<P> Cornwallis made no attempt to break out and engage the Franco - American army before it had established siege works , expecting that reinforcements would arrive from New York , and the Franco - American army laid siege to Yorktown on September 28 . Cornwallis continued to think that relief was imminent from Clinton , and he abandoned his outer defenses which were immediately occupied by American troops -- serving to hasten his subsequent defeat . The British then failed in an attempt to break out of the siege across the river at Gloucester Point when a storm hit . Cornwallis and his subordinates were under increasing bombardment and facing dwindling supplies ; they agreed that their situation was untenable and negotiated a surrender on October 17 , 1781 , and 7,685 soldiers became prisoners of the Americans . The same day as the surrender , 6,000 troops under Clinton had departed New York , sailing to relieve Yorktown . </P>
<P> Cornwallis made no attempt to break out and engage the Franco - American army before it had established siege works , expecting that reinforcements would arrive from New York , and the Franco - American army laid siege to Yorktown on September 28 . Cornwallis continued to think that relief was imminent from Clinton , and he abandoned his outer defenses which were immediately occupied by American troops -- serving to hasten his subsequent defeat . The British then failed in an attempt to break out of the siege across the river at Gloucester Point when a storm hit . Cornwallis and his subordinates were under increasing bombardment and facing dwindling supplies ; they agreed that their situation was untenable and negotiated a surrender on October 17 , 1781 , and 7,685 soldiers became prisoners of the Americans . The same day as the surrender , 6,000 troops under Clinton had departed New York , sailing to relieve Yorktown . </P>
when did the british army got final defeat against the united state of america
when did the british army got final defeat against the united state of america
October 17 , 1781
October 17 , 1781