The final major battle of the American Revolution was the Battle of Yorktown, which ended with the British surrender on October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia. This engagement effectively marked the conclusion of major military operations in North America and led directly to negotiations for peace and eventual American independence.

Battle of Yorktown

• The Battle of Yorktown was a decisive siege in which American and French forces surrounded and trapped the British army under General Charles Cornwallis.

• The collaboration with French troops and naval forces was crucial to the victory, with joint bombardments breaking British defenses and forcing their surrender.

• Following the capitulation at Yorktown, the British government began to move toward peace negotiations, culminating in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which formally ended the Revolutionary War.

Other Perspectives

• While Yorktown is widely recognized as the final major North American battle, some historians note that a later engagement between British and French forces related to the Revolutionary War occurred in Cuddalore, India, in June 1783. However, this battle did not change the outcome of the war or the independence of the United States.

In summary, the Battle of Yorktown is considered the final and decisive land battle of the American Revolution that secured American independence.