British Surrender At Yorktown

by Ed Vebell

Title

British Surrender At Yorktown

Artist

Ed Vebell

Medium

Painting - Acrylic On Hot Press Illustration Board

Description

In March 1781, Britain's Cornwallis moved into Virginia, where his troops all but captured Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature. Confident of delivering the mortal blow to the American cause, Cornwallis retired to the Yorktown Peninsula with 7,000 troops to await reinforcements from the triumphant British fleet. But things did not work out that way. In the nick of time, French Admiral DeGrasse sailed from the West Indies to Yorktown, where he soundly defeated a British relief expedition, and proceeded to bottle up Cornwallis. Washington, still smarting from the loss of New York City, seized the strategic opportunity. By forced march he reached Chesapeake Bay at Annapolis where DeGrasse's ships, with three thousand reinforcements, ferried him to Yorktown. By the beginning of September, with the arrival of further reinforcements under Lafayette, Washington commanded a vast army of 26,000 men, and moved in for the kill. Days of heavy bombardment shattered the defenses and the morale of the out-numbered British; attacks in which Lafayette and Colonel Hamilton distinguished themselves, taking one redoubt after another. Facing annihilation, Cornwallis surrendered on October 17. Two days later, 7,274 British soldiers marched to the tune of the "World TurnedUpside Down," and stacked their arms. Over in London, upon hearing of surrender, King George drafted a letter of abdication, but thought better of it; the Americans turned to building a nation.

Please note the "Fine Art America" watermark will not appear on the painting or any print reproduction.

Artwork Copyright © 1980 Wind River Studios Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the Copyright. WRSH Stock Number XB06575

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April 11th, 2022

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