The Battle of the Chesapeake

There have been many posts about the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem, and things going on now, but what about the huge roll it played in the past?

Besides being a major port for throughout most of American history, the Chesapeake Bay was the site of a key naval battle during the last major engagement of the American Revolution; the Battle of Yorktown,

On September 5th, 1781, French naval forces, fighting on behalf of the Americans, went up against the British ships, but it was hard for either side to secure a sure victory because of a shift in wind angle that neither party was expecting. The French returned to the Chesapeake after four days and were met by 7 more ships to help them. With 34 in their fleet, the French were able to trap the British and keep them from escaping the area.

This was a crucial battle, because it allowed the French to lead British forces away from the Chesapeake so that the British troops on land could not be rescued.

Although many ships were damaged beyond repair, and there were over 320 casualties, this battle, is what led to the American success in the Battle of Yorktown, and ultimately, American Independence.

-Emma

To learn more, check out:
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/americanrevolutio1/p/yorktown.htm
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/navalbattles16001800/p/chesapeake.htm
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • RSS