The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-06-30
incident Of Forty Years AGO.

Incident OF Forty years Ago.
| Once the Frenchmen and the Ger
mans came to Virginia shores in their
great ships and there was trouble.
| 1t was at Yorktown forty years ago
next October that the Frenchmen and
Germans quarreled first with the Amer
lean authorities and then with each
other 1t was the Americans fault,
probably, in the first instance, but
they committed the offense unwilling
IN and made amends when they could.
The trouble was that in making
amends they patched up the German
pride while wounding that of the
French still more sorely.
The Germans were invited to take
hand in the celebration of the centen-
NAL of the surrender of CORVALLIS
because of the part Baron Steuben
bore in the struggle Of the Americans
for their liberties, There were no
Germans, so far as is known, at the
battle of Yorktown, where the French
bore a heroic part in the fight; new
ertheless, at the instance of Horatio
Seymour of New York, the German
nation was given principal share In
the cOmmemoration exercises In the
village and harbOr of Yorktown. If
HOratlo Seymour were living today
he probably would be sorry that he
interfered in behalf Of the Germans at
that celebration.
Here and there in Yorktown are
substantial old dwelling of the colo
NAL period. They will outlast many
buildings of later day for they
were founded on the rock of honest
construction. one old place has tow
ering chimneys that with the rest of
the house, have Gme-weary look,
but dissolution is not In sight because
the builders builded well. This is the
Thomas Nelson house. and for time
CORVALLIS made it his headquarters,
a fact which came to the knowledge
Of the owner, who was with Washing
ton in the ranks Of the besiegers.
Col. Nelson Sheled His Own House.
Colonel Nelson went to the COM
mander in chief and told him that the
British general was in his house, and
that if the guns could be brought TO
bear with the residence as mark
CORVALLIS might be crushed under the
falling walls if there was a good heavy
sgun marksman in the American army.
They tell you today in Yorktown that
Colonel Nelson told his chief that he
would sacrifice fifty homesteads if he
owned them to put CORVALLIS on the
hospital list.
The American gunners fired away
at the walls of the Nelson house and
hit them three or four times. Corn
wallis was there, but ii did not take
him long to learn the drift of the
shooting and he took refuge in a
cave under parapet of brick work
and sand, and there he lay safely.
knowledge of the change of headquar-
ters came to Washington and the
mouths of the old smooth-bore cannon
were turned away from the Nelson
residence, which today bears the marks
Of the firing.
Victory Memorial Building.
Constant inquiries are coming to
Washington, addressed generally TO
members Of congress, concerning the
real purpose Of the George Washing
ton memorial building, also to be
known as the Victory Memorial
building, when is to be erected here
at cost If several millions Of dol
lars.
Representative julius Kahn, chair.
man Of the house committee on mil
itary affairs, has seen fit to set forth
the intent Of congress in the matter
of the memorial building. He says
the intent is that the auditorium in
the building shall be available for
such conventions as are civic, scien-
ttic, educational, patriotic, and ma
tional or international in character.
1t is now believed that the corner
stone for the great building will be
laid on ArmiStce day. November II,
and that Marshal Foch of the French
armies will be present in this city to
take part in the ceremonies. 1t is
also probable that Admiral Beatty of
the British navy will be present. The
general and the admiral have been
invited by the municipal officials Of
Kansas City Mo-. to be present at
the convention of the members of the
American Legion which will he held
there the last week in October Of this
year. General Foch tentatively has
accepted the invitation and General
Beatty's acceptance is expected.
Much has been written about the
Victory Memorial building. 1t is pos.
sible today 10 write something more
definite concerning 1t because the half
million dollars necessary to start the
project on It's way already has been
subscribed.
Gold and Blue Stars in the Ceiling.
Since last writing about the great
memorial, new plans have developed.
1t will be possible for any individual
or any organization, by subscribing
certain amount of money, TO secure
the insertion iu the great ceiling Of
the building of gold star in memory
Of any soldier who went to his death
in the war, or a blue star for any
soldier who gave his services to his
country. The place will be gloriously
star-studded and the coupling Of sem
timent with the beauty of the deco
ration will lend additional character to