A Letter Signed by George Washington That Helped Pave the Way for American Independence Goes on Display in London

Washington dictated and signed the letter in October 1781 to formally accept the British surrender at Yorktown, writing of his “ardent desire to spare the further effusion of blood”

Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent

June 23, 2026 5:27 p.m.

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As America gears up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a pivotal letter signed by George Washington accepting Britain’s surrender at Yorktown is being displayed for the first time in London.

The handwritten note is going on view as part of “Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story 1763-1783,” a new exhibition at The National Archives in London exploring the “key political events and military maneuvers on the road to American independence,” as well as “the impact of the conflict on those who lived through it,” according to the institution. In addition to the letter, the exhibition features other correspondence, original maps, first-hand accounts, reports and a rare, original Dunlap broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Washington dictated and signed the letter in October 1781 to accept the British surrender at Yorktown, writing of his “ardent desire to spare the further effusion of blood.” The correspondence brought an end to major fighting during the Revolutionary War, ultimately paving the way for American independence.

The note was given to Charles Cornwallis, the lieutenant general who helped lead Britain’s southern campaign during the Revolutionary War. Cornwallis brought the letter home with him to England, and it remained in his family until 1880, when it was donated to the Public Record Office, which later became The National Archives.

“For such a short, succinct and to the point message, this note had tremendous consequences for generations to come,” Sean Cunningham, historian and curator of the exhibition, says in a statement shared with NBC News’ Adela Suliman. “This is the moment the British realized they would have to give up the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States of America; the moment that Britain finally accepts the reality of the Declaration of Independence drafted five years earlier.”

After declaring independence in 1776, the American patriots spent years fighting British forces across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. A major turning point came in 1778, when France officially became an ally, agreeing to provide troops, weapons, naval support and financial aid to the revolutionary cause.

By 1780, British commanders had shifted their focus to the South, hoping to rally and leverage loyalist support among the residents of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Cornwallis led a series of campaigns through the Carolinas before marching his army into Virginia. He established a fortified base at Yorktown on the York River, expecting supplies and reinforcement from the British navy.

Meanwhile, American and French forces were heading south from New York while a French naval fleet sailed to Chesapeake Bay. After the French defeated the British at the Battle of the Chesapeake in September 1781, Cornwallis was effectively trapped at Yorktown. With the mouth of the Chesapeake under French control, British ships could neither reinforce nor evacuate Cornwallis’ troops.

In late September 1781, American and French forces surrounded Yorktown and launched a siege. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered nearly 8,000 men, as well as numerous ships and weapons.

The American-French victory at Yorktown was a decisive blow to the British. Although fighting continued in some areas, news of the defeat weakened support for the war in Britain and ultimately prompted peace negotiations. Those talks culminated in the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, in which Britain formally recognized the independence of the U.S.

“Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story 1763-1783” is on view at The National Archives in London, June 24 through November 29.

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.