Notes on Yorktown and the End of the American Revolution

Cornwallis's Defeat at Yorktown: Despite eventually getting de Grasse, it was too late for Cornwallis, who found himself surrounded and besieged at Yorktown. This marked a critical turning point in the war.- Tragic Fate of Africans at Yorktown: Contrary to the popular

Cornwallis's Defeat at Yorktown: Despite eventually getting de Grasse, it was too late for Cornwallis, who found himself surrounded and besieged at Yorktown. This marked a critical turning point in the war.

• Combined Forces: The siege was a joint effort by American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by General Rochambeau, with crucial naval support from Admiral de Grasse's French fleet, which blocked British escape and reinforcement by sea.

• Strategic Blockade: De Grasse's victory in the Battle of the Chesapeake prevented the British navy from resupplying or evacuating Cornwallis's army, effectively sealing their fate.

• Outcome: After weeks of bombardment and dwindling supplies, Cornwallis surrendered his army on October 19, 1781, signifying the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War.

Tragic Fate of Africans at Yorktown: Contrary to the popular narrative, many enslaved Africans who sought freedom by aligning with the British, hoping for emancipation, faced harsh realities. During the siege, as supplies dwindled, Cornwallis expelled many of these individuals from his lines to conserve resources. Many perished from disease or starvation, while others were recaptured and returned to slavery.