Which British general surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781?

British general Charles Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781.

Cornwallis commanded the British forces trapped at Yorktown, Virginia, during the final major land engagement of the American Revolutionary War. George Washington’s Continental Army and French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau surrounded the position by land.

A French naval victory in the Chesapeake Bay prevented British relief and helped complete the encirclement. After bombardment and the capture of key defensive positions, Cornwallis requested terms on October 17. The formal surrender followed two days later.

Cornwallis did not attend the surrender ceremony, citing illness. Charles O’Hara represented him and ultimately offered the sword to Benjamin Lincoln, Washington’s second-in-command. The defeat led to peace negotiations and the Treaty of Paris.