Original subtitles

♪ I see a land with liberty for all ♪

♪ Yet still I know the truth will rise and fall ♪

♪ That's just the way it goes

♪ A word now to the wise

♪ The world was made to change

♪ Each day is a surprise

♪ Looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ Searching for a hero to idolize ♪

♪ Feeling the pain as innocence dies ♪

♪ Looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ I take my heart into battle

♪ Give that freedom bell a rattle ♪

♪ Get my independence signed

♪ Declare it on the dotted line ♪

♪ Let Philadelphia freedom ring ♪

♪ And patriotic voices sing

♪ Red White and Blue never give up ♪

♪ You represent America

♪ I'm hoping and praying for a brighter day ♪

♪ I listen to my heart and I obey ♪

♪ How can I see it any other way ♪

♪ I'm looking at life

♪ Looking at life

♪ With my own eyes

(fireworks booming and poping)

- [Narrator] Today on Liberty's Kids

- Our fleet has finally arrived

nearby at Chesapeake Bay

It will carry our troops to a position

from which we will crush the rebels once and for all

- Cornwallis will move to near Yorktown

where he'll wait for the British fleet

to arrive in Chesapeake Bay

When his ships arrive he will attack us

- Admiral De Grasse will have 29 warships And 3,000 troops

Our army and Rochambeau could march south and join Lafayette

on the other side of Yorktown

We would then be surrounding the British

by land and by sea

- So the army marches south,

It could be the huge victory

we've been hoping for

- Dear Moses, I write from the marquis

to Lafayette's Camp in Virginia

A place filled with anticipation

- Attention!

- Lord Cornwallis and his British troops

are nearby at Yorktown

On one side of him is Chesapeake Bay

which we hope will soon be filled

with French warships

On the other side, wall trenches encircle the city

I wait far away from those walls

with Henri and the marquis for the armies of generals

Washington and Rochambeau to march here from New York

(speaking French)

Thanks to a Negro spy

whose name I dare not write down

Cornwallis suspects nothing of General Washington's trap

and plans to remain in Yorktown

Your brother Cato is here

Our spy saw him

He is a soldier fighting with the British

to earn his freedom

Moses, I fear a terrible battle

but I also dare hope that if the French fleet

arrives here in time it will be the final victorious battle

of this our long war for freedom

- Admiral De Grasse, sir

- Speak

- The hurricane is still heading due north and gaining speed

- Take in the sails Capitan

and batten down the hatches

- Yes sir

- The Americans are lucky that this storm

is forcing us toward Virginia

They best hope it doesn't change its course

and force us to change ours

- Pastel man Louis, we must hurry

to join Washington in New York

- Oh General Rochambeau, do you truly think

it's possible for our army and Washington's

and De Grasse's fleet to reach Virginia

before Cornwallis leaves or is joined by the British fleet?

- I do not know Duke

So many things must go right

and so many things can go wrong

- There

Whoa!

Thank you, James

With this heat and all these supplies

it's a good thing we're only marching to New York City

- You've got it all wrong

We're not attacking in New York

we're attacking in Virginia

- That's ridiculous James

If it's so hot here can you imagine

what it's like down south

- No thanks

- To March an army 500 miles in the height of summer

No my friend, we're going to retake New York City

and win this war

Whoa

- Sir, some of the men are betting each other

on whether we're marching to New York or Virginia

- Excellent and our spies are spreading the word

that we'll attack New York

Our only hope is to be well on our way to Virginia

before the British realize that's where we plan

to attack them

- Put your back into it man

- Lieutenant, I will not have any more British soldiers

die of heatstroke digging our trenches

and building our fortifications

You will immediately replace them with Negro soldiers

- Present arms

Right face

Forward march

Halt!

What is this?

- Too many British soldiers are dying out there

So they're sending us in their place

- That is not right

- You look pleased Joseph Plumb Martin

- And why should I not be?

We're headed to Virginia with General Washington

to pay our old friends the British a visit

They might see us and say there's too many of us

for a party, but I'll say to them "the more the merrier"

- Moses

Hello James

- You know my old friend

Joseph plumb Martin?

- Of course

- What's the satchel for?

- I assume you're with the Mining Corp Joseph?

I certainly am, we'll be digging many a trench

in your town before we're through

- Can you use another man

who understands engineering?

I must get to the frontlines

- Welcome to the mining corp

of General George Washington

- My dear Lafayette,

we have reached Philadelphia

and are continuing our march south

General Rochambeau will sail south

down the Delaware River

Then his army and mine will unite

- And march for Yorktown to cut off any escape

by land by the British troops

You have done wonderfully keeping Cornwallis

at Yorktown these past weeks

But Marquis, what of the French fleet?

Our plan now relies on their arriving to cut off

a British escape through Chesapeake Bay

If the fleet reaches the bay, victory May finally be ours

If they do not the British could escape

and our great opportunity would be lost

If you get any news about the ship's arrival near Yorktown

send it

I pray you on the spur of speed

Yours, George Washington

- Oh, General Rochambeau,

our army is moving nicely down the river

- Let us hope the French fleet of warships

is moving just as nicely into Chesapeake Bay

- General

(speaking french)

- General Rochambeau, the ships are here, they've arrived

General, General, I received a message

The French fleet has arrived in Chesapeake Bay

32 warships with 3,000 troops

Now when we reach Yorktown we can surround the British

- General Cornwallis, Sir

We must abandon opposition before Washington and Rochambeau

arrive, while we still can

- No, when our own ships arrive we will engage

the rebels in the single battle that will give us America

- But what if our ships don't arrive?

