The siege of Yorktown by combined French and American forces in
Autumn of 1781 was the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary
War.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE [ edit ]
Analyze the reasons for Britain's defeat at Yorktown
KEY POINTS [ edit ]
General Washington and French commander Rochambeauconcentrated military actions in New
York, but shifted attention to operations in Virginia in the summer of 1781, upon receiving the
support of French commander Comte de Grasse.
While sending false reports to the British that a siege of New York was planned, Washington and
Rochambeau departed New York on August 19 and led 4,000 French and 3,000 American
soldiers to join De Grasse in Yorktown, in what has since become known as the Celebrated March.
The British underestimated the strength of the French fleet and in early September, were
defeated by De Grasse's fleet in the Battle of the Chesapeake, and forced to fall back to New York.
On September 14, Washington arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia and the revolutionary allies'
army and naval forces surrounded Cornwallis.
With the American artillery closing in, the British situation began to deteriorate rapidly and
Cornwallis asked for terms of capitulation on the 17th.
After two days of negotiation, Cornwallis surrendered 7,087 officers and enlisted men in
Yorktown and a further 840 sailors from the British fleet in the York River to Washington and
Rochambeau on October 19, 1781. Cornwallis did not attend the surrender ceremony, claiming
illness.
As a result of this victory, De Grasse established a navalblockade of Yorktown, which effectively
blocked any escape by sea for Cornwallis.
On September 14, Washington arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia and the revolutionary allies'
army and naval forces surrounded Cornwallis.
Soon after, the allies built their first parallel and began the bombardment of British forces.
On October 14, 1781, Washington sent two columns to attack the last major remaining British
outer defenses; following this success, the allies were able to finish their second parallel.
On October 16, Cornwallis made an unsuccessful attempt to evacuate his troops across the York
River to Gloucester Point.
With the American artillery closing in, the British situation began to deteriorate rapidly and
Cornwallis asked for terms of capitulation on the 17th.
After two days of negotiation, Cornwallis surrendered 7,087 officers and enlisted men in
Yorktown and a further 840 sailors from the British fleet in the York River to Washington and
Rochambeau on October 19, 1781. Cornwallis did not attend the surrender ceremony, claiming
illness.
With the crippling surrender at Yorktown the British war effort ground to a halt.
Negotiations between the United States and Great Britain began, resulting in the Treaty of
Paris in 1783.
Celebrated March: The march of 4,000 French and 3,000 American soldiers to from New York to
Virginia led by Washington and Rochambeau.
Siege of Yorktown: On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered 7,087 officers and enlisted men
in Yorktown and a further 840 sailors from the British fleet in the York River to Washington and
Rochambeau. With the crippling surrender at Yorktown the British war effort ground to a halt.
Negotiations between the United States and Great Britain began, resulting in the Treaty of Paris
in 1783.
TERMS [ edit ]
Siege of Yorktown
The last major land battle of the Revolutionary War, begun on September 14, 1781, in which
combined French and Colonial forces surrounded and bombarded the British army in Yorktown,
forcing their surrender.
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake was a crucial naval battle in the Chesapeake Bay on 5 September
1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves and a French fleet led by
Rear Admiral François Joseph Paul, comte de Grasse. The British were defeated and fled to New
York, allowing the French to blockade Yorktown.
Celebrated March
The 680 mile march of combined the Continental Army of Washington and the French
Expeditionary Force under Rochambeau from Newport, Rhode Island to Virginia and the decisive
siege at Yorktown in 1781.
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Surrender at Yorktown
The culminating engagement of the Revolutionary War, the Siege of Yorktown, marked the
end of British power in theColonies. The combined assault of American forces led by
General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau resulted in
a decisive victory over the British Army forces commanded by Lieutenant General Lord
Cornwallis.
Initial Movements
On May 20, 1781, Charles Cornwallis arrived at Petersburg, Virginia with 1,500 men after
suffering heavy casualties at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Cornwallis sent raiders into
central Virginia, attacking depots and destroying supply convoys, in an attempt to cut off
Continental supply lines. Cornwallis was shadowed by a force of 4,500 French forces under
the command of the Marquis de Lafayette. British Commander­in­Chief Henry Clinton
ordered Cornwallis first to Portsmouth and then to Yorktown, where he was instructed to
build fortifications for a deep water port.
In 1780, over 5,000 French soldiers had landed in Rhode Island to support their American
allies in operations against British­controlled New York City. In July 1781, Washington
proposed a joint attack by Franco­Continental forces on the northern part of Manhattan
Island, but was advised against this tactic by his comrades. General Washington and French
commander Rochambeau shifted attention to operations in Virginia, upon receiving the
support of French Lieutenant General Comte de Grasse. In August 1781, in what has since
become known as the Celebrated March, the combined armies of Washington and
Rochambeau departed from New York to Virginia, engaging in tactics of deception to lead
the British to believe a siege of New York was planned.
De Grasse sailed from the West Indies and arrived in theChesapeake Bay in late August 1781.
British Admiral, Sir Thomas Graves, led a fleet from New York to meet de Grasse but
underestimated the strength of the French fleet. In early September, the British were
defeated by de Grasse in the Battle of the Chesapeake, and forced to fall back to New York. As
a result of this victory, de Grasse established a naval blockade of Yorktown.
On September 14, Washington arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia and the revolutionary allies'
army and naval forces surrounded General Cornwallis. Soon after, the allies built their first
parallel (earthworks to support a siege) and began the bombardment of British forces. On
September 26, transports with artillery, siege tools, and French infantry and assault troops
arrived from the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay, giving Washington command of an
army of 7,800 Frenchmen, 3,100 militia, and 8,000 Continentals. On September 28,
Washington led the army out of Williamsburg to surround Yorktown.
Cornwallis initially relied on a chain of seven redoubts and batteries linked by earthworks,
along with batteries that covered the narrows of the York River at Gloucester Point.
However, the British General soon pulled back from all of his outer defenses. While
anticipating the arrival of a relief force of 5,000 men within one week, the British forces
occupied three defenses: Fusilier's redoubt on the west side of the town and redoubts 9 and
10 in the east.
The Americans and the French took possession of the abandoned British defenses and began
to establish their own batteries there. With the British outer defenses in their hands, allied
engineers began to lay out positions for the artillery and Continental forces, improved their
works, and deepened their trenches.
Washington fired the first gun on October 9. With the British defense weakened, Washington
sent two columns to attack the last major remaining British outer defenses, on October 14,
1781. A French column took redoubt 9 and an American column took redoubt 10. Following
this success, the allies were able to complete their second parallel.
On October 16, Cornwallis made an unsuccessful attempt to evacuate his troops across the
York River to Gloucester Point. With the American artillery closing in, the British situation
began to deteriorate rapidly and Cornwallis asked for terms of capitulation on the 17th. After
two days of negotiation, Cornwallis surrendered 7,087 officers and enlisted men in Yorktown
and a further 840 sailors from the British fleet in the York River to Washington and
Rochambeau on October 19, 1781. Cornwallis did not attend the surrender ceremony,
claiming illness.
Surrender of Lord Cornwallis
Depicting the British surrendering to French (left) and American (right) troops. Oil on canvas, by
John Trumbull, 1820.
The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown
The articles of capitulation were signed on October 19, 1781. Signatories included
Washington, Rochambeau, the Comte de Barras (on behalf of the French Navy), Cornwallis,
and Lieutenant Thomas Symonds (the senior Royal Navy officer present). Cornwallis' British
men were declared prisoners of war, promised good treatment in American camps, and
officers were permitted to return home after taking their parole.