Check out the new Waysides, placed in Gloucester, Virginia, commemorating the Battle of the Hook, a battle which occurred during the Siege of Yorktown in which Lauzun’s Legion played a crucial role.
The largest cavalry action in the American War of Independence, the Battle of the Hook saw Lauzun’s Legion and Lieutenant Colonel Mercer’s Select Battalion of Militia defeat a British detachment of cavalry and Royal Fusiliers who were positioned at a fortification in Gloucester Town, separate from the bulk of Cornwallis’ army which was under siege at Yorktown. Cornwallis had hoped this force at Gloucester Town would be able to find an escape route through the area which he could use to safely evacuate his forces by crossing the York River and fighting their way north through the Gloucester area. Washington foresaw this strategy however, and insisted on attacking the detachment to ensure Cornwallis had no chance for escape. The battle was a success, and the British forces at Gloucester Town were forced to cease all scouting operations and retreat into their fortification, where they remained until Cornwallis surrendered on the 19th of October.
