Strengths+and+Weaknesses+of+Colonial+Army

__ Strengths and Weaknesses of the Continental Army  __ First, I will start with the strengths of the Continental Army. The Patriots outnumbered the British 3:1 and the most of the colonists owned and knew how to use guns so they required less training. They also were more flexible in their military operations and only attacked where the British army appeared which allowed them to take out heavy British fortifications without risking that many patriot lives. The Continental Army used guerrilla tactics on isolated British out post and supply trains which surprised the British and also had experienced generals who knew what they were doing during battle. They had a great commander, George Washington, along with assistance from the French. The Patriots were determined and had great knowledge of the frontier which gave them the advantage of being able to set effective traps and ambushes. They also had rifled gun barrels, which gave guns greater distance and accuracy. Now the weaknesses: The Patriots had very little discipline, order, or government at the beginning of the war. Another weakness was their rifled gun barrels, which took long to load and had no bayonet for charging. The Patriots also had problems raising enough funds to purchase basic supplies such as shoes and blankets. They suffered from poor training and therefore could not direct massive formations. Along with having a small navy, they also had no separate/independent departments of government.

__ Guerrilla Warfare __ Guerrilla warfare is a kind of alternate warfare. Guerrilla warfare is mostly used by rebels and terrorists. Instead of lining up in formations, guerrilla tactics use the element of surprise and are not structured. They are effective when used as surprise attacks and are normally quick and hard to follow up.

Works Cited Deverell, William, and Deborah G. White. //United States History//. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, 2007. 114-27. Print. Higginbotham, Don. //americanrevwar.homestead.com// N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2009. Scott, John A. //The Story of America//. N.p.: The National Geographic Society, 184. Print. //www.ushistory.org// N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2009. //Yahooanwsers.com// Eds. David Filo and Jerry Yang. Yahoo, 2007. Web. 7 Dec. 2009.