Redoubt No. 10

Redoubt No. 10 was a small but critical fortification constructed by the British Army during the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. Positioned on the left flank of the British defenses at Yorktown, it formed part of a network of outer works designed to protect the main British position under Lord Cornwallis. Its capture by American forces was a pivotal event that directly precipitated the British surrender and effectively ended major combat operations in the American Revolutionary War.

Background and Strategic Importance

In the late summer of 1781, following the Battle of the Chesapeake, General Cornwallis fortified the port town of Yorktown, Virginia, anticipating a siege by the combined Continental Army and French expeditionary forces. To strengthen his perimeter, he ordered the construction of ten small earthen forts, or redoubts, beyond his main lines of defense. Redoubt No. 10, along with its counterpart Redoubt No. 9, anchored the extreme left of the British outer line, guarding the approach from the York River. The capture of these positions was deemed essential by the allied commanders, George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau, to complete their second parallel of siege trenches and bring artillery to bear directly on the British inner defenses.

Construction and Design

Like most contemporary siegeworks, Redoubt No. 10 was a hastily built field fortification. Its design followed standard military engineering principles of the era, consisting of a compact, square earthwork with raised parapets and a surrounding ditch, or fosse. The structure was framed with timber and reinforced with fascines and gabions, then packed with earth excavated from the ditch. It was armed with several artillery pieces, likely light field guns or howitzers, and garrisoned by approximately 70 British soldiers, primarily from Light Infantry units. Its location on a slight elevation near the riverbank provided a clear field of fire but also made it a conspicuous target for the advancing allied siege lines.

The Assault of October 14, 1781

The decisive assault was launched on the night of October 14, following a massive artillery bombardment from the allied first parallel. The operation was a coordinated attack, with French Army forces under the Baron de Vioménil assaulting the larger Redoubt No. 9, while the mission against Redoubt No. 10 was assigned to American Light Infantry. This force, comprising 400 men, was led by Alexander Hamilton, who commanded a battalion of the New York and Connecticut Line, and included a detachment of French grenadiers and chasseurs. Advancing silently with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets as ordered by Marquis de Lafayette, the Americans overwhelmed the defenders in a brief but fierce ten-minute struggle. The success of the simultaneous attacks was a masterstroke of tactical planning and execution.

Aftermath and Historical Significance

The immediate consequence of the redoubt's fall was the rapid extension of the allied second parallel, allowing siege guns to be placed within point-blank range of the British inner works. With his defenses critically compromised and no hope of relief from the Royal Navy, Cornwallis initiated surrender negotiations just three days later. The capitulation at Yorktown effectively ended the war in North America, leading directly to the Peace of Paris and British recognition of American independence. The storming of Redoubt No. 10, often highlighted for its use of the bayonet and the leadership of Alexander Hamilton, became a celebrated episode in American military lore, symbolizing the daring and resolve of the Continental Army.

Preservation and Commemoration

The site of Redoubt No. 10 is preserved within the boundaries of the Colonial National Historical Park, administered by the National Park Service. Although the original earthworks have largely eroded, their outline is marked, and interpretive signage details the historic assault. The event is commemorated annually and is a central feature of the park's educational programming. The redoubt's capture is also memorialized in numerous historical works, paintings, and at other sites like the Washington Monument in Baltimore, which features a relief of the battle. Its legacy endures as a tangible link to the climactic victory of the American Revolution.

Category:American Revolutionary War Category:Forts in Virginia Category:Siege of Yorktown Category:National Register of Historic Places in Virginia