George Washington’s Fatal Trap: The Siege of Yorktown

welcome to history at the Corral don't forget to subscribe leave us a comment down below hit the like button and share this episode with the fellow history lover and now on to tonight's episode September 28th 1781 Yorktown Virginia after 6 and a half grueling hard-fought years between the Americans viewed as either Patriots or Rebels depending on which side of the war your perspective granted and the British Empire the war was finally at long last on the precipice of coming to an emphatic and even more improbable conclusion an Overland march by George Washington had delivered 9,000 men from the Northeast to link up with 11,000 French soldiers under the command of Marquee de lafat and K de roshambo it would give Washington the largest Force under his direct command and the totality of this enduring War as the autumnal Sea Breeze began to flow through the coastal British entrenchments at Yorktown General corn Wallace was in the most perilous circumstance he had yet found himself in during the entire conflict with his back to the Sea and French naval ships creating a blockade to prevent their ability to flee to safety George Washington had both his men and the French forces positioned for an allout bombardment of the British after encircling their southern route of escape from the town Washington would hold the most advantageous position he had throughout the entire war for independence but the changing weather offered up a stark timeline The French naval support would be setting saale from Virginia by November to avoid being docked for the winter the commanderin-chief could not simply starve the British out of the city he would have to unleash a torrential storm of Steel that the British could certainly not hesitate in attempting to return upon the Franco American forces in kind George Washington's improbable quest to lead his Young Nation to independ end had been littered with disappointment defeats and the blood of tens of thousands of American Patriots yet as much to Washington's surprise as anyone the hand of Fate had turned at last in the continental's favor and over the course of the next 6 weeks the destiny of The American Nation would finally be decided just over 14 months prior in July of 1780 over 5,500 French troops landed in Newport Road Island their intention was to lend support to Washington's men and their quests to dispossess New York City from the British after four long years of crown rule the British would be outnumbered nearly 2 to one French Admiral degrass was taking his Fleet to the West Indies but would then be able to lend his support to the American cause the Crux of the deliberations between the American General and the French High command centered around the point of attack Washington felt the best way to defend his beloved Virginia now overrun with the British was by delivering a comprehensive campaign upon New York City forcing Clinton to disregard his Southern interests and March his men North to the Empire City in an attempt to repel the Americans roshambo agreed to Washington's plan but the question of where degas's Fleet should be utilized when it arrived from the West Indies would become a point of contention between this new franco-american coalition Washington put little faith in French naval efforts went up against his Majesty's Armada and simply resolved the discussion by stating that they would be used quote as circumstances dictate roshambo thought little of Washington's plans for New York and felt the Chesapeake Bay would be the far more advantageous position for degas's Fleet with the focus on the British fortifications within the Old Dominion on July 6th 1781 at White Plaines New York the French and American armies came together then paraded before the commanderin-chief for his inspection Washington had maintained that taking New York City remained the primary objective of The Joint Forces on August 14th the decision would however essentially be made for Washington when word came from degrass that he was heading for the Chesapeake Bay with 29 warships and 3200 troops he stated that Washington and R Shambo quote should have everything in the most perfect Readiness in the moment of his arrival Washington had less than a month to March his army over 400 Mi South to Virginia then wait for a fleet of French reinforcements that he was not entirely confident would arrive as promis on the 19th of August the march to Yorktown began and the combined forces headed south in three distinct columns parading through Philadelphia in early September the Continental Army had not been paid as promised and they demanded a month's pay and physical coin from the Congress in Baltimore while threatening to refuse to leave Maryland yet they were ultimately obliged Congress held the expectation that degrass was bringing 500,000 silver reals that had been collected from the residents of Spanish controlled Havana Cuba to fund the war and keep the Young Nation solvent Washington received word of the arrival of degrass off the Virginia cape on September 5th the frch Admiral would send his empty transport ships to deliver the Army along with the arrival of Ros shambo's Siege guns Washington knew the stage would be set for the battle at Yorktown the native Virginia would take advantage of this Southern Turnin strategy to return home to mount fernon on September 9th along with roshambo and his Aid du camps he would spend four days at his estate after more than six long years of being on the