Yorktown order of battle
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Yorktown was the culminating act of the Yorktown campaign
, a series of military operations occupying much of 1781 during the American Revolutionary War
. The siege was a decisive Franco-American victory: after the surrender of British Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis
on October 17, the government
of Lord North
fell, and its replacement
entered into peace negotiations that resulted in British recognition of American independence with the 1783 Treaty of Paris
.
The siege involved land forces from the United States, including the Continental Army
and state militias, as well as land forces under French and British command. The British forces included a large number of troops from various German principalities of the Holy Roman Empire
that were collectively known as Hessians. Since Yorktown, Virginia
was specifically selected by Cornwallis for its properties as a deep-water port, both sides had naval support as well: the British forces included some Royal Navy
vessels, and the Franco-American allies were supported by a large French fleet, some of whose marines were landed to assist in siege operations. German historians have noted that approximately one third of all the land forces involved were either hired or recruited from German states, or were German immigrants to America; this has led the siege to be known in German historiography as "die Deutsche Schlacht" ("the German battle").
The following units and commanders of the British, American, and French forces fought in the Siege of Yorktown
, or provided significant local support.
in December 1780 under the command of the turncoat Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
. The second was sent from New York in March 1781 under the command of Brigadier General William Phillips to reinforce Arnold after a Franco-American threat. The third detachment to arrive was that of General Cornwallis, who had been active in the Carolinas
, and decided, against standing orders, to join with the forces of Arnold and Phillips after the April Battle of Guilford Court House
. He arrived at Petersburg, Virginia
in late May to take command of the army; Phillips had died of a fever just a week before, and Arnold returned to New York not long after Cornwallis arrived. While at Petersburg, Cornwallis was joined by a fourth detachment from New York that was under the command of the Hessian Colonel August von Voigt.
With this force, numbering about 7,200, Cornwallis first chased after the army of the Marquis de Lafayette, a much smaller force of Continental Army
and local militiamen that had provided some resistance to the movements of Phillips and Arnold. Cornwallis was eventually ordered by the British Commander-in-Chief of North America, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
, to establish a fortified deep-water port at either Yorktown or Portsmouth
. Cornwallis chose Yorktown, and began constructing fortifications there and Gloucester Point, just across the York River from Yorktown, in August 1781.
Commander
Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis
, commanding
Headquarters
Artillery
1st Brigade
Lt. Col. John Yorke, 22nd Foot
2nd Brigade
Lt. Col. Thomas Dundas, 80th Foot
Col. August von Voigt
Hesse-Kassel
Contingent
Lt. Col. Matthew von Fuchs
, the American commander-in-chief, in January 1781 sent the Marquis de Lafayette to Virginia with 900 men. He was to be followed promptly by troops from the Pennsylvania Line
under the command of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
, but Wayne did not arrive in Virginia until June. Lafayette's force included a substantial number of Virginia militia
, and he shadowed Cornwallis during the movements that ended at Yorktown, with a skirmish at Spencer's Ordinary
and a larger battle at Green Spring
being their only significant encounters.
The main Continental Army
of General Washington was at first stationed outside New York City, which Washington hoped to besiege with the assistance of the French army. However, word from Admiral Paul de Grasse
of the French West Indies fleet would sail north to assist in operations on the Chesapeake Bay
convinced Washington that action was best taken against Cornwallis's army in Virginia. Accordingly, the American and French armies set out in mid-August for Virginia. Some troops went overland the entire way; others were transported on the Chesapeake by ships of the French Navy. Washington arrived in Lafayette's camp before Yorktown on September 17.
Commander
General George Washington
, commanding
Headquarters
Artillery
Brigadier General Henry Knox
Infantry
Light Division
Major General Marquis de Lafayette
2nd Division
Major General Benjamin Lincoln
3rd Division
Major General Baron von Steuben
Virginia Militia
General Thomas Nelson
in 1780, and marched overland to join Washington's army outside New York in the summer of 1781. These troops marched with Washington's army from New York to Yorktown. More of the French troops were transported by boat on the Chesapeake than Americans, due to the French fleet commanders' preferences for transporting their own. The second source for French troops was the Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue
, where Admiral de Grasse picked up more than 3,000 troops under the command of Major General the Marquis de St. Simon before departing for North America. The land forces were also supplemented by a number of marines provided by de Grasse in support of the siege.
