On Sept. 28, 1781, Washington and his Continental Army arrived at Yorktown, Virginia and began the siege. Here is the chronology of the siege:
August 1 – Cornwallis arrives at Yorktown after his pyrrhic victory at Guilford Courthouse (March 15). He expects to get reinforcements for Henry Clinton’s army in New York City
August 14 – Washington learns that a French fleet carrying French soldiers is going to arrive soon in Chesapeake Bay.
August 19 – Washington and Rochambeau leave New York to make a secret march to Yorktown. Washington had wanted to attack NYC instead, but was talked out of it. On the way, Washington made a side trip to visit Mount Vernon.
August 28 – A French fleet under Admiral de Grasse arrived off Yorktown and begins a blockade.
September 5 – De Grasse defeats a British fleet in the Battle of the Chesapeake (Battle of the Capes). This ends any hope of relief for Cornwallis.
October 16 – Cornwallis attempts to escape the trap, but a bad storm causes the move to fail
September 28 – Washington’s army arrives at Yorktown after a march of 680 miles. He has 3,000 militia, 8,000 Continentals, and 7,800 Frenchmen. Cornwallis has about 8,000 Redcoats and Hessians.
October 3 – A foraging attempt led by British cavalry commander Banestre “Bloody” Tarleton is repulsed. Tarleton was infamous for his “no quarter” order at the Battle of Waxhaws.
October 6 – The first parallel trench was finished.
October 9 – The bombardment begins. It was done by three 24-pounders, three 18-pounders, two 8 inch howitzers, and six mortars. Cornwallis was very artillery poor. Washington fired the first shot. According to legend, the ball hit a table where British officers were eating.
October 11 – Work starts on a second parallel that will be 400 yards closer.
October 14 – Alexander Hamilton leads a night assault on a British redoubt. His men are ordered to use bayonets. Meanwhile, a French force takes another redoubt. Both fights are short and sweet.
October 15 – The British launch a sally that spikes six guns, but they are soon repaired.
October 17 – A British officer under a white flag comes to negotiate surrender. Washington refuses to allow the British soldiers to keep their arms in retaliation for the surrender of Charleston.
October 19 – Cornwallis surrenders. He sends his second in command Gen. Charles O’Hara, pleading that he was ill. O’Hara offers his sword to Rochambeau who refuses it and points to Washington. When he approaches Washington, the commander-in-chief has him surrender to Washington’s second in command Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. The Redcoats and Hessians march out and lay down their arms. According to legend, an American band plays “The World Turned Upside Down”. In the battle, 88 allies were killed. The British lost 142 killed and 7,416 missing or captured.
October 24 – Clinton’s relief fleet arrives too late.
November 25 – Prime Minister Lord North learns of the surrender and cries: “Oh God. It is all over. It is all over.”
https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/battle-of-yorktown-1781-facts/
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/yorktown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Yorktown
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