New York played a pivotal role in the allied campaign of the American Revolution as American and French forces coordinated their movements along the Hudson River in 1781 before marching south to Yorktown. The route commemorated by the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail passes through key locations in New York that were central to planning and executing the final phase of the campaign.
In the summer of 1781, French forces under the command of General Rochambeau joined American forces under General George Washington in the Hudson Highlands. Together, they coordinated strategy near British-held New York City, conducting maneuvers intended to deceive British forces and conceal their plan to march south.
Following this period of coordination, the allied armies began their movement south from the Hudson River, crossing at King’s Ferry and continuing through New Jersey toward Yorktown. New York also served as a critical theater throughout the war, with the British occupation of New York City shaping military strategy and influencing the movements of the Continental and French armies.
Today, historic sites across New York preserve locations associated with planning, coordination, and movement along the route of the allied armies.
Together, these places allow visitors to follow the strategic decisions and movements that helped lead to the allied victory at Yorktown.
State and Local Historic Sites
These sites interpret the coordination of American and French forces in New York, as well as key locations associated with the route of march and the broader history of the Revolutionary War.
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site
Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site
West Point
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site
Philipsburg Manor Upper Mills
Sleepy Hollow Church
Valentine-Varian House
Van Cortlandt Manor
Van Wyck Homestead Museum
Cultural Attractions
Museums and cultural institutions across New York preserve artifacts, documents, and stories from the Revolutionary War era. These sites help interpret the coordination of the allied armies, the strategic importance of the Hudson River, and the broader history of the American Revolution.
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
West Point Museum
