A Tour of Yorktown, Virginia: Site of the Last Battle of the American Revolution

England had been trying to put down the rebellion in the colonies for more than four years. After the British loss at the Battle of Saratoga in October, 1777, the England's efforts in the northern colonies lost momentum.  British troops and ships were sent to the southern colonies, where it was believed Loyalists would assist the English in their fight against the Continental Army.

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.

General George Washington

marched troops south from

New York City to Yorktown

to meet troops under the command

of General Lafayette.

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.

The Custom House

Built in 1721

The Cole Digges House

Built in the 1720s

Grace Episcopal Church

was established in 1634.

This church was built

in 1697.

 

It's a beautiful
little church.

Neither side knew that the Battle of Yorktown was the last battle of the Revolutionary War. Negotiations had started in Paris and the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783.  It was approved by Congress in early 1784.

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.