Which 1781 battle forced the British army’s major surrender in the American Revolution?

The Siege of Yorktown forced the British army’s major surrender in the American Revolution.

The siege took place in Virginia from September 28 to October 19, 1781. American and French forces surrounded the British army commanded by General Charles Cornwallis, while a French naval victory helped prevent British relief by sea.

George Washington led the Continental Army, working with French forces commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau. American troops captured key defensive positions, including Redoubts 9 and 10, allowing artillery to bombard Yorktown more effectively.

Cornwallis surrendered more than 7,000 troops on October 19. The victory did not immediately end every military operation, but it led to peace negotiations and the 1783 Treaty of Paris. Yorktown is therefore remembered as the final major land engagement of the Revolutionary War.