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Fun fact: Charles O'Hara, the british officer that surrendered Cornwallis's sword to Washington, had to surrender his own sword a few years later to a young french artillery officer named Napoleon Bonaparte during the siege of Toulon in 1793. That guy sure met a lot of game changing leaders in his time...

My ancestors lived on a farm 3 miles from Guilford Courthouse. The son , Fredrich, had recently returned from serving under Washington in the north at the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. When his father heard the news of Cornwallis in the area threatening to burn all farms in the area to the ground, he grabbed his musket. Father and son fought side by side at Guilford Courthouse in the North Carolina Militia for Guilford county and survived. My family proudly flies the Guilford battle flag next to the United States flags at our homes. Thank you for your coverage of this war. You nailed it as always 🔥🔥

The Writer Here: The battlefields mentioned in this video are all preserved as part of the National Park System and I'd recommend the trip. Yorktown National Battlefield has many buildings from the battle still standing, complete with cannonballs still embedded in their walls. Some additional stories and clarifications: 1) The Great Hurricane killed at least 22,000 people across the Caribbean. The next deadliest Atlantic hurricane was Mitch in 1995 with over 11,000. The 1780 hurricane season killed at least 28,000 in total and hit the British colonies particularly hard. 2) Pensacola fell to the Spanish on May 10, 1781. 3) It is difficult to describe the blow Arnold's defection dealt to American morale. Washington tasked the Culper Ring with killing him in New York, and they barely missed. The American sentiment, attributed to many different people, was that if they ever caught Arnold, they'd cut off his left leg, where he'd been wounded three times, and give it a military burial with full honors. The rest of him would be hanged and thrown in a ditch. The only monument about Arnold in the Americas is actually dedicated to that leg, the Boot Monument at Saratoga. 4) *Venting* There are many theories about how the town of Ninety Six got its name. The fact that it is so named frustrated me to no end because it makes you mentally pump the brakes when reading the name. Ninety Six...what's? Why is there 96 nothings...OH WAIT, that's the town's name. Ruins the research flow. */venting* 5) The Virginia militia present at Cowpens were all former Continental regulars who'd completed their enlistments. 6) Morgan retired after Cowpens for his health. According to several accounts, he was in such severe pain from old injuries and ailments that he could barely ride his horse or walk. 7) Sources say that Cornwallis was very dramatic about burning his tent. He was making a statement to the soldiers, which lessened the sting they felt when he burned their rum ration. 8) Pyle's Loyalists were the architects of their own massacre. They'd been told to move to meet Tarleton on the 23rd but had delayed their march for more time with their families. When they weren't at the designated rendezvous point, Tarleton returned to Cornwallis per his orders. Thus, Lee was mistaken by the Loyalists for Tarleton and was allowed into their camp before he turned on them. 9) Greene's counterattack relied more on British supply problems than any strategic or tactical brilliance. The British had to withdraw from every position Greene attacked, even if they repelled him because they wouldn't be able to keep it supplied or replace their losses. 10) Clinton's inaction during the campaign is largely due to him having a fragmented at best understanding of what was happening, and Germain is directly responsible for this communication breakdown. He was deliberately keeping Clinton in the dark about Cornwallis' campaign, and there's evidence that it was for petty political reasons. That Clinton and Cornwallis' formerly excellent working relationship had broken down during 1780 didn't help. Culper Ring deceptions made it worse. 11) The French had landed at Newport to resupply for an attack on Newfoundland that never happened due to a British blockade. 12) *A complaint:* It is very hard to meaningfully convey the length of 18th century naval battles. It was routine for fleets to form into lines and pound away at each other for hours without doing real damage, only for some random thing to happen which decisively wins the battle like the wind shifting or a magazine exploding. At the Chesapeake, it took 6 hours for the two fleets to move close enough to engage each other before 4 hours of cannon fire produced a total of 500 casualties and 7 ships out of 43 with meaningful damage. 13) Alexander Hamilton led the American forces storming Redoubt #10. This is the only mention I'm making of him in this series. 14) As was customary, following the British surrender the French and American officers invited the British officers to dinner. Except for Tarleton. He _pointedly_ wasn't invited.

I have always loved the quote from Nathaniel Greene. "We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again." That is the 18th century version of Captain America's "I can do this all day." One interesting local history story about the "Race to the Dan" between Greene and Cornwallis. When Greene reached Salisbury, NC he entered a tavern to plan out his armies next movements. He happened to see a portrait of King George III hanging on the wall. He went over and turned the portrait to face the wall and on the back he wrote "Oh George, hide thy face and mourn." This story is probably apocryphal because for those that don't know Salisbury, NC is located in Rowan County. During the Revolution, Rowan County was a hotbed of Patriot support. No one would willingly hang a portrait of the King in the open and expect to not be attacked, especially in a public place like a tavern.

