Yorktown Battlefield, Virginia--Part I

The Yorktown Battlefield is part of the Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia. The Battle of Yorktown was a colonists' victory in 1781 over the English forces under the command of Lord Cornwallis, though that victory would have been impossible without French support. Though the war would continue for several years, this battle was the final major engagement and convinced the British to stop trying to subdue the colonies.  The battlefield has a visitor center just outside of town.

Visitor Center

View of where the British Inner Defense lines were (just outside the center)

Inside the center is a recreation of the surrender march made by Lord Cornwallis's troops. The small diorama is made from broken items from the store, a good way to recycle.

Surrender march

Our children had the chance to become park rangers. My daughter was the only one to take on that duty at Yorktown.

Dark glasses means a tough ranger

We remembered to bring our National Parks Passport and my daughter dutifully got a stamp for the battlefield.

Stamping the passport

The Lafayette Cannon is actually a British cannon that was dented by an allied cannonball. It's said that Lafayette came back to America in 1824 and identified the cannon as one used during the battle. He became all emotional and hugged the cannon! That's how a British cannon was named after a French general.

Lafayette Cannon

The museum has a model of the battlefield that has lights and a voiceover describing the main events of the battle. The Americans and French set up an outer siege line and bombarded the town. The French fleet cut off the river entrance so the British were not resupplied. The allies moved their lines forward after capturing two redoubts on the British left flank. The second line was so close that the cannons were practically firing at point blank range. British commander Lord Cornwallis wanted to evacuate his army across the river. On the night they would flee, a storm came up and prevented the escape. He eventually surrendered to General Washington. He sent his second in command with his sword to surrender officially. Washington was annoyed by this and made the British second in command turn over the sword to his second in command!

Battlefield in miniature

In tribute to the importance of the French fleet blockading the Chesapeake Bay (and thereby the York River), the museum has a recreated boat inside the museum!

A ship far from shore ,in a bad way

The lower deck of the ship simulates the layout and conditions of a naval ship from the 1700s.

Wooden bunk and table

Mirrors made the place look bigger

Canvas hammock over a cannon!

Upstairs (or "on deck" if you like) are exhibits about the battle. The story of the siege is told with dioramas and displays. First we saw a display of French and American uniforms.

The allies wore blue

The first shot by the Americans was lit by General George Washington on October 9, 1781. The eighteen-pounder smashed into a dinner party where one British officer was killed and two others wounded.

Washington takes the first shot

One diorama shows the Americans attacking Redoubt #10. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton (of musical fame) led a band of Americans with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets in the assault of the redoubt on the night of October 14, 1781. At the same time, Comte Guillaume de Deux-Ponts led a French assault on Redoubt #9. Both attacks were successful and hastened the end of the siege.

Americans storm Redoubt #10

An interactive display explained what the different drum beats or "calls" meant. Soldiers heard a distinctive rhythm and knew whether to advance or retreat or follow some other order.

Don't ask for whom the drum calls, it calls for thee!

Another diorama shows the British surrender on October 19. The British marched out of town and surrendered in a field not far away. They gave up their flags, weapons, and musical instruments!

British marching not to victory

Another display shows items found in and around Redoubt #10.

Archeological finds!

Outside the boat are a few other exhibits. One shows a field table that Cornwallis used. The table comes apart easily and can be used in large tents as a desk or a dining table.

Cornwallis table

A large tent recreates George Washington's mobile headquarters. In addition to work desks and supplies, the tent included a dining set for meals.

Inside mobile HQ

Food service

The Chamber Tent was a smaller tent used by Washington as his private quarters. It was set up inside a larger sleeping marquee. One of Washington's descendants cut pieces from the walls of the tent to give away as souvenirs.

Chamber Tent

Next, we went out to the actual battlefield, the subject of our next post!