British Strengths and Weaknesses

British Strengths and Weaknesses

British soldiers were trained professionals. They were well equipped with plenty of ammunition, good muskets, adequate food, and uniforms.

In contrast to the American colonies, Great Britain entered the war from a position of strength. Yet, despite both their real and their perceived advantages, the British forces encountered many problems.

British Strengths 

 With a professional army of about 42,000 troops at the beginning of the war, British forces greatly outnumbered the Continental army. In addition, George III hired 30,000 mercenaries from Germany. These hired soldiers were known as Hessians (HEH-shenz) because they came from a part of Germany called Hesse-Cassel. The British were also able to recruit many Loyalists, African Americans, and American Indians to fight on their side.

Multiple Choice

The British had a lot of troops

• True

• false

British and Hessian troops were well trained in European military tactics.  They excelled in large battles fought by a mass of troops on open ground.  They also had far more experience firing artillery than Americans had.

The British forces were well supplied, as well.  Unlike the pitifully equipped Continental army, they seldom lacked for food, uniforms, weapons, or ammunition.

British Weaknesses

 Even so, the war presented Great Britain with huge problems. One was the distance between Great Britain and America. Sending troops and supplies across the Atlantic was slow and costly. News of battles arrived in England long after they had occurred, making it difficult for British leaders to plan a course of action.

A second problem was that King George and his ministers were never able to convince the British people that defeating the rebels was vital to the future of Great Britain.  The longer the war dragged on, the less happy the British taxpayers became about paying its heavy costs.

A third problem the British faced was poor leadership.  Lord George Germain, the man chosen to direct the British troops, had no real sense of how to defeat the rebels.  He had never set foot in North America, nor did it occur to him to go see for himself what his army was up against.  If he had, Germain might have realized that this was not a war that could be won by conquering a city or two.

To end the revolution, Germain's forces would have to crush the Patriots' will to fight, state by state.  Instead, Germain kept changing plans and generals, hoping that some combination of the two would bring him an easy victory.

Multiple Choice

Hessians

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

Loyalist

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

Length of war

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

distance

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

poor leadership

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

well trained in European military tactics

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

they seldom lacked for food, uniforms, weapons, or ammunition.

• Strength

• Weakness

Multiple Choice

Germain kept changing plans and generals

• Strength

• Weakness