Battle of Yorktown

During the Revolutionary war, the Continental Congress had always hoped that France would enter the war and help the Continental army fight the British. The Congress wanted the French to send soldiers, ships, and money to the colonies.

In October, 1777, American soldiers won the battle at Saratoga, New York. This victory made France to promise to send help in February 1778. Many months passed and France did nothing, In July 1780, Comte Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau arrived from France with 5,000 soldiers. These French troops camped at Newport, Rhode Island for about one year. Rochambeau gave American general George Washington permission to command him and his soldiers.

With Washington and Rochambeau around New York the British realized it was hopeless to try to beat the American and French troops in the North, so they attacked the South.

In 1778, British General Charles Cornwallis attacked and captured Savannah, Georgia and in 1780 the British captured Charleston, South Carolina. Both Georgia and South Carolina was easily in the control of the British. Luckily the southern patriots did everything they could to stop the British from taking over North Carolina. They were successful, but still the British moved on Virginia.

In 1781, 8000 British soldiers invaded Virginia. However, Major General Lagayette fought Cornwallis with an army of 1200. They were not strong enough to start a major battle, but they did prevent the British from doing much damage.

During the month of August in 1781, Cornwallis allowed his soldiers to rest in Yorktown, Virginia. Yorktown was a town surrounded by water on three sides. Cornwallis thought that this location would keep his troops safe. A few days later American Major General Washington was informed that Cornwallis was inside Yorktown.

At the same time Washington got an important letter from the French leader Comte de Grasse. In the letter de Grasse had promised to bring his fleet of 28 ships to Chesapeake Bay near Yorktown at the end of August. With this new information Washington immediately made plans to head South from New York.

On August 19, Washington and Rochambeau led nearly 7000 Continental and French soldiers out of New York. They left 3000 soldiers to try and fool the British. If the British still saw American and French troops in they might not know what the Americans had planed.

In September 1, the American and French troops moved through Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The British did not know the Americans plan until September 2. Cornwallis was immediately informed of the information. When British General Henry Clinton was also informed. He immediately sent his fleet of ships to go help Cornwallis.

During the march toward Virginia, Washington worried that the British navy would get to Chesapeake Bay before de Grasse would get there. If they did, Cornwallis would have help. But if de Grasse had got there first he could capture Cornwallis at Yorktown.

On September 4, de Grasse arrived at Chesapeake Bay. The British arrived the next day. On September 16, the French fleet had driven off the British. Washington knew de Grasse had trapped Cornwallis.

During the next few weeks Washington and Rochambeau arrived in the area of Yorktown. Lafayette and his men joined him. By October about 20,000 soldiers were ready to fight. On October 6, the Americans and the French began making trenches about 800 yards away from British lines. About 1,000 soldiers could fire cannons at Yorktown. George Washington, himself fired the first American cannon on October 9, 1781. Washington knew the battle would last for days. It would be a siege. The Americans and the French would surround the town until the British surrendered. By October 11, the American and French soldiers were showering Yorktown with more than 50 cannons a day. That night, the American and the French dug trenches even closer toward the British. On October 14, Washington ordered an attack on two British redoubts separated from the towns main defenses. The French attacked and capture one. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton and his men attacked the other. They were successful and had captured it.

The next day the patriots extended their trenches to the redoubt. Now they were even closer to the British. They could also fire cannons at almost any part of the city.

Two days later, Cornwallis sent more soldiers to attack the French. They quickly failed and returned. That night Cornwallis tried to escape with his army. They had planned to cross the York River into Gloucester. If they got there they could march to safety to New York. They were almost successful until a sudden storm swept down making it impossible to escape.

Cornwallis knew they would lose because Admiral de Grasse's French ships had stopped food and ammunition from being delivered to him. So on October 17, 1781 he sent two soldiers. One soldier drummed while the other held up a white cloth.

Officers than came from both sides to discuss terms. The British officers would be able to keep their swords and their personal properties.

Cornwallis and a few soldiers would have permission to return to Britain. The other British soldiers would be American prisoners.

On October 19, American soldiers lined up on one side of the road and the French soldiers lined up on the other side. The British soldiers marched down the road between both lines and laid down their muskets.

Cornwallis was so embarrassed that he sent his second-in-command, Charles O'Hara, to the ceremony. To show that they surrendered O'Hara delivered Cornwallis's sword to the American and the French. O'Hara tried to give it to Rochambeau, but he refused it and had him give it to George Washington. George Washington also refused and made him give it to his second-in-command Major General Benjamin Lincoln. The second-in-command accepted it.

Even though there were many battles that occurred after Yorktown, this was the final big battle that occurred in the Revolutionary War.

Ken

Sources:

Links:

Battle of Yorktown
http://www.patriotresource.com/battles/yorktown/summary.html
Yorktown is Won!  (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle/episode5.html
Battle of Yorktown
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/9198/revwar/yorktown.htm

Maps
http://xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/yrkcam-z.htm#siegemap
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistorymaps/American%20Revolution/AR6l.htm