This painting depicts the forces of British Major General Charles Cornwallis, surrendering to French and American forces after the Siege of Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War.
On this day in 1781, the Patriots defeated the Redcoats at the turning point battle of Yorktown. Hopelessly trapped at Yorktown, Virginia, British General Lord Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a larger Franco-American force, effectively bringing an end to the American Revolution. The battle lasted around 20 days. The American and French had around 18,000 troops, significantly outnumbering the 8,000 troops of the British.The British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown ended the American Revolutionary War.
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