Siege and Surrender at Yorktown

Dr. James Craik (1730–1814), a Scottish-born physician and lifelong friend of George Washington, served as a military surgeon during the Revolutionary War and was present at the surrender at Yorktown. He would later become Physician General of the U.S. Army and was at Washington’s bedside at his death. Craik is buried at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House Burial Ground in Alexandria.

Restored gravestone of Dr. James Craik, located near the north walkway of the Old Presbyterian Meeting House burial ground in Alexandria. The marker shows an incorrect birth year of 1727 instead of 1730.
Dr. James Craik’s gravestone stands just north of the Meeting House. The original was lost during the Civil War, and the restored marker lists an incorrect birth year—1727 instead of 1730. Once set against a now-demolished dwelling, the site reflects the evolving and often fragile nature of historic memory.