campaign for American independence as they passed through the rural town of Southern Maryland and Northern Virginia the citizens that inhabited them looked on in mesmerized disbelief as the American commanderin-chief unexpectedly appeared before them in the flesh in late August General Clinton knew of the French Fleet heading toward Virginia and dispatched Admiral Thomas Graves and 19 British warships to head to the Chesapeake Bay to Stave off to grasses approaching Armada Clinton and corn Wallace would both erroneously believe that grav slow could halt the advancing French ships on September 5th the two fleets would meet at the mouth of the Chesapeake and the British ships severely crippled by the engagement would head south allowing degrass to slip into Chesapeake Bay without being detected just as the British Fleet had made their exit George Washington came into nearby Williamsburg layette enthusiastically welcomed the American commander and the town was lit up with a buzz that walked the line between renewed hope and an anxious curiosity for what this all forbode Washington now proceeded over the largest force of his military career 7,800 French soldiers 3,100 militia men along with 8,000 of his own Continentals corn Wallace now trapped within Yorktown had roughly 9,000 men at his disposal 3,000 of which were German hesan mercenaries that had played a significant role throughout nearly the entirety of the war the Ross held firm on his timeline of leaving the Bay by mid October after which time British Supply ships and reinforcements could be landed in relief of corn Wallace on the 28th of September Washington would mobilize his forces with the French on the left and The Americans on the right flush against the shoreline in a sixmile long Ark surrounding the British entrenchment Cornwallis had seven routs and batteries that were linked with Earthworks as well as a battery of heavy guns between the Franco American lines and the British defenses lay hundreds of yards of open terrain an Overland assault by Washington's infantry would see innumerable of his men cut down as they Advanced over this vast landscape to circumvent this trenches were dug in zigzagging fashion with shelters provided by routs Within them at the end of September corn Wallace received a report that Clinton would be sending reinforcements and thus corn Wallace withdrew from the exterior works and repositioned his forces deeper within the town in preparation for the arriving friendlies Graves had sailed back to New York City yet the promised reinforcements he was to deliver to Yorktown wouldn't hit the Open Sea until October 19th far too late to be of use to Corn Wallace on September 30th a French assault upon the British fusers commenced a bloody exchange carried on for 2 hours after which the French were finally d driven back having suffered heavy casualties by October 1st the British had slaughtered many of their horses in an attempt to preserve their food rations on the second the British opened a vicious canonade to run as cover for Cavalry and infantry who had been sent Upon A foraging Party by October 6th the first parallel trench dug by the Americans to put the Coalition forces within musket range of the British was nearly complete they labored through the night to dig and over the next three days would have all of the gun placements completed the Arsenal boasted 332 Pounders 318 Pounders two 8in hoarders and six mortars George Washington's swinging of a pickaxe into the Earth ceremonially if nothing else marked the start of trenches being dug towards British routs 9 and 10 and by the 9th of the month Franco American artillery were in these routs and the siege of Yorktown commenced Washington put a match to the first gun setting on a canonade that would commence a blistering round of Destruction and this confrontation of heavy guns and iron Dr James Thatcher of Massachusetts would recount Washington's start of the battle quote a furious discharge of Cannon and mortars immediately followed the British returned fire upon the American Coalition with a bombardment of their own the once Serene Seaside settlement was now consumed with with a blistering concert of Steel and Gunpowder the French began their assault driving the HMS Guadalupe across the York River the Americans Then followed suit 2 hours later once again with Washington firing the first shot the British defenses were ruthlessly targeted and destroyed vast numbers of British desertions occurred a large house that was assumed to be corn Wallace's headquarters was dialed up and leveled with cannon fire British ships that attempted to come to the aid of corn Wallace's men were sunk to the tune of more than a dozen and the rest repulsed Yorktown was nearly leveled on the 11th Washington ordered the digging of a second parallel trench the British targeted the first parallel trench through the night but by the next morning the second parallel trench had become operational on the 14th Washington ordered all guns to begin targeting routs 9 and 10 that were held by just 70 and 120 British and German soldiers respectively a diversionary attack was delivered to the north of Yorktown at 6:30 p.m. to give the illusion the town itself was being stored Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton's Detachment of 400 light infantry then assaulted rout number 10 their bayonets fixed and their muskets unloaded to prevent the sound of troops loading their weapons and thus giving away their position the Americans slashed away at