The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-10-21
The Yorktown Monument.

The j OrktOwn monument, says the
American Magazine of History, is to be
built under the personal supervision OF
Colonel Craighill. Messrs. Il Hunt and
j. @. A. Ward of New York and Henry
VanBrunt of Boston, who were APP
pointed by the secretary of war to pre-.
pare design of the proposed mOnu-
ment, have completed this work and
submitted report. From the archi.
tectural point of view, the monument
is composed of three principal points.
The first is base, which, with its
stylobate aud its pediments, is 81 feet
high, and occupies an area SO feet
square upon the ground. The second
is highly sculptured podium, % -
feet high and ID feet in diameter, inthe
form Of drum supporting a column.
This latter, which is part third, is 60
feet high, and at the base 1-2 feet in
diameter. This shaft, for the sake of
economy, is composed of succession of
drums mr. COURSES of masonry giving
practical reasons for departure from
the conventional treatment which be-
longs to monolithic shafts. The points
are masked by four bands, decorated
with laurel leaves and justified by a
decoration OF stars symmetrically dis
posed upon them and breaking the out
line of the column. From the symbol
ical point of view, the monument is in
tended to convey, in architectural lam
guage, the idea set forth in the dedica-
tory inscription that by the victory at
York town the independence of the
United States OF America was achieved
or brought to final accomplishment.
The four sides of the base contain, first
an inscription dedicating tho monu-
ment as q memorial of the victory:
second, an inscription representing a
suecinct narrative of the siege, prepared
in accordaece with the original arcbi-
yes in the department of state, third
the treaty of alliance with the King of
france; aud, fourth, the treaty of
peace with the King of England. In
the pediments, over these four sides,
respectively, are presented, carved in
relief, emblems of nationality, of war.
of the alliance, and of peace. The base
is thus devoted to the historical state.
ment. 1t explains the subsequent in
cidents of the monumental compost
ton, which are intended to appeal solely
to the imagination. The immediate re.
suit OF the historical events written M
on the base was the happy establish
ment of national union of thirteen
youthful, free and independent States.
10 celebrate this joyful union the sculp-
tor has represented upon the circular
podium which arises from the base. n
solemn dance of thirteen typical female
figures, hand in hand, encircline n
drum, which bears upon a belt beneath
their feet the words: "One country.
one constitution, one destiny" 1t isa
symbol of the birth of freedom. The
inscriptions submitted by tie commits
sion for the four sides of the column
are as follows:
North Side.-Erected in pursuance OF
a resolution of Congress adopted Octo-
Der ~, 1881, and an act of Congress
June z, 1880, to commemorate the vic
tory by which the independence of the
United States of America was achiev-
ed.
South side.-At York, on October
IL, 1881, after n siege of nineteen DAYS
by 1900 American, and 1000 French
troops of the line, $500 Virginia mill.
tia, under command of Gen. Thorn as
Nelson, and thirty-six French ships of
war, Earl CORVALLIS, commander of
British forces at York and Gloucester.
his army, Z, 1851 officers and
men, $40 seamen, PA cannon, and "a
TO his excellency, George
Washington, commander-in.ch chief of
the combined forces OF America and
France; to his exeellency, the Count
DE Rochambeau, commanding the aux
lliary troops of His Most Christian Ma
leaty In America, and TO his excel.
iency, the Comte do Grasse, command,
ing In chief the naval army of France
in Chesapeake.
East Side. The provisional articles
Of peace concluded November so, 1882,
and definitive treaty OF peace concluded
september 3, 1881, between the United
states OF America and George iii, the |
King OF Great Britain and Ireland, |
ieciare: His Britannia Majesty acknow- |
edges the said United States viz; New
Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode |
Island and Providence Plantations. |
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey.
pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, |
Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
Ina anc Georgia, to be free, sovereign
md independent States.
West Side.-The treaty concluded
February 6, 1878, between the United
States of America and Louis XVI. king
u France, declares: The essential and
iirect END OF the present defensive alli-
.nce, Is to maintain eaectually the
liberty Sovereignty aud independence,
absolute and unlimited, of the said
Y nited States, as well In matters of