Revolutionary War

The story of Revolutionary War soldiers. Discover details about the British Redcoats and American citizen-soldiers, as well as French, German, Dutch and Spanish participants.

Who was who? The colonists living in the British North American colonies who rebelled against the authority of the crown were known as patriots, revolutionaries, continentals, colonials, rebels, Yankees, or Whigs. However, those who remained faithful to the Crown were known as loyalists, Royalists, King’s Men, or Tories. British authority and soldiers likewise acquired several monikers throughout the course of the war, and were synonymously referred to as the British, the Crown, Great Britain, lobster backs, and regulars.

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General Resources - Research by Conflict and Time PeriodRevolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[43] was a global war that began as a conflict between Great Britain and her Thirteen Colonies, which declared independence as the United States of America.

The Continental Army was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in their revolt against the rule of Great Britain. The Continental Army was supplemented by local militias and troops that remained under control of the individual states or were otherwise independent. General George Washington was the commander-in-chief of the army throughout the war.