It was a war for sure

George Washington and the Continental Army acted on behalf of the Continental Congress, which although didn't represent the majority of the people and was not democratically elected did control the military. So I believe that the Continental Congress acting against the British Crown is government against Government. They also acted against the British Military and their agents, not the civilian population so by the definitions that we have been speaking it was a war.

One of the examples that was used in an earlier post was the French Resistence. The resistance was in my belief acting on behalf of the French Government in exile (whether they knew it or not) and if not them then the Allied effort to oust the Nazi Regime from France. They supported the war effort by aiding downed Airman escape back to allied lines and they worked to interrupt german supply lines and lines of communication. Although they used assymetrical methods of warfare to achieve their objective I wouldn't define them as terrorists.

I would say that throughout history you will find governments at war that are unpopular with the majority of the people they represent and yet those agencies still wage war on their behalf.