The Battle of Yorktown:
The climax of the American Revolution
It was a sober afternoon on October 9,1781. The American and French soldiers had surrounded the British army, in command of General Cornwallis, at Yorktown. Their seize line had been dug. The cannons, mortars, and 8 inch howitzers were all in place. The American and French armies out numbered the British by around 17,000 to 8,000. Tension was thick in the air for what would become the last major battle in the Revolutionary War. Finally, at 3:00pm the bombardment began. First, the French opened fire. Then two hours later the first American guns began firing, With Washington supposedly firing the first shot. This lasted all through the night to prevent the British from repairing their damaged positions. One Hessian soldier named Johann Conrad Dohla recorded his thoughts on October 9, in his journal, " At three o'clock in the afternoon the enemy began to fire on our right wing from his left wing, where he had set up battery in the woods and bushes. He fired with 18 and 24 lbs cannons on our outermost redoubt. He also threw bombs of one hundred and more lbs...... At night a French Bombardier set fire to an English Frigate in the harbor with a heated cannonball and the Frigate could not be saved. It burned completely...... Many were seriously and fatally wounded by the broken pieces of the bombs that were exploding, partly in the air, partly on the ground which broke arms and legs or killed them." These were some of the scenes of the Yorktown seize. I can only imagine the horror of this battle.
To understand this battle a little better , I would like to start a few months earlier. Let's first take a look at a few of the key Generals on both sides. Starting with the British, I would like to introduce Sir Henry Clinton. He was born in Newfoundland in 1738 and grew up in New York. After his wife died in 1772, he became moody and often quarreled with his colleagues. He became Commander-in-Chief in North America in 1778. Next, there was Lord Charles Cornwallis. He was born in 1738. He was a whig and initially opposed government measures to deal with the colonists, but agreed to serve in North America. He used Clinton's remoteness ( in New York) and the vague and contradictory nature of some of his superiors orders, as an excuse to pursue his own strategy. These two men preferred communicating directly with London and neither one fully confided his plans and expectations to the other. Their rivalry hurt the British war effort as we'll see later on. Now we'll move to the other side. Most popular was the famous American General, George Washington, who was born in 1732. He was known as one of the greatest American in his day. He held the army together when it seemed like it would fall apart. I'm sure that is all the introduction I need of him. Next, there was Marquis de Lafayette. He was born in 1754 and entered the French army at age 14. Six years later he resigned and secretly came to America. He wrote, “ The moment I knew she was fighting for freedom, I burned with the desire of bleeding for her.” George Washington loved Lafayette as if he were his own son. Finally, the French generals were, General Comte de Rochambeau. He was born in 1725. He was a strict disciplinarian but also showed concern for the welfare of his troops. He refused Lafayette as a liaison officer, believing him to be too hot-headed and impetuous, but was prepared to subordinate himself to Washington for the good of the allied cause. When he first arrived in America in 1780 he wrote to Washington, " The commands of the king place me under the orders of your excellency. I come wholly obedient and with zeal and the veneration which I have for you and for the remarkable talent you have displayed in sustaining a war which will always be memorable." The last general I want to talk about is General de Grasse. He was born in 1722. It was de Grasse and his fleet who ensured that Cornwallis was trapped, and prevented his rescue by the Royal Navy. There where also many more Generals other than the ones mentioned above.
Now we will learn how the Yorktown battle started. By the spring of 1781, the Revolution had been going on for six years with no end in sight. General Washington with the main force of the Continental Army consisting of 3,500 men were camped along the Hudson River, They were again short on food, clothes, and ammunition. The soldiers hadn't been paid and this discouraged men from enlisting. the Alliance with France had not given the help the Americans hoped for. George Washington wrote in April 1781, " We are at the end of our tether and now or never our deliverance must come." Still, months would pass before help from France would come.
