Battle of Yorktown

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Battle of Yorktown
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VideoSiege of Yorktown-National Park Video
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Leaders of Battle of Yorktown

• George Washington- General of the Continental
  Army
• Comte de Rochambeau-Commander of the French Army
  sent by King Louis XVI
• General Charles Lord Cornwallis- Commander of the
  British Army

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Timeline of Battle

• 1777-1778- Valley Forge- George Washington is
  suffering defeats and desertions.
• Summer 1780- The French, led by Comte Rochambeau
  arrive to help the Americans defeat the British.

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Occupation of Yorktown

• August 1781- Cornwallis occupies Yorktown and
  plans to use the port as a base for resupplying
  his troops during the battles

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Washington Changes Plan

• August 1781- George Washington changes his battle
  plans. Currently, he was in New York fighting
  General Clinton and getting no where. He tricks
  Clinton into believing he is still in New York,
  but he sneaks his troops and cannons south,
  towards Yorktown. The troops walk with great
  speed and bring along their cannons. They walk
  approximately 400 miles in 5 weeks.

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French Help

• August 1781- French ships leave Rhode Island and
  head for the Chesapeake Bay. British ships leave
  New York at the end of August, heading for the
  Chesapeake.

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• September 11, 1781-Cornwallis is told that
  British ships are on their way with soldiers and
  supplies. Cornwallis feels good about his siege
  of Yorktown. Cornwallis and Clinton did not get
  along with one another but Cornwallis believes
  that Clinton will send help.

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Leaders Meet

• September 14, 1781- Washington and Rochambeau
  meet in Williamsburg to prepare for the battle.

This is a picture of Washington and Rochambeau
after the Victory at Yorktown Artist James Peale
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Fleets fight

• September 1781- French ships are blockading the
  Chesapeake Bay and Clinton is still promising
  soldiers and supplies. The French and British
  fleets have had small battles, but the French are
  able to maintain the blockade of the Chesapeake
  Bay. The British suffer defeat and head back to
  New York. Another fleet will be sent.

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Washington starts attack

• September 28, 1781- George Washington and troops
  leave Williamsburg for fight.

Re-enactor from Williamsburg of George Washington
Re-enactors from Williamsburg
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Cornwallis makes a surprising battle move

• Cornwallis is confident that Clinton will be
  coming soon. He retreats from his outer flanks
  and takes up positions closer to Yorktown. This
  is a surprising decision.

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Quotes from General Cornwallis

• On September 29, Cornwallis assured Clinton, I .
  . . have no doubt, if relief arrives in any
  reasonable time, York and Gloucester will be both
  in possession of his Majestys troops.
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Battle Begins

• October 3, 1781- The British are defeated in a
  battle near Gloucester. Their pathway for fresh
  food for the soldiers and their horses are cut
  off.
• October 9, 1781- Shots are fired from the
  Colonial Army and the French troops. The battle
  has begun.
• October 10, 1781- Clinton finally sends his navy
  fleet and supplies. Should arrive in Yorktown in
  2-3 weeks.

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Quote

• By October 10, though, Cornwallis pleaded that
  nothing but a direct move to York Riverwhich
  includes a successful naval actioncan save me. .
  . . We have lost about seventy of our men and
  many of our works are considerably damaged . . .
  we cannot hope to make a very long resistance.
  P.S. 5 p.m. Since my letter was written at 12
  p.m. we have lost thirty men.
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Storming of the Redoubts

• October 14, 1781- George Washington and
  Rochambeau storm the two closest redoubts
  (earthen mounds of dirt built for protection) and
  moves cannons closer to Yorktown.

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Cornwallis Letter to Clinton after the assault on
the redoubt

• After the assault on the redoubts, Cornwallis
  wrote, My situation now becomes very critical.
  We dare not show a gun to their old batteries,
  and I expect that their new ones will open
  tomorrow morning. . . . The safety of the place
  is, therefore, so precarious that I cannot
  recommend that the fleet and army should run
  great risque in endeavoring to save us.
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• The Americans storming the redoubts on October
  14, 1781 during the Battle of Yorktown.

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• Storming the Redoubt

• Battle Map

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Cornwallis retreats

• October 16, 1781- British troops are being
  bombarded and facing heavy causalities.
  Cornwallis realizes that Clinton wont be there
  in time. He tries to leave by crossing the York
  River, but a freak storm makes the crossing
  impossible, so they return to Yorktown. This
  type of storm has only happened a few times. It
  was just luck that it happened the night that
  Cornwallis wanted to retreat

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Cornwallis writes

• At this critical moment, Cornwallis wrote,
  the weather, from being moderate and calm,
  changed to a most violent storm of wind and rain
  and drove the boats, some of which had troops on
  board, down the river. It was soon evident that
  the intended passage was impracticable. When the
  storm died down, at about 2 a.m., the troops on
  Gloucester rowed back to Yorktown. As Tarleton
  wrote, Thus expired the last hope of the British
  army.

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Document Analysis

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Cornwallis seeks surrender

• October 17, 1781- Cornwallis seeks a cease fire.
  He argues terms with Washington for the next two
  days. Cornwallis realizes that he has lost and
  surrenders 1/3 of all British forces to
  Washington and the Colonial Army.

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Help arrives a little to late

• October 19, 1781- British soldiers march to
  Surrender Field and set down their arms. The
  soldiers are taken as prisoners and wont be
  released for a couple of years.
• The British fleet arrives a few days later, but
  it is to late for Cornwallis. They turn around
  and head back to New York. Clinton and
  Cornwallis will argue till they die, which person
  actually lost the War.

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Cornwallis Surrenders

• Cornwallis does not attend the surrender
  ceremony. This is seen as a slap in the face to
  Washington. Cornwallis sent General OHara in
  his place. Washington made General Benjamin
  Lincoln accept the surrender because since OHara
  was the second in charge, it was only appropriate
  that the Colonial Armys second in command
  (Lincoln) accept the surrender.

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The surrender of the British at Yorktown,
Virginia, on October 19, 1781, ended the
Revolutionary War. Trumbull placed American
General Benjamin Lincoln at the center on a white
horse, with French officers on the left and
Americans on the right, led by General Washington
on the brown horse. The British are represented
by British officers, but Lord Cornwallis himself
was not present. http//www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda
/surrender_cornwallis.cfm
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British Army Surrender at Yorktown
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• Washington reviews the captured prisoners after
  the British surrender.

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Primary Source Whats wrong with this picture?
Gen. Charles Cornwallis surrenders to Gen. George
Washington, Yorktown, Virginia, October 19, 1781.
Library of Congress
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