Yorktown Battlefield
The Battle of Yorktown was fought at Yorktown, Virginia, where American and French forces trapped Cornwallis’s army and forced the surrender that effectively decided the Revolutionary War.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Yorktown Battlefield |
| Conflict | American Revolutionary War |
| Location | Yorktown, Virginia |
| Date | September 28 to October 19, 1781 |
| Main Ground | British defensive lines around Yorktown, allied siege lines, Redoubts 9 and 10, York River waterfront, Gloucester Point |
| Sides | American and French allied forces against British, German, and Loyalist forces |
| Commanders | George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Marquis de Lafayette, Comte de Grasse, Charles Cornwallis |
| Result | Decisive Franco-American victory |
| Key Highlights | Final major battle of the Revolutionary War, allied siege, French naval blockade, British surrender |
| Visitor Focus | Visitor center, battlefield tour roads, siege lines, redoubts, Moore House, Surrender Field, Yorktown waterfront |
Location and Access
- Nearest Major City: Williamsburg, Virginia
- Region: Virginia Peninsula, near the York River
- Site Location: Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial National Historical Park
- Mailing Address: Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown Battlefield, P.O. Box 210, Yorktown, VA 23690
- Managed By: National Park Service
- Opening Hours: Visitor Center open daily 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Battlefield tour roads are open until sunset. Check current National Park Service alerts before visiting.
- Entry Fee: Standard entrance pass is $15 for visitors age 16 and older, valid for 7 days at Yorktown Battlefield and NPS areas at Historic Jamestowne.
- Facilities: Visitor center, museum exhibits, bookstore, tour roads, marked battlefield stops, historic house grounds, and interpretive signage
- Accessibility: The visitor center and some stops are accessible, but battlefield touring involves roads, outdoor paths, uneven ground, and historic landscapes.
- Pro Tip: Start at the visitor center, then use the battlefield tour roads to follow the siege from the allied lines toward the British defenses and Surrender Field.
Field Notes: What to Look For
- Allied Siege Lines: The trench lines show how Washington and Rochambeau tightened the ring around Yorktown.
- Redoubts 9 and 10: These captured British works opened the way for the final allied siege line.
- British Inner Defenses: Yorktown’s earthworks show how Cornwallis tried to hold the port and riverfront.
- York River: The river explains both Cornwallis’s hope for rescue and the trap created by French naval control.
- Moore House Grounds: Surrender terms were negotiated here after Cornwallis asked for a cease-fire.
- Surrender Field: This open ground marks where British troops laid down their arms on October 19, 1781.
Highlights to Help Understand This Battle
- French naval control sealed Cornwallis inside the Yorktown trap.
- Allied trenches turned the battlefield into a tightening siege.
- Redoubts 9 and 10 blocked the second parallel.
- The York River became an escape route that failed.
- Surrender Field marks the collapse of British hopes in Virginia.
Key Positions on the Battlefield
- Yorktown: The British army occupied Yorktown as a fortified port on the York River. Cornwallis hoped the position could be supplied or rescued by sea, but the same waterfront became a trap once French naval forces controlled the Chesapeake.
- British Defensive Line: Cornwallis’s army built earthworks, batteries, and redoubts around the town. These defenses forced the allies to approach by siege rather than by a simple frontal attack.
- First Allied Parallel: American and French troops opened the first siege line outside Yorktown after surrounding the British position. This line allowed allied artillery to begin systematic bombardment of the town and its defenses.
- Second Allied Parallel: The second trench was dug closer to the British line, about 400 yards from the defenses. It increased pressure on Cornwallis, but Redoubts 9 and 10 had to be captured before the line could be completed.
- Redoubt 9: This British outwork stood in the path of the allied advance. French troops stormed and captured it on the night of October 14, helping secure the left side of the allied siege effort.
- Redoubt 10: Redoubt 10 guarded another key point near the British line. American troops captured it on the same night Redoubt 9 fell, allowing the allies to push the siege even closer to Yorktown.
