British General Charles Cornwallis commanded the army that surrendered at Yorktown in 1781. The siege ended with the capitulation of his forces on October 19, 1781.
Cornwallis established his position at Yorktown, Virginia, expecting support and resupply from the Royal Navy. A combined American and French force led by George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau surrounded the town, while French naval victory at the Battle of the Chesapeake helped block British relief.
Cornwallis did not personally attend the surrender ceremony, saying that illness prevented him from appearing. Brigadier General Charles O’Hara represented him and formally offered the sword of surrender to American and French commanders.
Yorktown was the final major land engagement of the Revolutionary War. Although fighting and peace negotiations continued, the defeat made Britain’s position increasingly difficult and contributed directly to the Treaty of Paris in 1783.