The digital gallery

The Surrender at Yorktown , Virginia , by John Trumbull (1826)

The American Revolutionary War would not be officially over until The Treaty of Paris in 1783, but the main fighting ended with the joint French-American victory at Yorktown, Virginia fully four years later in October, 1781. Washington is depicted in the painting center right on horseback. How, after all, did Washington win? He won because he and his men had a cause. He was fighting the right war—keeping his less-experienced army intact, winning just enough times, and gaining the critical aid of the French. The British Crown and British people had no stomach for more blood and more treasure. Reflecting over the last nearly 250 years, we remember the decisive year of 1777 when victory at Saratoga bolstered hope in independence and led to the French Alliance and when Congress and the army stood by George Washington. Although Washington lost major battles in 1777, he kept the army intact and eventually wore down the British military forces. There was no one else in the Continental Army who could have done what Washington did. Painting by John Trumbull. Image courtesy of Architect of the Capitol and Wikipedia.

https://www.aoc.gov/art/historic-rotunda-paintings...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Lord_Co...