Yorktown order of battle facts for kids

The Siege of Yorktown was a super important battle near the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1781. It was the final big fight of the Yorktown campaign. In this battle, the American and French armies worked together to defeat the British.

The British army was led by Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis. After he surrendered on October 17, 1781, the British government changed leaders. The new leaders decided to make peace. This led to the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which officially recognized American independence.

Soldiers from the United States, including the Continental Army and local militias, fought in the siege. French soldiers also joined them. The British forces included many soldiers from German areas, known as Hessians. Yorktown, Virginia, was chosen by Cornwallis because it had a deep-water port. This meant ships could easily dock there. So, both sides also had naval support. The British had some Royal Navy ships. The French and Americans had a large French fleet. Some French marines even helped on land during the siege.

Historians from Germany have noted that about one-third of all the land forces were either hired from German states or were German immigrants to America. Because of this, the siege is sometimes called "die Deutsche Schlacht" ("the German battle") in German history books.

Who Fought at Yorktown?

This section tells you about the main groups and leaders who fought in the Siege of Yorktown.

The British Army: Cornwallis's Forces

The British soldiers at Yorktown arrived in Virginia in a few different groups. The first group came from New York City in December 1780. It was led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, who had switched sides from the American army.

More British soldiers arrived in March 1781 from New York, led by Major General William Phillips. They came to help Arnold. Then, General Cornwallis, who had been fighting in the Carolinas, decided to join Arnold and Phillips. This was not what his boss, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, wanted him to do. Cornwallis arrived in Petersburg, Virginia in late May to take command. Phillips had died just a week before, and Arnold soon went back to New York. Cornwallis was then joined by another group of soldiers from New York. This group was led by a German officer, Colonel August von Voigt.

With about 7,200 soldiers, Cornwallis first chased the smaller American army led by the Marquis de Lafayette. General Clinton later ordered Cornwallis to build a strong port at either Yorktown or Portsmouth. Cornwallis chose Yorktown. He started building forts there and at Gloucester Point, which was just across the York River from Yorktown, in August 1781.

British Commander: Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis

• Main British Troops: These included different groups of soldiers like the Foot Guards (special infantry), Light Infantry (fast-moving soldiers), and other infantry regiments.
• Artillery: Soldiers who operated cannons, including the Royal Regiment of Artillery and a German artillery company.
• German Soldiers: Many soldiers from German states like Ansbach-Bayreuth and Hesse-Kassel fought with the British. They had their own regiments and special units like Jaegers (skilled hunters and skirmishers).
• Loyalists: Americans who stayed loyal to the British Crown. These included groups like Queen's Rangers and the British Legion.

The American Army: Washington's Forces

The American soldiers also arrived in Virginia at different times, usually reacting to what the British were doing. In January 1781, General George Washington, the American commander, sent the Marquis de Lafayette to Virginia with 900 men. More troops were supposed to follow, but they didn't arrive until June. Lafayette's group included many Virginia militia (local citizen soldiers). He kept an eye on Cornwallis as the British moved towards Yorktown. They had a few small fights along the way.

General Washington's main Continental Army was first near New York City. Washington hoped to attack New York with help from the French army. However, he heard that Admiral Paul de Grasse and his French fleet from the West Indies would sail north to the Chesapeake Bay. This convinced Washington that it was better to attack Cornwallis's army in Virginia. So, in mid-August, the American and French armies marched towards Virginia. Some walked the whole way, while others were transported by French ships. Washington arrived at Lafayette's camp near Yorktown on September 17.

American Commander: General George Washington

• Artillery: Led by Brigadier General Henry Knox, these soldiers operated cannons.
• Light Division: Led by Major General Marquis de Lafayette, this division included fast-moving light infantry companies from various states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.
• Other Divisions: Led by Major General Benjamin Lincoln and Major General Baron von Steuben, these divisions included regiments from New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
• Virginia Militia: Led by Governor of Virginia, General Thomas Nelson, these were local citizen soldiers from Virginia who joined the fight.

The French Army: Rochambeau's and De Grasse's Forces

The French soldiers at Yorktown came from two different places. The largest group, called the Expédition Particulière, was led by Lieutenant General the Comte de Rochambeau. They landed in Newport, Rhode Island in 1780. In the summer of 1781, they marched overland to join Washington's army near New York. These troops then marched with Washington's army from New York all the way to Yorktown. More French soldiers were transported by boat on the Chesapeake Bay than Americans, because the French navy preferred to transport their own.

The second group of French troops came from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (which is now Haiti). Admiral de Grasse picked up over 3,000 soldiers there, led by Major General Claude-Anne de Rouvroy de Saint Simon. These soldiers then sailed with de Grasse to North America. The French land forces were also helped by many marines provided by de Grasse's fleet.

French Commander: Lieutenant General Comte de Rochambeau

• Artillery: French soldiers who operated cannons.
• Infantry Divisions: These included several brigades (groups of regiments) with names like Brigade Bourbonnois, Brigade Soissonais, Brigade Agenois, and Brigade Touraine. Each brigade had two battalions (smaller groups of soldiers) from different French regiments.
• Gloucester Detachment: A special group of French soldiers, including cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and infantry, stationed at Gloucester across the river from Yorktown. This group was led by Brigadier Marquis de Choisy.