The Americans were quite selective, they tried not to engage in battle too often and sort of avoid British troops during the war as much as they could due to the fact that they were outmanned. In the South, they used the tactics of guerrilla warfare which worked to an extent. However, the war wasn't won until the French decided to help the Americans and helped them take the British Navy down.
giving these islands statehood would result in better rights for the people living there and we like controlling the island nation's for as long as we can.
