The World Turned Upside Down

American legend has it that under Lord Cornwallis, the British fife and drum corps played this tune when the British surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown. We came to see the battlefield where the final days of the American and French seige of the British troops forced Cornwallis to capitulate. Rather than personally give his sword to Washington, Cornwallis said he was ill and that his second-in-command would give the sword to Washington.

When General Marquis de Lafayette saw this cannon with its blemish visible between the spokes of the carriage wheels, he became very emotional. The cannon had been put out of commission because of an American cannonball which hit it and damaged it.

The quote on the wall reads, "To declare our independence was one thing, to achieve it, . . . quite another. Here independence became real."

The immediate area of conflict is shown in this map. The British were lodged in Yorktown proper. Their Inner Defense Line is shown in red. It went to the east to Redoubts 9 and 10, right on the York River.

The provincials (Americans and French) held the first seige line which is shown as a thin blue line under the words Grand French Battery. The goal of the provincials was to move the first line north to the second seige line. In order to accomplish this, the Americans must take Redoubt 10 and the French must take Redoubt 9.

Alexander Hamilton led the charge on Redoubt 10. He commanded the men to only do a bayonet charge in order to preserve the element of surprise. Here is an artist's rendition of the attack. There about 400 Americans and 40 British troops. Both Redoubts 9 and 10 were successfully taken.

Once the second line was secured, the French and Americans set up their cannon.

These positions look out over the field to the British line. That is held where the trees now stand above the truck.

American and French cannon and howitzers fired 24/7 for the next 10 to 12 days. The village of Yorktown, 300 yards behind the British line, was destroyed.

Finally, Cornwallis surrendered and the British and Hessian troops laid down their arms.

Chris's 5xgreat-grandfather, who was 17 years old, served in the New York Artillery Regiment alongside Hamilton and Washington. It was an emotional experience to stand on the same ground.

At the Victory Monument in Yorktown, the three amigos celebrate their morning walking these hallowed grounds.

Cheers,

Brio