The Battle of Cowpens was a brilliant achievement. Daniel Morgan’s plan was one of the best tactical victories of the War. I only wish I could have been a fly on the Walk when Tarleton explained the depth of his defeat to Cornwallis.

Fun Fact: During the Battle of the Chesapeake Bay the French Warships intentionally fired Chain Shot to destroy British Masts so that the British would take longer to return. Which really aided in the taking of Cornwallis at Yorktown.

There's nothing like a good sleep after a history binge.

Battle of Yorktown. It looks like the American Revolution series is over. Thanks K&G. Soon I going to start making animations on after effects. Your maps are so inspiring.

I probably know more about American history than at least 99% of people, but I still get a little tidbits here and there that I’ve never heard before from these videos and I really appreciate it.

My direct ancestor was Colonel Andrew Hampton and was at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Apparently, he helped muster the "Over the Mountain Men" by journeying west from his home in Rutherfordton, NC. At the time, he was already a bit older, having achieved rank of Colonel and having fought the Cherokee as a younger man. Later he became Sheriff. Man, they don't make them as tough as they used to. History is so freakin' rad......

I spent a summer giving tours of the Moore House at the Yorktown Battlefield. When I had no tourists, I'd read a book from a rocking chair on the porch overlooking the York River. It was a wonderful summer. 😊

2:10 Divine wind: Western edition?

This series has been fantastic. You should consider covering the campaign of Bernardo de Galvez in its own video. People underestimate the crucial role Spanish Louisiana played in breaking the British.

I would really enjoy a series surrounding general Ulysses Grant’s Chattanooga campaign during the American civil war as there are almost no documentaries on this pivotal moment in that conflict

I had just watched the last episode of the series only a few hours ago and waited for the next episode to release in a few days,But now that you uploaded it today,you made my day

Amazing! I’ve been to Fort Mill countless time and this is the first time I’ve heard of this event in such great detail! Thank you very much!

Your video is a breath of fresh air in a sea of content. Thank you for your originality!

I have really enjoyed your series on the American Revolution, very informative. Keep up the good work.

Cool. Looking forward to this.

excellent as always

An excellent video on the battle of Yorktown. Thank you very much

Excellent presentation. Thank you

Thanks for the video

love this channel

Was very interesting to watch this documentary. looking forward to the sequel.

Fantastic video.

Hurray, Tadeusz Kościuszko mentioned yet again! (12:40) Fun fact about an episode skiped in the video, due to more important things happening elsewhere: during the unsuccessful siege of Ninety Six by Nathaniel Greene (May - June, 1781) Kościuszko receved a bayonet wound. This shows that that the job of a military engineer was closer to the actual fighting, than one might think. Although, it sounds slightly less dramatic and heroic, once you learn that Tadeusz was bayoneted in his buttock. 😉

Such good work i love revolutionary war history its one of my favorites.

I have just visited the battlefields of Yorktown last week, pretty interesting to see for sure!

No way you posted this one while I’m at the coast guard training center that’s literally on the Yorktown battlefields. Gonna take a nice hike tomorrow thinking about all this

Amazing K&G

A great series I believe would be one on the Golden Age of Piracy. There was a series on STARZ called Black Sails and although it is historical fiction it introduces a great number of important historical figures throughout the show, much like Shogun did. I feel this would be a great addition to the K&G library and a very interesting topic to many viewers. Both from the military aspect of course but also economic history and political history due to the proto democratic nature of the organizational structure of pirate crews

Great video

It makes me so happy as an American to hear Tarlton spending the first 1/3 of the video just getting roasted. That dude was the original fuck boi

11:00 “In fairness to Tarleton…” Tarleton was less victorious than he claimed or perhaps believed (possibly in youth and inexperience lacking discernment in battle results). Blackstock’s Plantation, months before Cowpens, for example was not at all a clear victory for Tarleton, but he claimed it to distant and none the wiser Cornwallis as one. What that earlier battle did do was reveal to the Continentals Tarleton’s tactical monomania. Thus Morgan at Cowpens knew what to expect.

Thank you.

" I may have no honor, but you is a slave to it" - Jin Sakai. Funny how this quote fit this situation more than it fit the game 😂

A Fantastic vídeo.

Awesome

Thank you for this. Not sure it's the right niche but I strongly recommend Schwerpunkt's series on the early US army and 18th-19th century content in general. Keep up with the amazing work

Incredible.

Crazy how a great part of modern history is just the direct consequence of the Franco-British rivalry…

As a Brit, I really enjoy these videos. Great work

This is quality content. At least, it's not The Patriot.

Incroyable!

Fun fact: Yorktown is sometimes referred to as "the German battle" because Germans made up a significant portion of all three armies. There were about 2,500 Hessian troops with the British Army, 2,500 Germans in French Army regiments, and about 3,000 Germans in Washington's army.

