Battle+of+Yorktown

=** ﻿Battle of Yorktown **=

====The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution. Fought from September 28, 1781 through October 18, 1781, this battle was fought in Yorktown, Virginia. Lord Charles Cornwallis was in charge of the British troops trapped in Yorktown, whereas General George Washington was in charge of the American and French troops.==== =﻿American Battle Strategy at Yorktown= by Allison ==== 1) 1) After Lord Cornwallis fell back to Yorktown, George Washington saw a huge opportunity. Washington took a huge gamble, trying to trap the British, for he was far to north. Washington had three divisions of Continental Soldiers, lead by Lafayette, Benjamin Lincoln, and von Steuben. Not to mention seven French regiments and numerous artillerists and cavalry. Also, there was a French naval squadron was on its way from the West Indies to Chesapeake. This is how Washington had the British stopped from refueling and from escape. The infantry troops surrounded Yorktown in a semi- circle formation. Then, they just bombarded them as much as possible until October 18, 1781 when Cornwallis was depleted of everything and surrendered. This completely broke the will of the British to continue fighting, so a treaty began to be written. The Treaty of Paris, 1783 ended the war. ====

 2) VOCAB:  Continental Soldiers- Soldiers that fought for American freedom   Division- about 15,000 soldiers   Regiment- about 1,500 soldiers   Naval Squadron- a group of ships   Depleted- to run out, have no more

 3) This is a picture of where everyone was during the Battle of Yorktown.   4) The link below will bring you to the National Park Service website. This particular link, however, brings you to a page about the Yorktown battlefield. [] 5) Dr. James Thatcher, who was a doctor serving under General Washington, gave an account of the surrender ceremony. "At about twelve o'clock, the combined army was arranged and drawn up in two lines extending more than a mile in length. The Americans were drawn up in a line on the right side of the road, and the French occupied the left. At the head of the former, the great American commander  [George Washington], mounted on his noble courser, took his station, attended by his aides. At the head of the latter was posted the excellent Count Rochambeau and his suite. The French troops, in complete uniform, displayed a martial and noble appearance; their bands of music, of which the timbrel formed a part, is a delightful novelty, and produced while marching to the ground a most enchanting effect. The Americans, though not all in uniform, nor their dress so neat, yet exhibited an erect, soldierly air, and every countenance beamed with satisfaction and joy. The concourse of spectators from the country was prodigious, in point of numbers was probably equal to the military, but universal silence and order prevailed. It was about two o'clock when the captive army advanced through the line formed for their reception. Every eye was prepared to gaze on Lord Cornwallis, the object of peculiar interest and solicitude; but he disappointed our anxious expectations; pretending indisposition, he made General O'Hara his substitute as the leader of his army. This officer was followed by the conquered troops in a slow and solemn step, with shouldered arms, colors cased and drums beating a British march. Having arrived at the head of the line, General O'Hara, elegantly mounted, advanced to his excellency the commander-in-chief, taking off his hat, and apologized for the non-appearance of Earl Cornwallis. With his usual dignity and politeness, his excellency pointed to Major-General Lincoln for directions, by whom the British army was conducted into a spacious field, where it was intended they should ground their arms. The royal troops, while marching through the line formed by the allied army, exhibited a decent and neat appearance, as respects arms and clothing, for their commander opened his store and directed every soldier to be furnished with a new suit complete, prior to the capitulation. But in their line of march we remarked a disorderly and unsoldierly conduct, their step was irregular, and their ranks frequently broken.  So basically, at about noon, the right side of the road was occupied by the bedraggled, joyous Americans while the French were on the left side looking sharp in their uniforms. At around two o’clock, the British “bloody backs” marched through the column. All eyes on the sides of the road were waiting to see Lord Cornwallis, but he, instead, was in bed, claiming to be ill. General O’Hara led the defeated force. He gave up the colors, and soon Washington had 8,000 British POWS (Prisoners Of war).

 6) Below is a word find. Can you find all 8 words? code D U L W Y J A P S M S M I Z M T Y Z B G W C E Z Z J U W B Y Y F C S Q N B G W H G C B P Z G W S K Z C Y W X X A H R S G Y V P L E G D Q O L V A F J W X O S L W I R K E X R G X Z Y G W M S I S B X H E N Q R L B B W H H N L P P X B U M I V L O G A D Y L A T N E N I T N O C R C M V X F W O F Y T T L D U C V Z W W P T Z T E H J W S H E C K Z A B E H U D C D Y R A J V X G P Z F L H M G X A X J O I K T B F X C O H L F R N S P F H F E K A I J S S S L Z V A O M B I E L I I W K T M T N Q N B S B O Y H A S S L G N I V P I H B O B Y T F T K Y G K Q Y J T S Q Y H M J S M U S K E T K D W H W O I W O M S I K M K M N K W P T A V Z Y K B N V A O F J Q F C M I E H Z U H S B N W A H X U R C V G V U G N U Y C L R K J U Q U A O L E C J Z Z O U J G R E Y M C Z V I M J H O K H A B Y C M L W O Y R I W Y W Z U U M O P T D V K B R F Z E C F R J U J L L U W T K K U A S E P F Y Q U B M C N P Q N V Z V D M Z N I O E U R I P G K H L N E L X V K K E Q P E U F R U W K X S K J V E W O P Z G G J K A Z H K R K H B G J M H H H O T B R T G R Z O V A R K W O O R S J I Z C Q N R M H K R U W M I I Q Y X D B O W F H S U I I V K B U U S V Q X P N P Y Q B G M A L Y I V V I R R E Z U G V H R O J N L A B J E C E L D Y P G W Q Y F B D S G A B S I C I S G U E O X L L F S A D

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code CONTINENTAL CORNWALLIS FRENCH MUSKET NAVY REDOUBTS WASHINGTON YORKTOWN

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WORKS CITED:

<span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"> Purcell, L. Edward, and Sarah J. Purcell. "Battle of Yorktown." //Encyclopedia of Battles in North America, 1517 to 1916//. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2000. //American History Online//. Facts On File

<span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"> Primary Source (#5): "The British Surrender at Yorktown, 1781," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002).

