The War is Won
Chapter 6, Lesson 4
The War is Won
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Comte Rochambeau (July 1780) – French General who arrived at
Newport, Rhode Island with 5,000 soldiers.
 Arrived with ships carrying 5,000 French soldiers but were trapped
by the British ships at Newport.
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Washington (Autumn 1780) – Camped North of New
York City to keep an eye on General Clinton and his British
army.
 Awaited the second French fleet arriving from the West Indies in
order to attack the British, but it did not come for almost a year
later in the summer of 1781.
 He was also aware of the occupation of Yorktown by Cornwallis
and Lafayette and his troops would keep them there.
The War is Won
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Battle of Yorktown (August 1781)
 Admiral François de Grasse French Navy commander headed to
New York with the second French fleet.
 Washington changes his plans and advances to Yorktown instead of
attacking New York City and kept it secret so General Clinton would
not send reinforcements to Cornwallis in York town.
 Rochambeau met with George Washington to assist along with
Lafayette to attack Yorktown.
 British supplies ran low and many were sick or wounded.
 Cornwallis finally surrenders on October 19.
The War is Won
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The Second Treaty of Paris (September 3, 1783)
 Despite controlling Savannah, Charles Town, and New York, the
loss at York Town showed them the war was too costly to pursue.
 Ben Franklin John Adams, and John Jay represented the United
States in Paris during the treaty.
 Britain had also made Peace with France and Spain at this time.
 The United States was now acknowledged by England as an
Independent nation
 The current border for the new nation was from the Atlantic to the
Mississippi and from Canada to Spanish Florida in the south.
 The British had to withdraw all troops.
 Americans could also fish off the coast of Canada.
 British Merchants were allowed to collect debts owed to them by
Americans.
 Congress was also to instruct the country that property taken from
Loyalist was to be returned to them.
The War is Won
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The Newburgh Conspiracy (March 1783)
 Washington kept the troops headquarter at Newburgh, New York
with the intent to disband them once the treaty was signed.
 Soldier’s were angered to here that their pension was nonexistent
along with other pay.
 They began circulating a letter stating if these demands were not
met they should not disband.
 Washington worried this would destroy the new nation.
 Washington advocated for his troops saying they should be paid
and was able to keep them under control under his leadership.
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Washington’s Farewell (December 4, 1783)
 British troops leave New York in November of 1783
 Washington says good bye to his officers at Fraunces’ Tavern.
 Three weeks later he resigns, and retires to his home in Vernon
where he hoped to have a quiet life.