Hamilton’s Attack at Yorktown, Essay Example

Alexander Hamilton (Jan 11, 1757-July 12, 1804) was first Secretary of the Treasury, economist, a founding father and political philosopher of the United States. During the American Revolution, he was the chief of staff to General George Washington. He was a nationalist forces leader calling for new constitution. He was also one of the America’s first lawyers of the constitution. He wrote more than half of the Federalist papers which were primary source for the constitution. He was most influential member of Washington’s cabinet and also the financial expert (Anderson 12).

Hamilton had attended King’s college which is now known as Columbia University in New York. In year 1775, after the American troop’s first engagement in Boston with the British, Hamilton joined Heart of Oak, a volunteer militia company of New York which also included some other students from King’s College. He used to drill with the company before the classes at the graveyard near the St. Paul’s Chapel. He studied the military history and his own tactics, and he was able to achieve the rank of a lieutenant. He successfully led a raid for the British cannon in Battery as he was under fire from HMS Asia. This capture resulted to Heart of Oak later becoming an artillery company (Anderson 13).

Hamilton through the influence of New York patriots like the John Jay and Alexander McDougall raised New York Provincial Company of the Artillery of sixty men in year 1776 and he was elected as captain (Anderson 13).

March to the Yorktown begun on August 19, 1781. This was led by General Washington and Comte de Rochambeau. Around 3000 American and 4000 French soldiers began this march. On 26 September, transports with artillery, the siege tools and shock troops from the Head of Elk with 7800 Frenchmen, 8000 Continentals and 3100 Militia arrived. On September 28, army surrounded the Yorktown with the French taking position on left while Americans taking positions on right.

On September 29, the army was moved by the Washington closer to the Yorktown and the British armies opened fire on infantry. British cannon fired on Americans the whole day. There was exchange of fire from the American riflemen and Jaegers. On September 30, the British Fusiliers redoubt was attacked by French. This stayed for around two hours (Davis 23).

On October 6 night fall, the troops dug the trench which was to be 1800m long, running from head of Yorktown to river York. The French commanded half of the trench while the Americans commanded the other half. On October 7, British out of the musket range saw the allied trench. After two days the allies had completely placed the guns and dragged the weaponry into line. This weakened the British fire when they saw the number of guns that the allied had placed. On October 9, all American and the French guns were in place. The Americans opened fire at 5.00 pm. Washington fired his first gun which smashed the table where the British officers were taking their meals. This started tearing apart the defenses of the British. Washington ordered that the guns to be fired all night so that British will not be able to repair anything. The British guns were silenced and the British soldiers begun to leave in large numbers. Some British ships were destroyed by cannon balls that flew across town into the harbor (Davis 23).

The Americans saw a large house in the Yorktown on October 10. They aimed and destroyed it as they believed that Cornwallis was there. Washington ordered Americans to dig a second parallel on October 11 nights. It was 370 m closer to British lines; this could not have been extended to river as two British redoubts were on the way. They were redoubts 9 and 10 (Davis 23).

By October 14, trenches were within 140 m of both redoubts 9 and 10. There was an order from Washington that all guns that were within the range to start the blasting of the redoubts so as to weaken them. Redoubt 10 was near a river and had 70 men while the redoubt 9 was quarter mile inland with 120 Germans and British. The two redoubts were heavily fortified being surrounded with the rows of abates surrounding them; the muddy ditches were also surrounding them at a 25 yard distance. A plan was devised by Washington in which the French would attack Fusiliers redoubt and a half an hour later, French would assault the redoubt 9 and the Americans would assault redoubt 10  (Davis 23).

The redoubt 10 would be assaulted by Americans 400 light infantry troops under the command of Alexander Hamilton. There was dispute on who was to lead attack on redoubt 10; Chevalier de Gimat a Lafayette aide was named. This made Hamilton to protest and he said he was a senior officer. Washington agreed with him and he was given the command of attack commanding three light infantry battalions.  At 6.30 p.m., there was diversionary attack on Fusiliers redoubt. There were preparations on other lines to attack the Yorktown itself. This made the British to panic (Hibbert 13).

The Americans led by Hamilton moved towards the redoubt 10. Hamilton sent John Laurens to redoubt rear so as to prevent the British from escaping away. When Americans reached the bayonet, they chopped British wooden defenses with the axes. This made the British to call a challenge and they fired at Americans. Americans were able to force their way to redoubt, they fell into giant shell holes due to bombardment from redoubts. Although the fire from British was heavy, the Americans were able to defeat them (Hibbert 15). The British threw several hand grenades at Americans with little effect when they heard someone shout “Rush on boys! This fort is ours!”

The bayonet fight moved the British out of the redoubt and whole garrison was nearly captured including redoubt Major Campbell who was commander. In assault, a total of 9 Americans died with 25 being wounded. The French fought with Germans who threw their arms down and surrendered. At one point, both the French and American troops engaged themselves in a friendly competition in seeing who would have done extra damage to the defenses of the enemy. On Yorktown, fire intensified from the allies as the new artillery pieces did join the line. The British officers talked about it and find that the situation was hopeless (Hibbert 15).

On October 17, a drummer who was followed by officer waving handkerchief (white) as a sign of surrender by the British appeared. On October 19, in 1781, the British men or Cornwallis’ men were declared war prisoners as allied army entered the position of British with Americans on the right and French on left. The Hessian and British troops marched between the two with the British fifers and drummers playing “The tune Turned Upside Down” tune. Around 8000 British troops, 214 artillery pieces, 24 transport ships, horses and wagons were captured. The British solders marched out as they laid down their arms between the French and the American armies with civilians watching. This ended the British military operations in the North America. The French also took the Redoubt 9 while Hamilton with his Battalions took Redoubt 10 (Hibbert 15).

Works Cited

Anderson, Dale k. The Battle of Yorktown. UK: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004.

Davis, Burke P. The Campaign that Won America. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.

Hibbert, Christopher G. Redcoats and Rebels. London: Norton & Company Paperbacks, 2002.