the abatus alerting ing the British to their nearby location and the designs of the attack the British centuries fired upon the Americans and the assault upon the fortifications kicked into high gear at once as the Continentals climbed over the parapets and descended into the redout Fierce and bloody Close Quarters combat ensued and the British were in time overwhelmed by their unrelenting volume of Americans that poured into the confined space at the same time this was occurring the French were launching their own raid upon on redout number n the hand to-hand fighting matching the intensity of the American assault the French captured the redout placing corn Wallace in an utterly compromising position the British officer is surrounded on three sides by Franco American artillery he orders a Counterattack out of desperation on October 15th as Colonel Robert abber cromi and 350 British troops charged upon the nearest Allied position Cornwallis had all of his guns fixed upon the single location the assault was initially successful with many American and French guns being spiked by the invading Force but the arrival of French reinforcements thrust back the crown soldiers overnight the spiked guns had all been restored to working order and a friendly game commenced between the American and French artillery as they attempted to see which canonade could inflict the greatest damage upon the beleaguered British lines Cornwallis attempted to escape across the York River hoping to break through the American in line had head south into Virginia but a Squall hit making the route untenable all the while the Relentless shelling never slowed its Pace at times just increasing in scope and intensity as more American Guns came online with all of his last Stitch efforts proving futile his forces and tatters and the town he inhabited in complete ruin Charles corn Wallace made the decision to send a drummer playing parlay upon his percussion followed by an offic offer waving a white handkerchief tied to the end of his saber to negotiate his surrender after 2 days of deliberations Arrangements were set between the two parties in a field just outside Yorktown Virginia and it was then made official the British had capitulated to Washington and the Americans the British had sought for honorable terms of surrender but Washington at once denied even the possibility of this citing British actions throughout the war American private Joseph Plum Martin would recount the British surrender before night we were informed that the British had surrendered and The Siege was ended the English felt their honor wounded the Germans did not greatly care whose hands they were in the British paid the Americans little attention as they passed them but they eyed the front with considerable malice depicted in their countenances they marched to the place appointed and stacked their arms they returned to the town in the same manner they had marched out except being divested of their arms after the prisoners were marched off into the country our army separated the French remaining where they then were and the Americans Marching for the Hudson when word arrived to London of corn Wallace's defeat and surrender the Prime Minister cried out oh God it is all over it is all over while a euphoric exhale flowed from the American soldiers and citizenry that broke out into Nationwide celebrations Washington fought to temper his joy in the aftermath of his and the young nation's greatest Victory after sending his troops to Winter quarters Washington worked with Congress on further Army reforms and the stabilization of the American economy which subsisted in large part upon French loans the American Revolutionary War would officially come to a close on September 3rd 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris the disdain of the king's Representatives was pal as the British officials were unwilling to stay and pose for the painting being made to commemorate the event the United States had secured their independence in an epic war against the British Empire but the work of the young state to survive with its original principles was far from over as were the many battles and Wars they would engage in throughout their tumultuous history but those innumerable Tales are for tonight other stories for other times thank you for for joining us on this episode of history at theok Corral be sure to click the like button share this episode with a friend and become a subscriber also if you'd like to support our work and gain Early Access to episodes as well as adree viewing you can become a member of this channel by clicking on the join button below or click the link in the description below to become a member on patreon thank you again for watching and we'll see you next time on history at the OK Corral home of History's Greatest shootouts and showdowns

Channel: History at The OK Corral

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Keywords: revolutionary war, military history, american revolution, george washington, british army, george washington documentary, american revolutionary war, george washington chainsaw man, george washington dodge commercial, american revolution documentary, revolutionary war documentary, revolutionary war history, revolutionary war battles, revolutionary war movies, military history visualised, military history channel, military history documentary, military history podcast

Id: cd2ybY9w3Vc

Length: 16min 58sec (1018 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 27 2024