Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-08-13
THE SURRENDER OF YORKTOWN.
Marching to the Tune The World
Turned Upside Down."

MaFCnInS To TIC AuuC AhC "OAAO
Turned Upside Down."
At noon of the 10th (October) we
have the first act of the surrender.
Yorktown changed hands. Two re-
doubts 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 Marquis Laval the French
party, each of 100 men. AT IL 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 de-
scribing the display and ceremony on
the occasion as quite imposing. The
British appeared in new uniforms, dis
tributed among them few days before,
and it only required the flying of their
standards to give their march the effect
of holiday parade. But their colors
were cased and they were prohibited
from playing either q French or an
American tune. This was the return of
compliment, a piece of justifiable as
well as poetic retaliation ON the part of
the Americans for what the enemy were
pleased to command when General Lin
coin was compelled to surrender at
Charleston the year before. The matter
came up at the meeting of the Commis-
sioners. "This is q harsh article, said
Ross to Laurens.
What article ?" answered the latter.
"The troops shall march out, with
colors cased and drums beating Brit
ish or German march"
eyes, sir" returned Laurens, with a
touch of sang troid, sit is harsh ar
ticle."
"Then." said Ross, "if that is your
opinion, why is it here ?"
Whereupon Laurens, who had been
made prisoner at Charleston with Lin
coins army, proceeded to remind Ross
that the Americans ON that occasion had
made brave defence, but were ungal-
lantly refused any honors of surrender
other than to march out with colors
cased and drums not beating British
or a German march.
"But," rejoined Ross, "my Lord
Cornwallis did not command at Charles
ton."
"There, SIR" said Laurens, you
extort another observation. 1t is not
the individual that is here considered !;
it is the nation. This remains an arti-
Gle. or l cease to be commissioner.
Nothing more was to be said; the ar
ticle stood, and the enemy marched out
with colors cased, while the tune they
chose to follow was an old British
march with the quite appropriate title
of "The World Turned Upside Down. !"
As the prisoners moved out of their
works along the Hampton road they
found the French and American armies
drawn up on either side of the way, the
Americans on the right, and extending
for more than mile toward the field of
surrender. The French troops presented
a brilliant spectacle in their white uni
forms, with plumed and decorated
officers at their head and gorgeous
standards of white silk, embroidered
with golden feurs-de-lis, floating along
the line. The Americans were less OF
but not the less eagerly eyed by their
late antagonists. Among the war-worn
Continentals there was variety of dress,
poor at the best distinguishing the men
of the different lines; but, to compen-.
safe for lack of show there was a soldier
" bearing about them which command
ed attention. The militia formed in
their rear presented a less military
sight so far as clothing and order were
concerned. But all these men were con-
querors, and their very appearance be-
spoke the hardships and privation they
and their States had undergone to win
in the struggle. At the head of the re-
spective lines were Washington, Roch-
ambeau, La Fayette, Lincoln, Steuben,
Knox and the rest. Leading the British
came General O'Hara instead of Corn
wallis. 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 prof of the enemy's submission, i'm
mediately returned it to the British gen.
eral, whose troops then marched be-
tween the two lines to a field on the
right, where they grounded their arms.