Cynthia Johnson, PhD

10/19/2026

🇺🇸 October 19, 1781: The Terms of Surrender at Yorktown 🇺🇸

The Articles of Capitulation marked the effective end of major fighting at Yorktown and a decisive turning point in the American Revolution.📜

Under the terms of surrender, British forces at Yorktown and Gloucester became prisoners of war, with land forces surrendering to the Americans and naval forces to the French. British troops were ordered to march out, lay down their arms, and return to their encampments as arrangements were made for their departure.

The agreement also addressed the treatment of prisoners, the preservation of officers’ private property, medical care for the wounded, and the transfer of weapons, military supplies, ships, and public stores to the allied forces.

These were more than military terms on paper. They marked the collapse of British hopes of crushing the American Revolution and demonstrated the strength of the American-French alliance.

One detail that stands out in the Articles of Capitulation is where they were signed. Cornwallis’s portion reads, “Done at Yorktown, in Virginia, October 19th, 1781…” In contrast, the signatures of George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Comte de Barras, and Comte de Grasse are preceded by, “Done in the Trenches before Yorktown, in Virginia, October 19th, 1781.”

That distinction paints a striking picture. While Cornwallis signed from Yorktown, the allied commanders signed from the trenches, the very ground where the siege had been fought. For Washington, the setting evokes leadership at the front lines, alongside the men who fought for independence. In that moment, the trenches became more than a battlefield; they became part of the legacy of a nation on the brink of victory. 🇺🇸

📜Yale Law School, Avalon Project. "Articles of Capitulation; October 18, 1781.” n.d.
📸 Private Collection, Picture from Yorktown Battlefield Museum, NPS.

10/17/2026

🇬🇧 Holding out at Yorktown, overlooking the York River, Lord Cornwallis had run out of options. The war he never expected Britain to lose was slipping away.

According to the National Park Service, at 10 a.m. on October 17, 1781, a British drummer beat a “parley” through the battlefield, and in that sudden silence, the reality of defeat began to settle in for Lord Cornwallis and his men. The war they had fought to win was nearing its end, and the prospect of surrender could no longer be ignored.

Realizing the defeat of his army was inevitable, Cornwallis sent General George Washington a message proposing a ceasefire and negotiations at Moore House:

“Sir, I propose a cessation of hostilities for twenty-four hours, and that two officers may be appointed by each side, to meet at Mr. Moore's house, to settle terms for the surrender of the posts of York and Gloucester.”

I can only imagine the weight of that moment for Cornwallis, realizing he would be responsible for surrendering to a nation Britain had underestimated.

Meanwhile, aboard a ship in the James River, prisoners of war awaited their own uncertain futures. Their suffering offered a stark reminder of the human cost of a war fought across the Virginia Peninsula. Everyone was living through their own version of hell. 🇺🇸

For some, freedom was finally within reach. For Cornwallis, the collapse of Britain’s ambitions in America had become unavoidable.



📜 Yorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical Park. “Moore House.” History and Culture, August 9, 2015.
📜 National Archives and Records Administration. US Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800-1900. Virginia, Joseph Ranger. Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications, S. 7,352, Virginia Sea Service.
📸 Personal Collection.

10/08/2026

On this last day of the HLC conference, a few of us ventured into Chicago to see what we could discover.

We ended up at the Chicago Tribune building, where we got to see the historic stones and artifacts incorporated throughout the building’s exterior.

Much to my delight, and, frankly, my shock, we stumbled across a piece of rock from Gaspee Point, commemorating the Gaspee Affair of 1772. Even more exciting, on the other side of the window was a brick from Fort William and Mary, marking the site connected to Paul Revere’s 1774 ride to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to warn of British aggression. The fort was subsequently raided, and its am******on was taken and later used by the colonists during the Battle of Bunker Hill and other Revolutionary War battles.

I never expected to find such direct connections to Rhode Island and New Hampshire history in the middle of Chicago!

Needless to say, this absolutely made my trip! 🇺🇸📜❤️

These events are covered in my upcoming book, Courting Rebellion: Colonial Justice, Riot, and the Road to the American Revolution, out spring 2027 from Savas Beatie!! ⚓️🔥⚔️

📸 Personal Collection, 2026.

10/05/2026

🇺🇸🧐Many of the ideals that shaped the American Revolution would go on to inspire revolutionary movements around the world. While the French Revolution is often regarded as the next great revolutionary movement, the Mexican struggle for independence and political transformation was also influenced by the principles of "constitutionalism, freedom of expression, reason, and civic virtue," as articulated by José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi (1776–1827).

Pictured are original works by Lizardi, on display at the Doris Z. Stone Latin American Library and Research Center at Tulane University. I had the opportunity to view these remarkable manuscripts during the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute’s exhibition opening and symposium last weekend. 📜

There is something profoundly moving about encountering the actual writings and documents through which revolutionary ideals crossed borders and inspired new movements. The hurried, sometimes forceful strokes of a handwritten letter stand alongside eloquent pleas for liberty, with the American experiment serving as an intellectual and political model.

Seeing these original works adds another layer of complexity to our understanding of the American Revolution, not simply as a defining moment in our own history, but as an idea that traveled, evolved, and helped shape the aspirations of others seeking freedom and self-determination.