Commander
Lt. Gen. Comte de Rochambeau, commanding
Artillery
Lt. Col. Comte d'Aboville
Infantry
Maj. Gen. Baron de Viomenil's Division
Maj. Gen. Vicomte de Viomenil's Division
Maj. Gen. Marquis de St. Simon's Division
Detachment at Gloucester
Brig. Gen. Marquis de Choisy
Yorktown campaign
The Yorktown or Virginia campaign was a series of military maneuvers and battles during the American Revolutionary War that culminated in the decisive Siege of Yorktown in October 1781...
, a series of military operations occupying much of 1781 during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The siege was a decisive Franco-American victory: after the surrender of British Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
on October 17, the government
North Ministry
The North Ministry governed the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1770 until 1782. Overseeing in this time the Falklands Crisis, the Gordon Riots and much of the American War of Independence. It was headed by the Tory politician Lord North and served under George III.-Membership:...
of Lord North
Frederick North, Lord North
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
fell, and its replacement
Second Rockingham Ministry
This is a list of the principal holders of government office during the second premiership of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, from March to July 1782....
entered into peace negotiations that resulted in British recognition of American independence with the 1783 Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
.
The siege involved land forces from the United States, including the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
and state militias, as well as land forces under French and British command. The British forces included a large number of troops from various German principalities of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
that were collectively known as Hessians. Since Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
was specifically selected by Cornwallis for its properties as a deep-water port, both sides had naval support as well: the British forces included some Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vessels, and the Franco-American allies were supported by a large French fleet, some of whose marines were landed to assist in siege operations. German historians have noted that approximately one third of all the land forces involved were either hired or recruited from German states, or were German immigrants to America; this has led the siege to be known in German historiography as "die Deutsche Schlacht" ("the German battle").
The following units and commanders of the British, American, and French forces fought in the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
, or provided significant local support.
British Army
The British Army forces present at Yorktown arrived in Virginia in four separate detachments. The first was sent from New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in December 1780 under the command of the turncoat Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
. The second was sent from New York in March 1781 under the command of Brigadier General William Phillips to reinforce Arnold after a Franco-American threat. The third detachment to arrive was that of General Cornwallis, who had been active in the Carolinas
Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
, and decided, against standing orders, to join with the forces of Arnold and Phillips after the April Battle of Guilford Court House
Battle of Guilford Court House
The Battle of Guilford Court House was a battle fought on March 15, 1781 in Greensboro, the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, during the American Revolutionary War...
. He arrived at Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
in late May to take command of the army; Phillips had died of a fever just a week before, and Arnold returned to New York not long after Cornwallis arrived. While at Petersburg, Cornwallis was joined by a fourth detachment from New York that was under the command of the Hessian Colonel August von Voigt.
With this force, numbering about 7,200, Cornwallis first chased after the army of the Marquis de Lafayette, a much smaller force of Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
and local militiamen that had provided some resistance to the movements of Phillips and Arnold. Cornwallis was eventually ordered by the British Commander-in-Chief of North America, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)
General Sir Henry Clinton KB was a British army officer and politician, best known for his service as a general during the American War of Independence. First arriving in Boston in May 1775, from 1778 to 1782 he was the British Commander-in-Chief in North America...
, to establish a fortified deep-water port at either Yorktown or Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. Cornwallis chose Yorktown, and began constructing fortifications there and Gloucester Point, just across the York River from Yorktown, in August 1781.
Commander
Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
, commanding
Headquarters
- Staff
- 17th Light Dragoons17th LancersThe 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
- MarinesRoyal MarinesThe Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
Artillery
- Royal Regiment of Artillery
- 2nd Battalion
- (Light companies from the 37th, 40th, 43rd, 45th, 49th, 55th55th Regiment of FootThe 55th Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment which existed from 1755 to 1881. After 1782 it had a county designation added, becoming known as the 55th Regiment of Foot. or simply the Westmorland Regiment...
