Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-10-15
YORKTO WN CENTENARY.

| YORKTOWN CENTENARY
The surrender Of CORVALLIS at
Yorktown practically ended the war
for American independence, and as
there was NO event in that war which
had a greater influence upon the des-
TIMES Of this people, SO there was
none more dramatic in its nature, or
more significant of the methods by
which American independence was
won. Curiously enough the campaign
which ended at Yorktown illustrated
every phase Of the conflict, and its his
| tory is sort of epitome of the story
of the Revolution
The British under Provost gained
| foothold at Savannah, ,as they did every
where during the Revolution, by regu-
lar methods, overcoming the irregular
American opposition without difficulty.
When they advanced northward, how
ever, the irregular opposition under
Lincoln gave them greater trouble at
Poeotaligo, and on Johns and James
| Islands, and for time they were
bafled at Charleston. When Clinton
substituted siege for desultory warfare,
as he could, the American opposition
was again ineffective, as it always was
in such circumstances, and Charleston
and Georgetown fell into the enemy's
hands.
The advance of the British inland
next encountered American opposition
of moment at Camden There Gates
made the great mistake of the Revo-
luton. Arrogantly neglecting the les
son which every event of the war had
taught, he led his army of volunteers
as if it had been an army Of regular
troops, giving the British regular bat
tie in which they were always superior
to the Americans. He was beaten
utterly, and his army was broken and
dispersed.
Then came Nathaniel Greene, of
Rhode Island-after Washington the
ablest and wisest commander in the
patriot army-charged with the task
of opposing the victorious British,
without an army, without money, pro-
visions, officers or men. Gathering
together the farmers and such troops
as were within reach, Greene directed
| his march so as to encourage the people
and draw volunteers to his standard,
while recruiting the health of his men
and collecting supplies. Greene was a
grand master of the tactics which won
American liberty. He understood the
conditions of the conflict and adapted
his measures to them His mind was
too large for conventionalism. He
knew that in pitched battles the Eng
lish must always have an advantage,
and that a campaign of pitched battles
must result disastrously to the Ameri-
can cause He fought something like
regular battles, it is true, but he chose
his own time and places for doing 50,
and fought with the understanding
that he would probably be beaten,
making his arrangements for wrestling
advantage from defeat. Deliberately
he set out to win q campaign while
losing the battles of which it consisted.
He fought and retired, and fought
again, so man9uvcring as to keep the
enemy constantly upon a strain and
constantly bafled. He nowhere risked
the campaign upon q battle, but took
care to retire from a lost action with
strength for marching and fighting
again In this way, while he could
not defeat the British, he made it i'm
possible for them to crush him. Mean
while he was detaining them in the
wilderness of the Carolinas, entang-
ling them in q net from which escape
grew constantly mere and more diff
cult. wearing them out with marches
and countermarches, while his parti-
sans, under Marion and Sumter, were
picking to pieces the British line of
communication and worrying the spirit
out of the British army by constant
harassing
Finally CORVALLIS, despairing Of an
opportunity to crush Greene, resumed
his march northward, only to fall into
the trap which had been prepared for
him during the time that Greene had
gained by OBTAINING him, and Greene
was left free to reconquer the Caro-
linas.
How Cornwallis marched northward,
and was cntrapped between the Ameri-
can army and French fleet, for the ap-
proach of which Greene had secured
time, is story known to every school
boy, and there is certainly no story in
our history worthier to be remembered.
There is reason to be glad, therefore,
that the arrangements are making for
the proper celebration of the centennial
anniversary Of the Yorktown surren-
der, which will occur on the 10Th day
of October, 1881. The scheme con-
templates a gathering of army and
naval representatives, civil and mill
tary delegates from all the States in
the Union, great gathering of the
people, and fitting representation of
the French navy, which played so i'm
portant part in the historical event
to be celebrated Distinguished French
naval officers, it is understood, have
expressed their purpose to participate
in the celebration, and it is confidently