GENERAL CHARLES CORNWALLIS

CORNWALLIS' EARLY LIFE

• Born in Grosvenor Square on New Year's Eve 1738
• Became a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons in 1760
• His father died which made him the head of the house.
• He had to set up careers for his brothers, and marriages for his sisters.
• He got married to Jemima Jones in 1768 and had two children.

BEGINNING MILITARY

• Started in the French and Indian war as a staff officer
• Quickly moved up in ranks to captain of the 85th Regiment of Foot
• Continued ascending in ranks and became lieutenant colonel of the 12th Foot
• He proved himself to be an excellent soldier and commander, and was allowed to return home.
• He was promoted to the House of Lords.

POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Aligned with Lord Rockingham, and usually voted in favor of colonial rights.
• In 1766 he became colonel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot.
• He was constable of the Tower of London in 1771.
• He was promoted to general by King George at the start of the American Revolution

AMERICAN REVOLUTION P.1

• Lieutenant General under Major General Henry Clinton.
• After the failed attempt to capture Charleston, South Carolina, they participated in the capture of New York.
• He was sent to stop Washington's army but failed, and was outflanked during a night in Princeton.
• Clinton blamed Cornwallis for their defeat.
• Cornwallis later defeated Washington's army in the battle of Brandywine.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION P.2

• He went home, and returned to be placed as second in command. 👌
• Washington attacked the British army at the Monmouth Courthouse, but Cornwallis counter attacked them.
• The battle ended in a draw.
• Cornwallis' wife died in 1779.
• He then took command of the Southern armies with Clinton, and captured Charleston in May 1780.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION P.3

• General Clinton went back to New York, and Cornwallis was left with a small amount of troops.
• He had to get more from the Loyalist citizens. He failed to supply a good amount, so he got African slaves.
• In August 1780 Cornwallis won the Battle of Camden.
• The army was defeated at the Kings Mountain, and the Battle of Cowpens.
• This made it harder to recruit Loyalists.

THE BATTLE OF YORKTOWN

• Clinton told Cornwallis to build an ice free naval base at Portsmouth, but moved to Yorktown.
• The British and French had inconclusive combat, leaving the. French in control of Chesapeake bay.
• They were surrounded by theAmerican and French army, and had no access to supplies.
• The army failed to escape, and surrendered.
• This is why Cornwallis is known as the general who lost the American Colonies.

POST WAR LIFE

• He sacrificed no more after the defeat, and was made Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of Garter.
• He accepted the position of Governor-General and commander chief in India.
• He was sent to Ireland as Governor-General, where he stopped the 1798 Irish rebellion.
• He was appointed governor in India,
• Cornwallis died not long after, on October 5 1805, at 67 years old.

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