New-York tribune., 1909-10-10
YORKTOUyN CELEBRATION.
Surrender of Corn7cdlEs To BE Com
mcmOrated Nert Week.

Some American patriots have reached the con-
elusion that Yorktown has been a little
neglected They intend 10 rectfy this on Oc-
tober Il Is and 10 by having grand celebra-
ton. the occasion being the anniversary of the
date when Lord CORVALLIS surrendered TO Cen
eral Washington and the War of the Revolution
was practically ended. Major Henry r. Hat
field Of Philadelphia, president Of the Yorktown
Historical Society of the United States, and DR..
Henry Morris, Of Philadelphia, president of the
Society Of the Descendants of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, have joined forces
with patriotic societies of Baltimore and other
places and arrangements being made 70
meet in a patriotic rally the historical field
at Yorktown.
Historical buildings at Yorktown are to be
marked by appropriate tablets, and the three
days pilgrimage in this way will leave more
lasting record behind than would n mere visit
with speeches and the passing Of resolutions.
So far the famous field has been sgnalized to
much less degree than have ONE battlehelds
of more recent date but of no more significance
In the history of the United States The pill
grims who will gather there next Sunday plan
to remove any reproach of this sort from the
patriotic bodies.
one reason why Yorktown has been neglected
TO some extent is that it is n rather inaccessible
place Had Lord Cornwalis Il cen good enough to
select some more central point for his final bow
To the Colonial forces or had Washington
cornered him at less remote part of the Revo-
lutionary battle-ground, it would have been much
better for patriotic posterty. But, remote or
near these societies are determined to prevent
the name Of Yorktown from sinking into in
significance in the American mind and hence
the sentiment in favor OF making this celebra-
tion one that the entire country will regard with
interest
Tie population of Yorktown IS scarcely two
hundred. There is little Of interest there apart
from the great historical associations of the
place bUt there are many Americans who would
like to see steps taken to do with Yorktown as
with Valley Forge and other spots connected
witt thrilling memories Of the Revolutionary
days namely the setting apart of the land for
ever as "a park for the people, where, holi-
days and anniversaries, the spirit OF American
love for the flag could be fostered in gatherings
at which the page of history pertaining to the
occasion could be reviewed hy speakers
When the patriots gather there for this ami
versary meeting they viii see, almost in the
sane condition as i'm Revolutionary times, the
field over which, on October 10 1871, the Brit
ish troops marched To stack their arms and sur
render The pilgrims VIII gaze upon the lire Of
tntronchmcuts raised by the British in their
hst desperate effort. They viii tramp across
tkc very ground whore Lafayette and his light
infantry stormed the British works where
Alexander Hamilton led his men to the attack.
trusting to the bay yonet alone and winning out
with the cold steel The viii stand on the
Geld where Baron de Niomcnil led his grenadiers
b. the assault where the Chevalier de Sameth
Lafayettes adjutant general, was wounded and
where the British sought to delay defeat by
desperate sortie, only to be driven back to their
works with loss
The house in which the terms OF capituIation
were signed will be visited and marked with a
tablet; salient features OF the battlefield will be