Siege of Yorktown

This is a description of what happened before, after, and during, the Siege of Yorktown.

Siege of Yorktown

The Siege of Yorktown in 1781 was the decisive military campaign of the American Revolutionary War. American forces under George Washington and French forces under the Comte de Rochambeau trapped British General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, while a powerful French fleet blocked British escape and reinforcement by sea.

March Toward the Chesapeake

By 1780, the Revolutionary War was raging in both the North and the South, and French forces had fully committed to the American effort to defeat the British. A major objective of the combined French-American forces was to liberate New York City, which was occupied by the British. George Washington initially wanted the combined forces to attack the British in New York, but French General Comte de Rochambeau convinced him that the chances for success would be greater if they moved south toward the Chesapeake Bay. There, French Admiral Comte de Grasse could bring his powerful fleet north from the Caribbean and help trap British forces under Charles Cornwallis, who were stationed at Yorktown, Virginia. French and American land forces, including thousands of French soldiers, gathered near New York before beginning their movement south. Their presence near New York helped confuse British commanders, who believed an attack on the city might still be coming, making it more difficult for British General Henry Clinton to send timely aid to Cornwallis.

Setting the Trap

During September 1781, the combined land forces of Rochambeau and Washington marched south toward Virginia. The plan was kept highly secret, and many soldiers did not know their final destination. American and French forces traveled hundreds of miles before arriving near Yorktown. By the end of September, Washington and Rochambeau had trapped Cornwallis's army by land, while de Grasse's naval forces controlled the Chesapeake Bay and prevented British reinforcement or escape by sea. The trap was complete, and the siege of Yorktown had begun.

George Washington firing the first shot at Yorktown

Closing In on Cornwallis

On October 6, 1781, American and French troops began digging a long line of trenches that allowed them to move heavy artillery closer to the British defenses. Three days later, cannons and other large guns were moved into position, and French and American artillery began bombarding British fortifications from both land and water. The firing continued through the night and steadily weakened the British position. As the siege continued, new trenches were dug closer to Yorktown. On October 14, American and French forces successfully stormed two important British fortifications known as Redoubts 9 and 10, with Alexander Hamilton leading the American assault on Redoubt 10. The capture of these positions allowed the allied forces to move their artillery even closer, placing nearly all of the British defenses within range.

Surrender

British surrender at Yorktown; note the French naval blockade.

Desperate for reinforcements that would not reach him in time, Cornwallis attempted to move part of his army across the York River in hopes of escaping. Bad weather disrupted the effort, and Cornwallis was finally forced to surrender. Negotiations began on October 17, 1781, and the formal surrender took place two days later on October 19. More than 7,000 British and allied troops became prisoners of war. According to a famous tradition, British musicians played the tune The World Turn'd Upside Down during the surrender ceremony, although historians have questioned whether this actually occurred. Yorktown was the last major land battle of the Revolutionary War and effectively ended large-scale British attempts to defeat the American rebellion.

Why it mattered: The surrender at Yorktown destroyed Britain's ability to continue a major offensive war in the colonies and led toward peace negotiations that ultimately resulted in American independence.

Battles and Events of the Revolutionary War

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