Lord Cornwallis. Engraved Portrait With Battle Vignette -

London: Fielding & Walker, 1781. Very good condition. Copper engraved portrait of Lord Cornwallis (Charles, Earl Cornwallis 1738-1805), with a vignette below the portrait depicting British troops firing on fleeing American soldiers. This scene could depict the May 1780 British taking of Charleston, which dealt a serious blow to the American cause. It could also depict Cornwallis' next victory, in the battle of Camden, in which the North Carolina and Virginia militia fled. This rout cemented Cornwallis' reputation at home, where he was widely perceived as a hero and the best man to defeat the Americans. The engraving is dated February 1781. Shortly following this date, the decisive battle of Yorktown began, on September 28, 1781. Cornwallis officially surrendered, ending the American Revolution, on October 19, 1781. 8vo, 4 1/4 x 7", tipped on to gray stock, 5 x 8"