Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-16
YORKTOWN MPAIGN
MIR. INQUIRIES LECTURE BEFORE
THE A. u. v. A. LAST NIGHT.
ENJOYED BY A LARGE AUDIENCE.
A Complete, CnrefuiIy-Prcparcd and
Most Interesting History OF the
Part Played ny Virginia I'm the
Revolutionary War.

inc second Of this winters series OF lee
ures under the auspices OF the Associa-
zion FOR the Preservation Of Virginia An
touities His theme was the Yorktown
campaign. There was large O. cul-
mrcd audience. and the speaker was
eIrcn close attention and liberal applause.
The lecturer was introduced by Mr.. Il.
" Valentine in a few appropriate words.
The address gave evidence Of careful re-
search and painstaking preparation. and
was a complete history OF the most in
t.restinr part OF the Revolutionary strug-
r.e
SPOKE FROM THE RECORDS.
Mt Mcclure began: when Aeneas
stood before Dido and told Of the Trojan
Var. ne testified that he had seen QUO
yum pars magma fui.' was his warrant
for the tale ne did unfold, and she. like
pesdcuo1a, loved him for the dangers
Doe had passed. Notwithstanding ap-
roarances. / was not party 10 the war
no DE Revolution, and cannot offer you
like certificate for the truths I shall
relate. Nor can l. in dearer respects,
hope TO emulate the Trojan or the Moor.
Nevertheless, ! know that these ladies
OF their Kindness viii bear with me as
] strive TO
Draw with idle spider strings.
Most ponderous and substantial things
and I dare hope that these gentlemen.
also Of their courtesy will go with me
'al rsmotos foutes' and attend. while
from many histories and the original
sources Of war letters. journals. and
tho like. / take the story of the York
town campaign"
UNDER THREE HEADS.
1ir. Mcclure announced that his lee
ture was divided into three parts, and
grouped under the sub-heads: "The
Gathering of the Armies; 1.-THE Siege
Of Yorktown" and THE Surrender"
Under the FIST head he told of the i'm
r0rtanca Of the Yorktown campaign and
lail particular stress on the doings Of the
principal characters-Cornwallis Lafay-
cite. and Washington After paying just
tribute 90 these three leaders, he touched
upon the gathering Of the armies and
tranccd the movements of the two bodies
from New England 10 Virginia. lie then
plunged into a detailed description of the
campaign in this state, giving the back
ward and forward movements of the
two armies from day 10 day IN a most
entertaining fashion. He told how Lord
Germaine's southern campaign opened in
November IT'S with the fall Of Charles
ton and Of the subsequent advance into
North Carolina which ended so suddenly
at Kings Mountain.
Turning from CORVALLIS, as he pOndered
on his next movement, Mr.. Mcclure
devoted himself to Lafayette who, he
said, came TO Virginia because of the
Arnold and Phillips and Arnold inva-
sions. He then brought CORVALLIS back
into Virginia and went with him through
battle after battle; told Of his nicely-laid
plans. which did not work. and traced
his defeat TO the final surrender at York
town.
SIEGE OF YORKTOWN.
lie spoke particularly Of the battle Of
Green Springs and then, at some length,
told of the siege OF Yorktown. He de-
tailed the work of terrifying the town
done by the British troops, and said
CORVALLIS had little idea Of a siege or
being caught in a veritable mouse trap.
The lecturer brought his history down
10 the 2Sth of September. 1871. when the
Americans. under Washington, were i'm
line of battle in front of the beleaguered
city in which the British were cooped up.
He then told Of the subsequent fights.
giving the numbers killed and wounded
In each engagement, and after describ-
ing wildly how the forts were taken,
told OF Cornwallis's proposition for a ces-
OF terms which Washington rejected,
and then of his surrender, just few
hours before Clnton'g fleet which might
have relieved him, arrived off the capes
OF Virginia.
Mr. Mcclure touched on the articles /
0f agreement, and described the scene, !
which has 50 often been described before, /
Of the two armies, assembled, facing |
each other with only an interval Of |
twenty yards, when the surrender was |
formally made.
DEFENCE OF OUR FATHERS.
The lecturer then paid a glowing tr- |
butte to Washington, and, continuing, |
said.
and now, sons and daughters of Vir- |
g.uians Of ISL l must turn backward /
for one moment, that justice may be /
done. 10 was needful TO omit the story |
OF the invasion that marked the early /
months OF this year: tut the history OF .
the State for that time has been so writ
ten and 50 read as to deface her record, /
and subject our fathers 10 undeserved re- /
proach. 1t is my duty and my privilege |
TO speak in their defence.
"lt Is true that Arnold took Richmond /
with less than 800 bad troops. chiefly /
deserters and Tories from New England; |
and retired TO Portsmouth having lost |
here and there iifty-one men. 1t is true |
that Phillips, with $500 or $500 men (au-
th0Hies differ, took Petersburg, after
tae stout fight that Petersburg always
makes against invaders, finding there
only go defenders. There is this to be
saii On the 18th Of November. Wash
muon, through General Green, stationed
Baron Steuben in Virginia, with orders
90 gather and drill men, and organize
the defence Of the State Early in De-
combcr, by letter from New York, he
warned Governor Jefferson Of a British
expedition, then being prepared. and
probably intended for Virginia. on the
aih Of the month Arnold's feet entered
thc bay. The news was in Richmond
next day. For two days Mr.. Jefferson
was uncertain whether they were friends
or foes. on the I'd of January the mi
Ala 90 the middle counties was called
out on the 9Th. Richmond was taken
hy thc 900 men. On the 18TH, Arnold
landed at Gotham, marching down TO
Portsmouth.
'On the 18th, Steuben reports that he
las ordered here and there 2.40O men.
and has ordered back TO Fredericksburg
some that he did not need and they are
coming i'm from all quarters, he
ADDS. Some had no arms, but there
were enough under arms, says Rich
ara Henry Lee, TO smother the invaders
on d moment. Only they were too late.
arnold outmarched them TO Portsmouth.
Dome things are sooner said than done;
o'hefa might be sooner done II they were
sooner said. IL takes time for man and
r'iee To- bear even the fiery cross. Phil
"ps took Petersburg AT a time when
i-osi OF the militia had gone home. He
"a. been three weeks in Portsmouth,