Yorktown | Revolutionary War Historian Gives Guided Tour

Hop in the car with Revolutionary War Historian Kristopher White for this all-encompassing tour of the Yorktown Battlefield, where American Independence was won in 1781. We also explore the town and visit some of the earthworks associated with the Civil War battle 81 years later. Visit all of the pivotal locations including Cornwallis's Cave, Redoubts 9 & 10, the Moore House and Surrender Field. #yorktowntour
There is no replacement for being able to see America's Hallowed Grounds in person, but we hope this serves as a worthy option for the virtual experience. We encourage you to visit Colonial National Historical Park in-person. Check out our Historic Triangle Itinerary to aid with doing so: www.battlefields.org/visit/it...
0:00 Bringing the Armies to Yorktown
5:53 The Town of Yorktown
17:25 Heading to the Battlefield
20:25 The French Grand Battery Tour
35:17 Laying out the Siege Lines
40:58 Redoubts 9 & 10 Tour
54:51 Cornwallis is Backed into a Corner
56:59 The American Lines
1:02:55 Moore House & The Articles of Capitulation
1:08:08 Yorktown Topography
1:10:42 American Camps
1:13:47 Marquis de Lafayette
1:16:54 Surrender Field Tour
1:24:48 Creating Colonial National Historical Park
1:30:11 The Victory Monument
Chickamauga Driving Tour: • Chickamauga | Civil Wa...
Shiloh Driving Tour: • Shiloh | Civil War His...
Gettysburg Driving Tour: • Gettysburg | Civil War...
Stonewall Jackson Flank March Driving Tour: • Stonewall Jackson's Fl...
Gettysburg 160 Driving Tour: • 160th Anniversary of G...
The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

We really appreciate everyone joining us! A lot of work goes into these driving tours. Be sure to send them around to your friends and family. We need to keep getting the views up! 😃

[@jessicablevins185]

Thank you so much for the tour.

[@mercernd25]

This was awesome! I have run the Yorktown 8k multiple times and just love the battlefield and town.

[@themisianos]

Kris is a National Treasure !

[@bf9414]

Amazing knowledge !!!!!!

[@terryeustice5399]

Kris thanks for the tour of the Yorktown Battle Field.And combining the Revolutionary War with the Civil War is really cool 😎. And Thank you Dan Davis. On you contribution to this Tour.

[@spikejonze6182]

Terrific video. Kris is a great host.

[@KrashmanVonStinkputn]

Outstanding tour and production. The inserts of pictures and google earth maps really keeps the viewer oriented to the action.

[@johnadams5489]

Wow! Many Thanks to Criss and Dan for a Great Tour of the Yorktown Battle Field and the story of the battle, maps, and soldiers that took part in the battle that ended the American Revolution. As A Vietnam Era Veteran I always wanted to visit Yorktown, but I never could afford to take a trip from PA to see it and experience it in person. Great Job! Thank you.

[@jimrutherford2773]

I'm so glad the American Battlefield Trust had decided to preserve and protect other hallowed lands like from the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. It just makes sense not to save only Civil War battlefields.

[@tbolt2948]

I am a member of American Battlefield Trust and enjoy these videos very much. I had several direct ancestors who fought in the Continental Army including at least one of whom fought at Yorktown. Another one fought at Bunker Hill (more properly Breed's Hill) another was from Monmouth and fought there. Of course they fought in more than one battle. But I wanted to bring these to attention because of my pride in them. It means a lot to me to see where they fought and I joined American Battlefield Trust in honor of them and my Civil War direct ancestors, all of whom fought for the Union. Again thank you for the video.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks for the nice words, and we are happy to have you!

[@michelehumphrey852]

I recommend every American should stand on Surrender Field once in their life 🇺🇸

[@exposethenwo6491]

I visited Yorktown and Williamsburg during a middle school field trip in October, 1989. Wonderful experience

[@ChemCram]

The surrender was formalized at one of my ancestors homes, the Augustine Moore house which is still there! Augustine Moore was one of my great grandfathers (like 8th great grandfather) so I'm hoping to go see the house sometime. I had several other ancestors that fought with Washington, etc. so it's very nice to watch these videos and see where many of my fore bearers fought and bled. Thanks for bringing these to everyone!

