<P> Although many of the engagements of the American Revolution were conventional , guerrilla warfare was used to a certain extent during this conflict from 1775 -- 1783 , which made a significant impact . Guerrilla tactics were first used at the Battles of Lexington and Concord by the Patriots at April 19 , 1775 . George Washington sometimes used some sort of unconventional methods to fight the British . During the Forage War , George Washington sent militia units with limited Continental Army support to launch raids and ambushes on British detachments and forage parties , the militia and Continental Army support would skirmish with British detachments in small scale battles and engagements . Throughout the Forage War , British casualties exceeded past 900 . The Forage War raised morale for the Patriots as their guerrilla operations against the British were very effective . Next , there are other Americans that used hit and run raids , ambushes , and surprise attacks against the British such as William R. Davie , David Wooster , Francis Marion , Shadrach Inman , Daniel Morgan , Morgan 's riflemen , and the Overmountain Men . All these American guerrilla fighters did their part by using unconventional tactics to fight the British and loyalists . Nathanael Greene used a guerrilla strategy very effectively against Lord Cornwallis . First , Nathanael Greene would keep retreating to lure the British far from their supply lines , then send out his forces to fight in small skirmishes and engagements with British detachments to weaken them . Then fighting the conventional battle , Nathanael Greene fought Lord Cornwallis at Guilford Court House and gave him a severe blow . Although Lord Cornwallis was the victor , his victory was pyrrhic as he had too many casualties that he could ill afford . After the British surrender at Yorktown and America gaining their independence , many of these Americans who used guerrilla tactics and strategies became immortalized and romanticized as time passed . Although guerrilla warfare was frequently used when avoiding battles , the Americans fought in conventional linear formations in decisive battles against the British . The American Revolution could be seen as a hybrid war since both conventional and guerrilla warfare were used throughout its duration . </P>
<P> Although many of the engagements of the American Revolution were conventional , guerrilla warfare was used to a certain extent during this conflict from 1775 -- 1783 , which made a significant impact . Guerrilla tactics were first used at the Battles of Lexington and Concord by the Patriots at April 19 , 1775 . George Washington sometimes used some sort of unconventional methods to fight the British . During the Forage War , George Washington sent militia units with limited Continental Army support to launch raids and ambushes on British detachments and forage parties , the militia and Continental Army support would skirmish with British detachments in small scale battles and engagements . Throughout the Forage War , British casualties exceeded past 900 . The Forage War raised morale for the Patriots as their guerrilla operations against the British were very effective . Next , there are other Americans that used hit and run raids , ambushes , and surprise attacks against the British such as William R. Davie , David Wooster , Francis Marion , Shadrach Inman , Daniel Morgan , Morgan 's riflemen , and the Overmountain Men . All these American guerrilla fighters did their part by using unconventional tactics to fight the British and loyalists . Nathanael Greene used a guerrilla strategy very effectively against Lord Cornwallis . First , Nathanael Greene would keep retreating to lure the British far from their supply lines , then send out his forces to fight in small skirmishes and engagements with British detachments to weaken them . Then fighting the conventional battle , Nathanael Greene fought Lord Cornwallis at Guilford Court House and gave him a severe blow . Although Lord Cornwallis was the victor , his victory was pyrrhic as he had too many casualties that he could ill afford . After the British surrender at Yorktown and America gaining their independence , many of these Americans who used guerrilla tactics and strategies became immortalized and romanticized as time passed . Although guerrilla warfare was frequently used when avoiding battles , the Americans fought in conventional linear formations in decisive battles against the British . The American Revolution could be seen as a hybrid war since both conventional and guerrilla warfare were used throughout its duration . </P>
when was guerrilla warfare used in the revolutionary war
when was guerrilla warfare used in the revolutionary war
from 1775 -- 1783
from 1775 -- 1783