The Real Story of the American Revolution 

Battles during 1782

1782 March 08: Gnadenhutten Massacre: A Pennsylvania militia force led by Capt. David Williamson took over the Moravian Church mission at Gnadenhutten (along the Ohio River, south of Canton OH) to retailiate for attacks on European settlers farther east. Inside the mission were about 150 Amerindians who were harvesting crops. Nearly 100 of them were captured, and although they had not been involved in the earlier attacks the militia voted to execute them and did so -- 28 men, 29 women, and 39 children. Two survivors informed others in the area of the massacre. brief history and bibliography[Ohio History Central] 1782 May 25: Sandusky and Olentangy: Col. William Crawford had been Colonel of the Seventh Virginia Regiment when it had crossed the Delaware with Washington in 1776 to capture Trenton NJ and had participated in several other battles. In 1777 he was assigned to command a complex of forts in western Pennsylvania He now led a combined force of 480 Virginia and Pennsylvania militia to further punish Amerindians of the Mingo and Delaware nations living along the Sandusky River in what is now Ohio. David Williamson, who led the Gnadenhutten Massacre, was second in command. Crawford's forces survived the battles of the Sandusky and Olentangy on June 4-6, but on June 7 Crawford's forces were divided -- he and ten of his men were captured. In retribution for the Gnadenhutten Massacre eight captives were killed quickly, while Crawford was tortured for several hours before he died. Dr. Wright escaped and later described the event in detail. David Williamson was not among the captives. brief history and bibliography[Ohio History Central] See also Boatner, "Encyclopedia of the American Revolution" 1782 July 11:  Evacuation of Savannah GA by British forces due to continued pressure by the state militias and the Southern Continental Army under Gen. Nathaniel Greene. The British Evacuate Savannah [The SAR Magazine], by Gordan B. Smith (Georgia Society SAR) Anthony Wayne Frees Georgia [About North Georgia] 1782 Aug 19:  At Blue Licks (now KY) 182 patriot troops caught up with a force of 242 Amerindians and Tories who had been raiding in the areas of Wheeling (now WV) and Lexington (now KY). Although Daniel Boone and other leaders advised waiting for nearby reinforcements, Maj. Hugh McGary led an attack that was firmly repulsed, with 70 of the patriots captured or killed. One of those killed was Daniel Boone's son. The area is now a state park. The Strategic Battle of Blue Licks (GIF 1113-wide) [The SAR Magazine], by J. David Sympson (Kentucky Society SAR) photos of 2007 commemoration by Robert Yankle [North Carolina Society SAR] 1782 Aug 27:  At Combahee Ferry SC Col. John Laurens was killed in an ambush at Chehaw Point while making an attack on a British foraging party for the garrison at Charleston SC. He was the son of Henry Laurens -- a signer of the Declaration of Independence, elected President of the Continental Congress in 1777 Nov, captured in 1780 September and imprisoned in the Tower of London, exchanged for Gen. Cornwallis in 1782 April, and one of the three U.S. peace commissioners in 1782-3. Casualties -- US: 2 killed, 19 wounded; British: none 1782 Oct 28: A year after the American victory over the British at Yorktown VA, General George Washington moved his troops to New Windsor NY for the winter. He had arrived at his headquarters at the Widow Hasbrouck House in Newburgh, on March 31, 1782. Some 500 women and children (camp-followers) accompanied his 7,000 troops. They transformed 1,600 acres of forests and meadows into a substantial military enclave or “cantonment.” By late December 1782, they had erected nearly 600 log huts. This was the last encampment of the Continental Army before most of the soldiers were furloughed in June 1783 in anticipation of the end of the war. 1782 Nov 20:  At Lookout Mountain TN (Ruby Falls, near Chattanooga) Some 250 "Nollchucky riflemen" under Col. John Sevier successfully attacked a band of Chickamauga Cherokees to recover captives from earlier raids. 1782 Nov 30:  The U.S. and Britain signed a preliminary peace agreement, Provisional Articles between the United States of America and his Britannic Majesty -- links to A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875 [Library of Congress] -- but hostilities were not ended because France was not included, and France would not sign until Spain was ready. France and Spain signed preliminary articles with Great Britain on 1783 Jan 20, officially ending hostilities. See also battles by our allies in 1782

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