[@johnresto1603]

Please do more revolutionary war videos please. Amazing job.

[@daveeggleston8218]

The quiche and baked goods at the Carrot Tree Café, late of the Cole Digges House and currently by the river walk, are fantastic. Well worth a visit, and a great lunch stop while touring Yorktown.

[@dimitristoupakisAT]

Garry Adelman managed to cover the whole Revolutionary War in 36 minutes! 😉

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

The French!

[@dimitristoupakisAT]

@@AmericanBattlefieldTrust The French! 😂 Always enjoy your videos, you're doing a outstanding job! Greetings from Austria 👋

[@dennisquelch588]

Outstanding tour. Thank you!

[@VATravels]

That was great

[@rustydelorean6405]

Can you do the Battle of High Bridge in Rice, VA? Seems like an interesting one mot really covered. Thanks.

[@Robocline]

I love Yorktown. I go there all the time for the history, riding the colonial parkway, crabbing etc. it’s the perfect balance of museum and living community in my opinion. I live in Newport News and I have convenient access to a lot of cool historical places but I think Yorktown is the best of the bunch.

[@JeffL-rj1xq]

Long time member of American Battlefield Trust here. Thank you Kris and ABT for this great guided tour of Yorktown. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the artillery and fieldworks! Surrender Field is a must stop on a Yorktown visit as you try and imagine all of the armies gathered together on that ground for the surrender. I also appreciated the discussion at the end about how this did not actually end the war, in terms of all combat and then the subsequent peace treaty at Paris. Well done! Looking forward to perhaps more Rev. War driving tours!

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks for the detailed comment. Yes we have filmed a tour for Valley Forge and will be in Saratoga next year!

[@gfurstnsu]

Thank you for the overview of the battle field. I live in South Korea and needed to see what the battlefield looked like after reading the excellent book written by Burke Davis in 1970, the story of Yorktown, “the Battle that Won America”. Well done and this really was an excellent overview of this critical battle!

[@richardwells8954]

EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. ONE OF MY BUCKET LIST ITEMS ON VIDEO.

[@sanjosesharks3534]

Can you guys do a tour of Morris island and show us where fort Wagner would have been and the approach of the 54 Massachusetts and where the cannons would have been.

[@phantomphlyer4417]

Well done! I live a few miles from the Battlefield and have visited many times but this video helped bring it all together. Thank you!

[@platform15gym]

Great video. Was just there in late August. I took part in the 225th reenactment of the surrender at Yorktown. Although I am familiar with the story behind the siege, I always learn something new!

[@toooltyme]

Great tour as always. I wish there was a way for you to mention Nick and Mary Mathews who donated 23 acres of land that became the American revolutionary museum.

[@theclayfeet]

Fabulous job guys -thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@USNVA11]

What a fantastic presentation. Thank you !

[@gunslinger4203]

Fantastic!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@FordMustangry-wu7mh]

This was very well done, very informative, most important you honored the memory of those who fought their to help win this crucial siege to help in winning the war to gain our independence and creating a country.

[@bobbyl6972]

Another excellent video. Thanks ABT!

[@lawrencemyers3623]

Another great driving tour. Well done. And thank you for all your hard work.

[@jessewightman4317]

Loved the guided tour of the Yorktown Battlefield. Kris and Dan did a great job. Did anyone mention the Fusiliers Redoubt in the video? I believe this Redoubt was manned by the 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers) and it was never taken by the Americans or French during the battle.

[@MickeyJWind]

yes, it is mentioned

[@jessewightman4317]

@@MickeyJWindthanks for pointing this out. I went back to listen and found it at the 22:04 to 22:24 time stamp.

[@michaelhoffman5348]

Thanks Guys - great job as usual.

[@paulhendershot111]

Well done!! Thanks for this tour. I hope to visit this National Park in the near future.

[@waltertaffs1737]

I was station on the USS BUTTE AE27 and we were in the Yorktown Navy Weapons pier and I loved Yorktown and walk around this area back in 75 and yes I use to go to Williamsburg I love history

[@soxbigdog]

Yorktown Beach was our hangout back in high school, since it was so long ago now, it some more "ancient" historic content to add.

