Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The siege of Yorktown was the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America, and led to the surrender of General Cornwallis and the capture of both him and his army. The Continental Army 's victory at Yorktown prompted the British government to negotiate an end to the conflict.
Cornwallis was eventually ordered by General Clinton to establish a fortified deep-water port at either Yorktown or Portsmouth. Cornwallis chose Yorktown, and began constructing fortifications there and Gloucester Point, just across the York River from Yorktown, in August 1781.
By December 1780, the American Revolutionary War's North American theatres had reached a critical point. The Continental Army had suffered major defeats earlier in the year, with its southern armies either captured or dispersed in the loss of Charleston and the Battle of Camden in the south, while the armies of George Washington and the British commander-in-chief for North America, Sir Henry ...
Battle of Trois-Rivières: June 8, 1776: Quebec: British victory: Patriots forced to evacuate Quebec [26] Battle of Sullivan's Island: June 28, 1776: South Carolina: Patriot victory: British attack on Charleston is repulsed [27] Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet: June 29, 1776: New Jersey: Patriot victory [28] Battle of Gwynn's Island: July 8–10 ...
He is depicted as courtly in manner, but tolerant, or even supportive, of brutal practices against those found deficient among his own forces, and against enemy prisoners. In the 2000 film The Patriot about the events leading up to Yorktown, Cornwallis was portrayed by English actor Tom Wilkinson. [117]
Several American victories, such as the Battle of Ramseur's Mill, the Battle of Cowpens, and the Battle of Kings Mountain, also served to weaken the overall British military strength. The culminating engagement, the siege of Yorktown , ended with the surrender of British Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis on October 19, 1781.
At the Battle of Brandywine on 11 September, Howe and Cornwallis led the flanking movement that ultimately forced the Americans from their position. [31] Cornwallis also played an important role in the Battle of Germantown on 4 October, bringing up reinforcements late in the battle. [32]
This page was last edited on 20 January 2022, at 20:05 (UTC).; Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License; additional terms may apply.