General Charles Cornwallis
Most people know him by the British general that lost the American colonies, Charles Cornwallis was actually very smart. Lord Cornwallis served King George III and Britain as one of the leading generals of the Revolutionary War, where he proved himself as a gifted strategist. He was forced to surrender his troops in 1781 to American and French forces at the Siege of Yorktown, which essentially ended the American Revolution. Charles led several successful early campaigns during the American Revolution, securing British victories in New York. In 1781, as second in command to General. Henry Clinton, he moved his forces to Virginia, where he was defeated at the Battle of Yorktown. This American victory and Cornwallis' surrender of his troops to George Washington.
In August 1781 Cornwallis was in Yorktown waiting for more troops to arrive. By the time the new British troops arrived, the French were ready to attack. The American and French troops had cornered the British forces. Cornwallis's forces had to surrender. The British surrender at Yorktown led to the end of the Revolutionary War. After the war, Cornwallis became the Governor General of India and the Viceroy of Ireland. Cornwallis died in 1805.
In August 1781 Cornwallis was in Yorktown waiting for more troops to arrive. By the time the new British troops arrived, the French were ready to attack. The American and French troops had cornered the British forces. Cornwallis's forces had to surrender. The British surrender at Yorktown led to the end of the Revolutionary War. After the war, Cornwallis became the Governor General of India and the Viceroy of Ireland. Cornwallis died in 1805.
On February 23, 1786, he accepted the governor generalship of India. Before leaving on August 13, 1793, he brought about a series of legal and administrative reforms, notably the Cornwallis Code. He did NOT believe in the capacity of Indians for self-government, and some of his measures the reorganization of the courts in various regions and of the revenue system in Bengal proved ill-advised. In the third of four Mysore Wars, he inflicted a temporary defeat on Tippu Sultan, the anti-British ruler of the Mysore state. For his services in India he was created a marquess in 1792.
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At age 21, on August 6th, 1758, , he was appointed as the Aide-de-Camp to Lieutenant General John Manners, Marquis of Granby, with the rank of Captain. His regiment was deployed to Germany, during the Seven-Year War (what we Americans call the French and Indian war). On August 5th, 1759 he transferred to the 85th Regiment of Foot. He served in Germany for the next three years, when on May 1st, 1761 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 12th Regiment of Foot. He participated in the battle at Minden in 1759 with the 12th. It was during this time that young Cornwallis put to good use his formal education in the military sciences, and his skill was noticed.
My opinion on General Charles Cornwallis:
He is a very smart person. He had helped us as americans. I don't know about you all but I liked his code. I think he did a very smart thing on making it! I also agree with him not agreeing with holding the Indians captive. General Charles Cornwallis made an impact on the USA! He is a very smart leader.
He is a very smart person. He had helped us as americans. I don't know about you all but I liked his code. I think he did a very smart thing on making it! I also agree with him not agreeing with holding the Indians captive. General Charles Cornwallis made an impact on the USA! He is a very smart leader.
QUIZ:
1: What did Charles think about the Indians being held captive?
2: What do you think of General Charles Cornwallis? (2 sentences)
1: What did Charles think about the Indians being held captive?
2: What do you think of General Charles Cornwallis? (2 sentences)