The Siege Of Yorktown During The American War

During the American Revolution, the Americans and French (Franco-American coalition) fought the British at the Battle of Yorktown also known as “The Siege of Yorktown”. The Americans and the French fielded a combined force of roughly 16,000 soldiers to defeat the British force estimated at 7,000 soldiers. American General George Washington and French Lieutenant General de Rochambeau led the American and French soldiers. The British commanding officer was Major General Lord Cornwallis. The battle occurred from September 28 thru October 19, 1781. Cornwallis lost his dominance in the Carolinas and decided to march his army north to Virginia and seize Yorktown and Gloucester along the York River.

George Washington knew that once his and the French soldiers were in place, Cornwallis would have nowhere to retreat

During the Revolutionary War, there were many battles that were fought, but there were a few that changed the result of the war. The battles of Trenton and Princeton were fought strategically. During both of the battles, Washington made bold moves that later impacted the army’s success. Another battle that was fought was the Battle of Saratoga, and before this battle, the Continental Army did not have a strong chance of winning because they were facing the powerful and well equipped British army. The Battle of Saratoga was the battle that completely changed the tide of the war. The Battle of Yorktown was the last land battle fought of the Revolutionary War. It was also the battle where the British surrendered to the Americans and won

Washington took away that fear when he launched the attack on Hessian troops. He followed up this victory by a win at Princeton. Next, he was forced to fight a battle that he knew he would lose. The British navy took over Philadelphia at the battle of Brandywine Creek. Washington’s militia was strengthened in October, when General Gates won at Saratoga, New York. In the spring of 1778, good news arrived when the French decided to send money, troops, and a fleet to help the colonies. When the British heard the news they decided to consolidate their position to New York and New Jersey. In the time period between 1778 and 1781 Washington kept the British army concealed to New York City. At the time he faced a variety of disappointments by losing the battles of Brooklyn Heights, Kip’s Bay, Harlem Heights, and White Plains.

The Geography of the battle was important for the way the colonist won the war. The location that the British had chosen made it easy for the colonist to surround them. The battle took place in Virginia, Yorktown in the summer of 1781. The location made it easy to be surrounded because Yorktown, is located near the coast where the French ships could take over the boarding and drop off area. Yorktown was a peninsula located on the shores of Chesapeake Bay in the state of Virginia. The British could not manage to get help from naval ships because the french ships were blocking any ships from coming in or out. Surrounding the British was a huge advantage because they were almost powerless running low on food and water. This battle was the last

The Battle of Yorktown gave General Washington the advantage he needed to win. General Washington, with the help of the French saw the opportunity to end the war by cornering General Cornwallis at Yorktown. (The History Channel Website, n.d.) Prior to the surrender of General Cornwallis to General Washington at Yorktown, the British were winning several battles. General Washington needed to do something before he had no other options left. General Washington’s forces were low in numbers and strength but knew the land to give them an edge in being rooted out by the British. (Lanning, 2005) General Washington used time and heavy militia to replenish his losses but did not have the troops to capture British Garrisons. (Lanning, 2005) The British in turn, could not pass the militia aiding General Washington. (Lanning, 2005)The militia, fighting alongside continental troops, had the land and the support of the people who aided their cause during the battle. The stalemate continued with no sign of either side budging. Guerilla-style operations were used to win many fights and battles that General Washington’s own troops could not. (Lanning, 2005) General Cornwallis, saw Yorktown in Virginia as a viable location to gather resources for future encounters with the Americans. General Cornwallis moved northward from the Carolinas toward Virginia and occupied Yorktown with an estimated 6,000 to 9,000 British troops. (Lanning, 2005) (The History

Prior to General Greene's command, the war in the South had not been going very well, but Greene put in some new tactics that enabled American victories and caused the British Army to retreat to the East Coast. At the same time that the British Army under General Charles Cornwallis was retreating to Yorktown, General George Washington was marching his army down from the north. The French Navy, having defeated the British Navy, started to move to the coast near Yorktown as well.

