The Ordway new era., 1913-09-26
InstalIment II

InstaIlment II
The Count de Grasse, with twenty
eight ships of the line, six frigates,
and twenty thousand men, was in the
West Indies, and In August sent word
to Washington that he was about to
bring his whole fleet to the Chesa-
peake, as Washington had urged. Eth
er the Chesapeake or New York. had
been Washington's prayer to him.
Making as II he were but moving
about New York from north to south
for some advantage OF position. Wash
ington suddenly took two thousand
Continentals and four thousand
Frenchmen, all the long four hundred
miles to York river in Virginia. to find
CORVALLIS already entrapped there, as
he had planned, between Grasses fleet
in the bay and Lafayette intrenched
across the peninsula with eight thou
sand men. now the French had loaned
him three thousand.
Praise From CORVALLIS.
A few weeks siege and the decis-
i've work was done. to the admiration
OF CORVALLIS himself. The British
army was taken.
The generous Englishman could not
withhold an expression Of his admir-
alton for the extraordinary sh II with
which Washington had struck all the
way from New York with six thousand
men az easily as II with six hundred.
But, after ALL" he added. your ex-
cellencys achievements in New Jer-
sey were such that nothing could sur
pass them"
Does Not Bring Peace.
The victory at Yorktown brought
neither peace nor ease in affairs. The
revolution was indeed accomplished
that every man could see who had the
candor to look facts in the face; but
its accomplishment brought tasks
harder even than the tasks Of war
Hostiiities slackened-were almost
wholly done with before another
spring had come. No more troops
came over sea. The ministry In Eng.
land were discredited and ousted.
Every one knew that the proud
mother country must yield. for all her
stout defiance of the world. But .
long year dragged by. nevertheless. be,
fore even preliminary articles Of ac-
commodation were signed; and still
another before definite peace came.
with Independence and the full fruits
of victory.
shadowy Powers Of Congress.
Meanwhile there was an army to be
maintained. despite desperate incom-
petence on the part Of the congress
and a hopeless Indifference among the
people; and a government to be kept
presentably afoot, despite lack OF mon
ey and lack of men.
The articles OF confederation pro-
posed at the heart Of the wartime
November 15. 177D had at last
been adopted March 1. 17sD. in
season to create at least a govern
: ment which could sign treaties and
conclude wars. but neither soon
enough nor wisely enough to bring or
der out of chaos. The states. glad to
think the war over, would do nothing
for the army, nothing for the public
credit, nothing even for the mainten-
ance OF order; and the articles Of
confederation only gave the congress
written warranty for offering advice;
they did nat make its shadowy power
real
Washington Keeps His Command.
1t was beyond measure fortunate
that at such critical time as this
Washington still kept his command,
still held affairs under the steady pres
sure of his will.
His successes had at last given him
a place of authority In the thoughts
and affections Of his countrymen in
some sort commensurate with his ca
pacity and his vision in affairs. He
had risen to very safe footing OF
power among all the people as the
war drew towards Its close. filling
their fmaginations. and reigning
among them as securely as among his