Behavior of the British troops during the war of Independence of the United States of America

This article treats behavior of the British troops during the war of Independence of the United States of America at the end of the 18th century. Taking into consideration International Convention and current treaty like the Universal declaration of the human rights and the Geneva Conventions, the methods employed by the British Armée would qualify violation of the Human rights, of Torture and acts of Barbarie, and war crime. The use of such practices, opposites to the modern standards like with the customs and habits of the time, was widespread on the level of the colony S European until the middle of the 20th century. In particular, during the War of independence of the United States of America, the Individual freedoms authorized by the British crown in it [[Habeas Corpus]] and the Declaration of the rights, are not respected.

Some examples

As of 1775, while the Parliament speaks about peace, of the orders are given for to put at fire and blood the American provinces. The general Gage, locked up in Boston, was avenged for his inaction forced by maltreating the American prisoners, which attracted to him on behalf of Washington of the reproaches and the threats of reprisals which were never put at execution. In Virginia, Lord Punmore exerted devastations which were worth to him the nickname of tyrant of this province. At the same time Guy Carleton reigned as a despot on the inhabitants of the Canada.

In 1776, English counterfeited such a quantity of paper money which they discredited these fictitious values, whose Congress had to order the forced course. The English promised to the Indians a reward for each American hair whom they would report.

After the Battle of Saratoga, the general Gates found the town of Oesopus on the Hudson as well as the villages of the surroundings reduced in ashes by the orders of the generals Vaughan and Wallace.

At the beginning of May 1778, during a forwarding around Philadelphia, the colonel Mawhood did not fear to publish the following opinion: “ the colonel will reduce the rebels, their wives and their children with the begging and the distress, and it annexed here the names of those which will be the first objects of its revenge .” (Ramsay, I, p. 335.)

To stop the walk of the troops allied in front of York, Lord Cornwallis resorted to tricks, using the disease as arms. He made throw in all the wells of the ox heads, the died horses, and even of the corpses. The French Army suffered from the water food shortage. It is remainder with the same weapons that he had sought before to destroy the small army of Fayette. It made inoculate all the slaves who deserted their plantations or whom it could remove, and then forced them to retrogress and go to carry the contagion in the American camp.

For Thomas Balch, it would not have however to be believed that these acts were especially reserved in America and were exerted only against the revolted colonists. It seems that at that time they were completely in English manners.

Random links: