Present Appearance of British Entrenchment, Yorktown

Ernest C. Peixotto's pen-and-ink sketch documents the Revolutionary War battlefield at Yorktown, Virginia, nearly 120 years after the British surrender. The drawing employs precise linear hatching to render earthworks, fortifications, and period structures across the landscape, with an accompanying topographical map situating the field relative to the York River and troop positions. Peixotto combines archaeological observation with period military documentation—a common practice among late-nineteenth-century illustrators who merged historical research with contemporary reportage. His technique of layered cross-hatching creates atmospheric depth while maintaining architectural accuracy, exemplifying the draftsmanship demanded of newspaper and periodical illustrators during the 1890s.