- York River: The York River shaped the entire battle. It offered Cornwallis a possible line of supply or evacuation, but French control of the Chesapeake and the York River approaches helped close the trap.
- Gloucester Point: Gloucester Point stood across the York River from Yorktown. British and allied movements there mattered because any escape from Yorktown depended on crossing the river and breaking through on the Gloucester side.
- Moore House: The Moore House stood about a mile outside Yorktown and became the place where surrender terms were settled on October 18. Its location helps visitors connect the military collapse with the formal end of the siege.
- Surrender Field: British troops marched out between American and French lines on October 19 and laid down their arms. This ground marks the visible end of the siege and one of the most consequential surrender scenes of the war.
What Happened at Yorktown
By the summer of 1781, the war had shifted toward Virginia. Cornwallis moved to Yorktown in August, planning to use the port as a base for supply and further operations, while Lafayette watched his movements and reported them to Washington. The opportunity became decisive when Washington learned that Admiral de Grasse was sailing for the Chesapeake with a large French fleet and troops from the Caribbean. Washington and Rochambeau then moved the allied army south in secrecy, while French ships blocked the Chesapeake and prevented British naval rescue.
American and French forces reached Yorktown in late September and began the work of siege. Cornwallis had fortified the town with redoubts, batteries, and earthworks, but he was now pressed from land and water. The allies opened trenches, hauled artillery into position, and used formal siege methods to bring their guns closer to the British line. On October 9, the bombardment began, with allied artillery striking Yorktown and weakening the British defenses.
The decisive phase came with the second parallel. To complete it, the allies needed to take Redoubts 9 and 10, two British outworks that still blocked the advance. On the night of October 14, French troops attacked Redoubt 9 while American troops attacked Redoubt 10. Both positions fell in less than 30 minutes, giving the allies the ground they needed to tighten the siege and bring heavier pressure against Cornwallis.
What This Battle Changed
Yorktown destroyed Cornwallis’s army as an effective British force in Virginia and made continued British victory in the war far less likely. The surrender did not formally end the Revolutionary War, but it broke British resolve and opened the path toward American independence.
Cornwallis tried to break the trap on October 16, first with an attack against the allied center and then with an attempted evacuation across the York River to Gloucester Point. A violent storm scattered the boats and ended the escape attempt. On October 17, Cornwallis requested a cease-fire. The surrender terms were settled at the Moore House on October 18, and on October 19 British troops marched out and laid down their arms between the American and French lines.
Practical Tips
- Start at the visitor center to understand the siege before driving the battlefield roads.
- Use the tour roads to follow the allied approach toward the British lines.
- Give extra attention to Redoubts 9 and 10, where the siege turned sharply against Cornwallis.
- Visit the Moore House grounds and Surrender Field to connect the military action with the surrender.
- Check National Park Service alerts before arrival, especially for road, seasonal, or Colonial Parkway updates.
- Bring water and walking shoes, since several stops require outdoor movement over open ground.
Nearby Battlefields You Can Visit
- Green Spring: Lafayette narrowly escaped Cornwallis near Jamestown before the Yorktown campaign closed in.
- Great Bridge: This early Virginia battlefield helps explain how British power weakened in the colony before Yorktown.
- Guilford Courthouse: Cornwallis won the field in North Carolina, but the cost helped drive the campaign toward Virginia.
Insider Visitor Advice
Yorktown makes the most sense when visited as a siege, not as a single battlefield stop. Begin with the visitor center, then follow the tour roads in sequence so the tightening allied lines, British defenses, redoubts, river, and surrender ground build into one connected story. The key is to keep the York River in view whenever possible, because Cornwallis’s position only becomes clear when the visitor sees how a port meant for rescue became a closed trap.
Continue Exploring the American Revolution
Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War, but it belongs to a wider chain of campaigns, ports, river crossings, and inland fights that shaped the struggle for independence.