Revolutionary War

As Commander in Chief, Washington relied on a number of officers to help him win the war.

At the time of the American Revolution, the British government had access to a powerful and diverse fighting force.

On October 19, 1781, the British and Hessian forces under the command of Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to the French and American forces at Yorktown, Virginia.

These are two of the most important sentences George Washington ever spoke, in the darkness outside Washington's small stone headquarters at Valley Forge.

The rebel army was ragtag, barely trained, half-starving and woefully unequipped. Despite these various problems and disadvantages, Washington led these men to defeat the world's premier war machine of its day.

Twice during the Revolutionary War, solar eclipses not only captured the interest of scientists and the public, but were also considered to be of important military significance.

The term "Hessians" refers to the approximately 30,000 German troops hired by the British to help fight during the American Revolution.

From his headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General Washington issued a General Order to Colonels or Commanding Officers of regiments of the Continental Army to select four men from each regiment who would form his personal guard.

The Revolutionary War was also in many ways a civil war. Approximately one-fifth of Americans supported Britain during the Revolution.

During the American Revolution, thousands of soldiers, militiamen, and civilians were taken prisoner and their presence strained the resources of the British and Continental forces alike.

Retaking New York from the occupying British and Hessian forces was General Washington’s primary goal in July of 1781. He planned a reconnaissance-in-force to accomplish his mission.

Explore a fascinating letter in Mount Vernon's collection—a note from Thomas Jefferson to George Washington inquiring about ... a submarine?

In the early years of the American Revolution, George Washington faced an invisible killer that he had once battled as a teenager. While the earlier fight had threatened only his life, at stake in this confrontation were thousands.

Learn about the life and service of gingerbread maker Christopher Ludwick and how the Baker General of the Continental Army earned the respect of General Washington.

Morristown, New Jersey was the location where Washington established two winter encampments. Its location between Philadelphia and New York City held strategic advantage for the Continental Army.

Benedict Arnold's transformation from war hero to turncoat in this three part video series with Prof. James Kirby Martin.

Michael Harris, author of the new book, Brandywine: A Military History of the Battle that Lost Philadelphia but Saved America, September 11, 1777, shares his views about the Brandywine Campaign and its importance to the American Revolution.

Mark Edward Lender's and Garry Wheeler Stone's book is the definitive account of this important, but often overlooked, Revolutionary War campaign in New Jersey.

Author Andrew Jackson O’Shaughnessy discusses the many challenges facing Britain and its military during the Revolutionary War.

Mount Vernon had the opportunity to speak with famed historical artist Don Troiani and his ongoing artistic interest in the American Revolution.

Todd Andrlik is the author and editor of Reporting the Revolutionary War. This award-winning book takes a close look at the impact that newspapers had on the Revolutionary War period.

Historians Mark Edward Lender and James Kirby Martin argue that General Washington was indeed the indispensable man of the Revolutionary War.