Overview of the Historic March 

Latest changes: 2013-09-04 created / 2017-08-08 PDFs for MA, WI

The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail is being developed along the route taken by the French forces under Rochambeau as they marched in 1781 from Newport RI to the Continental Army encampment near Dobbs Ferry NY (near Greenburgh NY). After a month of planning, the French and half of the Continental Army marched to Yorktown VA for a dramatic siege ending with the surrender of the British army under Gen. Cornwallis.

Interactive Map of the W3R Use either the interactive map or the table below it to read about the march in each state from RI to NY and onward to VA. As you move the mouse cursor across the map below it will change shape when it gets near the white or grey lines. You may then click to go to the page with the history of the march (going south) for that state. To read the history of the return march in 1782 you must use the table. A Note about "Official" W3R Routes

Legend for the Map Above: WHITE = main army land routes BLACK = state boundaries GREY = army water transport route BLUE = major rivers; French fleet routes YELLOW = British fleet route

Reference: map in The American Campaigns of Rochambeau's Army, 1780-1783",
by Howard Rice and Anne Brown (Brown University Press, Providence RI, 1972).
The map was drawn by Henry Crublier D'Opterre,
a captain in the Royal Corps of Engineers in the French Expeditionary Force

Period	Links to Events for the March to Yorktown	States
1780 July - 1781 May	Arrival and stay in Newport RI	RI
1781 June	Reinforcements arrive at Boston MA and march to Providence RI	RI
1781 June	March from RI via CT to NY	MA,RI,CT
1781 July - Aug 13	NY encampment, sally-in-force against British positions; decision to besiege Cornwallis in VA	NY
1781 Aug 14 - Sep 2	March from NY via NJ to PA	NY,NJ
1781 Sep 2-5	March through PA	PA
1781 Sep 2-7	March through DE The soldiers continued by water, the officers and baggage by land. At the Virginia Capes the French fleet drives off a British fleet, thus denying relief to the British army at Yorktown	DE
1781 Sep 8-24	March/sail through MD and VA to Yorktown	VA
1781 Oct - Nov	Sea Battle, Siege, and Victory French victory at sea prevented relief for the British troops in Yorktown. After the ten-day siege the British army surrendered, convincing Great Britain to negotiate toward peace.	VA