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(1) The Battle Of Yorktown By Ben In September of 1781, British forces led by Lord Cornwallis, marched through Virginia, to Yorktown. Cornwallis then preceded to set up redoubt s, small forts along the perimeter of Yorktown. Then with the appearance of American and French forces, minor skirmishes began. That day was the 26th of September, the beginning of the siege of Yorktown. After the American army moved closer to the redoubts, the British forces reacted by opening fire. This resulted in a minimal loss of life. After this minor skirmish Cornwallis pulled his men back from all the redoubts, except for Fusilier, and redoubts numbers 9 and 10 In the east. The men he had relocated were placed on the earthworks directly surrounding the town, because he had received a letter that declared 5000 reinforcements would arrive in one week. The Americans and French took over the empty redoubts and stationed their own artillery there. At this point several British soldiers deserted out of fear that they would be killed in combat or starve to death. They ran to the Americans, and told them that Cornwallis had slaughtered all the horses in order to stretch food supplies for his men. That same day the British repulsed an a attack on Fusilier. On October 2nd, the British launched a counter-attack that was repulsed with 50 British casualties. Then on an overcast night, the Americans built a massive trench along the 1st parallel. The British discovered that the trench was just out of musket range. At that point, the American and French mortars and cannons were advanced to the trench. Then the assault began, it went from the 9th, to the 12th of October. After the constant bombardment, the Americans and French launched assaults on the 9th and 10th redoubts. Both redoubts were captured with minimal casualties. Cornwallis then surrendered after he realized he was being assaulted form 4 different directions, 9 and 10, Fusilier, and the trench.

(2) Vocabulary Redoubt: A Small fort generally used to station artillery. Perimeter: The Border Of A location. Skirmish: Minor Engagement. Earthworks: A fortification made out of earth. Deserted: To run away from the army you're in. Musket: Old rifle. Mortar: A form of artillery.

(3)


 * This is a diagram of the troop positions during the battle of Yorktown. As you can see, the British were far outnumbered in this battle. ||




 * A map of the routes of the French/ American armies, and the British army. ||

(4) [] (3)


 * This is another map of the battle showing ship positions, instead of troop positions. ||

** (5) The Articles Of Capitulation **

The garrisons of York and Gloucester, including the officers and seamen of his Britannic Majesty's ships, as well as other mariners, to surrender themselves prisoners of war to the combined forces of America and France. The land troops to remain prisoners to the United States, the navy to the naval army of his Most Christian Majesty.
 * Article I **
 * Article 1 means that all the British soldiers surrender themselves a prisoners of war. **

Officers to be allowed to keep soldiers as servants, according to the common practice of the service. Servants not soldiers are not to be considered as prisoners, and are to be allowed to attend their masters. ** Article 5, basically means that officers cannot keep soldiers as slaves. **
 * Article VII **

The Bonetta sloop-of-war to be equipped, and navigated by its present captain and crew, and left entirely at the disposal of Lord Cornwallis from the hour that the capitulation is signed, to receive an aid-de-camp to carry despatches to Sir Henry Clinton; and such soldiers as he may think proper to send to New York, to be permitted to sail without examination. When his despatches are ready, his Lordship engages on his part, that the ship shall be delivered to the order of the Count de Grasse, if she escapes the dangers of the sea. That she shall not carry off any public stores. Any part of the crew that may be deficient on her return, and the soldiers passengers, to be accounted for on her delivery.
 * Article VIII **

**I think this article means that Lord Cornwallis and his men are allowed to sail to New York. However I do not fully understand the second part about public stores. I think It means that the ships stores may only use what they already had and they cannot take it from any public place.**

(6) **British Regiments:** 1 troop of 17th Light Dragoons (in Tarleton’s Legion) Royal Artillery A composite brigade of Foot Guards (comprising 1st, 2nd and 3rd Foot Guards) 17th Foot later the Royal Leicestershire Regiment and now the Royal Anglian Regiment 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers 33rd Foot now the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment 43rd later the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and now the Royal Green Jackets 71st Fraser’s Highlanders (disbanded at the end of the war) 76th Foot (disbanded at the end of the war) 80th Foot (disbanded at the end of the war) Regiment of de Voit (Anspach) Regiment of de Seybothen (Anspach) Regiment of Prince Hereditary (Hesse) Regiment of von Bose (Hesse) Tarleton’s Legion Simcoe’s Legion North Carolina Loyalists **French Regiments:** Artillery Lauzun’s Legion Bourbonnois Regiment of Foot Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment of Foot Soissonois Regiment of Foot Agenois Regiment of Foot **Americans Regiments:** 4th Dragoons (Moylan) Armand’s Horse Lafayette’s Light Infantry Muhlenburg’s Brigade Hazen’s Canadian Regiment 1st New York Regiment 2nd New York Regiment 1st New Jersey Regiment 2nd New Jersey Regiment Rhode Island Regiment 1st Pennsylvania Regiment 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment Virginia Regiment 3rd Maryland Regiment 4th Maryland Regiment 3 brigades of Virginia Militia Sappers and Miners

(7) [|http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/yorkmap] [] [] "The End Of The War." //American History//. 2008. McDougal Littell, 2008. Print.