Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis ( 31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805 ) was a British military commander and colonial governor. In the United States , he is best remembered as one of the leading British generals in the American Revolutionary War . His 1781 defeat by a combined American-French force at the Siege of Yorktown is generally considered the end of the war, as the bulk of British troops surrendered with Cornwallis; minor skirmishes continued for two more years. In India , where he served two terms as governor general, he is remembered for promulgating the Permanent Settlement . As Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, he argued for Catholic emancipation . In the American Revolutionary War, he was a British General. He lead in many wars at that time, but is most known for surrendering in Battle of Yorktown. This was one of the final battles of the Rev. War, thus Gen. Cornwallis let the Americans win due to this surrender.
