Battle of Yorktown Essay - 1401 Words

Cadet Flake 11-18-2014 Battle Analysis ROTC Siege of Yorktown The Revolutionary War was a dreadful war leaving almost 70,000 U.S. and British soldiers dead or wounded. The war lasted eight years with America, France, Spain, and the Dutch on one side and Great Britain on the other. On October 19, 1781 the last major land battle took place, the Battle of Yorktown. Similar to other battles in the Revolutionary War, the Americans were fighting for independence from the British and as threats from them kept increasing, the situation did not get any better. George Washington is recognized to having inspired the victory achieved over the British forces. The tactics, skills, courage and the collaboration George Washington sought with the†¦show more content†¦The actually fighting started in 1775 in Massachusetts when British soldiers were ordered to confiscate arsenal being stored there. Leading up the battle of Yorktown, in February, 1781, Major General Marquis de Lafayette was ordered to take his Continental troops to Virginia. About a month later General Cornwallis and his army had entered Virginia believing that if the American forces had resistance, he would have victory against the Americans and the French. Later that year in August on 1-2, 1781 Cornwallis and his army set up at Gloucester point, hoping to use it as a base for supply and weapons. Couple of weeks later, Washington heard about the base and sent a large army to destroy Cornwallis base. A month later on September 14, 1781, French General Rochambeau and General Washington arrived, and sent 400 French soldiers and 400 American soldiers to storm the British redoubt. On October 19, 1781, being taken under heavy from the Americans and the French, Major General Cornwallis realized that he was short of troops and decided to escape Yorktown before surrendering. Making the move to escape, a sudden sto rm from the Americans and French ruined his evacuation plan and Cornwallis was forced to surrender, due to the lack troops and supplies. On October 19, 1781, the British troops under Cornwallis surrendered to Washington’s combined forces, thus ending the major battle in the American Revolution. After the surrender of the British, all their troops were sentShow MoreRelatedBattle Of Yorktown : Battle For Yorktown1403 Words   |  6 PagesBattle of Yorktown 1 Running Header: Battle of Yorktown Pearson Elizabeth The Battle of Yorktown Battle of Yorktown 2 One of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War took place on September 28, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia. The Siege of Yorktown was the last battle in the war against Great Britain. Fought between General George Washington with French aid from General Comte de Rochambeau. With a fleet of over 17,000 French and Continental men against General Lord Charles CornwallisRead MoreThe Battle of Yorktown1284 Words   |  5 Pages The Battle of Yorktown was the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War. The French and American forces laid siege upon the British forces at Yorktown, Virginia and eventually forced the surrender of nearly one-third of the total number of British troops in America. This battle showed that massive loss of life is not the only factor that will determine the victor, as there were a relatively low number of casualties taken by both sides. Instead, it was an aggregate of economic, socialRead MoreThe Battle of Yorktown688 Words   |  3 PagesThe Battle of Yorktown or better known as the Siege of Yorktown was the final battle in the American Revolution. The battle took place in Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. The battle lasted from September 28th 1781 and October 19th 1781. The American and French forces were lead by George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, and Comte de Grasse. The conflict was caused due to many events like the Boston Massacre and The Boston Tea Party but was re inforced by how the British were treating the people of AmericaRead MoreThe Battle of Yorktown Essay1121 Words   |  5 Pagesfreedom and independence. Each battle that happened during the Revolutionary War had its own significance and contributions to the independence of the colonies. Many brave men laid their lives in pursuit of the dream of independence from British control. One particular battle paved the way for that independence to become a reality. That battle is known as the Battle of Yorktown. The Battle of Yorktown took place in what we know today as Virginia. It was a decisive battle that turned the table duringRead MoreThe Battle Of Siege Of Yorktown1646 Words   |  7 PagesSeptember 5th, 1781, a French Naval Fleet inhabited the lower Chesapeake Bay, which was a major advantage to the continental army. The siege of Yorktown, was the last major battle against the British army under General Cornwallis, resulting in the inevitable surrender and American independence. The re was a great deal of coordination prior to the actual engagement consequently leading to this outcome. The total number of soldiers consisted of 17,600 American and French soldiers, under the commandRead MoreBattle of Yorktown Analysis2211 Words   |  9 PagesBattle of Yorktown During the American Revolution, the Americans and French (Franco-American coalition) fought the British at the Battle of Yorktown also known as â€Å"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 CornwallisRead MoreEssay on The Battle of Yorktown952 Words   |  4 PagesThe battle at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781 is most famously known as the â€Å" battle that ended the Revolutionary War.† While this is true, there is still much that can be learned from the principles applied, that still has relevance today. General George Washington, along with his allied French commanders, Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Ponton de Rochambeau and Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves, they exquisitely displa yed how a execute siege operations. This battle also displayed a great example of howRead MoreEssay on The Battle of Yorktown3027 Words   |  13 Pages The Battle of Yorktown was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War and led to the creation of the United States of America. After six grueling years of war the end of the war was near. Six months before the morale of the continental army was at the lowest point of the war. Congress was bankrupt due to rampant inflation caused by the mass production of continental dollars. The continental army was being trounced in the south by the British who had regained South Carolina and Georgia. AlsoRead MoreThe Battle Of Yorktown : A Great Indication1664 Words   |  7 Pagessuccessful during military mission battles. The Battle of Yorktown provides a great example of how working with other nations and being their allies can help us to overcome issues within our own units, batteries, and higher echelon. With further analysis of the Battle of Yorktown, it is also apparent that the strategic usage of artillery played a major role in its success and that its utilization was more than just about operating cannons and howitzers. The Battle of Yorktown possesses a lot of artilleryRead MoreThe Battle Of Yorktown By William Faulkner1569 Words   |  7 PagesBattle of Yorktown A Striking Start You are galloping full speed at full speed like it is the last day of your life, you ride into the city of Yorktown fiercely, then your rider wants you to go faster, you are galloping faster than you have ever run, as fast as a speeding bullet. The wind is slapping your face as hard as a hammer, you finally run into the sea of smoke, muskets, and bayonets. The person riding you violently thrusts his mighty sword, and swiftly fires his French pistol. Cannonballs