The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-10-27
HISTORIC VIRGINIA SOIL
Yorktown Has Just Had a Patri.
otto Celebration.
SLEEPY VILLAGE OF 200 PEOPLE


to General Washington 1913 Years.
Ago and the War of the Revolution
Ended. Years Have Brought Few
Changes in the Place.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va.-The neg.
lect which seems to have fallen uDon
yorktown has appealed to certain
patriotic Americans, who rectified
this last Sunday, Monday and Tues
day by having a grand celebration.
the occasion being the anniversary
OF the date when Lord CORVALLIS
surrendered to Gen. Washington and
the war of the revolution was prae-
tlcally ended. Maj Henry r. Hat
held OF Philadelphia, president of the
yorktown Historical Society of the
United States, and DR.. Henry Morris
OF Philadelphia, president of the So
ciety of the Descendants of the Sign
ers OF the Declaration of Independ
ence, joined forces with patriotic so
c1eties of Baltimore and other places.
and arranged to meet in a rally ON
the historical field at Yorktown.
Historical buildings at Yorktown
were marked by appropriate tablets.
and the three days pilgrimage in this
way have left more lasting record
behind than would mere visit with
speeches and the passing Of resoIu-
tons. So far the famous field has
been signalized to much less degree
than have some battle1elds of more
recent date, but of no more signif
canoe in the history of the United
States. The pilgrims who gathered
there Sunday planned to remove any
lreproach of this sort.
An Out of the Way Place.
One reason why Yorktown has
been neglected to some extent is that
it is a rather inaccessible place. Had
Lord CORVALLIS been good enough
to select some more central point for
his final bow to the Colonial forces.
or had Washington cornered him at
a less remote part of the revolution
airy battle-ground, it would have been
much better for patriotic posterity.
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 celebration one of inter-
est to the entire country.
The population of Yorktown is
scarcely 200. There is little of in
terest 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 with
thrilling memories of the revolu-
tionary namely, the setting
apart of the land forever as a park
for the people, where, on holidays
and anniversaries, the spirit of Amer
lean love for the flag could be fos>
tered in gatherings at which the page
of history pertaining to the occa-
sion could be reviewed by speakers.
Years Brought Few Changes.
When the patriots gathered there
for this anniversary meeting they
saw almost in the same condition as
in revolutionary times the field over
which, on October 10, 1891, the Brit
ish troops marched to stack their
arms and surrender The pilgrims
gazed upon the line of intrenchments
raised by the British in their last des-
Iperate effort They tramped across
the very ground where Layfayette
and his light infantry stormed the
British works, where Alexander
Hamilton led his men to the attack,
trusted to the bayonet alone and win
ming out with the cold steel. They
stood on the field where Baron de
Viomenil led his grenadiers to the
assault, where the Chevalier de
Lameth, Lafayette's adjutant gener-
lal, was wounded