On May 20, 1781, Cornwallis and his Army arrived in Petersburg, Virgina. British troops were already there. They were sent by Clinton to do as much damage as possible. They caused so much trouble that Washington sent Lafayette with 1,200 soldiers to stop them. Later in the spring others joined Lafayette, increasing his forces to 4,000. When Cornwallis arrived his forces out numbered Lafayette's by more than double. All Lafayette could do was to watch the British from a distance. Cornwallis arrived at Suffolk on July 12. Here he received a letter from Clinton to march into Pennsylvania. Cornwallis sent most of his men to Portsmouth; as they were embarking for Philadelphia on July 20, Another letter arrived from Clinton, telling him to stop and establish a base at Old Point Comfort to control Hampton Roads. Although Cornwallis thought this post vulnerable to local assault, he proceeded to fulfill this direct order. Finding Old Point Comfort unsuitable for fortifying, Cornwallis decided if Clinton wanted such a post that Yorktown was the most suitable from a naval viewpoint, But that exceptionally strong fortifications would be required. He arrived in Yorktown with his army in early August and started building fortifications.
Lafayette, following Cornwallis, moved the forces to a place near Williamsburg, 12 miles West of Yorktown. Lafayette now saw the possibility of trapping the British. He wrote to Washington, " Should a French fleet now come ....the British army would, I think, be ours"
On May 22, Washington met with Rochambeau at Wethersfield, where they discussed what they were going to do. They eventually decided to move a combined force of 7,000 men to the head of the Elk River, then down Chesapeake Bay to Virgina to trap Cornwallis. Washington wanted to deceive Clinton into thinking he was moving against New York. Clinton was fooled for a while. Even the American and French soldiers did not know their destination for a few days. " We do not know the the object of our march, and are in perfect ignorance whether we are going against New York, or whether we are going to Virgina," said one American. A few days later Clinton realized what was happening. He wrote to Cornwallis and told him Washington was heading South and promised to send help.
On September 2, the Americans Soldiers by-passed Philadelphia. The French followed over the next few days and paraded through the city. The September 5, Washington learned that de Grasse had entered the Chesapeake Bay and was waiting for him! The American and French armies continued on foot through Delaware and into Maryland. There, to their great joy, the Americans were paid. A French loan had come through, and kegs full of coins were delivered to the troops.
In the meanwhile, Lafayette had been joined by St. Simon's division, which de Grasse had brought from the West Indes
Washington and Rochambeau arrived at Williamsburg on September 14. Lafayette waited with his troops to greet the two Generals. An on looker recorded Lafayette's approach to Washington, “He opened both his arms as wide as he could reach, and caught the General around his body, hugged him as close as possible, and absolutely kissed him from ear to ear.” George Washington was glad to find out that on September 5, de Grasse's French fleet had defeated a British Fleet off the Virgina coast and was blocking any rescue of Cornwallis by sea! By September 26 the whole French and American force was at Williamsburg.
This was the setting up of the Yorktown Siege. The French and American Armies slowly fought their way past all the British fortifications. The British didn't have a chance and Clinton's help came too late. Finally, the British surrendered on October 17. They agreed on how the Surrender would take place. The agreement read, in part: The British garrison at Yorktown will march out to a place to be appointed in front of the post, at two o'clock precisely with shouldered arms, colours cased, and drums beating a British or German march. They are then to ground their arms, and return to their encampments, where they will remain until they are dispatched to the places or their destinations. On October19 was when the surrender ceremony took place. The Hessian Soldier, Johann Conrad Dohla describes the ceremony saying, “During the afternoon of October, between three and four o'clock, all the troops, with all their belongings, weapons, and side arms, with covered colors but with drums and fifes, marched out of our lines and the camp. General O'Hara (second in command) led us out and surrendered us. ..... The entire army of combined powers, France and American, stood under arms, by regiment, with dressed ranks..... On the whole the French troops made an excellent appearance. They were smart, tall, and well built men, all wearing white gators, and some wearing red uniforms, but most in white and some in green. On our march the American were on our left, or on the left wing, and lined up with Generals Washington, Gates, Greene, and Wayne. They stood in three ranks. First, the regulars, who presented a decent appearance. Next came the militia of Virgina and Maryland, who, however, made a poor appearance, ragged and tattered.” Finally, General O'Hara offered his sword to de Rochambeau, who declined and pointed towards Washington, who had his own second-in-command, Lincoln take the sword. The loses were fewer than most battles in the Revolutionary War. The British lost 156 men and 326 were wounded. Among the Americans 23 were killed and 65 were wounded. The French lost 60 men and 134 were wounded.
Learning more about this Battle has helped me better appreciate the sacrifice that these men went through so that we could have a free country. I'm thankful for their bravery and the Generals that kept it all together.
Friday, December 5, 2008
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