This Day in History

The Siege of Yorktown, also referred to as the Battle of Yorktown, marked the final significant land engagement of the American Revolutionary War. This decisive victory for the Continental Army, led by George Washington, was supported by the French forces under the Marquis de Lafayette and the Comte de Rochambeau. The British Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, was ultimately defeated, resulting in the surrender of over 7,000 British soldiers.

In the summer of 1781, the French and American armies collaborated north of New York City. After receiving news from France regarding potential support from the French West Indies, a strategic decision was made to focus efforts on Cornwallis's forces in Virginia rather than New York. The French fleet, under Comte de Grasse, played a crucial role by establishing a blockade and engaging the British navy, which prevented any escape for Cornwallis’s troops and allowed the allies to prepare for the siege.

As the siege progressed, the Continental and French forces intensified their bombardment and effectively weakened British defenses. On October 14, Washington's forces made significant gains by capturing key redoubts, leading Cornwallis to negotiate surrender terms by October 17. The formal surrender occurred on October 19, 1781, which set the stage for subsequent negotiations and ultimately resulted in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, marking the end of the war.

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