Evening star., 1902-09-13
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ana was spending it in Virginia with his
daughter Their home was on the shore
Ol tne York river in small .isiage near
Yorktown. While Mercy was sitting thus
a servant announced that the horse and
chaise was ready to take her to tie village
post office. She did not expect a letter,
put IL was customary to 60 Mercy's sur
prise was great when she was handed not
one unexpected letter but two. One for
herself and one for her father. She drove
quickly home gave her father his letter.
ana rushed to her room to read her own.
1t was from Philadelphia. "Of course, it
is from mama" she said. but it was not;
it was from her Aunt Peace in Philadol-
phla, stating that her mother was ill and
unable to come home. Her aunt said that
her mother wished for full details of the
coming battle, which could not oe avoided.
What could it mean? The coming bat
tie she exclaimed. She ran down to her
father. who was ordering the servants to
do things in such a hurry that it COM
pietely frightened poor Mercy. She gave
her father her letter and asked him what
it all meant. He answered, The govern
ment needs me; the red coats are coming,
and with that he kissed her and hurried
OIL Mercy nearly tainted. What did it
mean? And everything at once she said
between her tears. She quickly took her
bed room candle and hurried TO bed. 1t
was only nine, but she knew of nothing
else to do to while away the time. The
next morning when she awoke she ordered
her carriage to take a drive to Yorktown
When everything was ready size jumped
in and drove there. On her way she met
soldiers, who told her the battle OF York
town had really begun. Then she remem-
bered her mothers wish to hear every
thing possible about the battle. She imme-
diately sent a servant to watch the fight
while she went home. He did this every
day till the battle stopped and returned
and told her all about it. She sat down
and wrote rot this letter M to her mothSr: ~ 80,
Dear Mother: 1 will now write you the
details you wished to know about the bat
tie of Yorktown. 1 have written little
story here for the people, so L will just
write what l wrote in it.
up to this time Q7SD we had been fight
ing for our rights as loyal British subjects,
but now we were changed. We were fight
ing for freedom not because We wanted to.
but because England made us. CORVALLIS
was made general of the English army.
Lafayette and Rochambeau of the French
army and Washington of the American
army. at Cambridge, Mass, May 10, 1875.
Washington began and made preparations
for an attack which even his soldiers did
not know about. Burgoyne, another Eng
lish general in New York, thought Wash
tngton was making preparations to attack
him, and he was so sure that he wrote to
CORVALLIS for help. To Burgoyres sur
prise and joy Washington turned his army
south and marched to the head of Chesa-
peake bay. where he was Joined by Lafay-
ette and his army. Washington then spent
a few days a his home, Mt Vernon, in
Virginia, on the Potomac. COrnwallis soon
came up and chased Lafayette into York
town, not knowing the he was building his
own prison Yorktown is at the mouth of
the York river in Virginia. Washington,
Lafayette and CORVALLIS began to make
forts, places of defense. When Cornwallis
looked out of his fortified city he saw on
side the French fleet under Count De
Grasse, and on the other side the French
and American forces combined. Washing
ton made siege on Yorktown, which kept
up for two three weeks. CORVALLIS
could not hold out against solid shot 50 he
surrendered The surrender was made
October 49, 1871. The American and French
forces lined up and marched the English
between them. CORVALLIS feigned illness,
and sent the sword by an English officer,
who gave it to Washington. who told the
man to give it to an American general,
who returned it to CORVALLIS. This siege
of Yorktown practically ended the war for
independence.
Your daughter. MERCY"
Mr.. Hale and John Allison were not
killed. so Mercy became Mrs. Allison, and
she often repeats to her husband and chill
dren the story of the Siege of Yorktown
BY Marie E. Carter, aged twelve.