Yorktown Battlefield, Virginia--Part II

A continuation of yesterpost...

We went outside and did a driving tour of the Yorktown battlefield. Our first stop was the British Inner Defense Line, just outside the parking area for the visitor center.

Earthenworks created by the British to defend Yorktown

Further out is the Grand French Battery, part of the initial lines surrounding Yorktown.

French part of the battlefield

A bridge into the French area

Some of the guns are still outdoors. Field guns had a lower trajectory and were used to smash through enemy earthworks. During a battle, they could be loaded with grapeshot and fired at troops. Mortars shot explosive shells at high angles. The intent was to drop the bomb behind enemy fortifications for maximal damage. Howitzers fired lower velocity bombs at medium or high angles. The bombs would often bounce on the ground and go just over the earthworks to hit the troops just behind the defenses.

Mortar, howitzer, and field gun

Looking down the barrel!

View to Yorktown (not very visible, even in good weather)

Map of the battlefield

Next, we drove to where Redoubts #9 and #10 were located. The spots still have fortifications, though the #10 is so close to the river that it is fenced off. It does have a nice plaque commemorating the daring night attack on the redoubt by Alexander Hamilton and the Americans, armed with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets.

By the English defenses

Americans storm Redoubt #10!

Redoubt #10

Plaque in the sidewalk

Closeup of the redoubt

Nearby is the Moore House, where representatives from both sides met to work out the surrender agreement. They negotiated terms of surrender which Washington altered slightly. The British wanted war honors, where they could march out with their battalion's flags unfurled and playing American songs in honor of the enemy's victory. Such honors were not accorded to the Americans at the siege of Charlestown, South Carolina. Washington wrote, "The same honors will be granted to the surrendering army as granted to the garrison of Charlestown." What goes around, comes around.

The farm was owned by Augustine Moore, who probably fled to Richmond with his family during the siege. The house changed hands a few times. During the American Civil War, the house (with its nice view of the York River) sustained considerable damage from shell fire and from soldiers in need of some wood for fires. The house was restored in 1881 for the centennial anniversary of the Yorktown battle.

Moore House with outer buildings

The Well

The front of the house

The privy and icehouse?

Back of the house

We didn't go to the surrender field or on the encampment tour (both driving). The kids were getting a little bored and (more importantly) hungry. Maybe next time!