The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-10-18
CHAPTER XVI

tiOusly along the sandy road by night.
circling about Tarleton's campfires,
or dashing at full speed past some
careless sentinel. Often he was free
at, often chased, but with clear road
in front Of him he had no fear of
capture. On the third morning he
came upon a ragged sentinel-an
American. Ten minutes later he got
his first glimpse of Lafayette, and
then he was hailed joyfully by none
other than Dave landell, Capt. Dave
Yandell, shOrn Of his wOodsman's
dress and panoplied IN the trappings
Of war.
-. CORVALLIS was coming on. The
boy, he wrote, cannot escape me. But
the bOy-Lafayette-di and in time
pursued and forced the Englishman
into cul-de-sac. II have given his
lOrdship the disgrace of retreat"
said Lafayette. And so-Yorktown!
Late In August came the message
that put Washington's great soul In
arms" POchambeau had landed six
thousand soldiers In Connecticut, and
now Count de Grasse and French
fleet had sailed for the Chesapeake.
General Washington at once resorted
to camOuflage. He laid out camps Os-
tentatiously opposite New York and In
plain sight of the enemy. He made
feigned attack on their posts. RO-
chambeau moved south and reached
the Delaware before the British
grasped the Yankee trick. Then 1t
was too late. The windows of Phil
adelphia were filled with ladies wav-
ing handkerchieis and crying bravOes
when the tattered Continentals. their
clothes thick with dust but hats
plumed with spriss of green, marched
through amid their torn battle flags
and rumbling cannon. Behind fol-
lowed the French in gay white uni
forms faced with green" and martial
music thrObbed the air. Down the
Chesapeake they went In transports
and were concentrated at Williams
burg before the close of September
CORVALLIS had erected works against
the boy, for he knew nothing of Wash
ington and Count de Grasse, nor Mad
Anthony and General Nelson, who
were south of the james to prevent
escape into North Carolina.
ITO your goodness" the boy wrote
to Washington, Il am owning the most
beautiful prospect may ever behold
Then came De Grasse. who drove
off the 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 jOyfully answered:
""Tis our last {"
At Williamsburg the allies gathered.
and with Washington's army came
Colonel Dale, now u general, and
young Capt. Harry Dale, who had
brought news from Philadelphia that
was of great interest to Ers.iine Dale.
In that town Dane Grey had been a
close intimate of Andre, and that in
timacy had been the cause of much
speculation since. He had told Dave
Of his mother and Early Morn, and
Dave had told him graveiy that he
must 60 get them after the campaign
was over and bring them to the fort
in Kentucky. If Early Morn still re-
fused to come. then he must bring
his mother, and he reckOned grimly
that no mouth would open in a word
that could offend Ser. Erskine 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 and the siege began. The
allied line was crescent, with each
tip resting on the water-Lafayette
commanding the Americans on the
right, the French on the left under
Rochambeau. De Grasse, with his
feet, was In the bay 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 scene was
sublime and stupendOus."
Two British men-of-war lying in the
river were struck with hot shot and
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 torches
One fed like mountain of fire to-
ward the bay and was burned to the
waters edge.
And then the surrender:
The day was the 10th of October
The victors were drawn up in two
lines a mile long on the right and
left of 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. Be
lind on both sides was great crowd
of people to watch the ceremony
Slowly out Of Yorktown marched the
British cOlors. cased drums beating
a significant English air:
"The world turned tOpsyturvy."