Yorktown

The Siege of Yorktown, fought from September 28 to October 19, 1781, was the last major land battle of the American Revolution and secured American independence. General George Washington, marching south with the Continental Army and French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau, trapped British General Charles Lord Cornwallis and his 9,000-man army at Yorktown, Virginia. With the French fleet under Admiral de Grasse controlling the Chesapeake Bay after the Battle of the Capes, Cornwallis was cut off from escape or resupply by sea. Allied forces dug trenches and established powerful artillery positions that battered British defenses day and night. A decisive assault on British redoubts #9 and #10 on October 14 sealed Cornwallis’s fate, leaving him surrounded on three sides. Just days later, the British requested terms, and on October 19, Cornwallis’s troops surrendered, effectively bringing an end to the war.

The victory at Yorktown also carried global consequences. Cornwallis’s defeat forced the British government to open peace negotiations, culminating in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The battle demonstrated the effectiveness of Franco-American cooperation and proved that Britain could not sustain its hold on the rebellious colonies. As news of Yorktown spread across the Atlantic, it shifted international perceptions and confirmed the United States’ place among independent nations.

Today, the Yorktown Battlefield is preserved as part of Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia. Visitors can walk along preserved earthworks, view reconstructed redoubts, and stand in the field where British troops laid down their arms between American and French lines. The visitor center offers exhibits on the battle and its global significance, while driving tours trace the siege lines that tightened around the British. The site highlights not only the military strategy that secured American victory but also the crucial role of French allies in bringing about independence. A visit to Yorktown provides a powerful connection to the moment when the Revolution’s long struggle reached its decisive conclusion.