Philadelphia, November 3, 1781
Dear Samuel, I wish you could have seen the excitement in our print shop when news arrived from Virginia. General George Washington and the French commander, the Comte de Rochambeau, had forced the British army under General Charles Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown on October 19. The victory was important, but our elders remind us that the war is not yet a signed peace.
People here have argued about how the struggle reached this point. In 1777, American troops defeated a British army at Saratoga in New York. That victory helped persuade France that the American cause could succeed. In 1778, France became an ally of the United States. French soldiers, weapons, clothing, money, and ships then supported the American effort.
The Continental Army also needed time and training. During the difficult winter of 1777–1778 at Valley Forge, many soldiers lacked supplies, yet the army remained together. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped train the soldiers in drills and discipline. Their preparation made them a stronger fighting force.
At Yorktown, Washington and Rochambeau led American and French troops in a siege of Cornwallis's army. The French fleet led by Admiral de Grasse controlled the Chesapeake Bay, keeping British ships from bringing Cornwallis the help he needed or carrying his army away. Land forces pressed from one side while the fleet blocked escape by sea.
Our victory came from connected efforts rather than from one person's work. Soldiers trained, commanders planned, French allies supplied troops and ships, and diplomats worked to keep support for the American cause. Even now, some fighting goes on, and diplomats must still work out a peace. When a treaty recognizes the independence of the United States, I will print that news with a very glad heart. (Historical note: Fighting and negotiations continued after Yorktown. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 recognized the independence of the United States.)