<P> "I cannot too much commend Lord Cornwallis's good services during this campaign, and particularly the ability and conduct he displayed in the pursuit of the enemy from Fort Lee to Trenton, a distance exceding eighty miles, in which he was well supported by the ardour of his corps, who cheerfully quitted their tents and heavy baggage as impediments to their march ."--General Howe, December 20, 1776 </P> <P> After withdrawing from Boston, Howe immediately began preparations to seize New York which was considered the' hinge' of the colonies . In late August, 22,000 men (including 9,000 Hessians) were rapidly landed on Long Island using flat bottomed boats, this would be the largest amphibious operation undertaken by the British army until the Normandy landings almost 200 years later . In the ensuing Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776, the British outflanked the American positions, driving the Americans back to the Brooklyn Heights fortifications . General Howe not wishing to risk the lives of his men in a bloody frontal assault then began to lay siege works . The navy had failed to properly blockade the East river which left an escape route open for Washington's army, which he fully exploited, managing a nighttime retreat through his unguarded rear to Manhattan Island . British forces then fought a series of actions to consolidate control of Manhattan Island, culminating in the Battle of Fort Washington which resulted in the capture of close to 3,000 Continental troops . Following the conquest of Manhattan, Howe ordered Charles Cornwallis to "clear the rebel troops from New Jersey without a major engagement, and to do it quickly before the weather changed ." Cornwallis' force drove Washington's army entirely from New Jersey and across the Delaware River . However, in the pre-dawn hours of December 26, Washington crossed back into New Jersey and captured a garrison of Hessians at Trenton . Several days later, Washington outmaneuvered Cornwallis at Assunpink Creek and overwhelmed a British outpost at Princeton on January 3, 1777 . Cornwallis rallied and again drove Washington away, however the defeats showed the British army had become too overstretched and Howe abandoned most of his outposts in New Jersey . </P> <P> "I fear it bears heavy on Burgoyne...If this campaign does not finish the war, I prophesy that there is an end of British dominion in America ."--General Henry Clinton, July, 1777 </P> <P> Following the failure of the New York and New Jersey campaign to bring about a decisive victory over the Americans, the British army adopted a radically new strategy . Two armies would invade from the north to capture Albany, one of 8,000 men (British and Germans) under the command of General John Burgoyne, and another of 1,000 men (British, German, Indian, Loyalists, Canadians) under Brigadier General Barry St. Leger, while a third army under the command of General Howe would advance from New York in support . Through poor co-ordination and unclear orders the plan failed . Howe believed that he could not support a Northern army until the threat of Washington's army had been dealt with and moved on Philadelphia instead . The early stages of Burgoyne's campaign met with success, capturing the forts Crown Point, Ticonderoga and Anne . However part of his army was destroyed at Bennington . After winning a hard fought battle at Freeman's Farm, bought with heavy casualties, Burgoyne complained at the inexperience of his soldiers, that his men were too impetuous and uncertain in their aim, and that his troops remained in position to exchange volleys too long, rather than switch to the bayonet . Following the battle he ordered the retraining of his army . Burgoyne did not want to lose the initiative and immediately prepared a second assault to puncture the Gates' army scheduled for the following morning, however his subordinate General Fraser advised him of the fatigued state of the British light infantry and Grenadiers and that a renewed assault following a further night's rest would be carried out with greater vivacity . That night Burgoyne received word that Clinton would launch his own offensive . The news convinced Burgoyne to wait, believing that the American General Gates would be forced to commit part of his own force to oppose Clinton, however Gates was being continually reinforced . Burgoyne launched the second attempt to breakthrough the American lines early in the following month which failed at Bemis Heights with losses that Burgoyne's force could not sustain . Burgoyne was finally compelled surrender after it had become clear he was surrounded . Burgoyne's campaign tactics were greatly criticised, the composition of his force was disjointed, and his decision to overload his army with artillery (expecting a long siege) meant his army could not advance rapidly enough through the difficult terrain, allowing the Americans too much time to gather an overwhelming force to oppose him . The defeat had far reaching consequences as the French (who had already been secretly supporting the colonists) decided to openly support the rebellion and eventually declared war on Britain in 1778 . </P>

Describe the purposes of the different acts the british posed on the colonists