Surrender Field

Surrender Field is the plain where British troops laid down their arms on 19 October 1781. It looks understated today, which is part of its power: a quiet stretch of grass marking the effective end of the Revolutionary War.

Interpretive signs explain the ceremony and the positions of the armies. It is best visited as part of the battlefield driving tour, when the scale of the siege has already become clear.

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A story
Cornwallis did not personally hand over his sword. Claiming illness, he sent General Charles O'Hara, who tried to surrender to the French commander first; the gesture was redirected to Washington's second-in-command, Benjamin Lincoln.