Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-01
TIE SURRENDER OF YORKTOWN.

At noon of the 10Th [Octoberl we have
the first act OF surrender. Yorktown
changed hands. Two redoubts on the left
of the enemy's works were at that hour
taken possession of by detachments from
the allied army. Colonel Richard Butler
commanded the American and the Marquis
Laval the French party, each of 100 men.
At o'clock we reach the closing scene.
The army of CORVALLIS marched out as
prisoners of war, grounded their arms, and
then marched back. Accounts agree IN
describing the display and ceremony on the
occasion as quite imposing. The British ap.
peared in new uniforms, distributed among
them few days before, and it only required
the flying of their standards to give their
march the effect Of a holiday parade. But
their colors W ere cased, and they were pro-
hibited from playing either French or an
American tune. This was the return of
compliment, a piece of justitiable as well as
poetic retaliation on the part of the Ameri-
cans for what the enemy were pleased to
command when General Lincoln was CON-
PEELED to surrender at Charleston the year
before. The matter came up at the meet
ing of the commissioners. This is a
harsh article" said Ross to Laurens.
(Which article?" answered the Latter.
The troops shall march out. with coiors
cased, and drums beating British or
German march"
"Yes, SIR" returned L1urens, with a
touch of sang .troid, cit is a harsh article. y
Then" said Ross, Ii that Is your
opinion, why is it here?
Whereupon Laurens, who had been made
prisoner at Charleston with Lincolns army,
proceeded to remind Ross that the Ameri-
cans on that occasion had made brave de-
Tense, but were upgallantly refused any
out with colors cased and drums not beat
ing British or German march.
But" rejoined Ross, "mY Lord Corn
wallis did not command at Charleston.
"There, sir, said Laurens, you extort
another observation. 1t IS not the indi.
vidual that is here considered; it is the
nation. This remains an article, or l cease
to be commissioner.
Nothing more was to be said the article
stood, and the enemy marched ont with
colors cased, while the tune they chose to
follow was an old British march with the
quite propriate title OF "The World
Turned Upside Dawn"
As the prisoners moved out of their
works along the Hampton road they found
the French and American armies dra gn up
on either side OF the way, the Americans
on their right, and extending for more than
mile toward the field OF surrender. The
French troops presented a brilliant specta-
Gle in their white uniforms. with plamed and
decorated aofficers at their head, and gor
geous standards of white silk. embroid-
cred with golden .feurS dc lis. floating along
the line The Americans were less of an
attraction in outward appearance, but not
the less eagerly eyed by their late antag
onists. Among the war wora Continentals
there was variety of dress, poor at the best,
distinguishing the men of the different
lines but, to compensate for lack of show,
there was soldierly bearing about them
which commanded attention. The mill
tia formed in their rear presented
less martial sight, so far as clothing
and order were concerned. But all these
men were conquerers, and their very ap-
pearance bespoke the hardships and prl-
vatious they and their States had under
gone to win in the struggle. At the head
of the respective lines were the command
ing generals, nobly mounted Washington,
Rochambeau, lafayette. Lincoln, Steu-
ben, 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 be
given up to Washington. As O'Hara ad-
vanced to the chief, he was referred to
Lincoln, who, upon receiving the sword as
token of the enemy's Submission, imme-
diately returned it to the British General
whose troops then marched between the
two lines to field on the right, where
they grounded their arms. - Harper's
Magazine