2.11: The Officer and the Commoner: Lord Cornwallis and Joseph Plumb Martin at the Battle of Yorktown

History: Beyond the Textbook

It was the last significant battle of the American Revolution, although this couldn’t have been predicted at the time. The Americans, British, and the French felt that 1781 was a "now or never" year for the Revolution, and that something big had to happen. Many forces coalesced to turn the Battle of Yorktown into the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War, and we’ll examine two individuals serving on opposing sides, and from very different backgrounds. In this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook, we’ll conclude the fighting of the American Revolution at Yorktown by spotlighting Lord Charles Cornwallis and Joseph Plumb Martin: the Officer and the Commoner at the Battle of Yorktown.
Key People
Lord Charles Cornwallis
Joseph Plumb Martin
General Henry Clinton
Alexander Hamilton
Key Events
Battle of Yorktown
Battle of New York
Battle of Monmouth

The second season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped the Revolutionary era in American history, and runs from February 27-May 7.
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