The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-07-21
THE SURRENDER OF YORKTOWN.

At noon of the 10th [OctOberl we
have the first act Of surrender. York
town changed hands. Two redOubts
on the left of the enemy's works were
mt that hour taken possession Of by de
tachments from the allied army. Col
Onel Richard Butler commanded the
American and the Marquis Laval the
French party, each Of one hundred
men. At two o'clock We reach the
closing scene. The army of Corn wal
lis marched out rs prisoners Of war,
grounded their arms and then marchel
back. Accounts agree In describing
the display and ceremony on the Occa-
sion as quite imposing. The British
appeared in new uniforms, distributed
among them few days before, and II
only required the flying of their stand
ards To give their march the effect Of q
holiday parade. But their cOlOrs were
cased, aud they were prohibited from
playing either French or an Ameri-
can tune. This was the return Of
compliment, piece Of justifiable a.
well as poetic retaliation ON the part
of the Americans for what the enemy
were pleased to command when Cen
eral Lincoln was compelled to surren-
der at Charleston the year before. The
matter came up at q meeting OF the
commissioners. "This Is q harsh arti-
cle," said Ross TO Laurens.
"What article ?" answered the lat
ter.
"The troops shall march out, Nth
cotOrs cdsed, and drums beating Brit
ish or q German march"
Yes, sir" said Laurens with q touch
of sdng .froid, " it il harsh article.
Then" said Ross, If that Is your
opinion, why is il here"
WhereupOn LalIrens, who had been
made prisoner at Charleston with Lin
coins army. proceeded to remind Ross
that the Americans on that occasion
had made brave defense, but were
ungallantly refused any honors Of sur
render, other than to march out with
colOrs ca-ed and drum, not beating
British or German march.
But" rejoined Ross, my Lord
Corn wallis did not command at
Charleston"
There, SIR" said L.aurens, lyon
extort ai,uther observation. Ii Is not
the individual that is here considered;
il is the nation. This remains All arti-
Gle, or I cease To be- commissioned"
Nothing more was 10 he said the
article stood, and the enemy marched
out with case,i colors, while the tune
they chose to follow was an old British
march with the quite appropriate title
of" The World Turned Upside Down"
A. the prisoners moved out of their
works along the Hampton road, they
found the French aud American ar
mics drawn up on either side Of the
lao. a s..Arix.ans thalr rlUlt
and extending for more than mile
toward the field Of surrender. The
French troops presented o brilliant
spectacle In their white uniforms, with
plulMed and decorated officers ut their
head, and gorgeous standards Of white
silk. embroidered with golden fevs.
de-lis, floating along the line. The
Americans were less Of an attraction
i'm outward appearance, but not the less
eagerly eyed by their late antagonists.
Among the warn-wOrn Continentals
there was variety Of dress, poor Mt
best, distinguishing the men Of the
different lines but, to compensate for
lack Of show there was sOldieriy
bearing about them which commanded
attention. The militia formed In their
rear presented q less martial sight, so
Us "SAS >O''
cernetl. but all these men were con-
querOrs, and their very appearance
bespoke the hardships and privatiOn
they and their States had undergone
10 win in the struggle. At the head Of
the respective lines were the COM
handing generals, nObly mounted
Washington, ROchambcau, lafayette,
Lincoln, Steuben, Knox and the rest.
Leading the British came General
O'Hara, instead Of CORVALLIS. The
latter pleaded illness, but he sent his
sword by O'Hara to he given up to
Washington. As O'Hnra advanced to
the chief, he was referred IN Lincoln,
who. upon receiving the sword as .
token of the enemy's submission, inn
mesiiately returned II to the British
general, whose troops then marched
between the two lines to field on the
right, where they grounded their arms
Henry p Johnston, in Hayper's Nag
d:ine for August.