The Battle of Yorktown began on Tuesday, October 9, 1781 in Yorktown, Virginia. The British find themselves at Yorktown because after General Nathanael Greene came to support the Americans and they started to win battles away from the coast such as Cowpens, King’s Mountain, and Guilford Courthouse. The British knew that the only way they could win is if they went to the coast. Cornwallis marches his troops to Yorktown to have the navy give him reinforcements and supplies. General George Washington marched his army South from New York to Yorktown while Admiral de Grasse sailed North to Chesapeake Bay from the French Caribbean. Marquis Lafayette was at Yorktown because they were following the tracks of Cornwallis’s troops This was at the

This location was not the place to make a stand for the British. In the abandoned town, there was nothing to build a solid fortification. Lord Cornwallis had to use earth and wood to build protection for his troops. The French Navy surrounded the British and the Virginia Militia along with a squadron of the French Cavalry held the north side of the bay. General Washington and the French nobleman General Lafayette surrounded Lord Cornwallis on the south side of the bay with General Washington taking the place of honor on the right side. The British built redoubts, which is a stronghold to help with the main fortification “The combined French and American plans called for multiple forces to arrive at the same location, at about the same time” (http://www.visitingyorktown.com/siege.html) while giving the impression to General Clinton as if they were setting up a permanent camp as they really marched down South to corner General Cornwallis. General Washington left 2500 troops, which gave the appearance of a camp. With the Navy Securing the seas preventing any reinforcement and General Washington laying heavy siege on the village with three primary artillery, and artillery like

1738 - 1805, the British troops under Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis scored a tactical victory at Guilford Courthouse over American forces under Major General Nathanael Greene (1742-86). The British suffered significant troop losses during this battle, and Cornwallis suspended his campaign for the Carolinas and instead took his army into Virginia.

George also knew that a lot of the Hessian and British soldiers would be taking off to spend the holidays with their families. The battle was located in Trenton, New Jersey and George led his army over the icy Delaware River to the battle. However this battle was not a victory, but a highly needed boost to winning the Revolutionary War.

During an invasion in North Carolina, an assault by General Cornwallis was unsuccessful. In April of 1781, General Cornwallis extracted and led his exhausted and battered troops back towards the Virginia coast. Once back in Virginia, General Cornwallis would commence to attempt and outfit and preserve lines of communication by the sea with the significant British army of General Henry Clinton convening further north of Virginia in New York City. The moment General Cornwallis was able to get his men revitalized and replenished, he once more prompted to conduct and direct a sequence of invasions against towns and plantations in Virginia. General Cornwallis and his army of men commenced to fortify and become established into a town in August, known as Yorktown, as well at Gloucester Point across the York

The Battle of Guildford Courthouse took place March 15, 1781 in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was the largest battle fought in the southern campaign. The battle was part of the Revolutionary War and by some considered a crucial point in the war. It was three months after the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. Lieutenant General Cornwallis commanded the British forces and Major General Nathanael Greene commanded the American Forces. Cornwallis claimed a terrain victory but wounds sustained were too much to overcome and Cornwallis surrendered seven months later during the Battle of Yorktown. Yorktown was the last major land battle and resulted in the Treaty of Paris being signed recognizing the independence of the United States. Before

Fighting a losing battle, Lord Charles Cornwallis commanded a last ditch effort to assault the American-French forces. He sent out his British fleet to arrive on the shores of Newport and make their attack on Yorktown soon after. Not long after their arrival, they were almost immediately attacked by both the American and French Armies. With seventy-two men killed and one hundred-eighty wounded on the American Colonies side and three hundred-nine men killed and three hundred-twenty six wounded on the British Forces side, along with eight thousand-seven men captured, the American Colonies were able to make a significant victory against the British

In July 1780 France's King Louis XVI had sent to America an expeditionary force of 6,000 men under the Comte Jean de Rochambeau.  In addition, the French fleet harassed British shipping and blocked reinforcement and resupply of British forces in Virginia.  French and American armies and navies, totaling 18,000 men, parried with Cornwallis all through the summer and into the fall. Finally, on October 19, 1781, after being trapped at Yorktown near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, Cornwallis surrendered his army of 8,000 British soldiers.