The Battle Of Yorktown British Intelligence Failure

The Battle of Yorktown:

British Intelligence Failures

SFC Michael L. Novotny

MI NCOA (Class 15-003)

The purpose of this battle analysis is to discuss how British intelligence failed to capitalize on counterintelligence, surveillance, and military deception tactics during the Battle of Yorktown, ultimately leading to their defeated. The Battle of Yorktown was the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War and if the British adequately utilized intelligence, the United States may not have gotten its independence. I will analyze the Battle of Yorktown by placing the American Revolutionary War into context, providing a sequenced description of the key events which occurred at the Battle of Yorktown and presenting multiple

The American Revolutionary War was an unfortunate consequence of the French and Indian War which had occurred from 1756 to 1763. Great Britain’s triumph over the French in this conflict came with a great price for the thirteen North American colonies because of the national debt Great Britain incurred from years of fighting. The war debt rose to over 122 million pounds (British monetary unit) and Great Britain decided to reduce this debt through reforming colonial administration and enforcing tax laws. Great Britain’s explanation was that American colonists should pay a share of the cost for their own defense. This led to heightened tensions between the colonies and the colonial government which represented Britain. Tensions continued to mount between after 1963 and in 1775 war between American Colonists and the British was under way. The timeline of events between 1763 and 1781 provide context leading up to the Battle of

Better utilization of spies and couriers to perform intelligence activities is the primary downfall of this battle. British spies and couriers were capable of conducting a plethora of intelligence activities such as Counterintelligence, Human Intelligence, military deception, propaganda, and surveillance. In fact, the United States even formed the Committee for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies in New York between June 1776 in order to apprehend British spies and couriers. This lends some credibility to their overall effectiveness during the American Revolutionary