Battle Of Yorktown Term Papers

The Siege of Yorktown, or Battle of Yorktown, was the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War. The Americans, led by General Washington, allied with the French, led by General Rochambeau, defeated the British who were led by General Cornwallis. This conflict, which took place in Yorktown, Virginia in the fall of 1781, was an American victory after they forced the surrender of General Cornwallis. His surrender at Yorktown was one of the greatest contributing factors that prompted Great Britain to negotiate a resolution to ending the war. The British Army under the control of General Cornwallis arrived at the Yorktown port along the Chesapeake Bay in June of 1781. His intentions were to give his nearly nine thousand men the time to rest and re-equip for future engagements. The Chesapeake Bay had seemingly appeared to be an ideal location as it allowed for the transport of food, supplies, and equipment from Britain. However in

His men were in place on 12 October without General Cornwallis having any idea of the new position. Over the next two days American and allied forces bombarded redoubts nine and ten in order to weaken their defenses. On 14 October Washington initiated a plan to conduct a diversionary strike against Fusilier’s redoubt to allow a sneak attack against redoubts nine and ten. The successful plan allowed his men to occupy redoubts nine and ten with artillery and have Yorktown in range from three sides of artillery fire. For the next three days the British were annihilated by American and French artillery fire. On 17 October a drummer and British Officer appeared waving a white flag in surrender, and negotiations began the next day. The Articles of Capitulation were signed October 19, 1781, were the Americans took over 8,000 troops, 244 artillery pieces, thousands of muskets, 24 ships, and wagons with