Yorktown Battlefield - Winning America’s Independence
Discover what it took for the United States to be independent as you explore the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Here at Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis’s British army. On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the war and ensuring independence.
Features
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The Siege
Site of a combined American and French siege, this victory secured independence for the United States
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Yorktown
Founded as an important port for exporting tobacco and importing slaves, Yorktown was site of the siege and today is a national resource.
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Yorktown National Cemetery
The Yorktown National Cemetery was officially established in 1866, however interment of Civil War soldiers began during Federal occupation in 1862.
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Did You Know?
During the period of its peak prosperity from 1740-1770, the town of Yorktown contained 250-300 buildings and had almost 2000 residents. Approximately 80% of the town were damaged or destroyed during the 1781 siege. Today Yorktown is still an active community of about 200 residents.