Good introduction of world events otherwise not part of the American history. Totally unaware of Barbados hurricane and South Asian skirmishes. Nice work K&G!

K&G should do a video on the Spanish American War.

I wish you did a separate video for both Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse. Those two battles are the reason that Yorktown even happened. Without the devastating loss of Cowpens and the Pyrrhic Victory at Guilford made Cornwallis realize that he had to deal with Virginia because it was the major supply for the Americans. Greene and Morgan were geniuses in using a defense in depth that just wore down the British.

I love you Daniel Morgan. Cowpens is such a masterpiece.

yyyyuuuuusssss. Ty for the content.

hi man why you didn't uploaded wih english subtitles please upload next videos with subtitles thanks good videos best channel for historical videos

just a FYI: your map of virginia is wrong. you have williamsburg where gloucester is and yorktown is a little off as well. i suspect the others are a little off as well.

Crazy to think there were more French soldiers ( not even countign the fleet) than americans at Yorktown. Also not many countries get to claim victory over the Royal Navy but France does.

How we are spoiled about american 18th century wars. First epic history published a stpry about 1790's wars and now Kings and Generals offers us Yorktown. History channels are a blessing.

Please do a Civil War series after this!

Nice nice!

12:44 I just watched the polish partition video so when I heard that name I did the Leonardo DiCaprio point at screen thing

12:53 Bro 40 miles in 16 hours is crazy!

The War of American Independence encapsulates the dramatic and transformative struggle of the Thirteen Colonies against British rule. This historical journey, vividly chronicled in the series, unveils the pivotal moments that defined the conflict. From the initial skirmishes at Lexington and Concord to the strategic brilliance at Saratoga, each battle reveals the resilience and determination of the Continental Army. The entry of France and Spain into the war marked a critical turning point, underscoring the global dimensions of the conflict. The eventual British capitulation at Yorktown epitomizes the indomitable spirit of the revolutionaries, paving the way for a new nation built on the principles of liberty and self-governance. This rich history not only highlights the military aspects but also serves as a testament to the enduring human spirit in the pursuit of freedom.

@KingsandGenerals , great video as always. However, I must point out a major historically inaccurate geographical error. The large lake in central South Carolina, depicted here to the left of Camden, didn't exist during this time period. That Lake is called Lake Murray, and is one of the largest man made lakes in the world, which wasn't created until construction for the dam began in 1927, and only being completed until 1930. Love the video though!

As a proud American citizen and a huge K&G fan, nothing makes me happier than to hear about how we "ate the opp", for lack of my own better words Killer as always you guys. Not to expect any less 😎

what game is used for some of the b-roll clips?

Given how the surrender at Yorktown is seen as such a large event, it seems odd that the war goes on for almost another 2 years. It is understandable given the lag time of diplomats deciding terms and travelling by tall ships. It will be interesting to see the transition from open warfare to negotiated peace.

Please cover lesser known American history such as: The Barbary Pirate Wars (1806, 1812-1815) Geromino's Insurrection (1858-1872) Nez Perce War (1877) George Custer's Black Hills Campaign (1876) America's Anti-Insurgency Campaigns in the Philippines (1898-1911) Mexican-American war (1848) Spanish-American war (1898) Andrew Jackson's Rogue War for the Conquest of Florida (1818)

Fantastic video! But I was hoping for more in depth on the Battle of Yorktown itself. I'm very curious why Cornwallis seemed to put almost ZERO effort into defending his redoubts. It would be crucial to delaying the siege guns being in range, and he only had one or two companies in each. And they were snuck up on in the night! What the heck was going on?

The maps of Tidewater including Cape Henry, and Yorktown are not bad. Some emphasis might be made on the hilly nature of the terrain around Yorktown. Cornwallis' camp was up on a bluff high over the river. From the battlefield museum there is an old oyster road running down to the water. There is very little open or flat ground right around there which is a reason the American and French armies could camp so close to the fighting. That field was shielded by trees and became the surrender field I think. There is a memorial there with a button you can push for narration and it plays presumably The World Turned Upside Down. Which I have never heard referred to as apocryphal before, but I couldn't tell you the earliest source. As famous here is the tale of the frustrated British soldier who broke his musket in half upon surrendering it, and who knows about that one as well. A lot of muskets would break, we still find them metal detecting. Well the band had to play something and I doubt it was God Save The King.

I grew up around Yorktown, spent a lot of time there.

North Carolina mentioned!! We're important for stuff!

Funny how I was cruising by Washington's headquarters on the way to Yorktown beach. It's a pretty ride.

Thanks!

