Yorktown was the Virginia town where the 1781 siege became the final major land engagement of the American Revolution.
The Siege of Yorktown lasted from September 28 to October 19, 1781. American forces led by George Washington joined French troops commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau, while French naval forces helped blockade the Chesapeake Bay.
British Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis commanded the besieged army. Allied control of the surrounding land and water prevented effective reinforcement or escape. On October 19, Cornwallis’s forces surrendered after the allies captured key defensive positions and completed their encirclement.
Yorktown did not instantly end every military action, especially at sea, but the defeat prompted peace negotiations. The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, formally ended the war and recognized American independence. Yorktown remains a central milestone in the founding story remembered by America250.