A large force of British troops led by General Cornwallis had reached Yorktown Virginia. The British set up an encampment they built walls, and trenches while the waited for more supplies and troops to arrive in ships from New York. Washington’s army and 5,000 French troops marched south to Virginia. When Washington reached Yorktown he learned some very good news. A French flea had battled the ships coming to help the enemies army and had forced them to turn back. The British were trapped and out numbered. On October 19, 1781 the shooting stopped and British surrendered.

It didn’t actually end until 1783 when a peace treaty was approved in which Great Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States of America.