The Yorktown Campaign

BGES’ Revolutionary War in Detail

July 17-21, 2012

Bert Dunkerly and Len Riedel from Newport News, Virginia

You don’t seriously think we are going to spend 3 days at Yorktown do you?

Many people don’t understand why the theater of war has shifted from North Carolina and Upstate New York to the Virginia Peninsula in the fall of 1781. This program covers sites related to Benedict Arnold’s first assignment as a British General and his raid into the interior of Virginia in January 1781 and then Cornwallis’ move against Lafayette near Richmond. Lafayette moves to Ely’s Ford to await reinforcements while Cornwallis advances to the North Anna River and dispatches Ban Tarleton to catch Governor Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. Virginia school children know the story of Captain John Jouett, who warns Jefferson. Lafayette challenges Cornwallis from the vicinity of Raccoon Ford and both forces retreat to the Peninsula. Following a spanking at Green Spring, Lafayette retreats to Malvern Hill and Cornwallis goes to Suffolk.

The tour transitions to Yorktown with the battle of the Capes in September and the final entrapment of Cornwallis at Yorktown and Gloucester Point.

Limited to 20 people.

The detailed itinerary is here: The Yorktown Campaign, Itinerary

The dates for this program have passed. See our schedule of upcoming Civil War Tours.