oct 9, 1781 - Battle Of Yorktown Begins
Description:
The Siege of Yorktown took place between September and October, 1781. Rochambeau led his men to New York and joined the main American army. Washington now took command of the allied forces. He pretended that he was about to attack New York and deceived Henry Clinton so completely that he ordered General Cornwallis to send some of his soldiers to New York. The French and American allies were marching southward through Philadelphia before General Clinton realized what they were doing. The French West India fleet under De Grasse reached one end of the Chesapeake Bay at the same time the allies reached the other end. The British fleet attacked it and were defeated. There was no hope for Cornwallis. No help could reach him by sea and the allies outnumbered his forces two to one. On October 19, 1781, the British laid down their arms and surrendered. The British army was decimated and the Revolutionary war was virtually over.
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American Revolution
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