boston campaign boston campaign opening campaign american revolutionary war taking place primarily campaign began battles lexington concord april local colonial militias british government attempt seize military stores leaders concord massachusetts entire british expedition suffered significant casualties running battle growing number militia subsequently accumulated militia forces surrounded city boston beginning main action siege june encounters war resulted british victory numerous skirmishes near boston coastal areas boston resulting loss life military supplies july george_washington took command assembled militia transformed coherent army march colonial army fortified cannon capable reaching boston british ships harbor siege campaign ended march permanent withdrawal british forces boston day boston celebrates march evacuation day background passed imposed import duties paper glass paint common items imported american colonies sons liberty patriot organizations responded variety protest actions organized goods subject duty harassed threatened customs personnel collected duties corrupt related provincial leaders governor requested military forces protect king personnel october british troops arrived city boston occupied city tensions led march december response protests parliament enacted acts punish colonies massachusetts government act effectively abolished provincial government massachusetts general commander chief british troops north_america appointed governor massachusetts instructed king george government enforce royal authority troublesome colony popular resistance compelled newly appointed royal officials massachusetts resign seek refuge boston commanded regiments british regulars men headquarters boston countryside largely controlled patriot war begins september british soldiers removed gunpowder military supplies surprise raid powder magazine near boston expedition alarmed countryside thousands sprang action amid rumors war hand proved false alarm event known caused concerned proceed carefully days ahead essentially provided dress rehearsal events seven months later partly response action colonists carried military supplies forts new_england distributed local militias night april general sent men seize munitions stored colonial militia concord riders including paul alerted countryside british troops entered lexington morning april found formed village common shots exchanged killed outnumbered colonial militia dispersed british moved concord concord troops searched military supplies found relatively little colonists having received warnings expedition happen taken steps hide supplies search confrontation north bridge small company british troops fired larger column colonial militia returned fire eventually routed troops returned village center rejoined troops time backs british soldiers called began return march boston thousand gathered road running fight ensued british detachment suffered heavily reaching concord shot heard round world war begun aftermath failed concord expedition thousands boston remained days arrived including companies new_hampshire connecticut rhode_island command surrounded city blocking land approaches putting occupied city siege british regulars fortified high points city need supplies british able resupply city sea supplies boston short troops sent islands raid farmers supplies response began clearing islands supplies useful british actions contested british resulted loss british soldiers british ship diana need building materials supplies led admiral authorize loyalist merchant send ships boston accompanied royal_navy schooner townspeople rose seizing merchant vessels schooner short battle commander killed resistance coastal communities led graves authorize expedition october sole significant act burning outrage colonies action contributed passing legislation established colonial army issues supply command diverse militias needed organized fed clothed armed command needed coordinated militia leader responsible province congress bunker hill late received sea reinforcements trio generals play vital role war formulated plan break city finalized june reports plans way commanders besieging forces decided additional defensive steps necessary night june detachment colonial army marched peninsula british abandoned april fortified june british forces general howe attacked seized peninsula battle technically british victory losses attacking forces killed wounded including significant fraction entire british officer corps north_america heavy attack followed siege broken general recalled england september replaced british commander chief meeting philadelphia received reports situation outside boston began meet response confusion command camps response capture need unified military organization clear congress officially adopted forces outside boston continental_army named george_washington commander chief june washington left philadelphia boston june learn action bunker hill reached new_york_city stalemate following battle bunker hill siege effectively clearly dominant position significantly alter position washington took command army july determined size reduced men fit duty established battle severely depleted army powder stock eventually powder shipments philadelphia british busy bringing reinforcements time washington arrival british men city summer fall sides dug occasional skirmishes chose significant action congress seeking initiative capitalize capture authorized invasion canada letters inhabitants canada rejected french speaking british colonists september led troops expedition wilderness maine drawn army assembled outside boston washington faced personnel crisis end troops army expired end introduced number recruitment incentives able army sufficiently large maintain siege smaller besieged forces siege ends early march heavy cannons captured fort moved boston difficult feat engineered guns placed course day overlooking british positions british situation general howe planned attack reclaim high ground prevented execution british threatening burn city departure hindered evacuated city march sailed temporary refuge halifax nova scotia local militias dispersed april general washington took continental_army new_york_city start new_york new_jersey campaign legacy british essentially driven new_england result campaign colonies continued receive support local loyalists especially newport rhode_island drove local patriots campaign final result war significant blow british prestige confidence military senior military leaders campaign criticized actions clinton example went command british forces north_america blame british loss war saw action war ultimately surrendered army british continued control seas military successes ground notably new_york new_jersey pennsylvania actions led conflicts effect uniting opposition crown result able marshal support loyalists regain meaningful political control colonies colonies spite differences united consequence events granting predecessor modern congress sufficient authority funding conduct revolution unified including funding military forces formed result campaign
Boston campaign