1781 Yorktown Before the Siege
September 13 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
1781 Yorktown Before the Siege
Saturday, September 12 & Sunday, September 13
See locations in Yorktown below
Experience the historical village of Yorktown as it might have appeared in September of 1781, under the occupation of His Majesty’s forces commanded by Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis.
Witness as the British dig in and fortify Yorktown in the weeks before the Continental & French Army arrive to establish their siege lines. Stand on the grounds where it really happened 245 years ago. Watch British soldiers drill and execute their daily duties. See local town folk of the day going about their business under the watchful eye of the administration of Lord Cornwallis’s soldiers. Demonstrations by the British Army & Naval forces, and Camp followers, will intrigue visitors, offering a glimpse into a period in our history long past. Come, enjoy, and engage with His Majesty’s forces and learn the British story in the last major land battle to be fought in the American Rebellion in North America.
Step back into September 1781 and experience Yorktown on the eve of one of the most pivotal moments in American history. Before American and French forces arrived to lay siege, Yorktown was a bustling British encampment, and Historic Main Street will come alive to reflect that moment in time.
Experience daily life under the occupation of His Majesty’s forces commanded by Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis. Watch British soldiers drill, fortify positions, and prepare defenses as costumed interpreters portray camp life and townspeople carry on their routines. Military demonstrations, period activities, and immersive storytelling offer a rare opportunity to see the British perspective in the final major land battle of the American Revolutionary War.
This event is part of the statewide Virginia250 Celebration and is free and open to the public.
The free, ADA-accessible Yorktown Trolley will be running throughout the event, making it easy to explore Historic Yorktown.
𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭:
𝟗 𝐚.𝐦.
Trooping of the Line on Main Street (Saturday only.)
𝟏𝟎 𝐚.𝐦. – 𝟑 𝐩.𝐦. British Camps open to the public at the field beside the Swan Tavern. Patrolling at Redoubts 9 and 10 at the Yorktown Battlefield. Patrolling on Main Street. Camp Followers at the field beside Mobjack Coffee Roasters. Lord Cornwallis Headquarters at the Nelson House. Colonial Seamstress Display at York Hall. Blacksmith demonstration at York Hall. National Park Service Display at Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center.
𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟎 𝐚.𝐦. Firelock demonstration at William Nelson Field.
𝟏𝟎:𝟒𝟓 𝐚.𝐦. Royal Artillery demonstration at Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center.
𝟏𝟏 𝐚.𝐦. Drill and Soldier Manual of Arms demonstration at York Hall. The Fifes & Drums of York Town perform at the Victory Monument.
𝟏𝟏:𝟒𝟓 𝐚.𝐦. Royal Artillery demonstration at Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center.
𝟏𝟐:𝟑𝟎 𝐩.𝐦. Firelock demonstration at William Nelson Field.
𝟏𝟐:𝟒𝟓 𝐩.𝐦. Royal Artillery demonstration at Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center.
𝟏:𝟑𝟎 𝐩.𝐦. Drill and Soldier Manual of Arms demonstration at York Hall.
𝟐:𝟑𝟎 𝐩.𝐦. Firelock demonstration at William Nelson Field.
𝟑 𝐩.𝐦. Drill and Soldier Manual of Arms demonstration at York Hall
The free, accessible Yorktown Trolley will be running during this event.