Huzzah! 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸



📸 Personal Collection, 2026.

10/03/2026

🔥 Two Great Fires That’s Changed New Orleans 🔥

New Orleans endured two devastating fires during Spanish colonial rule, destroying more than 1,000 buildings in just six years and forever changing the city's architectural identity.

🔥 March 21, 1788, The Great Good Friday Fire

At approximately 1:30 p.m., a candle reportedly ignited drapery inside the home of Spanish Army Treasurer Don Vicente José Núñez, near Chartres and Toulouse streets.

Fueled by strong winds and tightly packed wooden buildings, the fire destroyed 856 of the city's 1,100 structures, nearly 78% of New Orleans!

The parish church, government buildings, barracks, armory, jail, businesses, and homes were consumed. Church bells reportedly were not rung to sound the alarm because it was Good Friday.

🔥 December 8, 1794, The Second Great Fire

Before the city could fully recover, another fire broke out near Royal Street. Reportedly started when children playing with fire accidentally ignited a nearby structure, the blaze destroyed another 212 buildings, including the royal jail and much of the commercial district.

The newly rebuilt St. Louis Cathedral survived and was dedicated just 15 days later.

🏛️ The Lasting Legacy
Following these disasters, Spanish authorities imposed stricter building regulations, encouraging brick construction, stucco-covered walls, tile or slate roofs, interior courtyards, and wrought-iron balconies.

These changes helped create the distinctive Spanish colonial architecture that defines today's French Quarter, including the Cathedral, Cabildo, and Presbytère.

The New Orleans we admire today was, in many ways, rebuilt from the ashes of these two historic disasters.

Fun fact - this location was also the site of Bernardo de Galvez’s home in New Orleans!



📜Owens, Kurt. “How the Fires of 1788 and 1794 Changed New Orleans.” The Historic New Orleans Collection. November 10, 2022.
📸 Personal Collection, 2026.

10/01/2026

Okay, what do we think?? 🤔

YOUR OPINION MATTERS! (Spring 2027)

This was a difficult cover to convey, but I think this is very close. As you know, we value your collective opinion, and we have made many changes to covers based upon your suggestions. Love it? Hate it? Back to the drawing board? Keep it? Tell us.

09/27/2026

Last night’s stunning sunset in the French Quarter was followed by a visit to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, built in 1722, after taking up the suggestion to check it out. It was every bit the pirate-like hangout I could have imagined. It had old wooden tables and candlelight; it was quite dark in the bar, and it really felt like the building had stories to tell if you stood there long enough.

Eventually, I ended the evening at Café Du Monde with coffee and beignets, which sounds like a perfect way to end the evening!

Huzzah!
📸 Personal collection, 2026.

09/27/2026

Today marked the final day of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute’s America & Spain 250 Symposium.

The QSSI began these symposiums in 2024 to commemorate Spain’s significant contribution to American Independence and to foster greater awareness of the broader role Spain played in supporting the cause of independence and the rights we enjoy as a nation.

Today’s program was filled with fascinating speakers and an extraordinary range of topics, from the roles of Native Nations during the Revolutionary Era to the remarkable story of what became of Bernardo de Gálvez’s wife after she was widowed: a French woman living in Spain during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. Spoiler alert - a lot of suspicion!

I am grateful for organizations such as the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute, whose mission is to educate and encourage a deeper understanding of the complexities that shaped the Revolutionary Era and continued to influence the world long after the war had ended.

Over the past several days, I have had the pleasure of meeting authors, academics, members of the DAR, and so many wonderful people who share a genuine passion for history. The opportunity to exchange ideas and have conversations with others devoted to preserving and understanding our past has been particularly rewarding.

Perhaps the most surreal and memorable moments were meeting Her Majesty Queen Sofía; not once, but twice. It was a true honor to have the opportunity to greet Her Majesty.

I was also delighted to finally meet Ms. Begoña Santos and Ms. Isabel Rivero in person, after having had the pleasure of discussing the QSSI’s programs with them over the past year.

As the symposium comes to a close, I cannot wait to incorporate these new perspectives into my teaching and bring this part of the Revolution to life for my students. 🇪🇸🇺🇸📜

HUZZAH!


📸 Personal Collection, 2026.

09/26/2026

On a side quest getting lunch, I found the Pirate King Coffee shop in the French Quarter! Fantastic coffee and a pirate museum, so delighted to stumble on this cafe! 🏴‍☠️🌊

📸 personal collection, 2026

09/26/2026

This evening, I had the pleasure of attending “Spain and the American Revolution Along the Mississippi River” at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

The program featured two lectures examining Spain’s significant and often underappreciated role in the American Revolution, followed by a gracious reception in the historic Cabildo.

The Cabildo provided a particularly fitting setting for the evening. Its collection of military artifacts and uniforms offered a fascinating glimpse into the region’s military history, while Napoleon’s death mask was a striking reminder of the broader historical world in which these events unfolded.

There was even an entire room devoted to General Lafayette commemorated his celebrated return to New Orleans during his tour of the United States in 1824–1825.

There is so much more to learn about Spain’s contribution to our American Revolution!
🇺🇸🇪🇸🇺🇸🇪🇸