Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
SITE or BRITISH
SURRENDER FIXED
Army Engineers Determine
Spot Where CORVALLIS
Gave Up Sword.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

washington on October 19, 1871, has
been finally definitely determined for
history by an intensive military engi-
neers' study in the War Department.
This decision regarding the exact
spot of surrender is of timely impor-
lance because it will be fittingly marked
for the sesquicentennial celebration at
yorktown next year, and Is to be in
cluded In the area to be purchased by
the United States Government for q
Colonial National Monument under the
Cramton act, which authorizes an ap-
preparation of half million dollars for
acquisition Of land in the Jamestown,
Williamsburg, Yorktown region known
90 1.-THE cradle Of the Republic"
Exact Spot Disputed.
OF course, as Is a well known histori-
cal fact, Lord CORVALLIS did not per-
sonally hand the sword of British au-
thority to Gen. Washington in surren-
der Of the British garrison which Gen.
Washington by mastery strategy had
trapped In the little town of York He
deputized that unpleasant duty to Gen.
O'aara. Washington refused to accept
this sword from Q minor general and
designated Gen. Lincoln, who the pre-
vious year had been forced to surrender
to an inferior officer at Charleston, to
have the distinction of receiving Corn
wallis sword from Gen. O'Hara.
For many years there has stood in
Yorktown what Is known as Surrender
Monument" in thicket of brush and
weeds, surrounded by a rusty iron
fence. A tablet at this insignificant
and woefully neglected monument
reads: ION this spot Lord CORVALLIS,
commanding the British forces, sur
rendered to Gen. Washington, 10 Oct,
1881" 1t has long been known that
this was not the exact spot. but many
tourists on patriotic pngrimages have
been deceived, and the question natu-
rally arose, eff that IS not the spot,
where is the true site Of surrender"
Maps In the War Department, made
soon after the siege Of Yorktown, sepa-
rately, by American, French and Eng
fish army engineers, agree in general
details regarding respective distances
and specific sites. BY strange coin
cidence, in none of these maps Is the
actual site Of the sword surrender In
Dictated.
Stumps Marked Site.
A Mr.. Shaw, at one time superin-
tenderlt of the National Cemetery, was
an enthusiast about the historic shrines
of Yorktown, and determined that the
srrender site should be marked. 1t
was known to be about mile out OF
town, near the cemetery, and that Gen.
Nelson's son had planted four poplar
trees at the corners OF square 70
identity the location. Mr.. Shaw found
what he believed to be the stumps OF
these trees, and placed there small
monument from savings out Of his
meager salary In the hope that the Gov
eminent would eventually replace 1t
with a more fitting memorial.
The historical section of the War De-
partFnent has been making its study
under authority of an act Of Congress
in 1926 which authorized the survey
ing Of battlehelds for commemorative
purposes. Yorktown Is IN class with
Saratoga as battle-ground TO be COM
moderated in a broad fashion. The
entire Saratoga battlefield Is to be thus
taken over, but due to the fact that
Yorktown Is q town, and to take over
even a large part of the historic ground
would remove relatively too much land
from taxable status, the War Depart
ment was about to recommend the ac-
QUESTION Of series Of strips marking
the most historic locations Of troops
and camps, when the Cramton bill for
passed carrying broader authority for
acquisition up to two miles square in
Yorktown.
Close, Study Is Made.
The War Departments authentica-
ton Of the site Of actual sword sur
render represents most careful and
exact study. On a mosaic air map the
Army engineers authenticated the ter
rain Of the area. Then engineer maps
Of the period made by the American,
French and British engineers were SUI
perimposed on the present day air map
so as to determine the exact locations
of troops, camps and other features.
The British headquarters papers, which
during the century and half have re-
NAMED in the family of Gen. Clinton,
were recently purchased by Mr.. Glenn
ents for the Ann Arbor, Mich, library.
These also were valuable source mate
rial. So that with terrain features cor
rectly worked out, and with the posi-
ton Of troops and works constructed
during the operations authenticated by
comparison Of all these maps, the en-
gineer historians of the War Depart
ment feel certain they have mathemat-
ically worked out the exact location.
This is about quarter Of mile to-
ward the town from the cemetery-and
on the east side of the road. The de-
cision which caused the most study on
this much-disputed question was on
which side of the road the surrender
was made, as the records OF that day
were in conflict.
Washington's Journal Noted.
Gen. Washington's journal, under
date Of october 10, reads:
I'm the morning early had them
(the terms of surrender) copied and
sent word TO Lord CORVALLIS that
expected to have them signed at II
o'clock, and that the garrison would
march out at Q o'clock-both Of which
were accordingly done"
The surrender occurred where the
second parallel OF trenches, nearest p
the town occupied by the British,
crossed the road running south from
1.-THE Horn" which Is over the old
Revolutionary roadbed. Gen. O'Hara
surrendered the sword Of British au-
thority to Gen Lincoln at the line Of
trenches which would be those first
reached riding out from Yorktown.
Matthew Dumas, q staff officer wrote:
81 had orders to go and meet the troops
of the garrison, and to direct the
columns I placed myself at Gen.
OHara's left hand. As We approached
the trenches, he asked me where Gen.
Rochambeau was. ON cur left said,
AT the head of the French line The
English general urged his horse for
ward to present his sword to the
French general. Guessing his intention
/ galloped on to place myself between
him and M. de Rochambeau, who at
that moment made me sign, pointing
10 Gen. washington, who was opposite
to him at the head of the American
Army. "You are mistaken said to
Gen. O'Hara, the commander in chief
OF our army is on the right accom-
parlied him and the moment that he
presented HIS sword, Gen. Washington
Rnticioating him, said, Never from
slicn a good hand The garrison de-