, 63rd63rd Regiment of FootThe 63rd Regiment of Foot known as "The Bloodsuckers", was a British Army regiment in the 18th and 19th centuries.As part of the Childers Reforms, the 63rd and the 96th Regiments of Foot amalgamated in 1881 to form The Manchester Regiment the heritage continuing through to The King's Regiment in...
, and 71st Foot71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's HighlandersThe 71st Regiment of Foot was a regiment of infantry raised in 1775, during the American Revolution. The unit served in both the Northern and Southern Campaigns, and participated in many major battles including the Battle of Long Island , the Battle of Brandywine , Savannah , Briar Creek , the...
)
- (Light companies from the 37th, 40th, 43rd, 45th, 49th, 55th
- 82nd Foot
1st Brigade
Lt. Col. John Yorke, 22nd Foot
- 17th Foot
- 23rd Foot
- 33rd Foot
- 71st Foot, 2nd Battalion
2nd Brigade
Lt. Col. Thomas Dundas, 80th Foot
- 43rd Foot
- 76th Foot
- 80th Foot
German Infantry
Ansbach-Bayreuth ContingentCol. August von Voigt
- 1st Regiment
- 2nd Regiment
- Artillery company
Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
Contingent
Lt. Col. Matthew von Fuchs
- Erb Prinz (Prince Hereditaire) Regiment
- von Bose Regiment
- JaegerJäger (military)Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
Company - Artillery Company
Loyalists
- Queen's RangersQueen's RangersThe Queen's Rangers was a military unit who fought on the Loyalist side during the American War of Independence. After the war they moved to Nova Scotia and disbanded, but were reformed again in Upper Canada before disbanding again, in 1802, a decade prior to the War of 1812.-French and Indian...
- British Legion
- North Carolina Volunteers
- Detachments
- Pioneers
American army
The American forces that opposed Cornwallis at Yorktown also arrived in Virginia at different times, since most of the detachments were made in reaction to the British movements. After Arnold was sent to Virginia, Major General George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, the American commander-in-chief, in January 1781 sent the Marquis de Lafayette to Virginia with 900 men. He was to be followed promptly by troops from the Pennsylvania Line
Pennsylvania Line
Pennsylvania, like many other colonies, was involved with the war and developing problem of the American Revolution.-History:Philadelphia was the site of the Constitutional Convention. It also served as the capital city for a while. Threats from Britain caused the country to relocate to...
under the command of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
, but Wayne did not arrive in Virginia until June. Lafayette's force included a substantial number of Virginia militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, and he shadowed Cornwallis during the movements that ended at Yorktown, with a skirmish at Spencer's Ordinary
Battle of Spencer's Ordinary
The Battle of Spencer's Ordinary was an inconclusive skirmish that took place on 26 June 1781, late in the American Revolutionary War. British forces under Lieutenant Colonel John Graves Simcoe and American forces under Colonel Richard Butler, light detachments from the armies of General Lord...
and a larger battle at Green Spring
Battle of Green Spring
The Battle of Green Spring took place near Green Spring Plantation in James City County, Virginia during the American Revolutionary War. On July 6, 1781 United States Brigadier General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, leading the advance forces of the Marquis de Lafayette, was ambushed near the plantation by...
being their only significant encounters.
The main Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
of General Washington was at first stationed outside New York City, which Washington hoped to besiege with the assistance of the French army. However, word from Admiral Paul de Grasse
François Joseph Paul de Grasse
Lieutenant Général des Armées Navales François-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse was a French admiral. He is best known for his command of the French fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake, which led directly to the British surrender at Yorktown...
of the French West Indies fleet would sail north to assist in operations on the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
convinced Washington that action was best taken against Cornwallis's army in Virginia. Accordingly, the American and French armies set out in mid-August for Virginia. Some troops went overland the entire way; others were transported on the Chesapeake by ships of the French Navy. Washington arrived in Lafayette's camp before Yorktown on September 17.
