, 1862-04-22
An Historic BattIef1eld..-The Siege of
Yorktown In 1851.

History repeats itself; and, In the siege now
in progress before Yorktown, we have on q
much larger Ecale, the repetition Of the siege |
Of 178l, to result, We cannot doubt, in like |
manner-in the triumph Of Liberty over its
enemies.
On the 28th Of September, l781, Gen. Wash
ington marched from Williamsburg, on the
peninsula between the James and York
riTere, for the even then old Yorktown. He
was accompanied by Rochanbeau, Chatelleux
Du PorteaiI Of the French army. Lafayette
was already In advance ,and the Count deGrlsse
lay of with the French fleet in LynhaTen Bay.
The allied army, Including militia, amounted
to about It, 600 men. The English army did
not humber more than 500.
The main body Of the English, under Lord
Cornwallis, was encamped In the open ground
around the town, within the range Of outer
redonbts and field works calculated to com.
mand the peninsula, while d detachment of
GOO or 100 men held Gloucester Point, pro-
jeectirg from the opposite shore, far into the
riger, and narrowing it to the space Of one
mile. Communication between was pro.
tected By the batteries and English ships-of-
war lying under the batteries.
The allied army advanced upon the town
the Americans having the right and the French
the 1eft-apd pressed on 30 eagerly that in the
night Of the 50ih, Lord CornWalls withdrew
| from his outer lines, and the works he had
/ evacuated were next day occupied BY the be-
| siegipg army, which invested the position in
. semicirc1e; :, 900 men were stationed on the
| Gloucester side for the purpose Of keeping up
| 3 rigorous blockade, which, after sharp Skin
mlsh. terminating unfaverably for the British,
they made no further attempt to interrupt
On the night Of Oct. 6, the first parallel was
opened within 800 yards Of the British lines,
o1.d by the evening of the 9th several batteries
aud redoubts were completed, and the fire Of
the allies became very effective, compelling
the enemy IN many eases to withdraw his can
ron from the cnhrasures, aud shells and hot
shot passing over the town, set fire to the
Chaser ftigate, Of a guns, and several trans
| ports, Hhlch were entirely consumed.
! Tie second parallel was opened on the night
| Of 4hc lltA, within 500 yards Of the British
lines, when, finding that it was fanked By two
advanced redoubts IN front of the Britis!
works, it was determined on the 18th to carry
them by storm, and accordingly two attacking
parties, one American, led bT Lafayette, witt
whom served Alex. Hamilton, as Lieut.. Col.
the other French, led BY the Baron de Vic
nenil toward the cIose Of the day rushed upo1
their works, and, though receiving q hot aRd
rarid fire, returned not = single shot, but Cur
ried them at the point of the bayonet-Hamil
ten leading the American column with his bat
TALON Of light infantry These captured work;
being now included in the second PARALLEL tn,
, t render seemed unavoidable. 4 vigorous sor
tie led by Lieut.. Col. Abercromsie, Was made
On the 10th Of October, but Was tTiumphantl]
repulsed, and Lord Cornwallis then conceiYei
! The desperate plan Of passing his force over t.
ma
his way through Maryland to Philadelphia
part Of the army were actually thus 1ransfe,
II red, when storm arose, which put an end t
it the transportation Of the rest Of the army, an
;, rs soon as possible those sent over Wer
y brought back On the morning Of the II.
3 the fire Of the allies became so hot that th
r. PLACE Was no longer tenable, and Lord Con
wallis asked cessation Of hostilfties fo
o tWenty-fonr hours and the appointment {
| Commissioners to treat Of surrender.
- Gen. Washington replied that ouiy for tw
L hours could he consent to suspend hostllltie:
n. and transmitted at the time such articles
:. capitulation as be would pc willing TO gran
II COMMISSIONERS we're appointed in conformit,
l. on tic 18th, on both sides-Viscount {
:, Mou1lIes and Col Laurrns on the side Of tt
IL Allies, Col Dun1as, and Major Ross, on b
" half Of the English. They agreed upon &c
II tain articles, Of which rough copy only =!
e" to Lord CORVALLIS carly on the 18th, expires
ID ing bis expectations that the terms would
agreed to and signed BY IL o'clock, and tn
the garrison would march out by 2 e. /
9 Accordingly at TINT hour the posts Of Yor
Town and Gloucester Point, with their gar,
SOD, and The tbtps in Their harbor with the
u eeamen, were surrendered to the land nav
ne forces Of America and France. The arm
artillery. arms, military chest, and publ
at stores Of every kind, we're surrendered
[
az Count de erase; the total number Of prise
u erf, excluding seamen, rather exceeded Z,
ns men, amouDg- whom were two genera
thirty one field officers, three hundred a
n twenty-six captains aud euba1terns, &c.
he The negotiation for surrender Was open
on the eleventh day after breaking grour
II and the capitnlation was signed on the th
~. The military and naval forces surrender
'p' "prtsoners OF war-the artillery, arms, acce
op- trements, and military chest and public sto
all Of every denomination, to be delivered up !
,ht impaired-the garrison to march out at
su' o'clock, to place appointed in front Of
ION post, with should Tered arms, co1ors cascd, a
pp~ drums beating-they are then to gro1
~ their arms, and return to their encanpmen
'ta- officers to retain their side asms, and of1c
Is" and soldiers, to keep their private proper
H., and no part Of their baggage or pspers to
Aso subject to search or inspection II The 8,
sfal On Which fh3ssr1e1noEzh1e surrender Wss mi
Iva is Fel known It is deaignated In 4 plao
@"o the 5eageE and Ii boon, He may. trust. 10,
sdt rendered more memorable by q Ike surreu
urt OF q much larger army-end thus comblne
one gtnsfous memory two g1e1t victories
the EHNe ground