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The Battle of Yorktown (1781) was the last major battle in the American Revolution. British general Cornwallis was against French general Marquis de Lafayette and General George Washington. French admiral DeGrasse was commander of the French naval fleet and defeated the British navy, thus prohibiting them from entering Chesapeake Bay and giving aid and resources to Cornwallis. Cornwallis was surrendered--Washington's troops came from the North and Lafayette's from the South. This was called the 'pincer' strategy. Cornwallis couldn't go anywhere--by land (blockage by Washington and Lafayette) or by sea (blockage by DeGrasse). Cornwallis surrendered on October 17, his troops vastly outnumbered. By winning this battle, America won the war.

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12y ago
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February, 1781 The Major General Marquis de Lafayette was ordered to take his Continental troops to

Virginia.

May 10, 1781 British General Charles Cornwallis, earl Cornwallis, and his army entered Virginia. Cornwallis

believed that American resistance would fail if he defeated Virginia.

August 1-2, 1781 Cornwallis and his army encamped at Yorktown and across the York River at Gloucester

Point. Lafayette's spies overheard Cornwallis's plans to use the port as a base of

supply and Lafayette relayed word to General George Washington in New York.

August 14, 1781 Washington found out that French Admiral de Grasse was sailing for the Chesapeake Bay with

a large battle fleet and army.

August 19, 1781 Washington began to move the allied army south secretly.

September 5, 1781

The French fleet under Admiral de Grasse defeated a British fleet

under Admiral Thomas Graves in the Battle of the Capes,

leaving the British army isolated and without a prospect of

reinforcement at Yorktown.

September 14, 1781 The British navy withdrew from the Virginia coast.

September 14, 1781 Washington and French General Rochambeau arrived in Williamsburg.

October 14, 1781

In the night, 400 French soldiers stormed British Redoubt No. 9 and 400

American soldiers under the command of Lafayette and Alexander

Hamilton stormed Redoubt No. 10.

October 16-17, 1781 Under heavy bombardment from the allied army, Cornwallis realized that reinforcements would

not reach him in time. He decided to escape from Yorktown, but a sudden storm ruined

evacuation attempts.

October 19, 1781 British troops under Cornwallis surrendered to Washington's combined American and French

forces, effectively ending major military operations in the American Revolution.

October 21, 1781 British troops were sent to Winchester, Virginia; Frederick, Maryland; and Lancaster,

Pennsylvania for imprisonment.

October 28, 1781

Cornwallis signed a parole agreeing to stop

fighting the Americans.

November 25, 1781 Prime Minister Lord North exclaimed, "Oh God, it is all over" when news of the Yorktown

defeat reached London.

September 3, 1783 By the terms of the Treaty of Paris, Great Britain recognized the independence of the United

States. Congress ratified the treaty on January 14, 1784.

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9y ago

Cornwallis abandoned key redoubts and the Americans took them over. French reinforcements came in and a storm arrived. The Americans had the British surrounded.

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Q: What are key events in the Battle of Yorktown?
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