Final answer:
General Charles Cornwallis captured Charleston but lost at Yorktown, marking a turning point in the American Revolutionary War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British General who captured Charleston but lost at Yorktown was General Charles Cornwallis.
During the American Revolutionary War, Cornwallis successfully captured Charleston, South Carolina in 1780, but his subsequent defeat at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 marked a turning point in the war and ultimately led to the eventual victory of the American colonies.
At Yorktown, Cornwallis's army was besieged by a combined force of American and French troops under the command of General George Washington, and he was forced to surrender. This defeat effectively ended major British military operations in North America.
Learn more about British General Cornwallis, American Revolutionary War