The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-22
Henry P. Johnston in Harper's Magazine for Au-
The Surrender of Yorktown.

Ih0 surrender OF Yorktown.
At noon Of the 18th (October) we have the
first act of surrender. Yorktown changed
hands. Two redoubts on the left of the enc
my's works were at that hour taken possession
OF by detachments from the allied army. Col.
Richard Butler commanded the American and
the Marquis Laval the French party, each of
hundred 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 theNdisplay and ceremony
on the occasion as quite imposing. The Brit.
ish appeared in new uniforms, distributed
among them few days BEFORE and it only re-
quired the flying of their standards to give the
march the effect of holiday parade. But
their colors We're cased, and they were prohib-
tied from playing either French or an Amer
lean tune This was the return of q compli-
ment, a piece OF justifable as we'll as poetic re-
taliation on the part of the Americans for
what the enemy were pleased to command
when General Lincoln was compelled to sur
sender at Charleston the year before. The
matter came up at meeting Of commission
ers. "This is harsh article" said Ross to
Laurens.
(Which article?'' answered the latter.
''The troops shall march out with colors
cased, aud drums beating q British or Ger
man march,"
"Yes, sir, answered Laurens with touch
of sang .troid, sit is a harsh article
Then" said Ross, "if that is your opinion,
why is it here?"
Whereupon Laurens who was made prison.
er al Charleston with Lincoln's army, proceed
ed to remind Ross that the Americans on that
occasion had made brave defence, but were
ungallantly refused any honors of surrender
other than to march out with colors cased and
drums not beating . British or German
march.
'But," rejoined Ross, 'my Lord CORVALLIS
did not command at Charleston"
"There, SIR said Laurcns, you extort an
other observation. 1t is not the individual
remains an article or cease to be q commits
sioner."
Nothing more was to be said; the article
stood, and the enemy marched out with colors
cased while the tune they chose to follow was
an old British march with the quite appro-
pirate 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 WY, tbs Americans on their
right, aud extending for more than q mile to-
ward the field of surrender. The French troops
presented brilliant spectacle in their white
uniforms, with pumed aud 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 an attraction in outward appearance,
but not the less eagerly eyed by their late an
tagonists. Among the war-worn Continentals,
there was a 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 command
ed attention. The militia formed in their rear
presented less martial sight, so far as cloth
ing and order were concerned. But all these
men were conquerors, and their very appear
ance bespoke the hardships and privations they
and their States had undergone TO win in the
struggle. At the head of the Irrespective lines
were tie commanding generals, robly mount
ed-W 7hington, Roohambeau, Lafayette,
Lincol Steuben, Knox and the rest Lead
ing th' British came Gen. O'Hara, instead of
Cornw is. The latter pleaded illness, but he
sent hi word by O'Hara to be given up to
Wash 9on. AS O'Hara advanced to the
chief, was referred to Lincoln, who, upon
receivi : the sword as a token Of the enemy's
submiss on, Immediately returned il to the
British general, whose troops then marched
between the two liues to q field on the right
where they grounded their arms.