[@MickeyJWind]

very good video. remember doing a big rev-war reenactment here 15-17 years ago or so. i was with a loyalits unit (that actually never was at Yorktown, but whatever). the best part was being reviewed in ranks by a modern British Major General. really cool moment. I would like a video contrasting the size and locations of the civil war lines comparing them to the revolutionary lines at Yorktown.

[@jonathanbaggs4275]

Excellent!

[@troykauffman3963]

Great video tour gents, thank you very much.

[@streetcop157]

I was very disappointed in the removal of the cannons. I went there about ten years ago and returned this summer. I’m sure Covid was a major issue but the river side of the park was very overgrown to the point you could not see the river where half the fight occurred. I was told the cannon were removed because they weren’t able to maintain the carriages. Apparently the long time employee retired and has not been replaced. Personally a huge fan of national parks and a huge fan of Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg. Just really miss the huge cannon display.

[@ImmortalWombat]

What a disgusting disservice to American history. I hate modern age.

[@user-tv3id2nf5o]

Great tour Kris!! I've driven by Yorktown many times. Based on your tour I need to stop. Thank you!!!

[@ronbednarczyk2497]

I visited the Yorktown Battlefield back in 2013. The photo I have of Redoubt #10 shows it without any of the overgrowth your video shows. Someone needs to take a weed wacker to to it.

[@donlittle732]

I’ve been to Yorktown several times wine my metal detector and found many interesting things for my collection and to sell.

[@Redwhiteblue-gr5em]

Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. I now definitely want to visit the battlefield one day soon. I know a lot about the Civil War but not much about our war of independence. Time to change that. Do you recommend any specific books about Yorktown and the other major battles of this war?

[@j.j.guerrieri5257]

Great job Kris👌🏻

[@RH-of5cr]

Great tour.

[@warrensparks2709]

Good speaker, thank you

[@bigsarge2085]

✌️

[@josephwalukonis9934]

Nice presentation. One correction. Artillery was fired using a porte fire not a linstock. The porte fire was a tube filled with chemicals that burned like a flare. The porte fire was lit from the linstock. You can see an American gunner using a porte fire in the famous painting of Washington at Princeton.

[@jamescorfield534]

That story is crazy

[@user-nh9cg8ir7o]

when was this filmed? I was there at the end of august and it was all overgrown

[@ronaldedson496]

GGGGG Grandfather born in Prussia and a Hessian traitor who served from Boston to YORKTOWN. Leonard Baumgardner 1755 1839.

[@ponylove882]

When was this filmed? I think I saw my husband at Cornwallis' cave, we were there in April 2023.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Way before then. Maybe he visits the battlefield when you think he's at work 😆

[@omgfaglolz]

Extremely random, but does anyone know what bird that is squawking at 1:06:10?

[@generalwyf]

Somebody doesn't like the holy Roman empire. Lol jk great video!

[@hironox8090]

God bless the U.S. and France 🇺🇲🤝🇲🇫

[@TermiteUSA]

We love rhe Brits even more because we don't have to pay em dues anymore. What did they say in WW2? We were overpaid@ overexxd and over there? We have not forgotten that they were over here.

[@chesterstevenson]

Kris, "Horatio Gates won the battle of Saratoga." Instant trigger for the traitor Benedict Arnold.

[@jimrutherford2773]

Cornwallis was a coward not to show up at the surrender as he should have being a surrendering general.

[@jimrutherford2773]

It's a shame all of those surrendered canons are out in the open exposed to the elements. They should be housed indoors. After another century of exposure you may not be able to read the engravings.

[@ronaldedson496]

No one ever mentions the 3500 Hessian traitors.

[@robbrown4621]

Before Saratoga, we were to the French what Ukraine is to us today...

[@ronaldedson496]

No one ever mentions 3500 black soldiers.

[@789train]

i gave a dislike because of your opinions of the civil war cemetery. also where were all the bricks made used in all these homes etc, were they shipped in from elsewhere ?

[@ronaldedson496]

No one mentions George Washington's most valuable asset.

[@kyleUT]

I'll Rochambeau ya for it!

[@jimrutherford2773]

As much as many of us hate to admit it we would probably not have won that war if it wasn't for the French coming to our aid. This isn't more apparent than at Yorktown.