Commander
General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, commanding
Headquarters
- 4th Continental Light Dragoons4th Continental Light DragoonsThe 4th Continental Light Dragoons also known as Moylan's Horse was raised on January 5, 1777 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army under Colonel Stephen Moylan...
- Armand's LegionArmand's LegionArmand's Legion was formed on June 25, 1778 at Boston, Massachusetts under the command of Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin for service with the Continental Army. The Legion was recruited primarily from foreign volunteers to the American Revolution. It was reorganized and renamed the 1st Partisan Corps...
, Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la RouerieCharles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la RouerieCharles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie , also known in the United States as "Colonel Armand", was a Breton cavalry officer who served under the American flag during the American War of Independence. He was promoted to brigadier general after the Battle of Yorktown...
Artillery
Brigadier General Henry Knox
Henry Knox
Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War....
- 1st Continental Artillery (1 company), Captain Whitehead Coleman
- 2nd Continental Artillery (9 companies), Colonel John LambJohn Lamb (general)John Lamb was an American soldier, politician, and Anti-Federalist organizer.-Career:He was born January 1, 1735 in New York City. He was the son of Anthony Lamb. His father was a convicted burglar who was transported to the colonies in the 1720s...
- 4th Continental Artillery (3 companies), Captains Patrick Duffy, William Ferguson, and James Smith
- Sappers and miners (4 companies)
Infantry
Light Division
Major General Marquis de Lafayette
- 1st Brigade
- Brigadier General Peter MuhlenbergPeter MuhlenbergJohn Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg was an American clergyman, Continental Army soldier during the American Revolutionary War, and political figure in the newly-independent United States...
- Colonel Elijah Vose’s Battalion
- (8 Massachusetts light infantryLight infantryTraditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
companies)
- (8 Massachusetts light infantry
- Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Joseph Gimat de Sourbader’s Battalion
- (5 Connecticut, 2 Massachusetts, and 1 Rhode Island light infantry companies)
- Lieutenant Colonel Francis BarberFrancis Barber (Colonel)Francis Barber was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He served in the Sullivan Expedition and at the Siege of Yorktown with the 3rd New Jersey Regiment. Barber was wounded at the Battle of Monmouth and then again at the Battle of Newton...
’s Battalion- (2 New Hampshire, 2 New Jersey, and Canadian Regiment light infantry companies and 3 New Jersey line companies)
- Colonel Elijah Vose’s Battalion
- 2nd Brigade
- Brigadier General Moses HazenMoses HazenMoses Hazen was a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he saw action in the French and Indian War with Rogers' Rangers. His service included particularly brutal raids during the Expulsion of the Acadians and...
- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander ScammellAlexander ScammellAlexander Scammell 1744 - October 6, 1781) was a Harvard educated attorney and an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
's battalionScammell's 1781 Light Infantry RegimentOn 17 May 1781, General George Washington ordered Colonel Alexander Scammell to form a regiment of picked light infantry. The unit was referred to as Scammell's light infantry, light corps, regiment, or detachment...
- (2 New HampshireNew Hampshire LineThe New Hampshire Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "New Hampshire Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to New Hampshire at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states,...
, 3 MassachusettsMassachusetts LineThe Massachusetts Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Massachusetts Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Massachusetts at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states,...
, and 3 Connecticut light infantry companies)
- (2 New Hampshire
- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander HamiltonAlexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
's Battalion- (2 New York light infantry companies; 2 New York and 2 Connecticut provisional light infantry companies)
- Hazen’s Canadian Regiment2nd Canadian RegimentThe 2nd Canadian Regiment, also known as Congress' Own or Hazen's Regiment, was authorized on January 20, 1776, and raised in the province of Quebec for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen. All or part of the regiment saw action at the Staten Island,...
, Lieutenant Colonel Edward AntillEdward AntillColonel Edward Antill was an American soldier. He was born in Piscataqua, New Jersey and died at Saint-Jean, near Montréal, in Canada...
- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scammell
2nd Division
Major General Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
- 1st Brigade
- Brigadier General James ClintonJames ClintonJames Clinton was an American Revolutionary War soldier who obtained the rank of major general.He was born in Ulster County in the colony of New York, in a location now part of Orange County, New York...
- 1st New York Regiment1st New York RegimentThe 1st New York Regiment was authorized on 25 May 1775 and organized at New York City from 28 June to 4 August, for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Alexander McDougall...
, Colonel Goose Van SchaickGoose Van SchaickColonel Goose Van Schaick was a Continental Army officer during the American Revolutionary War.He was born September 5, 1736, the son of Sybrant Van Schaick, mayor of Albany New York, and Alida Rosebloom. In 1758, he was a captain of a New York regiment that participated in the attack on Fort... - 2nd New York Regiment2nd New York RegimentThe 2nd New York Regiment was authorized on May 25, 1775, and formed at Albany from June 28 to August 4 for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Goose Van Schaick...
, Colonel Philip Van Courtlandt
- 1st New York Regiment
- 2nd Brigade
- Colonel Elias DaytonElias DaytonElias Dayton was the Mayor of Elizabethtown, New Jersey-Biography:He was born in Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey....
- 1st New Jersey Regiment1st New Jersey RegimentThe 1st New Jersey Regiment was the first organized militia regiment in New Jersey, formed in 1673 in Piscataway "to repel foreign Indians who come down from upper Pennsylvania and western New York to our shores and fill with fishes and clams and on the way back make a general nuisance of...
and 2nd New Jersey Regiment2nd New Jersey RegimentThe 2nd New Jersey Regiment was raised, on 9 October 1775, at Trenton, New Jersey, for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel William Maxwell...
, Colonel Matthias OgdenMatthias OgdenMatthias Ogden was born at Elizabeth, New Jersey on October 22, 1754, Fought in the American revolutionary war and served various political positions afterwards.-Family:... - Rhode Island Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Jeremiah OlneyJeremiah OlneyJeremiah Olney formed a company of infantry from Rhode Island at the start of the American Revolutionary War. He rose in rank from captain to colonel in command of a regiment by the war's end. In 1780 he married the governor's daughter, Sarah Cooke. He was the older brother of Stephen Olney who...
- 1st New Jersey Regiment
3rd Division
Major General Baron von Steuben
- 1st Brigade
- Brigadier General Anthony WayneAnthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
- 1st Pennsylvania Battalion, Colonel Walter Stewart
- 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion, Colonel Richard ButlerRichard Butler (general)Richard Butler was an officer in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, who later died fighting American Indians in Ohio.-Early life:...
- 2nd Brigade
- Brigadier General Mordecai GistMordecai GistMordecai Gist was a member of a prominent Maryland family who became a general in command of the Maryland Line in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War....
- 3rd Maryland Regiment3rd Maryland Regiment-Summary:The 3rd Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 of eight companies from Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Talbot, Harford and Somerset counties of the colony of Maryland. The regiment was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army and was assigned on 27...
, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Adams - 4th Maryland Regiment4th Maryland RegimentThe 4th Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 with eight companies from Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Somerset counties in the colony of Maryland. It was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army and assigned to the main on 27 December 1776. It was assigned to...
, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Roxburg - Virginia Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gaskins
- 3rd Maryland Regiment
Virginia Militia
Virginia Militia
The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...
General Thomas Nelson
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Thomas Nelson, Jr. was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from Yorktown, Virginia. He represented Virginia in the Continental Congress and was its Governor in 1781. He is regarded as one of the U.S. Founding Fathers since he signed the Declaration of Independence as a member of the...
- 1st Brigade
- Brigadier General George WeedonGeorge WeedonGeorge Weedon was an American soldier during the Revolutionary War from Fredericksburg, Virginia.He served as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army and later in the Virginia militia....
- 2nd Brigade
- Brigadier General Robert LawsonRobert Lawson (Virginia)Robert Lawson was an officer from Virginia in the American Revolutionary War.In early 1776 Lawson was commissioned a major in the 4th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army. He eventually became the colonel in command of the regiment...
