The Surrender at Yorktown
In 1781, after six years of war, the Americans were struggling. In the south, British General Cornwallis captured most of the south, but then headed towards Chesapeake Bay. In New Jersey and New York, mutiny affected the Americans heavily. The Americans and French created a plan to trap Cornwallis in the south. Many infantry marched down from the north, while French navy comes from the south by sea. More French navy comes from the north, also by sea. General Cornwallis was being bombarded by many American troops. He could not escape by sea, however, because the French navy was blocking their way off. The British general could not escape from the soldier's and he could not fight back, because there were to many opposing troops. General Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, five days after the American and French forces attacked the peninsula. A treaty was signed in Paris in September, 1783, stating that the American colonies had independence.