Yorktown Siege

Setting the scene

The Siege of Yorktown, September 28 to October 19, 1781, was the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War. After years of stalemate, General George Washington saw an opportunity when British General Lord Cornwallis moved his army to Yorktown, Virginia, a deep-water port where he could be resupplied by sea. Washington, with French General Rochambeau, marched 450 miles from New York to Virginia in a brilliant deception, convincing the British he would attack New York while actually targeting Cornwallis.

What happened

The Franco-American army of 16,000 besieged Cornwallis's 8,000 men at Yorktown. Crucially, French Admiral de Grasse's fleet defeated the British at the Battle of the Chesapeake (September 5), blocking naval relief. The allies dug siege trenches and bombarded Yorktown. On October 14, American and French troops stormed Redoubts 9 and 10 in a night bayonet attack. With no escape and no relief, Cornwallis attempted to evacuate across the York River on October 16 but was stopped by a storm.

Why it still matters

On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered his army—claiming illness, he sent his deputy to surrender his sword. The surrender effectively ended major combat in North America, though the war continued elsewhere until 1783. Yorktown demonstrated the Franco-American alliance's effectiveness and Washington's strategic patience. The victory convinced Britain the war was unwinnable, leading to peace negotiations. The battlefield is now a national park, and the surrender, with the British band allegedly playing 'The World Turned Upside Down,' symbolizes the moment an empire lost its most valuable colonies and a new nation was assured.

Background

American independence became inevitable.