After the battle at Monmouth in June 1778, most attention turns to the south as Henry Clinton, the British commander-in-chief, sends troops to South Carolina in late 1779 to implement the new British strategy of taking the south and then moving northward to conquer the middle colonies. Little attention is paid to the time after Monmouth and the Franco-American combined land and sea operations against the British in Yorktown.

In the fall of 1778, the Franco-American attack on British-occupied Newport, Rhode Island, failed to materialize, bring campaigning to an end for the year. Washington was occupied with ascertaining British intentions through his spy network in New York City; and the planning of an expedition led by General John Sullivan against the Six Nations to protect settlers on the Pennsylvania-New York frontier. Washington spends most of the winter of 1778/9 conferring with congressional members on the state of the army. As spring arrives, Washington learns that the British are headed to King's Ferry on the Hudson, where the American forts of Stony Point and Verplanck's Point are located. Washington breaks camp at Middlebrook and moves northward to support West Point, but is too late. However, the British offensive stalls. After stabilizing the situation, Washington assaults the forts, fails to make a foothold, but captured everything of military value. The year 1779 became a contest for control of forts on the Hudson. Washington also was involved in smaller attacks such as the surprise attack on the British fort at Paulus Hook, NJ. The year ends with the British evacuation of King's Ferry and Newport, RI.

Washington has to deal with the fall of Charleston in May 1780. He plans for an attack on New York City in conjunction with Admiral d'Estaing's French fleet, but ends preparations as the season moves into November. He meets with Rochambeau in Hartford, Connecticut, in September 1780 to plan strategy, but also has to deal with the defection of Benedict Arnold. His army enters winter encampment at Morristown, which turns out to be the worst winter of the 18th century. There are food, supply, and clothing issues and Washington stays there until Lafayette arrives with news of a French expeditionary force sailing to America. Washington immediately sets to work reinforcing the army. He deals with two British incursions into New Jersey which results in the Battle of Connecticut Farms on June 7-8 and Springfield on June 23, thwarting the British. He then addresses the British attack on Groton Heights, Connecticut, on September 6, 1781. These often-overlooked campaigns in the north show Washington at his best, managing administration, logistics, and diplomacy to keep the army in the field.