The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-06-02
YORKTOWN MANUSCRIPTS.
Papers That Relate to the Siege and Sur
render of the Town.

Curiously enough, after 115 years, n
collection of manuscripts relating to
tho siege of Yorktown has recently
turned up in Paris. These comprise
contemporary copy of Count do Ro-
ehambeau s own diary from the time the
French armies left the Hudson, the 10th
of August, TO tho surrender of York
town. on tho 10th of October, 1881. Ac-
eempanying this, written by different
hand, but inolosed In the Same cover,
is diary of the siege by ono of the en-
gineer officers and most beautifully
executed manuscript map in colors of
Yorktown and vicinity.
The siege and surrender of Yorktown
were one of the most important events
i'll the history of America Many nc
counts by different eyowitnesses are ex-
tant, manuscript and printed. perhaps
the most valuable of all being tho diary
Of George Washington, tho original
manuscript of which is at tho state de-
partmont Mt Washington. After Wash
ington, perhaps tho most Trustworthy
account would be that of Count do
Rochambeau. II Is known that ho was
very careful to keep copies of his cor
respondenoe, both for himself and for the
department of war In France, but his
diary of tho Yorktown campaign was
never published until ii was included
In Doniol's great compilation of docu-
ments relating to tho gaining of Amer
lean independence, published about ten
years ago, under tho auspices of tho
French government, and even to this day
1t has never been printed, except greatly
abridged, iii English. A small part Of it
appeared in tho Gazette dc France
few days after tho news of the surrender
reached Paris, and this abridgment
was translated and published in English
i'll the Pennsylvania Gazette and i'll Al
mons Remombranoer shortly after.
Tho day after the surrender Rocham-
beau sent copy Of his journal by the
hand of tho Duke de Lauzun to tho
French minister of war, Segur, and
week lator duplicate dispatches wero
sent in another ship, tho Count de
DeuxPonts being tho bearer These two
officers had shown tho most courage In
tho siege and were thus rewarded The
existence is not known of either of these
original dispatches.
A copy of Rochnmbeau's journal is In
tho French archives III Paris, and an
other Roehnmboaus own, probably, is
in the library of the department of state
III Washington, procured with tho Ro-
ohambeau papers bought by the United
States government from the heirs of
Count de Roohambeau. 1t may be, and,
indeed, 1T seems quito probable that
this series of manuscripts which has
been recently discovered and which has
been secured by Messrs Dodd, Mead 81
Co. of New York city arc tho original
papers which We're carried over by
Count do Deux- Points They arc not,
however, i'll his autograph, but in thu
of some unknown person, probably
clerk.
Tho map which accompanies thes
two manuscripts Is on n largo scale an
most beautifully drawn by an expert
no doubt ono Of tho French engineers
and il seems probable that it was draw
to accompany official dispatches to tn
French government There il no dupli
cato of it among the many maps in til,
Roohambeau collection. st. Louis Re
| public.