The Siege of Yorktown, culminating in the British surrender on October 19, 1781, was a meticulously planned and executed military operation that showcased the combined might of American and French forces. Following the strategic convergence of allied armies and the establishment of a naval blockade, the siege itself involved a series of tactical maneuvers, intense bombardments, and daring assaults on key British defenses. This detailed account explores
the progression of the siege, from the initial movements to the decisive capture of the British redoubts, which ultimately sealed Cornwallis's fate.
Initial Movements and the First Parallel
After Washington and Rochambeau arrived at Yorktown on September 28, 1781, the allied forces began to encircle the British positions. On September 29, Washington moved the army closer to the British defenses, with the French taking positions on the left and the Americans on the right. Cornwallis had established a defensive line consisting of seven redoubts and batteries, linked by earthworks, along with additional batteries covering the narrows of the York River at Gloucester Point. Washington, after reconnoitering the British defenses, determined that they could be subdued through bombardment.
Cornwallis, having received a letter from Clinton promising a relief force of 5,000 men within a week, decided to tighten his lines and pulled back from most of his outer defenses, retaining only the Fusilier's redoubt on the west side and redoubts 9 and 10 in the east. The Americans and French quickly occupied these abandoned defenses and began to establish their own batteries. Engineers laid out positions for artillery, and troops worked to improve their fortifications and deepen their trenches. On the night of October 6, under the cover of a stormy, moonless sky, troops moved out to dig the first parallel, a trench 2,000 yards long, running from the head of Yorktown to the York River. Washington ceremoniously struck the first blows with his pickaxe, marking the beginning of the intensive digging operation.
Relentless Bombardment and British Deterioration
By October 7, the British observed the new allied trench just out of musket-range. Over the next two days, the allies completed their gun placements and brought their artillery into line. The sheer number of allied guns began to weaken British fire. By October 9, all French and American guns were in position, including three twenty-four pounders, three eighteen pounders, two eight-inch howitzers, and six mortars among the American contingent, totaling fourteen guns. At 3:00 pm, the French guns opened fire, driving the British frigate HMS Guadeloupe across the York River, where it was scuttled. At 5:00 pm, the Americans commenced their bombardment, with Washington reportedly firing the first shot.
The Franco-American guns systematically dismantled the British defenses. Washington ordered continuous firing throughout the night to prevent the British from making repairs. Soon, all British guns on the left flank were silenced, and British soldiers began to desert in large numbers. On October 10, allied forces targeted and destroyed a large house in Yorktown, believed to be Cornwallis's headquarters. Cornwallis, in a desperate move, sank more than a dozen of his ships in the harbor. The French also scored a direct hit on the British HMS Charon, which caught fire and ignited several other ships. Despite receiving word from Clinton that a British fleet would depart on October 12, Cornwallis communicated that he could not hold out much longer. On the night of October 11, Washington ordered the digging of a second parallel, 400 yards closer to the British lines, which went undetected by Cornwallis until morning.
The Assault on Redoubts 9 and 10
By October 14, the allied trenches were within 150 yards of Redoubt Nos. 9 and 10, the last major remaining British outer defenses. Washington ordered all guns within range to blast the redoubts in preparation for an evening assault. To ensure surprise, the attack was planned for a moonless night, with orders for soldiers not to load their muskets until reaching the fortifications, advancing instead with "cold steel." Redoubt No. 10, near the river, was defended by 70 men, while Redoubt No. 9, a quarter-mile inland, was held by 120 British and Germans. Both were heavily fortified with abatis and muddy ditches.
The allied plan involved a diversionary attack by the French on the Fusiliers redoubt, followed half an hour later by a dual assault: 400 French regular soldiers of the Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment, commanded by the Count of Deux-Ponts, would attack Redoubt No. 9, while 400 American light infantry troops under Alexander Hamilton would assault Redoubt No. 10. Hamilton, after a brief dispute over command, was given charge of the American attack. At 6:30 pm, the diversionary gunfire began, causing panic among the British. The Americans, with fixed bayonets, charged Redoubt No. 10, hacking through defenses and overwhelming the garrison. They suffered 9 dead and 25 wounded. The French assault on Redoubt No. 9, though initially delayed by undamaged abatis, also succeeded, with the Hessians eventually surrendering. With the capture of these redoubts, Washington could now shell the town from three directions, moving artillery into the newly acquired positions and intensifying the bombardment, further hastening the British surrender.
