Cornwallis Cave Yorktown Virginia

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Cornwallis "cave" was once thought to be the secret hideout where British General Cornwallis took cover from incoming fire during the Revolutionary War battle, retreating into a cavern carved out by stone quarrying for building materials. However, further research revealed this story may be nothing more than a legend. The cave had served as a potato storage room in colonial times before being converted to store Confederate supplies in 1862 during the American Civil War. To protect these munitions from Union warships patrolling offshore, Confederate forces carved out large openings in the front wall to install wooden beams and cover them with soil. Today, the gated cave stands neglected due to weathering and erosion, its stability threatened by the constant risk of falling stones, prompting safety measures to keep visitors at bay.