New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-07

Tine was the Mecca beyond doubt. The small, low
house we found standing some distance back
from the road, the occupant, Mr.. Jones' IN
formed us had been built since the last
war to replace one winch stood J"at
behind it. burned during the war, and which had
been the identical headquarters Of the American
Commanderin-Chief Our maps of 1871 showed a
house Just there To the right and in front Of it the
Chiefs marquee" was pitched. In the rear, to the
right. on a branch of the Beaverdam, or Warwick
Creek his body guard were CHARTERED CLOSE by fire
old mulberry tree which has grown up as an OIL
shoot of one that grew there in the olden time MI
Jones is himself the grandson Of a Revolutionary
soldier of Nirginis who was present al TIE
siege and surrender, and from him We
learned that the ueglhonng lands ongi-
nally formed large estate owned by
Colonel zach" Wayne, which was lattcTly divided
INTO three farms. occupied now by Mr.. Curtis, Mr..
Jones and MIR. Davis The estate has been known
ms the " Washington Lodge" since the FevolHuoh'
and as the only relies Of the old Headquarters the
visitor is shown two chimueys which escaped de-
strncion by the fire on which the date OF l741 may
he traced. They now ornament and hallow little
Clubhouse or kitchen. In somhre contrast to the eN-
citcneut aud expectation which r,ignrd here for
three weeks n century ago the surroundings of this
famous spot to-day are OF The most solitary chaTac-
ter.
The Headquarters Of Rocbamhcau cannot he
fixed as closely us Washngton's but Sill with ap-
proximatr accuracy. 70 the north and west Ct The
LODGE hundred yarlS perhaps, dense strip
Of woods marks the swaInpy bottom of one 81 the
Warwick branches or runs" bevord which are the
open fie Is belong ng to the Davis farm IL was an
a sloPng lot just you clear the trees and under
brush that the distinguished French Commander
in-Chicf had his tent, though like Washington
he probably occupied a neighbornE house
which does not now exist The site is turned into
a corn-patch where we found some negro women nj
work wholly unconscious of the histo zeal valnc Of
their little acre In fact, the Revolutionary knowl-
edge OF tie average colored "brer' here seems 10
be confined 10 a current tradition that Washington
brought the British to terms by cutting COrnwals's
head clean off with a single sweep Of his sword.
As Rochambcau failed to imm"rtaizc him
self by similar feat, his memory has
been without peg 10 hang upon. Our
maps both French and American. agreed precisely
as 70 the French Headquarters being o. the spot in
Gicated. North of Rochambeau. a shor distance.
were the American Adiutant-Geucra'S qGarcrs-
General Hauds-ard beyond him the French Park
of Artillery. under Colonel dAboyille. Whoever
visits these sites must be set down a n true patriot
and unadulteratcd an.iquarian, for ten 70 one he
will have to walk from Yorktown, taking, not our
turns of from thc HAMPTON road At The cemetery;
and the distance il three variable Virginia miles.
VII ch seem ~ know neither Limit nor statute.
This pilgrimage had been preceded ~ rd. 10 The
-c-round Of IiucnIu's Tafayctte+ and Sfru-
ben III visions with those of Governor Nelson's III
ginia militia who together formed th" American
wing Of the allied army. The spot where Lincoln
quartercd is within short range Of lenpic Form,
be you'd the milldan over Normandy Crock. Woods
completely cover Inc ground, nHi 81, e Iu'Att "l
toward hr fl nptor road ana on th" farm IF stat
foru g. Cook. the lard is level and open, and you
stand within la svettvs camp. Here "u the Ti@ht
Of the Semi-clrcl" of hcsrgfrS bls DIVISION OF !.ght
infantry stationed, representing III" best
! troops OF the American army. East of
! tha road was MahlenherGs brigade. all
New Enganders, two New-JerSey companies
| copied, and an the west H9zin's hnaade. Lafay
etc took special pride ia This corp sand hIs tr"oDs
most heartily rrcpro atcd his affection and regard.
! His qua tiers were pitched in an orchard III the
rear of the division, bnt az the orchard has diSap
psar'd, well aS almost every other llI mark in
that vicinity. the satisfaction Of liking he precise
location Of his "Marquee THAT ig precise 10 the
inclis denied to the guide posts. So too. IN regapd
70 Nelson's quarters which were directly east Of
Lafayettrs the distance Of the militia
eucamrmcut which lay between them.
Crossing 10 Hampton road Won reach the camp
Of Dayt0n's Ncw-Jersev and Rhode Island Brig de
of LincolnS Division It's right resting about where
a small hut stands near The roadside; and then
posing through The corn lots aud WOODS. ~ comp
oi Clint0n's New-YOrk Brigade is reached. tuton's
tent being 400 yaris 10 the rear aud right If his
command. General Baron Stclben'S Quarters
"a Che maps have il, near the Warwick road ~
n field on the east side thirds Oi ruilo
from its junction with the Hampton. Ills division.
with Waynr's Pennsylvania Brigade on the rlht,
Gis.'s MaTylauders O the centre and Virginia
regiment on the left lay IN advance oi him, while
10 its rear on a line with the NrW-GOTk toI linen
tails the Park of American Artillery. under Colonel
John Lamb. If New York, was cncdmprd. mi
further in the rear Wc have at The most ,Juthcry
point Of ali in this Interest ng group Of quarters
Ire tent Of General Henry Knox, of Massachusetts.
WashingtOn's able aud energetic Chief of Artil-
lrry. This entire region ~ historical camping
grJnnd the of two great conflicts Taking mp
the maps Of the last and f"rtcrs Division of
lieuzrlman Corps j. .ound IN INC same rtii we
position with Laiaycttc's, but n mule further back
! for increased artillery range requir'slt It; Hookcrs
! back of lIncolns and kcirncyS 10 the rear and
! left of Stcub ms. The American wing IN 1881 llF
within McClellan's advanced works OF 1867 the
i French wing within the Confederate.
| Among additional points Of interest are the field
where the British surrendered their arms, the place
| where Oliaia offered COTnwaliss sword 10 Wash
ngtOn, aud the site of the two lines OF parallels from
winch the allies sIlenc.d the encnyS batteries and
forced him to yield. From the very outset hrre has
been dispute to the first locality. growing
out OF conflicting traditions But The only authority
in the IL the American map Of 1871 which puts
the field to the right OF the Hampton road. going
south and Just before the road To Warwick branches
from It, Nor is it the field at the which the
TWO roads make but immediately west OF it, OppO-
site he marshy depression beyond which Stcubcns
division was encampod. The spot was
convenient one. At the surrender the Ameri-
can and French armies drawn up
opposite each other on tho Hampton
road the former on the east side with Washington
at the right of the line. HIS position ira itiOn
signs to point few feet from the nOrtherly
ner of the Soldiers Cemetery, where stone stool
for many years until the last war, when lie hun
ters Clipped il 10 pieces. As the enemy filed out If
their works and neared the allies, OIiara turned 10
his right and was about TO offer CoTnwalhsS sword
to ROcliamOeau opposite to Washington. Informed
Of his mistake lac few the road and presented
il 10 Washington and then, by the latoIs erection
to Lincoln. The stone referred to was de-
signed to mark this scene. The new Railroad
il it follows the route surveyed, viii tine
Hampton road at the very spot. Moving be-
tUp Americans French INF
conducted hy Lincoln into the field described,
which, as the nearest after the lines passed,
would be one naturally selected.
The two lines of parallels from which the allied
n11nnnrs silenced the Rrilish and ihnn hlliLnIel