The War Is Won : How did the Battle of : Yorktown lead to American Dlar!J :.................. American independence?..... At the Battle of Yorktown, a Pennsylvania Reading Guide soldier named Ebenezer Denny saw a Content Vocabulary drummer boy on the British side beat a ratify (p. 177) ambush (p. 178) Academic Vocabulary signal for a meeting The cannon fire strategy (p. 175) pursue (p. 177) immediately stopped. From the British lines Key People and Events came an officer. Then an officer from the Comte de Rochambeau (p. 175) Fran(:ois de Grasse (p. 175) American side ran to meet him. Denny Battle of Yorktown (p. 176) wrote in his journal, "Firing ceased Benjamin Franklin (p. 177) John Adams (p. 177) totally . ... I never heard a drum equal to John Jay (p. 177) it-the most delightful music to us all." Treaty of Paris (p. 177) -from Record of Upland, and Reading Strategy Denny's Military Journal Taking Notes As you read, use a diagram like the one below to list the forces that met Cornwallis at Yorktown. qp Victory at Yorktown close eye on the British army based in New York that General Clinton commanded. IMMIQ@i Washington's complicated battle plan Washington planned to attack Clinton's army led to the important American victory at Yorktown. as soon as the second French fleet arrived. He History and You How important is planning to the had to wait a year to put this plan into action. successful outcome of a project? Read to learn how The French fleet did not set sail for America Washington's planning helped the Americans win an until the summer of 1781. important victory. Change in Plans D enny was proud to witness the steps Washington followed the reports of the leading to the British surrender at Yorktown. fighting in the South during 1780 and 1781. The buildup to this great event began a few He knew that Cornwallis's troops were months earlier. At that time, the Revolutionary camped in Yorktown, Virginia, and that War was at a critical point and both armies Lafayette was keeping them bottled up on the sought a victory. General Washington made Yorktown peninsula. He also learned that plans to attack the British at Yorktown, Admiral Fran~ois de Grasse, the French Virginia, rather than in New York City. The naval commander, was heading toward Patriots hoped for help from the French. Chesapeake Bay instead of New York. In July 1780, French warships appeared Washington quickly changed his plans. He off Newport, Rhode Island. The ships would advance on the British at Yorktown carried the promised French aid: soldiers rather than at New York City. commanded by Comte de Rochambeau Washington kept his new strategy, or plan (ROH•SHAM•BOH). Unfortunately, the British of action, secret. He wanted Clinton to think fleet arrived soon afterward and trapped the the Patriots still planned to attack the British French ships in Newport. in New York. This, he hoped, would keep In the autumn of 1780, Washington camped Clinton from sending aid to Cornwallis. north of New York City. He waited for a Meanwhile, in July Rochambeau had marched second fleet of French ships. He also kept a his troops from Newport to join Washington. Primary Source Revolutionary Music "Yankee Doodle" The song "Yankee Doodle" was played at the Yorktown surrender ceremony to annoy the British. British forces first sang "Yankee Doodle" to poke fun at what they considered the awkward ways of the Americans. The song tells the story of a poorly dressed Yankee "doodle;' or simple person. The Americans, however, quickly made "Yankee Doodle" their own. They created new verses that made fun of the British and praised the Continental Army and its commander, George Washington. Washington and Rochambeau then rushed Cornwallis's Defeat south with their armies. The secrecy was so On October 9, the Americans and French strict that most soldiers did not know where began a tremendous bombardment. One Hes­ they were going. One soldier wrote, "We do sian soldier wrote in his diary, "One saw men not know the object of our march, and are in lying everywhere ... whose heads, arms, and perfect ignorance whether we are going legs had been shot off." against New York, or . .. Virginia." British supplies began running low. Many Washington's troops marched 200 miles soldiers were wounded or sick. On October (322 km) in 15 days. General Clinton in New 14, Washington's aide, Alexander Hamilton, York did not detect the forces heading south led an attack that captured key British toward Virginia. Three groups-Lafayette's defenses. Cornwallis realized the hopeless­ troops, Washington's and Rochambeau's ness of his situation. On October 19 he sur­ American-French army, and de Grasse's rendered his troops. The Patriots had won the French fleet-would meet at Yorktown. Battle ofYorktown. They took nearly 8,000 British