Name: G7.5* ©2013 IntegratedLessons.com 1 1 The Revolutionary War had raged for 6 years after the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord in 1775. The British had won many battles, but the Patriots were now making progress. The turning point of the war had been at Saratoga. French aid only strengthened their will to win. American morale was soaring to new heights. Continental Army troops were now better trained and experienced. 2 Down South, British General Lord Charles Cornwallis had a number of wins. His army arrived in South Carolina in 1780 where it secured the area. His sights then turned to North Carolina in 1781 where the Patriots were strong. The British defeated American General Greene’s troops many times. Yet he lost a great number of men and supplies. The cost of victory was depleting the British power to fight. Fresh troops, food, and war supplies were slow to arrive from England. 3 In May 1781, Cornwallis marched 1,500 men into southeastern Virginia. There he combined forces with British General Benedict Arnold. The 7,500 redcoats now approached Williamsburg. To prepare to captureVirginia, Cornwallis started a naval base at Yorktown. This Chesapeake Bay port would be where fresh troops and supplies could be unloaded. Once his army reached the town, they dug in. They built massive earthworks and defensive trenches. Now, they simply had to wait for help. 4 Unknown to Cornwallis was the fact that a French fleet was nearing Virginia. It planned to prevent British reinforcements or escape by sea. The French were an American ally and had given new troops and supplies to the war effort. Then George Washington, head of the Continental Army, learned of these plans. He quickly abandoned his idea to capture New York from the British. With his American and French army, Washington raced his men south and met the British for battle. 5 The British fort was at the tip of a peninsula, their backs to the water. On September 28, 1781, Washington’s Patriot and French army of over 22,000 closed off the land route. The British force of 9,700 was now trapped. At sea, a British fleet battled the French in the Chesapeake Bay but was forced to retreat. The French vessels moved up the bay and anchored offshore of the redcoats. The British were surrounded and outnumbered. The next day, Cornwallis received word that reinforcements were coming. All the while, the Patriot army bombarded the fort day and night. Cornwallis withdrew his troops from of the outer trenches and into the city. The following night, the Patriots occupied those trenches and continued attacking. The Americans were like a tightening noose around the necks of the British. 6 On October 14, the Patriots attacked the British defenses and shoved the redcoats back. The Americans moved their cannons closer and continued the barrage at close range. On the night of Oct. 16, Cornwallis attempted to sneak his troops across the bay to meet a small force of redcoats. If successful, this would have allowed him to link up with reinforcements. The Patriots had all of the luck. A violent storm attacked and ruined the crossing. Cornwallis knew his army was too small. He had also watched his ammunition and supplies dwindle and had little hope that reinforcements would arrive to turn the tide of battle. On October 19, he formally surrendered to Washington. 7 Yorktown was the last major battle of the war. The British suffered around 150 killed and 325 wounded. The Americans had 80 deaths and 300 injured. Fighting continued for two years more, but Britain was no longer able to mount a major campaign again. England saw no hope of winning after the war. It signed the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783. America was now an independent nation. Battle of Yorktown *