Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-03-31

tai dsbandinq Of the army. At all events, IL
he was afraid to be attacked in stationary po-
silion, he must at least cruize in sight Of the
capes. But the true reason with De Grasse
was, not that he feared TO be attacked at anchor
he wished 10 perform brilliant action in
which the glory would belong to himself alone
in short, to capture or disperse the entire
English feet, and thus secure by one grand
coup the overthrow Of both the British armies,
and put an end 10 the war. Bot for fear Of
the consequences that nigh, result from disre-
garding the firm remonsirance Of both Wash
ineton and the French Commanders, there 10
no doubt that he would have insisted on exc
cutting his brilliant project, and thus overthrow
the whole campaign, and put far OF The day Of
peace. He, however, consented 10 remain I;
though il is said that Washington, afraid 10
trust to his steadiness Of purpose, sent Hamil-
ton TO him during the siege, who passing in
an open boat by night, had an interview with
him TO strengthen his determination.
CORVALLIS at this time was at the head Of
more than 1000 troops, which were concentrate
ed mostly in Yorktown, containing at that time
about sixty houses. A few occupied Glouccs-
vi W. wv tl'l't,ttt cluJ W AoAh
The allied armies, nearly 10 900 strong, took
up their line of march from Williamsburg on
tho 2sih Of September, at O'Clock in the
morning, and advancing by different routes To-
wards Yorktown, arrived in view Of the enc
my's lines at O'Clock in the afternoon. Corn
wallis Watched their approach through his glass
with feelings Of the most painful anxiety At
the first departure Of De Grasse to give Ad-
miral Graves battle, and afterwards as the dis
iant cannonade Of the hostile fleets broke over
the sea, hope terminated his heart. But now
as he saw the French fleet quietly riding at
anchor in rear Of his works, while this over
whelming force slowly and steadily took up lis
position in front, bis heart sunk within him.-
Washington, on the other hand, as tho deelin-
ing sunbeams sireamed over the long lines Of
Rlttering bayonets, and polished pieces Of the
French artillery, rs with strains Of martial inu.
sic the steady columns one after another de-
ployed on the field. and saw far away the
peaks Of the Freneh ships Of war, tipped with
Light, felt that the hour Of triumph bad come,
I end glorious victory was in reserve for his
country.
The next day, the morning reyoillc beat
ehecrily through the allied camp, and soon the
field presented brilliant spectacle, as the
French on the left and the Americans on the
right advanced, and extending in a semicircle
entirely round the enainy's works TO the river
on either side, completed the investment The
British then retired from their advanced works,
leaving two redoubls undamagcd within cannon
shot Of their for,lfcaiions. The succeeding
day the allied troops took possession Of the
neglected works, the French occupying the Two
redoubls, while the Americans broke ground
for two new ones on the right Ia the mean
time the heavy siege guns were hurried for
ward. On the moraing Of the first Of October,
the British seeing the redoubts begun by the
Americans, directed their artillery upon them,
and heavy canonade was kept up all day and
night. For three days and nights the deep
reyerberaiions Of their guns shook the field,
and swept far out over the deep, but not shot
replied. The stroke of the spade and pickaxe,
as the earth was thrown up to form the rodoubts
1.-The confused hum Of workmen erecting tents,
and shops, aud oyens, and unloading baggage
and proyisious-ibe heavy rumbling Of ariil-
lery wagons as the long line of teams stretched
over the uneven ground--and the stern orders
Of officers, were the only sounds that from the
allied armies. Ia the centre, where they met
as they swept up in semicircle from The riy-
er, Rochambeau and Washington stationed
themselves, aud here, too, was drawn up the ar
iillery, .t.-...'
BY the SIKH Of October every thing was
ready to commence the approaches, and. as an
omen OF good, Washington that very day re-
ceived the cheering intelligence Of Greene's
victory at Eutaw Springs. The night came
on dark and stormy, and amid the driving rain,
unheard IN the roar Of the blast by the British
sentincls, six regiments, under the command Of
Lincoln, Clinton, and Wayne, opened the first
parallel within Eve hundred and fifty Yards of
the British works on the right. The men
were pushed vigorously all night, and By morn
ing were well covered from the guns of the
ior'ihcaiions. Up to this time the French and
Americans had lost in all but one officer and
sixteen priyaies, killed and wounded. The
next two days the enemy fired but little, and
,be parallel was completed. 90 the afternoon
of the ninth, the French had established one
battery Of four twelve Founders and six murtars
and howiizers, and the Americans another of
six, eighteen and twenly-four Founders, and
four mortars and howizers. Washington then
rode up an eminence, and through his glass
took long and careful survey of the enemy S
works and his own batteries. Apparently sat
isfed he closed bis glass, and waved his hand
as signal The next moment the French
battery opened, and two hours after the Ameri-
can blended in its thunder on the right, and the
first act of the tragedy commenced. All night
long thunder answered thunder, echoing over
land and sea. d F. u ta..-,.,rI ..s
The next day two moro French batteries,
mounting in all twenty heavy cannon and NOR
tars, and two American, of six guns, making
tweniy-six pieces, were put in operation.-
Forty-six guns had now concentrated their de-
sructiye fire on The limited works of The Bit
ish, and it rained horrible tempest of shot
and shells upon Corvallis II was impossible
to Withstand such . tremendous fire, and the
! enemy were soon compelled to Withdraw their
guns from tho ombrasures behind the merlins
land for the remainder Of the day, without
firing scarcely single shot, they sat silent