What 1781 Virginia siege became the last major campaign of the American Revolutionary War?

The Siege of Yorktown became the last major campaign of the American Revolutionary War in 1781.

American and French forces surrounded the British army commanded by Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. George Washington led the American army, while the French army was commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau. French naval control helped prevent British evacuation or effective resupply.

The siege began in September 1781 and ended when Cornwallis surrendered on October 19. The surrender did not instantly end every military operation, but it destroyed British political support for continuing the war on the same scale.

The Yorktown victory led to peace negotiations and ultimately the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The famous story that Cornwallis personally attended the surrender ceremony is misleading: he did not appear, citing illness, and General Charles O’Hara represented him.