Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1910-01-07

lis, which resulted in the yorktown
surrender. CORVALLIS looked upor
Lafayette as insignificant. No douh
he was far below the British Lord IL
ability, but it is unwise to undervalue
an opponent. And then Cornwalli>
was hampered by his orders from Sil
Henry Clinton. When orders came
for him to retire from Virginia he
planned to embark at Portsmouth, but
Yorktown was forced upou him. and
when, on August %, 1871, the fleet OF
De Grasse arrived in the bay Corn
wallis was doomed.
In the attack on the two redoubts
that forced the surrender the Baron
de viomenil led the French party that
captured the right redoubt, and Alex
ander Hamilton and General Mullen
berg led the American party that
stormed the redoubt to the left, Muh-
lenberg being in command.
THE CLOSING CHAPTER.
So far as military matters were con-
cerned Peter Muhlenberg's career was
closed with Yorktown. He was made
a major-general, and grant Of LOCO
acres of land in the Ohio Valley was
made to him in recognition of his SER
vices, but he was to see no more fight
ing. He lived for time at Wood
stock, Virginia, and then he went to
his fathers home at rrappe, Pa. In
the spring OF 1884 he started for the
Falls OF Ohio (now Louisville, intend
ing to locate there. That ne had q
discerning eye may be seen from what
ne wrote regarding the river country
and Louisville. OF the Ohio Valley
he said From what | have seen OF
The Ohio river and the lands on both
sides | make no doubt that in time this
will be the first and most valuable
settlement in North America. AT pres
ent the country is inhabited by wild
beasts only"
Louisville he described as "a co1rt-
house, a jail and seven huts, beside
the fort" He added, however, "from
the prospect of the lands in the vicinity
OF the town. and its situation, it prom
ises fair to become a place of great
Importance.
He returned to Pennsylvania with
| out settling at Louisville, and in l7S5'
although he had been resident OF the
State only two years, he was elected
vice president of Pennsylvania, Benja-
min Franklin being elected president
| These elections were held under the
| Constitution OF 1776, which assigned
| hese titles to the first and second
officers of the State. The general con-
tinued in this Office until l7SS, when
the present Constitution Of the United
States was adopted. Under the new
Constitution General Muhlenberg was
elected a member Of the First Con-
yress, to serve from March 4, 1889, to
March 4, l79l.
| His brother, Frederick Augustu
| Muhleuberg, was the first Speaker ol
the House OF Representatives. The
General was a member OF the Thlro
and OF the Sixth Congresses. de a.
ways was strong supporter o.
Thomas Jefferson, and, when in loo'
the choice OF President between Je
terson and Burr was deadlOcked il
the House OF Representatives, Mullen
: berg worked for his old friend as E'
never worked before. Not only that
but when it was planned by prominen
j Federalists to declare the election nul
: and void and vest the executive power
10 the Chief Justice so as TO keep thu
d Federal party in control, it was an
u nounced by jefferson that il such al
attempt was made it would be resisted
nv force. General Muh', nb}rg wa
Il selected by JEFF 'rjon to deooSe tn
. usurping government with the militl
. of Pennsylvania. On the thlrty-sixt
!, ballot, however, Jefferson was electe
- Pre- sident.
VI o. February Is, 1901, Muhlenber
was elected Unit, d States Senator. b
20 ,ery.d d only few months, and L,
n signed 10 become Supervisor OF Int
ln,l Revenue. InlSO2, President Jeffs
q son made him Collector OF the Port
IL Philadelphia, ard he held the OH
re until he died, O.tober l, 1907.
He died of disease caused by e
III posure in tie T. vo'u;ionary war,
he trouble thu eau, ed him great suffe
5 ing for year PRIOR to his dteth. h
,albody was laid away alongside that
-lhi, father in the churchyard OF the O
=! Lutheran Church, at Trappe, Pa, I
d. cradle Of Lutheranism in Americ
ts Perhaps no modest old churchya
is. in ALI America contains the dust
:. so many great men as does that
=, Trappe. cu,..
tn Copyright, 1899, by Richard Spillal