The Siege of Yorktown was the final major land engagement of the American Revolutionary War and a pivotal America250 episode.
The siege took place from September 28 to October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virginia. American forces under George Washington joined French troops commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau, while a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse helped prevent British relief by sea.
The allied army surrounded the British force commanded by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis and constructed parallel trenches closer to the defenses. American and French troops captured key redoubts on October 14, allowing their artillery to bombard the British position more effectively.
Cornwallis requested surrender terms on October 17, and the formal surrender occurred two days later. Fighting continued elsewhere, especially at sea, but Yorktown persuaded Britain to pursue peace negotiations. The subsequent Treaty of Paris recognized American independence in 1783.