After the war started, many of the men enlisted in the militia. The militia was like a part-time job; if they needed you in the war, they would call you over. The militia had a variety of men, like: farmers, preachers, tradesmen, but they were not trained for the army. But they had great leaders to lead them who were Benedict Arnold and George Washington. Benedict Arnold began the war as a militia captain. His many successful campaigns included the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, the Invasion of Canada in 1775, victory at the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain in 1776, the battles of Danbury and Ridgefield in Connecticut (after which he was promoted to Major General), and the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. He originally fought for American independence from the British Empire as a general in the Continental Army, until he betrayed the Americans by gaining access to more …show more content…
His actions were later on revealed and was reported to Washington. In the other hand, George Washington was appointed Major General and Commander-in-Chief of the colonial forces against Great Britain. Washington 's training and experience were primarily in frontier warfare involving small numbers of soldiers which was known as the Continental Army. But he was courageous and determined and smart enough to keep one step ahead of the enemy. According to the website (http://www.shmoop.com/american-revolution/george-washington.html), “In September 1778, he sent General John Sullivan and an expedition force of 4,000 soldiers out towards western New York, to see that the Iroquois country be "not merely overrun but destroyed." Washington 's greatest victory, however, came during the brutal winter of 1776-7 at Valley Forge. On Christmas night, George Washington quietly crossed the Delaware River with a force of 2,400 troops. They arrived at Trenton, New Jersey at dawn and surprised the garrison of 1,500 Hessians who were still recovering from a night of holiday celebrations and plenty