TheyWere fighting on unfamiliar land, and there was not one place they could defeat and win the war because the colonists didn't have one central government in one place.
They did during the revolution, and for a small time period after (20 years or so) they did, but afterwards, they got over it, as you can see since we were their allies in the World Wars.
Americans used guerrilla warfare tactics to drive the British to the coast. The french, although late, prevented the British from retreating to sea, so the British had no choice but to surrender.