Which British general surrendered at Yorktown in 1781, the decisive campaign remembered by America250?

Charles Cornwallis surrendered the British army at Yorktown in 1781.

The Siege of Yorktown took place in Virginia from September 28 to October 19, 1781. American forces commanded by George Washington joined French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau, while a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse blocked British relief by sea.

Cornwallis had established a fortified position at Yorktown on the York River. The allied armies gradually surrounded the town, captured key defensive positions, and tightened their artillery bombardment. With his escape routes blocked and supplies running low, Cornwallis requested terms.

Cornwallis did not personally attend the surrender ceremony, citing illness; Brigadier General Charles O’Hara represented him. The surrender did not legally end the war, but it caused major British political repercussions and led to peace negotiations. The Treaty of Paris followed in 1783.