His small supporting maritime component was not capable of lifting his combat forces or challenging the French warships of the line anchored at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.” Additionally, the disposition of troops, with Washington and Rochambeau commanding approximately 8,000 Continental Army troops and 7,800 French troops, proved instrumental in encircling Cornwallis's forces of approximately 8,000 troops The Siege of Yorktown unfolded as the American and French forces laid siege to the British stronghold by fixing the British in their position utilizing consistent artillery fire from Allied forces with the French on right with a sustained fire right of approximately 4000 rounds per day, with heavy support from the French Navy to the East. On 11 October the Allies began work on the second parallel, only 3000 meters from the British lines because the second parallel ran directly into 2 separate British positions, the Allies attacked both concurrently with the French against Redoubt 9 and the Americans, led by LTC Alexander Hamilton, against Redoubt 10 on October 14th in less than thirty minutes, the Americans and French seized both positions (Abrams