1. On October 19, 1781, the British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces led by General George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. The surrender took place at Yorktown, Virginia, a significant victory for the Continental Army and a turning point in the war.

2. In 1864, the Union Army under General Philip Sheridan defeated Confederate forces under General Jubal Early at the Battle of Cedar Creek in Virginia. After being caught off-guard in the morning, the Union troops rallied and launched a surprise attack that routed the Confederates and secured their hold on the Shenandoah Valley.

3. On October 19, 1895, the University of Virginia's Rotunda caught fire and burned down. The building, designed by Thomas Jefferson as the centerpiece of his academic village, was eventually rebuilt in 1898 and remains an iconic symbol of the university today.

4. In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy held a campaign rally at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Kennedy spoke to a crowd of thousands about his plans for domestic and foreign policy, emphasizing the need for a new generation of leadership and inspiring many young voters to get involved in politics.

5. On October 19, 2019, Virginia Tech's football team defeated North Carolina at home in Blacksburg. The victory, which came after a late-game interception and a game-winning field goal, was the Hokies' third in a row and helped to keep their bowl game hopes alive.