- 3rd Brigade
- Brigadier General Edward StevensEdward Stevens (general)Edward Stevens was an officer in the American Revolutionary War and later a state legislator for Virginia, serving in the Virginia Senate....
- Dabney’s State Legion, Charles Dabney
French Army
The French forces at Yorktown came from two separate sources. The larger force, under the command of Lieutenant General the Comte de Rochambeau, landed at Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
in 1780, and marched overland to join Washington's army outside New York in the summer of 1781. These troops marched with Washington's army from New York to Yorktown. More of the French troops were transported by boat on the Chesapeake than Americans, due to the French fleet commanders' preferences for transporting their own. The second source for French troops was the Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue
Saint-Domingue
The labour for these plantations was provided by an estimated 790,000 African slaves . Between 1764 and 1771, the average annual importation of slaves varied between 10,000-15,000; by 1786 it was about 28,000, and from 1787 onward, the colony received more than 40,000 slaves a year...
, where Admiral de Grasse picked up more than 3,000 troops under the command of Major General the Marquis de St. Simon before departing for North America. The land forces were also supplemented by a number of marines provided by de Grasse in support of the siege.
Commander
Lt. Gen. Comte de Rochambeau, commanding
Artillery
Lt. Col. Comte d'Aboville
- Auxonne Regiment
- Metz Regiment
Infantry
Maj. Gen. Baron de Viomenil's Division
- Brigade Bourbonnois
- Col. Marquis de Laval
- Bourbonnois Regiment
- Royal Deux-Ponts RegimentRoyal Deux-Ponts RegimentThe Régiment Royal Deux-Ponts, was a German-French infantry regiment created under the Ancien Regime in 1757.The regiment was raised on April 1 1757 by the duc de Deux-Ponts in his estates as well as in Alsatian bailiwicks. This family owned the Petite-Pierre county, the bailiwicks of Bischwiller,...
Maj. Gen. Vicomte de Viomenil's Division
- Brigade Soissonois
- Col. Marquis de St. Maime
- Soissonois Regiment (2 battalions)
- Saintonge RegimentSaintonge RegimentThe Saintonge Regiment, also known as the 85e Regiment of the Line, was raised in the year 1684 in the province of Saintonge, France. From 1763 to 1768 the regiment served in the West indies and French Guiana. In 1780 the regiment was sent with Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau...
(2 battalions)
Maj. Gen. Marquis de St. Simon's Division
- Brigade Agenois
- Col. Marquis d'Audechamp
- Agenois RegimentAgenois RegimentThe Régiment d'Agenois was a French infantry regiment created under the Ancien Regime in 1595. It participated in the American War of Independence.-History:...
(2 battalions) - Gatinois RegimentGatinois RegimentThe Gatinois Regiment is a French infantry regiment created under the Ancien Regime in 1606 which also fought in the American War for Independence....
- Agenois Regiment
- Brigade Touraine
- Col. Vicomte de Pondeux
- Touraine RegimentTouraine RegimentFounded in 1625, the Régiment de Touraine was a French infantry regiment raised in the province of Touraine.-Origins:At the end of 1624, the protestant stronghold of La Rochelle sent an expedition and besieged Port Louis in Brittany...
(2 battalions)
- Touraine Regiment
Detachment at Gloucester
Brig. Gen. Marquis de Choisy
Marquis de Choisy
Brig. Gen. Claude Gabriel marquis de Choisy was at the siege of Yorktown in command of Lauzun's Legion and Gen. George Weedon's Virginia militia, at Gloucester, Virginia, under the command of Rochambeau, opposite Banastre Tarleton.-Capture of Cracow:...
- Marines
- Lauzun's LegionLauzun's LegionLauzun's Legion was a French Regiment in the American War for Independence: Lauzun's Legion principal engagements were White Plains 1781, and Yorktown.-Unit History:...
- (2 squadrons of hussars from the compagnie generale and 2 eme Legion, 4 companies of infantry and detachment of gunners, 2 eme Legion)