Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-06-30

at Yorkt own, Still Standing.
GERS INDUCED in accusations Of each
other, but the fact is that he did not
and when the allied armies sailed into
the harbor of York and camped upon
the adjacent hills CORVALLIS was COM
pletely trapped.
The story of the siege is familiar to
every school boy, or at least 1t should
be, so that l will give only the bare
outlines of it. The active attack upon
the British was begun October by
General Lincoln when he opened a
parallel Five days later Baron Steu-
ben's division opened second par
allel This brought the lines of the
besiegers to within about 300 yards
of the stronghold
While the infantry was engaged in
paralleling the artillery was hard at
work and the bombardment was furi-
Gus. Governor Nelson's residence in
the town was thought to be the head
quarters of CORVALLIS and the doughty
governor, himself leading in the at
tack by the artillery, not only ordered
his men to fire upon his home but
offered prize of money for every ball
that struck it. Whether the house
was too far or whether the marksmen
were bad its not known, but the house
was little damaged and it stands to-
day, monument among monuments
to the bravery and devotion of the
American and French armies.
The most dramatic feature of the
seige was the attempt to carry two
redoubts. The task of carrying the
redoubts was given to Lafayette and
Baron de Viomenil. The latters as
sault proved disastrous one, for the
British put up a stiff fight and though
they were beaten the attackers left
fully one-third Of their number in the
trench. Lafayette was more success
full and his troops, led by Alexander
Hamilton, who was the first to scale
the parapet, swept everything before
them, their losses being comparative
ly light.
The carrying of these two redoubts
was the beginning of the end, for Corn
wallis soon found that he could hold
out no longer unless by needlessly sac.
rificing his men. 1t was with heavy
heart indeed that CORVALLIS ordered
white flag to be displayed on Octo-
Der II and sent note to Washington
asking for terms of surrender.
The articles of capitulation were
drawn and CORVALLIS was invited to
meet the American officers in the
Moore house and sign them. This he
did and on October 10 the British
army, with colors cased and drums
beating, marched out of Yorktown be-
tween two lines comprised of the
American and French soldiers. Wash
ington, with his staff was at the head
of his army and Rochambeau, with
his staff, at the head of his.
CORVALLIS felt in no humor to
meet the victors so he sent his aide.
General O'Hara, with his sword and
with the excuse that he was too i'll
to attend. Washington, too. stood up
on his dignity and instead of himself
receiving Corvallis sword he de-
tailed General Lincoln to that duty.
1t appears that when Sir Henry Clin-
ton finally became convinced that
CORVALLIS was in grave danger he de.
cided to send help and so on October
10, the very day that CORVALLIS sur
rendered, he sent an army of 1000
men to him. The troops. on IS ships,
arrived at Yorktown five days later
but finding that it was too late turned
back to New York.
Today the visitor to Yorktown may
see much Of interest. The battlefield
has somewhat disappeared and there
is but little trace of the redoubts but
time has dealt gently with the old
town. The same houses that figured
In the tragic events OF more than a
century ago still stand, while the Mel
son house, with ball in one of the
walls, gives testimony to having been
bombarded.
There may be seen a cave that is
said to have been the refuge of Corn.
wallis during the bombardment while
the beautiful marble shaft erected by
the government gives the historical
data concerning that which one sees
in the neighborhood.