Thomas Savage, Content and Training supervisor at the American Revolutionary Museum at Yorktown, gave a presentation on “The End of the American Revolutionary War” at the men’s club luncheon of the Capital Club of Williamsburg.
His presentation focused on events leading up to the siege and eventual surrender at Yorktown, its aftermath, and some of the lesser-known individuals supporting the war effort. Savage described Yorktown as “The seat of war” and the main theater of operation. Many others besides the obvious George Washington and Lafayette played roles at Yorktown.
This included “wagoners” hauling supplies, slaves with knowledge of the area, women and their specific roles, as well as native Americans. Some of these characters are highlighted at the museum. Side note: (“Wagoners are what they seem, not to be confused with Wagoneers, which are Jeeps.”)
Savage talked about events elsewhere in Virgina and the colonies leading up to the selection of Yorktown as a base for Cornwallis. After looking at Portsmouth, Hampton and Gloucester, Yorktown was selected as a base of operations for its access to wider waters and its deep-water port. The French success at sea in bottling up access to the Chesapeake Bay led to the siege and surrender on land.
He showed a map of how 2,500 Americans and 5,000 French moved by march and barge toward Yorktown. Cornwallis was not prepared for a siege and in fact had many of his weapons pointed toward the water instead of inland. Savage showed pictures of some of the weapons used by the Americans during the siege. The eventual capture of Redoubts 9 and 10 put the British in an untenable position leading to surrender.
By 1780, the British had occupied the north side of the York River, covering all of Gloucester and especially Gloucester Point. The Battle of the Hook secured the point for Cornwallis, and eventually it would serve as his last escape hatch — in vain. A providential night storm forced him and his men back from crossing the river.
Henry Clinton, the top commander, preferred Virginia to the Carolinas because there was vast waters to navigate his battleships. At its narrowest, the York River was only 0.7 mile across, so his artillery could reach both sides at the point of the river.
The Battle of the Capes began Sept. 1 and was virtually wrapped up in a little over two hours. Many of the pilots of the ships were Black, and a few won emancipation for their war efforts.
Meanwhile, Washington and Rochambeau began their march from up north on Sept 21 with 2,500 Americans and 5,000 French soldiers. They arrived a week later and stopped off at End View for water supplies.
During the siege, we fired cannons of hard steel balls and howitzers with exploding shells. Large mortars also fired shells. The cannon balls weighed 6, 18 and 24 pounds and could reach 400-800 yards. The British actually outgunned the allies with 244 guns to our 131, but theirs were lightweight off their ships while ours were heavier.
Washington famously fired the first shot of the siege, an 18-pounder that hit a house in Yorktown where the British officers were having dinner. It missed Cornwallis but killed his commissary general and blasted the leg off a lieutenant. Perhaps the luckiest shot of the war, and certainly startling to Cornwallis.
Savage said that during the allies’ surprise attack on Redoubts 9 and 10 some soldiers died of friendly fire because the red coats of the Brits looked blue in the night. But that doesn’t square with the attack, which was by bayonet only. No shots were fired.
At Redoubt 10 after it was all over, Washington issued the very first Honorary Badge of Military Action to a young Black soldier. It is now known as the Purple Heart and was only one of three awarded during the Revolutionary War.
At the surrender, the British supposedly played the tune, “The World Turned Upside Down,” but Savage refuted that, as have others. Cornwallis skipped the surrender, leaving the British to give the surrender sword to Rochambeau. He deferred to Washington, who in turn designated Gen. Benjamin Lincoln to take it.
14,547 rounds pounded Yorktown, about one shot every minute over the eight days and nights, Savage said. By 1823, Virginia finally freed the slaves who fought for us during the siege. DeGrasse left on his Ville de Paris to get back to the Caribbean to avoid the hurricane season.
Afterward, I asked Savage about continued excavations of the Charon off the Gloucester Point coast. “They have since found some ordnance, which they took to Richmond to examine. But they turned out to be live grenades, and they had to call in the bomb squad.”
Savage’s 1781 chronology of the final days at Yorktown include:
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October 14 – The attacks on Redoubts 9 & 10.
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October 16 – Cornwallis failed attempt to escape to Gloucester.
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October 17 – Ceasefire requested by the British.
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October 18 – Articles of surrender signed.
Sailing as Glider
Like sailing, flying a glider is a serene and exhilarating experience. Kate and Nick Meeder of northern Virginia discovered the experience during a 3-hour lesson on the York. Kate took the helm in stiff winds and navigated true by using the wind as Nick observed carefully.
Nick belongs to a 100-member gliding club that flies over the Blue Ridge Mountains. He explained that unlike powered aircraft, gliders rely on air currents and thermals to stay aloft, making each flight a dance with nature.
The cockpit is quiet, offering panoramic views and a sense of peaceful solitude. Pilots must read the sky, adjusting their path to catch rising air and extend their flight.
Launching often involves a tow plane or winch, but once released, the glider soars silently. It’s a test of skill, patience, and intuition. Whether circling in a thermal or gliding over landscapes, the experience is both meditative and thrilling—pure flight in its simplest form.
Sailor Returns
After a month in Europe and several months away from sailing, my G Dock buddy Greg Smith returned to find his engine in disrepair. He had the heat exchange and mixing elbow replaced and finally got back on the York with his wife Claudia.
We passed each other, and just as Harley dudes acknowledge each other with the downlow wave, we took photos of each other out on the water. It’s a tradition.
Women enjoy sailing today more than ever, and particularly a romantic cruise. Couples get to enjoy a romantic getaway as they sit up on the bow for privacy, and Let’s Go Sail provides professional photos for free. First-time or skilled mariners are welcome to sail a modern-32-foot sailboat in a unique setting of wildlife and Fall foliage or Spring bloom. It makes for an extraordinary anniversary idea.
Let’s Go Sail
Check the “Book A Cruise” tab and pick a day for a sailboat charter. Scroll down reviews on Trip Advisor. Go back to the home page of Williamsburg Charter Sails.
The best Williamsburg boat tour offers safe sailing daily for up to 6 people. It’s an extraordinary experience for couples. Leave your worries behind. Enjoy the thrill of moving with the wind without a care in the world. Put life back on an even keel with a romantic experience for a birthday or anniversary. 3-hour sailboat cruise as a semi-private yachting charter lets you exhale and relax as you enjoy comfort, stability and speed.
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