answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Cornwallis feared his army would be totally annihilated by the French and Americans who threatened to bomb Yorktown. Cornwallis was so humiliated to surrender, he stated he was sick and sent a second-in-command officer to surrender Cornwallis sword.

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

Cornwallis took his army to Yorktown (a Virginia port city) to meet British ships bringing supplies and reinforcements, planning to attack colonial armies in Virginia. But the French Navy prevented the British ships from entering Chesapeake Bay and the York River, trapping most of the British army. Cornwallis was vastly outnumbered by the colonial forces under George Washington (about 19,000 troops compared to his 7000), which began a three-week siege. When his defenses began to crumble under the colonial assaults, he surrendered on October 19, 1781.

This is usually marked as the end of major hostilities in the Revolutionary War although the peace treaty was not signed until 1783 in Paris.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

Gen. Lord Cornwallis originally went to Yorktown, Virginia to build a defensible port to combat American revolutionists. There, he was met by French and American armies who were united in order to take back the area.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

Near the end of the American Revolutionary War, Lord Cornwallis and his large British army became trapped at Yorktown due to two complementary factors. First was the defeat of the British naval support-force in the waters off Yorktown by a French fleet. Second was the superior force of American and French troops which outduelled Cornwallis' force and finally surrounded it, thereby ensuring its surrender.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

Because the Comte De Grasse's French Fleet managed to defeat the British Fleet at the Battle of Chesapeake Capes on September 5, 1781, thus making Cornwallis completely isolated in Yorktown and Gloucester, without any hope to receive supplies and reinforcements..

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

6y ago

Cornwallis was cut off at sea and outnumbered on land.
he surrendered at yorktown because he was surrounded and was running out of supplies.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

the events that forced Cornwallis to surrender Yorktown is by killing 3000 british soldiers. Also, they told the british to never come back to Yorktown.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

He's leading the british army in the famous ending battle" the battle of Yorktown" against the colonists, and the colonists won.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

I believe he surrendered at yorktown because he feared consequences. Plus I think he surrendered to George Washington.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why did Cornwallis go to Yorktown?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp