The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 8, Number 2, Winter 2019 | Page 122

The Saber
Yorktown, the French turned to combating
the British elsewhere. Even with the
blow dealt the British at Yorktown, the
Americans could not mount any serious
campaigns against the remaining British
possessions in North America. 63 The
absence of a French Navy to aid them
in combined-arms operations effectively
hamstrung the American war effort.
Following the victory at Yorktown, de
Grasse sailed to his eventual fate against
Rodney in the Caribbean, and the majority
of the French troops in America
desired to return home now that the
contest in the American colonies was all
but over. 64 The war was winding down,
and while further battles and engagements
occurred, it was really only the
peace negotiations that remained.
At the beginning of the rebellion,
the British navy had the power to control
events and possibly ensure an early
British victory. The weak economy of
Britain, however, prevented the navy
from fully mobilizing, and the eventual
entry of France and Spain into the
conflict forced Great Britain to alter its
war strategy. The combined strength
of the French and Spanish navies presented
a serious challenge to the power
of the Royal Navy. This led to Britain
re-prioritizing the value of its imperial
possessions, and the American colonies
did not rank high on the list. The home
waters became the area of highest importance,
likewise the relief of Gibraltar
and re-establishing control in the
economically vital West Indies. To accomplish
this, the British reduced forces
allocated to the war in the American
colonies, and reinforcements were unavailable
to counter defeats and losses.
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