Charles Sumner, a Radical Republican, wanted to punish the South after
the war by

But Sumner belonged to a group called the Radical Republicans, who thought the South should be punished. Sumner proposed forcing Southern states to guarantee voting rights to African Americans before being readmitted to the Union, but could not gain enough support for his plan.

The American Revolution began in 1775 and led to the rapid formation of American armies to oppose the British. While British forces were largely led by professional officers and filled with career soldiers, the American leadership and ranks were filled with individuals drawn from all walks of colonial life. Some American leaders, such as George Washington, possessed extensive service in the militia, while others came directly from civilian life. The American leadership was also supplemented by foreign officers recruited in Europe, though these were of varying quality. During the early years of the conflict, American forces were hampered by poor generals and those who had achieved their rank through political connections. As the war wore on, many of these were replaced as competent and skilled officers emerged.

American Revolution Leaders: American

Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling - noted brigade, division, and department commander

Lieutenant Colonel Ethan Allen - Commander, Green Mountain Boys during 1775 attack on Fort Ticonderoga

Major General Benedict Arnold - noted field commander, famously changed sides in 1780 becoming one of history's best-known traitors

Commodore John Barry - noted naval commander

Brigadier General George Rogers Clark - Conqueror of the Old Northwest

Major General Horatio Gates - Commander, Northern Department, 1777-1778, Southern Department, 1780

Colonel Christopher Greene - Commander at Fort Mercer, Battle of Red Bank

Major General Nathanael Greene - Commander, Continental Army in the South (1780-1783)

Commodore John Paul Jones - Key American naval commander

Major General Henry Knox - American artillery commander

Marquis de Lafayette - Noted French volunteer in American service

Major General Charles Lee - Controversial American field commander

Major General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee - noted American cavalry/light infantry commander

Major General Benjamin Lincoln - Commander, Southern Department (1778-1780)

Brigadier General Francis Marion - "The Swamp Fox" - Noted guerilla leader

Brigadier General Hugh Mercer - American general killed in 1777

Major General Richard Montgomery - Promising American general killed at the Battle of Quebec

Brigadier General Daniel Morgan - Key commander at Saratoga and Cowpens

Major Samuel Nicholas - Founding Officer, US Marine Corps

Brigadier General Count Casimir Pulaski - Father of the America Cavalry

Major General Arthur St. Clair - Commander at Fort Ticonderoga, 1777

Major General John Stark - Victor of Bennington

Major General Baron Friedrich von Steuben - Inspector General, Continental Army

Major General John Sullivan - Division Commander (1776-1778), Commander, Rhode Island (1778), Sullivan Expedition (1779)

General George Washington - Commander in Chief, Continental Army

Major General Anthony Wayne - Daring American commander who saw extensive service

American Revolution Leaders - British

Major John Andre - British spymaster

Lieutenant General John Burgoyne - British commander at the Battle of Saratoga

Governor Major General Sir Guy Carleton - British Governor of Quebec (1768-1778, commander-in-chief in America (1782-1783)

General Sir Henry Clinton - British commander-in-chief in America (1778-1782)

Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis - British commander in the South, forced to surrender at the Battle of Yorktown

Major Patrick Ferguson - inventor of the Ferguson rifle, commander at the Battle of Kings Mountain

General Thomas Gage - governor of Massachusetts, commander-in-chief in America (1775)

Vice Admiral Richard Howe - Commander, North American Station (1776-1778)

General Sir William Howe - British commander-in-chief in American (1775-1778)

Admiral Lord George Rodney - British naval commander

Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton - noted British cavalry commander

Explanation: