Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-28
|ERSKINE DALE, PIONEER
s=. BY JOHN FOX. j.
Copyright ~ caazass sezs.srs sss
late in AUGUST came the message
BY JOHN FOX, i.
Copyright ~ oaaziss serss.sz's ssss

Late in August came the message
that put Washington's great soul IN
arms Rochambeau had landed six
thousand soldiers in Connecticut, and
now Counte de Grasse and a French
feet had sailed for the Chesapeake.
of camouflage. He laid out camps
ostentatiously opposite New York and
in plain sight Of the enemy. He made
q feigned attack on their posts. Ro-
champeau moved south and reached
the Delaware before the British
grasped the Yankee trick. Then it
was too late. The windows of Phil
adelphia were filled with ladies wav-
ing handkerchiefs and crying bravoes
clothes thicg with dust but hats
plumed with sprigs of green. marched
through amid their torn battle flags
and rumbling annon Behind fol-
lowed the French In ''gay white uni
forms faced with green" and mar
tial music throbbed the air. Down
the Chesapeake they ven in trans
ports and were concentrated at Will
liamsburg before the close of Sep
against the boy, for he knew nothing
of Washington and Count de Grasse,
nor Mad Anthony and General Mel
son. who were south Of the James to
prevent escape into North Caroline.
ITO YOU goodness" the boy wrote
to Washington. II am owning the
most beautiful prospect l may ever
behold"
Then came De Grasse. who drove
of tho British fleet, and the mouth
Of the net was closed.
Corvallis heard the cannon and
sent Clinton to appeal for help. but
the answer was Washington himself
at the head of his army. And then
the joyous march.
"'Tis our first campaign!" cried
the French gayly, and the Continen-
tails ioyfuily answered:
"Tis our last" lr
At Williamsburg the allies gath
cred. n with Washington's army
and young Capt. Harry Dale. who
had brought news from Philadelphia
that was of great interest to Erskine
Dale. In that town Dane Grey had
been a close intimate of Andre, and
that intimacy had been the cause of
much speculation since. He had told
Dave OF his mother and Early Morn,
and Dave had told him gravely that
he must go get them after the cam
the fort in Kantucky. II Early Morn
still refused to come, then he must
bring his mother, and he reckoned
grimly hat. no mouth would open in
a word that could offend her. Frs
kline also told of Red Oaks and Dane
Grey, but Dave must tell nothing to
the Dales-not yet, if ever.
they marched next morning at day.
break. At sunset of the second day
they bivouacked within two miles Of
yorktown, n the siege began. The
allied line was a: crescent. with each
tip resting on the water-Lafayette
commanding the Americans on the
right. the French On the left unGer
Rochambeau. De Grasse. with his
feet, was in the bav to cut off 'ap-
proach by water. Washington HIM
self put the match to the first gun,
and the mutual cannonade of three
or four days began. The cen was
sublime and studendous."
TWO British men-of-war lying in the
river Were struck with hot shot ana
set on fire, and the result was full
OF terrible grandeur. The sails caught
and the flames ran to the tops Of
the masts. resembling immense torch
es. One fed like a mountain of fire
toward the bay and was burned to
the waters edge.
And then the surrender:
The day vas the 18th of October,
The victors were drawn up in two
ines a mile long on the right and
LETT of a road that ran through the
autumn fields south of Yorktown.
Washington stood at the head of his
army on the right, Rochambeau at
the head of the French on the left.
Behind on both sides was a great
crow of people to watch the cere-
mony. Slowly out of Yorktown
marched the British ,colors, cased
drums beating a significant English
air:
The world turned topsy!turvy."
Lord CORVALLIS was sick. General
O'Hara bore my lords sword. As
he approached, Washington saluted
and pointed to General Lincoln, who
had been treated with indignity at
Charleston. O'Hara handed the
sword to Lincolne Lincoln at once
handed it back, n the surrender
was ove:. Between the lines the
British marched on and stacked arms
in a nearby field. Some of them
threw their muskets on the ground,
and a British colonel bit the hilt OF
his sword from rage. s.
AS Tarleton's legion went by, three
pairs of eyes watched eagerly for one
face, but neither Harry nor Capt.
Dave Yandell saw Dane sGrey-nor
did Erskine Dale.
CONTINUED Tomorrow Evening"