Let’s take a deep dive into three pivotal moments of the American Revolution—not just through the facts, but through the artwork that immortalized them. These visual representations don’t just depict battle scenes; they shape how we remember the struggle for independence.
The Battle of Lexington – Amos Doolittle’s Eyewitness Engraving
The first significant clash of the war occurred at Lexington and Concord. Let’s focus on Lexington, where artist and engraver Amos Doolittle, a Connecticut-born Patriot, gave us one of the earliest visual accounts of the confrontation. His engraving, The Battle of Lexington, depicts British Redcoats unleashing fire on the colonial militia in the early morning of April 19, 1775.
The Redcoats are shown in tightly organized ranks, rifles raised in unison—a stark contrast to the scattered and unprepared colonial farmers and militiamen. A mounted British officer commands the assault, signaling the cold efficiency of the empire’s military machine. Meanwhile, the colonists are shown either retreating, falling, or fleeing in disarray. Doolittle’s portrayal of British soldiers firing first functions as visual propaganda, offering a direct answer to the debated question: “Who fired the shot heard round the world?”
Given that Doolittle was a Patriot, his bias is clear. But that’s part of what makes the image powerful: it reveals not just the event, but how Patriots wanted the event remembered—as unprovoked violence against innocent colonists.
The Turning Point – John Trumbull’s The Surrender of General Burgoyne
Fast forward to 1777 and the Battle of Saratoga, a decisive American victory and arguably the turning point of the war. It was this triumph that convinced France to formally enter the war as an ally to the colonies—a move that changed everything.
This moment was later captured by John Trumbull in The Surrender of General Burgoyne (1821), part of his series of Revolutionary War paintings housed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Unlike Doolittle’s chaotic battlefield, Trumbull’s composition is serene and ceremonial. General Horatio Gates, the American victor, stands calmly at the center, receiving the sword of General John Burgoyne, who appears humbled and dignified.
There is no violence here. No blood. Instead, we see a diplomatic exchange, reinforcing the idea that America had matured from rebellious colonies to a legitimate nation with formal military conduct. The American flag rises in the background, understated yet powerful, symbolizing the emerging strength and order of the new republic. Trumbull invites us to see this not just as a military win, but as a moment of national legitimacy on the global stage.
The Final Blow – Trumbull’s The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis
The final artwork in this visual trilogy is The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, also painted by John Trumbull (not Thomas Thumball—a common mix-up). This painting captures the aftermath of the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, the last major land battle of the Revolution.
Though titled after Cornwallis, the British general is not pictured—a deliberate historical detail. In reality, Cornwallis claimed illness and sent General Charles O’Hara to surrender in his place. Trumbull honors that moment with precise choreography: O’Hara offers his sword to General Benjamin Lincoln, who had previously been forced to surrender Charleston to the British and was now symbolically vindicated.
American and French officers flank the scene, their postures dignified and triumphant. The inclusion of the French emphasizes the international nature of the American victory. Above all, a white flag and calm atmosphere signal that the conflict—at least militarily—is over.
The painting doesn’t revel in chaos or gore; instead, it memorializes the transfer of power, the closing of a violent chapter, and the rise
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