Tarleton: “Attack!” His dragoons: “Fuck this shit, I’m out!” 🏃‍♂️ 💨

When I think of the Battle of Yorktown I now think of the scene from “The Patriot”.

cool

I’ve lived behind this battlefield for the past 3 years, it used to be old free slave family homes until 1930’s when the CCC began to take care of our nations history. Many of these family’s had to move due to this and the siege trenches were rebuilt. It’s a neat part of our history:)

Did the cannons fly 100 feet alone or did the deck they were on flip like a sail and throw them?

Holy shit, your the first person I’ve seen call my city of mobile by the right name!

I've been to cowpems battlefield, it's sobering standing on the ground this happened at

When Lord North heard of Yorktown he purportedly said, “It’s all over”…..meaning the Revolutionary War. It didn’t as small scale fighting continued but there were no large scale fighting.

Dang, K&G sets up to release the final video on July 4th aren't they?

*fucks up and starts withdrawing* morgan-“ah yes! Excellent feigned retreat! Well done sah”

I"ve been here!!

The wider map at 20:33 is incorrect because Pensacola had fallen on May 10, 1781 completing the conquest of West Florida and taking the last British base on the Gulf coast.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO MULTIPLE BATTLES IN ONE VIDEO ON STEPHEN THE GREAT!!!!!!11

Is that civ 5 ost in the intro?

Light Horse Harry Lees (who was Robert W. Lee's father ) trrops had green iniforms like Tarletons. Lee had his troops surround the loyalists as they entered his camp as a ruse of respect and commeced to saber them.

Can you do a video on why Benedict Arnold was labeled a trader And what they said took place during that time period.

The story of Lee walking into a loyalist camp is pretty good. Lee intended to just keep walking but a militiaman decided to hack a dude’s head in half and that set off a massacre.

Yorktown would never have happened without Spain behind the scenes! Spain had a huge role in the military planning of Yorktown which is why the Spanish Ambassador was invited to the Yorktown victory celebration in October of last year 2023! So what if Spanish forces weren't there? Spain was still fully involved thanks to Francisco Saavedra! The Man of the Hour!

And the world turned upside down.

Fun Fact: Joseph Plum Martin (Whose War Diary has given all of us insight into the Continental Army) helped to lead the attack on the Redoubts that eventually forced Cornwallis into surrender. Without them the British were done.

Hey you forgot to mention the airports being captured.

It's like the 7 Years War continued.

Fun fact, after the surrander at Yorktown it was a tradition back then to invite the enemy generals for dinner. Washington presumely did that, but just one British was not invited... yeah Tarleton 😂

Drink anytime Devin says “Meanwhile”.

Cornwallis's "indiscriminately plundering farms to feed his army" is mythology. The surviving British orderly books from the campaigns in NC illustrate that plundering and burning of any property was to be met with execution. He repeatedly reminded his troops that they were marching through the homes of British subjects and that if they acted like the Rebel Militia, they would turn the population against them. Rather than plundering, they paid for all of the cattle, hogs, wheat, and other supplies, either with hard currency, or with promissory notes guaranteeing repayment.

I was born and raised in this area. I am very proud of it (the dot of Jamestown is wrong, it should be on the peninsula). Though it seems due to England's empire being so spread apart, and with our aid from the French and Prussians, we got lucky. And again in the War of 1812 with England being occupied with Napoleon. But we're all cool now, right?

Good series,K&G : Viewing as a Brit,the breakdown of communications between Cornwallis and Clinton at this crucial period was totally negligent and court-martial worthy ! 😐 P.S. 50/50 on the contributions of military adventurers such as Tarleton and Burgoyne,their exploits would have been fine,for previous 'old-style' conflicts like the 100 Hundred Years Wars or the 30 Years War; but the newer large army warfare of the 18th-19th century meant properly trained officers,being more competent and reactive to battlefield manoeuvres.

This series really drives home the fact that America would not of eventually won it's war of independence if it were not for a mixture of good luck and Britain being surrounded by enemies on all sides. With France and Spain looking to dismantle the Empire mixed with natural disasters and rebellions across the colonies it's actually amazing Britain held out as long as it did considering the sheer cost of man power needed and the logistics of maintaining so many battlefronts supplied. It also occurred to me how different history would of been if Britain and France were instead united in a east/west Rome like partnership that did not falter, this way both sides had leadership that would of been placated with their level of authority and the two sides would of taken equal measure of the various conquests. Whats more the removal of their rivalry would not of opened any opportunities for colonies to splinter away and in fact any notion of friction could of been a tool to lure out rebels to then be attacked by combined might. The end goal could of easily been a world dominated by the Britain/France alliance and then test would then occur once this was done as the leadership (leaders are mostly are petty selfish bunch) as the two sides would then be free to look to see which side takes the greater influence over the other side and it would then all fall apart and burn or by this point the ability to resolve the conflict via a vote of the world wide elite could of saw the two sides be formally united and a single leader rise up. But of course that was not how it played out and the reality is Britain got too big and found itself at odds with too many enemies to be able to hold out against every opportunistic rebellion.