Charles Cornwallis was defeated at Yorktown, a battle that took place during the American Civil War, because his troops were tired and sick from smallpox. Cornwallis was concentrating his fortification efforts on Yorktown, but forgot about the outer defenses. This gave Washington and Rochambeau opportunity to completely surround Cornwallis.
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The regulars and militia of the Continental Army corned him at Yorktown because the French had arrived just in time to block Cornwallis off by their fleet in the sea.
The location of Yorktown is why it was a good place for Cornwallis to establish fortifications. The Siege of Yorktown took place in 1781.
Yorktown, in 1781, in Virginia
In Yorktown, Virginia
Cornwallis did, assuming that's the battle your talking about. Nathaniel Greene sent Cornwallis on a chase, because he just kept retreating deeper and deeper into the colonies. Cornwallis was called back, and he ended up in Yorktown, thinking that this was a wise move because he had the coast to his back, and therefore he could only be attacked on one side. But instead he ended up being surrounded by the French Navy and the continental army. Not such a good idea after all.
The admiral that helped trap General Lord Cornwallis at the Siege of Yorktown was Comte (or admiral) de Grasse.