I mean yes, sir

- Those ships are not ours, they are British

We are not ready to do battle

- Admiral De Grasse, it's a British attack

before we get into formation they'll tear us to pieces

- Prepare to meet them

- All hands on deck, signal the fleet

Run the cannons out, weigh anchor, and hoist the sails

Full speed west-southwest

Battle line formation

Fire when in range!

- The fool, he is not attacking

he is stopping to form a battle line

- Half their fleet has been culled, sir

The wind favors us

- This just might give us the time we need

(guns firing)

- Admiral, the British are running for open water

- Cease fire, cease fire!

They will head north to get more British ships

to protect them

I wonder whether Rochambeau and Washington

will arrive here before they return

- Washington, welcome to Virginia

- They'll never beat us now

- Freedom!

- Liberty!

- His excellency, Washington is here

- America

- It's Washington!

- I was there at Princeton!

- My dear Marquis

- Hello James

- Hi

(speaking French)

- Okay, okay, Henri, I'm glad to see you too

Can we just shake hands

- We must take Cornwallis or be all dishonored

- Your excellency, take him we shall

- No!

- These men should not be singled out

from any other soldiers for this duty

- You'll be alright, just rest

Since I came to these shores

I've been mistreated by white people

first as a slave, now as a soldier

There must be good white people

Show them to me

Please show them to me

- Fine work James Armistead

The marquis has told me how greatly your spying

has aided our cause

- Thank you

- Now we can lay siege to Lord Cornwallis's position

Nothing and no one will go in or out of Yorktown

General Rochambeau

- We will begin digging our trenches here

beyond the range of British artillery

We shall battle the fortifications of Yorktown

and every day move closer and tighter around them

Soon we will be close enough to fire into the town itself

It might take days, it might take weeks

but sooner or later the British will run out

of ammunition, out of food, and out of shelter

- When that day arrives my friends they will be ours

- Alright boys, let's dig these trenches for all we're worth

- James, my coat

(knocking on door)

Come

- Excuse me sir, but we are surrounded

- There is no escape from this place

- They have only light artillery

that can not damage our fortifications

We are not in danger

- Brothers, eat while there is still food

- I think we'll be safe here

- I pray that Cornwallis surrenders quickly

once the siege begins

- Whatever happens, I'll make sure that people

everywhere get to read about it

- And I'll make sure that what they read makes sense

- What's this?

- Let us push in closer

- Dig more trenches here

- Empty

(guns and artillery blasting)

- Disgusting

- General Lafayette, Colonel Hamilton

and our French friends are only 200 yards

from the walls of Yorktown

We are now close enough to fire over the walls

and into the British position

- General what will be your first target?

- We shall pay a visit to General Cornwallis himself

- They can't last much longer in there

- General Clinton, because of the siege

we no longer have enough food or water

to sustain all our men

I'm afraid our Negro soldiers

will have to fend for themselves

- Stop, where are you sending those men?

No, there are soldiers, it's too dangerous

And they are unarmed

Do not send them out of the fortifications

- Over there, take cover

We risked our lives for the British

You promised us our freedom

Even if we survive that they'll capture us

They'll make us slaves again

- Get down!

- What's that?

- Fire!

- Can I use your spyglass?

Cato, it's my brother!

- Fire

- Cease fire!

Stop firing!

No!

- Moses, no!

- Get off me, I've got to get out there

- No, you can't help him

- We need to get out of the line of fire

- Come here

Here!

Come!

I'm going to help you, I hide you, hurry!

Trust me

- Moses wake up

Moses, I think they're surrendering

- Cease fire, cease fire!

- General Cornwallis surrendered

and the British had to lay down their arms

- Since the British did not give our army

the honors of war when they defeated us at Charleston,

we will not give them he honor of flying their flag now

But we'll give them their tories and our deserters

We do not want them among us

- Excuse me your excellency,

may I ask you something please?

- Of course, Sarah

- What will happen to the Negroes

who have fought with the British

- They will be returned to their owners

- Sir, that is outrageous!

- Sarah, you don't talk to his excellency like that

- Joseph, you don't know Sarah

- It may be outrageous young lady

but it is also the law

- Sir it is a terrible law that must be changed

- One victory at a time my dear

- Where's Moses?

- Cornwallis has surrendered,

the British have lost, you must go now

- I have to know, why are you helping us?

We're just a bunch of slaves to you

- You men are not slaves, you are soldiers

You deserve far more aid than I am able to give

- Sir, what is your name?

- I am Captain Gottfried Hiltz

- Thank you, Captain Hiltz

- Hurry!

- Hey get in line!

- Take your hands off me I am a free man

Cato!

- We won

- Cato!

Cato!

Cato!

- Lord Cornwallis

- I will help you James Armistead

You have my word you will be free

- When I am, I will call myself James Lafayette

- You, you are with the Americans?

- Yes sir

I am an American

- I despise the colonies

- General Washington, now that you've won the war

What's next?

- We haven't won yet James

The British still occupy a great deal of our country

You write your story lad

I must prepare my tired men for our next battle

♪ Looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ Searching for a hero to idolize ♪

♪ Feeling the pain as innocence dies ♪

♪ Looking at life my own eyes

♪ I take my heart into battle

♪ Give that freedom bell a rattle ♪

♪ Get my independence signed

♪ Declare it on the dotted line ♪

♪ Red White and Blue never give up ♪

♪ You represent America