Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-07-27
From. Harper's Magazine for August, lssl.]
THE SURRENDER OF CORN
WILLIS.

4
THE SURRENDER OF CORN
WILLIS.
The French Due de la Rochefoucauld.
Liancourt, who made q tour of the
United States at the close of the last
century, expressed surprise and disap-
pointment at not finding the monument
at Yorktown, Virginia, which the Con
tinental Congress, fifteen years before,
had voted to erect there in commemo-
ration of Corvallis surrender. 1T is
not even yet begun he wrote. in 1896;
and if be grew indignant enough to
add that "such negligence is inconceiv-
able, shameful and unaccountable,' We
must admit that as one of that nation
which contributed SO much to the
great event, he was not at all officious
in bis rebuke But perhaps the Duke
was a trif1c severe, and judged us by
the standard of republican Rome,
which accorded military triumphs and
set up memorials and statues without
stint Why no monument was erected
at Y orktown during the Revolutionary
generation is not altogether unaccount-
able. in view of The thousand and one
more serious matters in hand. The di-
lemma of the finances, and the creation
of new political system requiring the
attention Of years, inevitably ovcrshad-
owed everything Of purely sentimen-
tai nature. A monument could wait,
as long as the patriotic intent and res
olution were on record. 1t could wait,
indeed, until some later generation, ap-
preciating fully the magnitude Of the
victory, would be disposed TO commem-
oratc it in fitting manner, and make
the memorial truly historical, repre-
senting alike the struggles of the faith
crs and the gratitude Of their descend
ants. The time for it has come around
with the completion of the century,
and we are now promised both a grand
celebration and grand monument
the Forty-sixth Congress making good
the resolution of the Continental Con-
gross by voting an appropriation Of
one hundred and forty thousand dollars
for both objects. o4
The scene Of the surrender has long
been n much-neglectcd spot York
town il not reached bv railway, and is
of the line OF progress. Some day it
may revive its old-time prosperity; at
least it ought to become more accessi-
BILE az point for future pilgrimage.
Before the Revolution the town was
quite an emporium, the only port from
which the Virginia planters shipped
their tobacco to England Baltimore
aud Norfolk gradually reduced it by
competition. Some two centuries or
more ago we first hear of it as one of
the few outposts or forts in the colony.
In 1926 it was the centre Of thriving
county-an Episcopal parish Of sixty
communicates, with u church. Will
liamsburg, the capital, with its House
Of Burgesses and growing college, at
tractinS thitbcr the wisdom and fash
ion Of the Dominion, was scarce doz-
en- miles away. Until CORVALLIS sta
toned himself there, Yorktown had es-
tdDtu tnC iaE1ECb VI Ou bnC ki-
MIA coast, and after its surrender it
still contained about seventy houses,
not more than two or three having
been wholly destroyed. Fifteen years
later it had not extended its limits, and
we Gnd its population. more than half
OF which was composed OF negroes,
numbering about eight hundred souls.
The last war, it need hardly be said,
lett In depressed condition, almost
beyond recovery, and to-day ii con-
tains not more than three hundred in
habitants, among whom are to be found
but few descendants of the ancient pro-
prietors. In fact, 1t seems to be the
lot Of Yorktown that the more it be-
comes historical spot, the less 1t be-
comes ANYTHING else
How It happened that 20 great
stroke ~ the capture Of the ablest Brit
lab general in America was finally Of
fected ut this little town in Eastern
Virginia, Involves a lengthy chapter in
the history Of the struggle. This con-
spicuous fact, however, goes far toward
explaining II. In the early years Of
the war the enemy struck at the head
Of the revolt. Unsuccessful there, they
turned In later years to secure the
weaker section, the south, and tho
thunder-boIt objected against IL was
Lord CORVALLIS. Thus, upon the oc-
cupatIon Of New York city In l77G,
and Philadelphia in the following year,
the British commanders and the minis
try Mt home believed that the reduction
Of the strong northern and central col
onfcs was half accomplished, and their
expected possession Of the Hudson TO
it's source would render further organ
iScd ro-oppratlen and resistance inpos-
sihlc This grand scheme, ncverthc.
less, was doomed TO disappointment.
New York and Philadelphia were cx-
cellent bases for military operations,
but they never became the centres Of
recovered territory. The British made
no bcadway inland, and could control
very little beyond the strips Of sea-
coast which they actually opcpnled.
~ tho year lY7a they tacitly confess
cd that the war In the northern colonies
was failure; that the possession Of
the two cities, one Of which had nj
ready been given up, did not diminish
the resources or weaken the army Of
the rebels. Burgoyne bad been pap.
tgred. Monmouth showed Washington
strong and confdenV in the field, and
Stony Point furnished satisfactory
proof that bis troops, thugh reduced In
numbers, were better disciplined and
more effective than ever.
Bafied In the north. the British turn
ed to the conquest Of the less populous
south. They proceeded upon tho as
sumption that " the southern colonies
should FIRST be subducd and recovered
in fact lbe northern could thereafter
be Fedpced by Isolation and exhaustion
n on IL nd all