On October 19, 1781, the British surrendered to George Washington’s army
October 19, 2024
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 19 of October, repeating indefinitely
On October 19, 1781, the British, led by General Lord Charles Cornwallis, surrendered to George Washington’s army at Yorktown, Virginia, effectually ending the Revolutionary War. The surrender marked an end to a three-week siege carried out by allied American and French forces against the British. 🇺🇸🇬🇧
Did you know? Going against accepted military custom, Cornwallis refused to surrender in person, instead sending his second-in-command to the official surrender ceremony. Though today’s featured painting is titled Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, he is not depicted.
The war would not officially end until the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783.
Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, John Trumbull, 1820
-Written by Anna Zemaitaitis, Media and Digital Content Associate
