British forces surrendered at the Siege of Yorktown on October 19, 1781.
The surrender followed a Franco-American siege of Yorktown, Virginia. George Washington led the American army, while French land forces under the Comte de Rochambeau and French naval forces under the Comte de Grasse helped trap the British army commanded by Charles Cornwallis.
The allies opened parallel trenches, brought artillery closer to the British defenses, and captured key outer redoubts. A French column took Redoubt No. 9, while an American column led by Alexander Hamilton captured Redoubt No. 10. These gains made the British position untenable.
Yorktown was the final major land engagement of the American Revolutionary War, but it did not instantly end all fighting. Peace negotiations followed, and the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, formally recognizing American independence.