YORKTOWN, Siege of, in the War of the Anieuoae Revoi. Lord Cornwailie and the British army, a force of 8,000 men, reached Virginia in May 1781 and in the fol lowing August invested Yorktown, on the York River, throwing up earthworks and fortifying the town; he also erected fortifications at Glou cester Pond, opposite Yorktown, and was sup ported by several British vessels in the York River. Washington feigning activity around New York, left his headquarters on the Hudson 19 August, traveled by land to Philadelphia, then to Elktown at the head of Chesapeake Bay and arrived at Williamstown 14 September. His force consisted of 7,000 French under Rochambeau and 9000 Americans. On 29 Sep tember he invested Yorktown, taking over the command from Lafayette. Meantime, on 28 August, the French fleet of Count de Grasse, numbering 28 ships of the line, with nearly 4,000 infantry on board, reached the Chesapeake and came to safe anchor in the mouth of York River. Cornwallis was securely blockaded both by sea and land, the land forces under Lafayette being sufficient to hold him until Washington's arrival with reinforcements. Just after the ar rival of Count de Grasse came also Count de Barras, who commanded the French flotilla at Newport. He brought with him into the Chesa peake eight additional ships of the line and 10 transports; also cannon for the siege of York town. By the beginning of September York River was effectually closed at the mouth and the Americans and the French began to strengthen their lines by land. On 5 September the English Admiral Graves appeared in the bay with his squadron, and a naval battle ensued, in which the British ships were so roughly handled that they were glad to draw off and return to New York. The allied armies, new greatly su
perior in numbers to the enemy, and confident of success, encamped closely around Yorktown and the siege was regularly begun. The first parallel trench was opened 6 October and com pleted 9 October, when the Americans opened fire and the cannonade became constant and ef fective. The second parallel was opened 11 Oc tober and on 13 October, in the night, the Amer icans made an assault and the outer works of the British were carried by storm. At day dawn on 16 October the Bntish made a sortie from their entrenchments with 350 men and suc ceeded only in spiking a few guns which were promptly restored to action before they were driven back. Cornwallis then attempted a night escape by boat forces, leaving his sick, wounded and baggage behind, hut a terrific storm frus trated the plan. On 17 October Cornwallis pro poscil to surrender, and on the 19th Major General O'Hara led out the whole British army from the trenches into the open field, where, in the presence of the allied ranks of France and America, 7,247 English and Hessian sol diers laid down their arms, delivered their standards, and became prisoners of war; the garrison forces becoming prisoners of the United Stmts, while the sea forces were prisoner., of the French. The allied American and French losses were about 300 killed, wounded and missing. The British losses were about 5 tl This was the last important battle of the Revolutionary War.