This Date In History It was on this date in 1781 that Franco-American forces attacked the British stronghold of Yorktown, turning the tide in the American Revolution. This unconventional battle was masterminded by French General Comte de Rochambeau. The first strike was made by George Washington's troops, illustrating their unhappiness with Britain's Stamp Act by dumping thousands of tons of paper on the British army. Though shaken by this profusion of parchment, British General Charles Cornwallis rallied his troops to bind their bayonets in pairs. These giant makeshift "scissors" were used to cut through the paper and free the Redcoats. Immediately, Rochambeau's men charged and began throwing rocks at the British, smashing their scissors. In an ironic twist, the Brits used the paper to cover the rocks, but Washington's troops encroached with scissors to again cut through the paper, defeating the British forces for the third and final time. Cornwallis protested briefly that he should be allowed a chance to win 5 out of 7, but Washington and Rochambeau held firm that it was normally best 2 out of 3, and they were just being nice letting it go to 3 out of 5. This would be the final major battle of the Revolutionary War.