British General Charles Cornwallis, his troops and his ships were moving north after capturing Charleston. The British seized control of Yorktown and Gloucester Point, on the opposite side of the York River.
French ships were sailing from the Caribbean to Chesapeake Bay just as General Cornwallis chose to send his ships sent to Yorktown. The fleets met and French and British ships battled each other until the British ships sailed north to New York City. The French had banished ships from Yorktown. and controlled the harbor.
I imagine French & English
ships firing on each other
as I look out onto the
York River.
marched troops south from
New York City to Yorktown
to meet troops under the command
They were joined by French
troops under General Rochambeau.
The British learned of the approaching enemy and constructed earthworks to defend the land approaches to Yorktown. 17,000 Continental and French troops began the siege on September 28, 1781.
After the outer defenses were
breached, General Cornwallis
moved his defending troops
closer to Yorktown.
The Continental and French attackers resumed their shelling. After three weeks, mounting casualties and the unable to escape by water, General Cornwallis surrendered. He sent his second in command, Brigadier General Charles O'Hara to the formal surrender of men and arms on October 19, 1781. The terms of surrender ordered British soldiers and seamen back to England.
Eric and I walked around historic Yorktown.
The Nelson House
Built around 1730
Nelson's grandson, Thomas Nelson, Jr., was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Built in 1721
The Cole Digges House
Built in the 1720s
was established in 1634.
This church was built
in 1697.
It's a beautiful
little church.
The Victory Monument reminds me of a chess piece. I love taking pictures of it.
The cornerstone for the
Victory Monument was
laid on October 18, 1881.
I was shocked that it took 100 years to formally memorialize the last battle of the Revolutionary War. But as they say, stuff happens... And a lot happened in the hundred years that followed the Battle of Yorktown.
1 comment:
Warfare is a fascinating subject. Despite the dubious morality of using violence to achieve personal or political aims. It remains that conflict has been used to do just that throughout recorded history.
Your article is very well done, a good read.
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