Geography played a role in the American Revolutionary War victories at Trenton, Saratoga, and Yorktown. Knowing the land can assist in military strategy. Controlling bodies of water and the high ground proved critical in these particular battles.

The Battle of Concord: One of the first times geography influenced a battle near Boston was during the Battle of Concord on April 19, 1775. This battle took place about 20 miles north of Boston. The hills provided an excellent perch for militiamen who were streaming in to join the fight against the invaders.

How did geography influence early battles around Boston? Hills near Boston enabled the Continental Army to take the high ground, which gave them an advantage over the British in battle and helped them retake Boston.

A second factor of geography that impacted the battle was the marshy conditions of the Mystic River. The Royal Navy could have navigated the river and used her ships to direct ship-to-shore fire against the American positions, however, British commanders were reluctant to take this step as the river was…

As he waited, Washington laid plans to combine his Continental Army with the French army and navy to win the fallen city and end the war. Washington described his so-called “grand strategy” for accomplishing this goal in a series of letters to the Continental Congress.

A lack of organization, food and money shortages plagued the Continental Army throughout the first half of the seven-year-long revolution. These problems exacerbated the harsh living conditions at Valley Forge, during the third year of the war.

When General Washington told Congress, “the soldiers eat every kind of horse fodder but hay” he might have gone a little farther and told them that they eat considerable hog’s fodder and not a trifle of dog’s—when they could get it to eat.

Officially, soldiers were to be issued daily rations that were to include meat (often beef or pork), bread (often hardtack), dry beans or peas, and a gill of rum or beer. Salted and dried foods were necessary because there were no other practical means of food preservation.

Within a month the troops were eating their horses, dogs and moccasins, dying by the scores from exposure and disease.

While riding along the ranks looking to steady the men, Washington had two horses shot out from under him and four bullet holes shot through his coat. At the Battle of Princeton (January 3, 1777), Washington rode forward on his white charger as he led his soldiers in a successful counter-attack against the British.

He Defied Death In the French and Indian War, Washington had two horses shot out from under him and received four bullet holes in his coat as well as one in his hat.

Despite having two horses shot out from under him, history would have been much different if George Washington was born a 90-pound weakling. As it was, he was an abnormally large man, especially for the American Colonies.

eight million horses

Nearly 3 Million Horses and Mules Were Used by the Germans During the War. Of These an Estimated 750,000 Were Killed…

the First World War

But according to film historians, as many as 100 horses were killed during the production of the iconic film.

Eight million horses

At the beginning of World War II, a government pamphlet led to a massive cull of British pets. As many as 750,000 British pets were killed in just one week. This little-discussed moment of panic is explored in a new book.

Only one horse returned home from WWI – “Sandy” owned by Major General William Bridges, Commander of the Australian 1st Division, who died of wounds sustained at Gallipoli.

Many horses died as a result of the conditions at the front—of exhaustion, drowning, becoming mired in mud and falling in shell holes. Other horses were captured after their riders were killed.

The ‘Old Blacks’ – a team of six horses who survived the whole war – were chosen to pull the carriage of the Unknown Soldier to mark the Armistice in 1920. But this wasn’t the end of the war horse story. The RSPCA, which had helped the army care for horses in the war, opened ‘The Animals War Memorial Dispensary.