French Troops Encamp at Williamsburg

In September 1781, Washington's Continental Army and Rochambeau's French forces converged on Williamsburg as they prepared for the siege of Yorktown. The town became a staging ground and headquarters for the allied army, with troops encamped on the outskirts and officers quartered in private homes.

For the residents of Williamsburg, the arrival of thousands of French and American soldiers transformed the quiet former capital into a military camp. The allied forces remained in and around the town for several weeks before moving east to begin the siege that would end the war. Williamsburg's role as a staging area was a final chapter in its long connection to the Revolution.