The Battle of the Chesapeake took place on September 5, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War. This naval engagement involved the fleets of the British Royal Navy and the combined forces of the French Navy, led by Admiral François de Grasse. The battle was crucial in preventing British reinforcements from reaching General Cornwallis's troops in Yorktown, Virginia. The French victory at the Chesapeake allowed the American and French forces to successfully lay siege to Cornwallis's army. This decisive moment contributed significantly to the eventual surrender of the British at Yorktown in October 1781, marking a turning point in the war and paving the way for American independence.