New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-18

NdSUfuEtOl Win us p"iAS hiAA''N ~
burg. where he met Lafayette. He here had an in
terview with the French Admiral, cOngratulating
him upon his morally successful operations in the
Chesapeake. De Grasse had sent 500 of his sea-
men with ninety officers to establish the blockade
of James and York Rivers to cut of the retreat
of Corvallis He met the naval force of Graves,
the British Admiral and both fleets continued to
Inannuvre in sight of each other for five days, IN
terchancing a distant cannonade. DE Grasse
avoided a close action, his great object being 10
cover the arrival of the squadron from newport.
The result of the action was that Graves returned
70 New-York TO reft and the French ships were lett
in undlsturbed possession OF Chesapeake Day
Graves from New-York made "a silly cruise D.
fore Boston. which was without purpose, unless to
pick M few prizes Equal iInbeciity prevailed at
New York. ana the British meet did not leave Sandy
Hook mill after the arrival of De GIassc i'll the
Chesapeake.
The allied troops descended by water from Elk
River and Baltimore. All things seemed IN such
excellent state of preparation that Gerry Wro'o
from Massachusetts,: You VIII soon nave thc
Measure of hearing of the capture of Lord Corn
wallis and his army" General Greene Thought tha1
nothing could save CORVALLIS, but rapid retreat
through North Carolina to Charleston
PERIL OF CORNwALIIs.
become sufficiently alarming. The French fleet
menaced his retreat; he was cut of by Lafayette
and Steuben from any retreat to the Carolinas :;
the Americans and French. formidable alliance
were advancing. Cornwals's first purpose was to
emf his way TO the Carolinas. But he found himself
opposrd at n point eight miles in the rear OF lork-
town by 5000 French troops under st. Simon ne
fonnd Williamsburg too strongly occupied 10y
LAFAYETTE 10 be assaulted. In truth, the BRUSH
commander was in a trap. thanks partly To MS own
mistakes and partly Ia the incomprrhcnsiOle HI
beciiity of Clinton. He had no choice hut TO Gu
trench himself at Yorktown, and works there nav
ING been already begun, the whole force OF ms amy
was employed to strengthen them.
Yorktown is the south side OF YORK ElN'r'
Directly opposite is Gloucester Point the river ''I'
being about one mile wide. IN iorllying the pace
CORVALLIS took much pains. There were seven
redoubts and SIX batteries on the lana slh'' con-
pectrd by batteries along the bank Of the river
Gloucester Point was in q like manner fortified
British shps of war were in the river, out of range
Of the French fleet; the stream below was OF
srructcd los snntcn vessels Colonel DundaS had
700 men ot Gloucester Pout Comwalli,s main
force. ahout 1000 was at Yorktown. These forth
fcations were ONLY carthvork- freshly thrown up
To describe them more particularly, they consisted
louht, AMI batteries ou the right. with lmr
of ,tockadc in the rear. which supported meh
naropet A large rcdouht was placed over % mar,Hy
ravine in front of ;hc right. morass extended
along the centre which was defended by astocha"'
and batteries Two snail rrdouhts were advanced
before the left in front OF the left the ground was
level with the works: IN others cut by ravin''
The SPACE between the works was narrow and cA-
cent under the clil was exposed TO cniilade
MOVEMENT or THE ALtIrs
On the 2sth Of September tn whole allied army
moved toward Yorktown from WILLIAMSBURG
Washington considering tnc poss. bIlity OF orp"'i-
tion while on the march cnloucd the troops " 10
place their principal reliance upon the layonet' MAT
they might prove the vanity OF the boast which the
British, make of their peculiar provcss in deciding
battles with that weapon" A. the allie, advanced
the British picKcis and light troops retired. Inc
allies cncaupcd about three miles from lorAt""h
and afcrward took a position within one mile
Washington in a brief order directed the whole
army officers and soldiers. 20 lay on hcr arms Tins
night The allied army consisted OF American
Coutncntlls American militia. and the f'h'h
auzi!.arics. The Continental, were commanded
in three divisions by Na.or-Gcuerals Lincoln. Ii
foycttc anil Stcuben. The artillery brigade was
under Knox. All the militia was from Virginia
The French contingent WI, under the commend Of
Lieutenant General EouhImbcau. Ca the ,taii was
Bcrthicr. aitcrwarl Marshal under Napoleon. One
third of the American army was on iaisu duty
every day. making gabiou,, fasriuc, ana saucIssons
and strong covering parties OF whole TriucEi-
moved from camp rs soon rs ir Wa, dark and lay al
NIGHT on their arm, between the allies AMI the
enemy. The patrol. of the hostile forces occasion
ally exchanged shots,
BEPhkING GROUND.
Tho Americans broke ground on The night Of the
9Th OF October and opened the lir,i parallel about
COO wards from the cucmy's w"rks-on the rrht iy
the Americans, on the loft By the French lnc work
was done with such silence. secrecy and success
that it was hrst discovered by the enemy on th'
next morning Every effort was made by the be
siegcd TO annoy the workers, but the busiur, went
steadily on. The operation was conducted By
Major General Lincoln, who commanded the Am.r-
can detachment and by Baron Niomruil, who com
mandcd the French. Fifteen hundred troops la
bored upon tho parallel and ?. 500 lay under arms
to rcycl attacks The soil was sandy aud easily
thrown MP. The night was favorable being dark
and with Il slight rain. IN the morning the trenches
were high enough to protect the WORKER, The loss
wa, inconsidcrabc. One French officer and twenty
men were killed or wounded. The Amcri an
artillery began to play upon the 9th int. The
troops passe+ nd rcpa,-cd by covert way leading
TO the parallel. On the night before the lth, the
French battery on the left 10y r.d-hot shot set on
fire the lrigaa Charon, lortyiour. with three trans
port ships which were entirely consumed. IL is
mentioned that tho first shot from the American
battery was fired 10y Washington himself and was
singuarly fatal. killing several British officers.
The second parallel was thrown up within 500
wards of the main works OF the enemy on the lth
inst. New batteries had been erected and an al
dtional number of cannon brought forward
twcnty-four FOUNDERS with heavy mortars and
bowitzcrs Tho fire from the works, French
and American, was tremendous. Many Of the
encmy's guns were silenccd broken and disman-
tied The British fire was feeble, 20. was the do
fence conducted with skill. CORVALLIS was unpre-
pared for n siege. Knox now and at all times dur
Ing the segc distinguished himself by the skill with
which he directed the artillery. The house orcu-