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Battle For The American Revolution

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The Battle of Yorktown
From October 09, 1781 to October 19, 1781, arguably the most important battle for the American Revolution took place in Yorktown, Virginia. During this 10 day battle, American forces decimated the British with strategic and relentless artillery fire virtually ending the Revolutionary War. This monumental battle was won from not only artillery fire, but also clever tactics. General George Washington and French commander Comte de Rochambeau out-smarted the British forces by exercising patience to gain the tactical advantage. These are the events that led to the American victory and ultimately America’s freedom from Great Britain.
Cornwallis chose Yorktown as a stronghold in order to gain superiority over the …show more content…

The British surrender at Yorktown was primarily caused by the siege of the battle field and an overwhelming show of force. Col Lamb’s artillery crews were far more disciplined and trained than that of Cornwallis, which caused over 300 casualties during the duration of this battle. Simple tactics such as utilizing the inclement weather and working through the night during limited visibility, allowed for his forces to dig trenches and fighting positions giving them the edge of the battle space. Meanwhile, British forces believed that the Americans were settling into their fortified positions in Williamsburg, when in reality, a barrage of artillery was about to reign down on them.
The American artillery consisted of field guns and heavy siege guns. The field guns were known for firing solid shot, grape shot, and canister ammunition, while the siege guns fired solid shot that successfully broke down fortifications and ripped the sails off the enemy ships that were trapped in the bay. The British fortified Yorktown with 10 fort batteries (called redoubts). 800 meters away, the allied forces dug in trenches and emplaced their field guns. The 244 British howitzers vastly outnumbered the American’s 131 howitzers, but due to the proficient crew drills of the cannon crew members, the Americans prevailed.
On October 9th the Battle of Yorktown began. By October 11th the allied forces (American colonies and French troops) had

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