide war. Washington's loss of Philadelphia prompted some members of Congress to discuss removing Washington from command. This [[Conway Cabal|episode]] failed after Washington's supporters rallied behind him.<ref>Fleming, T: "Washington's Secret War: the Hidden History of Valley Forge.", Smithsonian Books, 2005</ref>

Washington's army encamped at [[Valley Forge]] in December 1777, where it stayed for the next six months. Over the winter, 2,500 men (out of 10,000) died from disease and exposure. The next spring, however, the army emerged from Valley Forge in good order, thanks in part to a full-scale training program supervised by [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben|Baron von Steuben]], a veteran of the Prussian general staff. The British evacuated Philadelphia in 1778 and returned to New York City. Meanwhile, Washington remained with his army outside New York,  and in the summer of 1779, at Washington's direction, [[Sullivan Expedition|General John Sullivan]], in retaliation for Iroquois and Tory attacks against American settlements earlier in the war, carried out a decisive [[scorched earth]] campaign that destroyed at least forty Iroquois villages throughout what is now upstate New York. He delivered the final blow in 1781, after a [[Battle of the Chesapeake|French naval victory]] allowed American and French forces to trap a British army in Virginia. The [[siege of Yorktown|surrender at Yorktown]] on [[October 17]], [[1781]] marked the end of fighting. Though known for his successes in the war and of his life that followed, Washington only won three of the nine battles that he fought.<ref>Wuhl, Robert. ''Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl''. HBO Films, 2006</ref>

Washington's army encamped at [[Valley Forge]] in December 1777, where it stayed for the next six months. Over the winter, 2,500 men (out of 10,000) died from disease and exposure. The next spring, however, the army emerged from Valley Forge in good order, thanks in part to a full-scale training program supervised by [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben|Baron von Steuben]], a veteran of the Prussian general staff. The British evacuated Philadelphia in 1778 and returned to New York City. Meanwhile, Washington remained with his army outside New York,  and in the summer of 1779, at Washington's direction, [[Sullivan Expedition|General John Sullivan]], in retaliation for Iroquois and Tory attacks against American settlements earlier in the war, carried out a decisive [[scorched earth]] campaign that destroyed at least forty Iroquois villages throughout what is now upstate New York. He delivered the final blow in 1781, after a [[Battle of the Chesapeake|French naval victory]] allowed American and French forces to trap a British army in Virginia. The [[siege of Yorktown|surrender at Yorktown]] on [[October 17]], [[1781]] marked the end of fighting. Though known for his successes in the war and of his life that followed, Washington only won three of the nine battles that he fought.<ref>Wuhl, Robert. ''Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl''. HBO Films, 2006</ref>