<P> After regrouping at Halifax, William Howe determined to take the fight to the Americans . Howe set sail in June 1776, and began landing troops on Staten Island on July 2 . Due to poor intelligence, Washington split his army to positions across the city . An informal attempt to negotiate peace was rejected by the Americans . On August 27, Howe defeated Washington and forced him back to Brooklyn Heights . Had Howe chose to land on Manhattan, Washington could have been encircled and his army destroyed . Howe restrained his subordinates from pursuit, opting to besiege Washington instead . Washington managed to withdraw to Manhattan without any losses in men or ordnance . Following the withdrawal, a second attempt to negotiate peace failed, as the British delegates did not possess authorization to grant independence . Howe then seized control of New York on September 15, and unsuccessfully engaged the Americans the following day . Howe attempted encirclement of Washington again, but the Americans successfully withdrew . On October 28, the British fought an indecisive action against Washington, in which Howe declined to attack Washington's army, instead concentrating his efforts upon a hill that was of no strategic value . </P> <P> Washington's retreat left the remnants of his forces isolated, and, on November 16, the British captured an American army, taking 3,000 prisoners, amounting to the worst American defeat to date . Washington fell back four days later . Henry Clinton then captured Newport, an operation which he opposed, feeling the 6,000 troops assigned to him could have been better employed in the pursuit of Washington . The American prisoners were then sent to the infamous "prison ships", in which more American soldiers and sailors died of disease and neglect than died in every battle of the war combined . Charles Cornwallis pursued Washington, but Howe ordered him to halt, and Washington escaped unmolested . The outlook of the American cause was bleak; the army had dwindled to fewer than 5,000 men, and would be reduced further when the enlistments expired at the end of the year . Popular support wavered, morale ebbed away, and Congress abandoned Philadelphia . Loyalist activity surged in the wake of the American defeat, especially in New York . </P> <P> News of the campaign was well received in Britain; festivities took place in London, and public support reached a peak . William Howe was awarded the Order of the Bath by the King . The successes led to predictions that the British could win within a year . The American defeat revealed Washington's strategic deficiencies, such as dividing a numerically weaker army in the face of a stronger one, his inexperienced staff misreading the situation, and his poorly - trained troops, who fled in disorder when fighting began . In the meantime, the British entered winter quarters, and were in a good place to resume campaigning . </P> <P> On December 25, 1776, Washington stealthily crossed the Delaware, and overwhelmed the Hessian garrison at Trenton the following morning, taking 900 prisoners . The decisive victory rescued the army's flagging morale, and gave a new hope to the cause for independence . Cornwallis marched to re-take Trenton, though his efforts to this end were repulsed on January 2 . Washington outmanoeuvred Cornwallis that night, and defeated his rearguard the following day . The victories proved instrumental in convincing the French and Spanish that the Americans were worthwhile allies, as well as recovering morale in the army . Washington entered winter quarters at Morristown on January 6, though a protracted guerrilla conflict continued . While encamped, Howe made no attempt to attack, much to Washington's amazement . </P>

Who fought on the british side in the american revolution