The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-02-13
THRILLS OF HISTORY.
CORVALLIS SURRENDER.

CORVALLIS SURRENDER.
The fact is a familiar one no doubt
that when Lord CORVALLIS, despair
ing Of victory or escape at York
town, in October. 1771, he sent
a flag to Washington with q request
that hostilities should be suspended,
and that commissioners should be
appointed at Mrs. Moore's house, or
1 the right Of the American lines, to
arrange terms for the surrender OF
the army.
T%hereupon Washington appointed
as the American commissioners Col
onel Laurens, whose father was then
a prisoner in the hands of the British
and confined in the Tower of Lon
don, and Viscount De Uoailles, a rela-
! tive of the wife of Lafayette. The
| British commissioners were Lieuten-
ant Colonel Dundas and Major Ross.
Moore's, house is situated about a
quarter of a mile from the banks OF
the York. The building is of frame.
and at the time of the surrender 1t
belonged to Governor Nelson, of Vir-
ginia, but it's occupants, a Widow
! Moore, had a life interest in it, on
sequently the name.
It is generally supposed that Corn
wallis signed the c~apitulation IN this
house, but it was only the place of
meeting for the arrangement of the
terms, at which the British COM
mander was not present, and there
is no evidence that he was beyond
his lines at any time until his de-
parture for New York on parole. He
signed the c~apitulation at his quart
ers in the town, and above the sigma
ture of Washington and French Of
ficers is written "Done in the trenches
before Yorktown" The ceremony, on
The occasion o fthe surrender, was
exceedingly imposing. Washington,
upon bis white charger, was at the
head of the American column, and
Rochambeau, upon a powerful bay
horse, was at the head of the French
column. A vast concourse of people,
equal in number, according to eye
witnesses, to the military, was also
assembled from the surrounding
country to participate in the joy of
the event.
All were eager to look upon Corn
wallis. the terror Of the South, in
the hour of his adversely. They were
disappointed. He had given himself
up to veXation and despair, and feign-
ing illness, he sent General O'Hara
with his sword, t o lead the vanquish-
ed army TO the field OF humiliation.
The Americans were surprised at the
good condition of the English troops,
but they learned later that Cornwall
lis had opened all the stores about
to be surrendered, and each soldier
had on a complete, new suit. All
this finery, however seemed to humble
them the more. when contrasted with
the miserable appearance Of the
Americans to whom they e sur-
rendering.
When O'Hara reached Washington
he apologized to the general for the
absence of CORVALLIS. Washington
turned O'Hara over to General Lin
coin for directing. It must have been
a proud moment for Lincoln, for only
the year before he was obliged to
make a h%umiliating surrender of his
army to British conquerers at Charles
tor. Lincoln conducted the royal
troops to the field selected, and there
General OHara delivered to him the
sword of CORVALLIS; Lincoln receiv-
ed it, and then politely handed it back
to be returned to the earl.
Ensign Wilson, of Clinton's Brig
ade, the youngest commissioned Off
Ger in the army. being then only
eighteen years of age, was appointed
the officer of the day to receive the
British regimental colors. Wilson
had been in the army from the age
of twelve, and was commissioned an
ensign four months previous to the
surrender at Yorktown. When the
colors were surrendered, the whole
royal army laid down their arms. DR..
Thatcher, who was present, says that
he saw many of the soldiers, with sui
len countenances, throw down their
guns on the pile with violence, as if
determined to render them unfit for
further service, but by order of Gen
eral Lincoln, this conduct was check
ed, and they were made to lay them
down in an orderly manner.-Kansas
City Journal.