Did George Washington invent guerrilla warfare?

Answer 1

No, George Washington did not invent guerrilla warfare. Guerrilla warfare has existed way long before George Washington was born. But George Washington was technically a contributor to guerrilla warfare. Most of the times, George Washington fought conventional battles in linear formation during the American Revolution. However, George Washington did sometimes use some form of unconventional strategy and tactics to gain an advantage over the British like harassing the British through skirmishing and making surprise attacks on British garrisons. For example, during the forage war, Washington sent in his irregular troops known as militia with limited continental army support to launch raids and ambushes on British detachments and foraging parties. Washington sent the militia and continental army support to harass the British through small scale engagements by ambush, hit and run raids, and surprise attacks. Next, Washington made a surprise attack on Trenton and captured about 900 enemy combatants while inflicting a bunch of casualties on the enemy garrison. This surprise raid of Trenton was a big turning point of the American revolution and brought a lot of hope to the revolutionary cause. Next, George Washington gave orders to guerrilla fighting general William Maxwell to harass and skirmish with the British at Cooch's bridge. William Maxwell and his fellow patriot insurgents ambushed the British and Germans at Cooch's bridge and both sides received about 30 casualties. Further more, there is the raid of Stony Point. Although George Washington was not present at this battle, he was a contributor of the guerrilla strategy used to take the garrison of Stony Point. Washington ordered the 1500 light infantry personal under the command of Anthony Wayne to empty their muskets and use only bayonets to surprise attack the British garrison. George Washington also encouraged Anthony Wayne to be creative and aggressive in his guerrilla strategy to raid Stony Point. At night, Anthony Wayne and his 1500 light infantry surprise attacked Stony Point and took it with only 15 casualties while the British suffered 20-63 casualties. This raid gave the Patriot insurgents a big increasing morale and hope. Finally, according to some sources on the internet, Washington also funded and created his own personal navy to harass British shipment at the sea. Although George Washington fought a lot conventionally in linear formation against the British, Washington's inspiration, encouragement, and limited use of guerrilla warfare brought a lot of hope and prosperity for the cause of freedom.

Answer 2

Technically yes sometimes. But most of the times, George Washington used conventional warfare with linear tactics against the British. But there were few instances where George Washington used some unconventional tactics and strategies in the American Revolution which made some pretty big differences. For example, during the forage war in New Jersey, George Washington sent his irregular troops who were militia with limited continental army support on raids and ambushes on British detachments and foraging expeditions. George Washington ordered the militia and their limited continental army support to remove any goods, resources, and supplies from New Jersey and to harass the British through skirmishing to make it difficult and costly for the British to endure. The militia and continental army support would skirmish with the British in small engagements through raids, ambushes, and surprise attacks. After the forage war ended, the British casualties exceeded 900 and raised patriot morale. Next, George Washington sometimes made surprise attacks on British garrisons, one example is when George Washington famously led a surprise raid on Trenton, killing a bunch of Germans and capturing 900 prisoners. This was an important turning point as it brought morale and hope to the American cause of the revolution. Also, the battle of Cooch's bridge, George Washington ordered guerrilla fighting general William Maxwell and his division of patriot insurgents to delay the British and their German allies using a strategy of harassment and skirmishing, Washington ordered Maxwell's insurgents to annoy and delay the Germans as best as they could. So General Maxwell and his division ambushed the Germans and fought them in a running battle. At the end of Cooch's bridge battle, General Maxwell lost 30 casualties and the British lost about 30 casualties. Next, the battle of Stony point. Although George Washington was not present at this battle, he was a major contributor to the guerrilla tactics and strategies used at Stony point. Continental leader Anthony Wayne and his 1500 light infantry were ordered by George Washington to empty their muskets and use only bayonets to mount a surprise raid at stony point. George Washington encouraged Anthony Wayne to be creative and aggressive in his unconventional strategy of taking Stony point. At night, Anthony Wayne and his light infantry surprise attacked Stony point and stormed it while suffering only 15 casualties and inflicting 20-63 casualties on the British and taking hundreds prisoner. Because of this tactical victory with a guerrilla strategy used, it raised the moral of the American armies in the revolution. Finally, according to some sources on the internet, George Washington also funded and created his own personal navy to harass British supply boats and shipping. Although George Washington fought conventionally with linear tactics a lot of the times against the British, his limited used of guerrilla warfare played an important part in the American revolution.