The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-03-17
WHERE IT ENDED.
By THOMAS c. HARBAUeH.

y
it became the storm center of stirring
events and today, aside from its pictur-
esqueness and its fish and oysters, II
is dear to every American. Up and
down this narrow strip of territory,
especially between Yorktown and
williamsburg, marched, the ragged
contiuentals' in their last glorious
campaign for freedom. One almost
expects to encounter the shades of
J Washington, Rochambeau, Lafayette
and CORVALLIS.
Yorktown, where the long strug-
gle for liberty ended, has changed
bur little since rampant defed ram
part in the battle of Autumn 1881.
There is the same struggling street,
the same old, colonial houses, the
same unpaved sidewalks and over all
the unmistakable air of longevity.
You even look about you for the long
lines of buff and blue and listen for
the roll of the patriot drums and won
der why you see them not. Surely
they will come presently, for the Brit
ish have marched to the field of the
grounded arms, and the flags of
France mingle on the ramparts with
the banners of the continentals.
DESTROYS of a pilgrimage to this
historic spot, drove the twelve miles
that intervene between it and Will
liamsburg. Over the winding road
in the shadow of pine and laurel my
quaint Virginia vehicle, "a relic of ante
bellum days, moved easily. Every
where grew tall trees with now and
then glimpse of snug farmhouse
or a crossroads " emporium " set
among the pines.
Over this same road Washington
marched to the final netting of the
naughty earl. Yorktown is said to
set upon the highest ground between
the two rivers. Itoverlooks the York,
which soon loses itself in the broader
Chesapeake and its waters simmer
in the summer sun while the balmy
winds shift the white sails of the oys-
ter boats.
The quaintness of Yorktown has
yielded but little since the one event
that rendered it famous for all time.
1t was once, but that was more than
a century ago, the rival of Williams
burg, then Virginia's capital, and it
had hopes Of unlimited greatness, but
today it is struggling village of $50
souls, though honored far and near.
In this connection it is told of an
English officer who recently visited
Yorktown that, after inspecting the
scene of the .capitulation, he remark
ed that he didn't blame Cornwallis
for surrendering the blarsted place. "
Near the village stands the Surren-
der Monument erected by Congress.
1t is one of the stateliest historic me-
MORALS in the world. On the apex
stands Liberty, looking down on the
scene of Washington great triumph,
while beneath her stand thirteen
maidens with joined hands emble-
matical of the colonies. There is
something SO grand about this i'm
posing shaft that the beholder gazes
upon it with veneration and awe.
Around it is carved the legend Zone
flag, one constitution, one destiny -
Not far away is marked the spot
where CORVALLIS gave up his sword
and near by is the field of the ground
ed arms. One walks upon the Brit
ish ramparts, high and strong despite
the leveling hand of time. The see
merry is enhancing, with the green oi
the pines, the deep, soft blue of the
summer sky, the sail fiecked waters
Of the river and the white shaft of the
Surrender Monument.
We drove to the Temple House in
which the American commissioners
drew up the terms of surrender and
saw in its old fashioned chimney Corn
wallis autograph in the shape of a
cannon-ball hole. Governor Nelson
house in the village, which was Corn
wallis headquarters, has another oi
these revolutionary mementoes. Dur.
ing the siege the patriotic governor
who commanded the Virginians offer
ed the American gunners five guinea:
if they would put a cannon sho
through his mansion. No sooner
said than done, and the gaping hole
in the gable attests the correctness oi
the artillerymen' aim.
In Yorktown stands the first Brit
ish custom house ever erected II
America a square brick building il
which the kings agents collected the
tobacco tax. Near it is the fort which
Hamilton and Lafayette stormed one
night, its old entertainments rising
above the surrounding field rich IL
their story of daring when buff ant
blue met redcoat.
The ground in and about quain
old Yorktown is eminently historic
The place is we'll worth visit. 1t il
redolent with memories of Washing
ton and ''the boy Lafayette" as Corn
wallis called him, and everywhere it
! quaintness has charm for the tour
ist. I drove back through the length
ening shadows of the pines, with th'
sunlight tipping the ripples of th'
drowsy river, not regretting my LITTLE
pilgrimage to the spot where th'
heroes of the old country furled thei
banners and stacked their arms in th'
faces of the heroes of the new.
The inhabitants of the Virginial
peninsula possess the same courtl,
manners of their forefathers. On
finds among them a comradeship tha
at once puts him at his ease. Th
descendants of the old patriots still
occupy some of the stately colonia
mansions that sheltered the founder