Battle of Yorktown Analysis
Battle of Yorktown
During the American Revolution, the Americans and French (Franco-American coalition) fought the British at the Battle of Yorktown also known as “The Siege of Yorktown”. The Americans and the French fielded a combined force of roughly 16,000 soldiers to defeat the British force estimated at 7,000 soldiers. American General George Washington and French Lieutenant General de Rochambeau led the American and French soldiers. The British commanding officer was Major General Lord Cornwallis. The battle occurred from September 28 thru October 19, 1781. Cornwallis lost his dominance in the Carolinas and decided to march his army north to Virginia and seize Yorktown and Gloucester along the York River.
What led to the Battle of Yorktown? The beginning is not as clear as many would like to think. General Cornwallis was campaigning for the majority of the American Revolution in the southern states. He ravaged many of the southern states with his army in order to move toward achieving his main goal of the campaign; disrupting the supply lines that Washington was using and isolating the Franco-American forces. However, in Virginia, Marquis de Lafayette a young Frenchmen who led the American and French troops did not decisively engage the British. Lafayette had roughly 3,000 soldiers to defend Virginia while the British had around 7,000. During this time, Cornwallis received orders from the British Commander-in-Chief, Sir Henry Clinton, to take up a position in the Virginia peninsula where Yorktown was located. The goal was to set up a naval post to receive supplies and reinforcements from the Royal Navy. It was unknown at this time that Cornwallis was setting himself up for failure in Yorktown.
The initial movement made by Washington started on September 26, 1781. Washington’s arsenal included artillery, tools that were helpful in fortified positions, and troops of special assault teams that assembled into specified formations intended to lead
During the American Revolution, the Americans and French (Franco-American coalition) fought the British at the Battle of Yorktown also known as “The Siege of Yorktown”. The Americans and the French fielded a combined force of roughly 16,000 soldiers to defeat the British force estimated at 7,000 soldiers. American General George Washington and French Lieutenant General de Rochambeau led the American and French soldiers. The British commanding officer was Major General Lord Cornwallis. The battle occurred from September 28 thru October 19, 1781. Cornwallis lost his dominance in the Carolinas and decided to march his army north to Virginia and seize Yorktown and Gloucester along the York River.
What led to the Battle of Yorktown? The beginning is not as clear as many would like to think. General Cornwallis was campaigning for the majority of the American Revolution in the southern states. He ravaged many of the southern states with his army in order to move toward achieving his main goal of the campaign; disrupting the supply lines that Washington was using and isolating the Franco-American forces. However, in Virginia, Marquis de Lafayette a young Frenchmen who led the American and French troops did not decisively engage the British. Lafayette had roughly 3,000 soldiers to defend Virginia while the British had around 7,000. During this time, Cornwallis received orders from the British Commander-in-Chief, Sir Henry Clinton, to take up a position in the Virginia peninsula where Yorktown was located. The goal was to set up a naval post to receive supplies and reinforcements from the Royal Navy. It was unknown at this time that Cornwallis was setting himself up for failure in Yorktown.
The initial movement made by Washington started on September 26, 1781. Washington’s arsenal included artillery, tools that were helpful in fortified positions, and troops of special assault teams that assembled into specified formations intended to lead