prisoners and captured more than 200 The Siege of Yorktown guns. Washington's plan worked perfectly. The As the British marched between rows of British were thoroughly confused. By the end French and American troops to hand over of September, 14,000 American and French their weapons, a French band played "Yankee troops had trapped Cornwallis's 8,000 British Doodle." A British band responded with a and Hessian troops at Yorktown. Meanwhile, children's tune, "The World Turned Upside de Grasse's fleet kept Cornwallis from escap­ Down." Indeed it had. ing by sea. General Clinton and the rest of the British army waited in New York. They were Reading Check Explaining Why did unable to help Cornwallis. Washington advance on Yorktown? rror in History What If Washington Had Stepped Down? Washington as president ~ Throughout the Revolutionary War, Washington succeeded in holding his army together, despite many difficulties. He had to From Soldier to Leader deal with low morale among soldiers who lived on poor rations Washington was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in 1754 in the and received low pay. The Continental Congress often interfered French and Indian War. An excellent with his military operations. During the gloomy winter at Valley soldier, he was made brigadier Forge, some congressmen and army officers plotted to replace general and was a major factor in Washington as commander in chief. Britain's defeat of the French. Wilderness fighting had made Washington Washington accepts the British a trained military man. This training surrender at Yorktown. T helped prepare him for his greatest military challenge-leading the American revolutionary forces. "The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army." <111111 Washington as a young soldier Independence The Treaty of Paris was a triumph for the Americans. Great Britain recognized the l l!i mtjlm¥1 The Patriots' spirit and resolve helped United States as an independent nation. The them win independence. British promised to withdraw all their troops from American territory. They also agreed to History and You What sort of influence do you think give Americans the right to fish in the waters America's fight for independence had on the rest of the off the coast of Canada. world? Read to find out how American ideals affected the world. The United States, in tum, agreed that British merchants could collect debts that Americans owed them. The treaty also stated T he fighting did not end with Cornwallis's that the Congress would advise the states to surrender at Yorktown. The British still held return to Loyalists the properties taken from Savannah, Charles Town, and New York. A them. few more clashes took place on land and sea. The victory at Yorktown, however, convinced The Newburgh Conspiracy the British that the war was too costly to Washington headquartered his strong army pursue, or continue. in Newburgh, New York, after the British sur­ The two sides sent delegates to Paris to rendered. The Congress refused to fund the work out a treaty. Benjamin Franklin, John soldiers' pensions and failed to provide them Adams, and John Jay represented the United with other pay. The soldiers' anger mounted. States. The American Congress ratified, or In disgust, some officers circulated a letter in approved, the preliminary treaty in April March 1783. If their demands were not met, 1783. The final Treaty of Paris was signed on the letter said, the army should use force September 3, 1783. By that time Britain had against Congress. also made peace with France and Spain. Washington realized that this threat of revolt was dangerous. The new nation could be destroyed. He persuaded the angry sol­ diers to be patient. Then Washington urged the Congress to meet their just demands. Dr. Benjamin Rush ~ Washington's leadership ended the threat to the new nation. The Congress soon acted on Dr. Benjamin Rush, one the demands. of Washington's critics, served as surgeon general in Washington Resigns the Continental Army. In a British troops left New York City in late letter to John Adams, Rush compared Washington November 1783. The war had truly ended. unfavorably to the hero of Washington could at last give up his com­ Saratoga, Horatio Gates. mand. On December 4, Washington said fare­ well to his troops. Three weeks later he "I have heard several officers who formally resigned at a meeting of the Second have served under General Gates compare Continental Congress. Washington said, his army to a well regulated family. ... "Having now finished the work assigned [They] have compared General Washington's me I retire ... and take my leave of all the Imitation of an army to an unformed mob." employments of public life." Washington returned home to Mount Ver­ non, Virginia, in time for Christmas.