Washington Was Not Yet President
Washington was 49 years old during the Yorktown campaign. He would not become the first president of the United States until eight years later. [1]
He Had Once Fought Against the French
As a young Virginia officer, Washington fought French forces in the Ohio Valley during the French and Indian War. Less than 30 years later, he depended on a French army and navy to help secure American independence. [1]
Yorktown Was Not the Original Plan
Washington and Rochambeau initially prepared to attack British-held New York City. Their plans changed when they learned that French Admiral de Grasse was sailing to the Chesapeake Bay. [2]
The Armies Changed Direction in Four Days
Washington and Rochambeau received de Grasse’s message on August 14, 1781. By August 18, approximately 6,300 American and French soldiers had begun moving south. [2]
Washington Tried to Fool British Spies
Washington spread false information suggesting that New York remained the target. Misleading letters were even sent along dangerous routes where British forces might capture them. [3]
He Personally Led Soldiers Through New Jersey
Washington personally led one Continental Army column through Bound Brook, Princeton, and Trenton. Other American and French troops followed different roads through the state. [3]
The Journey Brought Washington Home
Washington reached Mount Vernon on September 9, 1781. It was his first visit home in six years. Rochambeau arrived the following evening, but both commanders continued working on military letters and plans. [4]
He Met a French Admiral Aboard His Flagship
Washington and Rochambeau met Admiral de Grasse aboard the French flagship Ville de Paris on September 18. De Grasse agreed to keep his fleet in the Chesapeake through the end of October. [3]
Washington Fired the First American Gun
French artillery opened fire at Yorktown on October 9. At approximately 5 p.m., Washington fired the first American artillery shot of the siege. [5]
French and American Soldiers Attacked Together
On October 14, approximately 400 French soldiers attacked Redoubt 9 while 400 American soldiers attacked Redoubt 10. Capturing these British defenses allowed the allies to move their artillery closer to Yorktown. [6]
Washington Did Not Accept Cornwallis’s Sword
Cornwallis claimed illness and sent General Charles O’Hara to the surrender ceremony. O’Hara approached Rochambeau and Washington, but Washington directed him to General Benjamin Lincoln, who accepted the British surrender sword. [7]
Yorktown Did Not Officially End the War
The victory at Yorktown ended most major fighting, but the Revolutionary War was not officially over. Great Britain recognized American independence in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. [7]
