Which battle is generally considered the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War?

The Siege of Yorktown is generally considered the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War.

American and French forces surrounded the British army commanded by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. General George Washington led the Continental Army, while French troops and naval forces played a decisive supporting role.

Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781. Fighting continued in smaller actions after Yorktown, so the siege did not instantly end the war. However, the defeat badly weakened Britain’s political support for continuing the conflict and led to peace negotiations.

The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, formally recognizing American independence. Yorktown is sometimes confused with Saratoga, another crucial American victory. Saratoga helped secure French support in 1777, while Yorktown became the conflict’s decisive final major operation.