September, 1906 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



171 



The 1 25th Anniversary of the Surrender 

 of Cornwallis at Yorktown 



The Appearance of Historic Yorktown Has Changed Very Little During the Past One Hundred and Twenty-five Years 



IEITHER the sensational engagement at 

 Bunker Hill, with its ominous significance, 

 the meaning of which was not lost in either 

 England, America or the Continent, nor the 

 disastrous surrender of Burgoyne at Sara- 

 toga, nor, in fact, any event of the Revolu- 

 tion could equal in transcendant interest the Yorktown Cam- 

 paign. It possesess all the qualities upon which to build a 

 dramatic creation of the highest significance. There we find 

 the well-developed plot, all the elements of surprise, military 

 strategy of the highest order and a striking culmination 

 just before the curtain drops. There is no dragging of 

 the plot. The story moves along smoothly, with suf- 

 ficient element of uncertainty and doubt, and there is no 

 minor climax at the end. 



Now that we are about reaching the one hundred and 

 twenty-fifth anniversary of the event it is well, perhaps, 

 to refresh our memories in regard to some of the prin- 

 cipal features of the event. The Prelude took place at 

 Weathersfield, Conn., when Washington and the Count 

 de Rochambeau met to talk over the plans of campaign. 

 It will be recalled that the original plan provided for a 

 joint attack of the allied armies of France and the 

 United Colonies upon New York City, which was held 

 by Sir Henry Clinton, at that time Commander-in-Chief 

 of the British forces. 



With a view to carrying out these operations, which 

 were intended to be in the nature of a surprise of the 

 forts upon upper Manhattan Island and the subsequent 

 reduction of the city, the two armies were brought 

 together at Dobbs Ferry, where finally the whole 

 campaign was modified as a result of important 

 information received from the South. Lord 

 Cornwallis had been con- 

 ducting a spirited cam- 

 paign in Virginia against 

 Lafayette, who was in 

 command of the Conti- 

 nentals, in co-operation 

 with Baron Steuben and 

 Anthony Wayne, and 

 the troops under them. 

 One object of Washing- 



ton's projected manoeuvres against New York was to compel 

 Clinton to withdraw from Virginia a part of Cornwallis's 

 forces. The latter had been forcing the game against his 

 youthful antagonist, who had acted with rare discretion for 

 one of his impetuous French nature. Washington's theory 

 proved to be correct. Cornwallis, following instructions from 

 the North, withdrew toward Portsmouth, and later to York 

 and Gloucester, so as to be ready to support Clinton by water 

 in case of necessity. At the same time most important news 

 was received from the sea. Count de Grasse was stationed in 

 the West Indies with some thirty ships of the line and 

 with quite a body of land forces. The despatches from 

 de Grasse disclosed the fact that he was sailing from 

 St. Domingo on the third of August and would go direct 

 to the Chesapeake. The Commander-in-Chief at once 

 changed the whole plan of campaign and decided to 

 proceed with the least possible delay to Virginia, with 

 the hope of enveloping Cornwallis, while de Grasse es- 

 tablished a blockade by sea. Lafayette was instructed, 

 with the aid of such troops as might be landed by 

 de Grasse, to draw the net quietly around Cornwallis 

 before he would have time to suspect the peril of his 

 position, and to hold him in check in case he tried to 

 escape, until such time as the army from the North 

 could arrive. 



In the meantime, with consummate strategy, the 

 preparations for the attack upon New York were con- 

 tinued with ostentatious assiduity. The allied armies 

 were ferried safely across the Hudson and the march 

 through the Jerseys begun. The French army crossed 

 at Stony Point and marched through Whippany for 

 Trenton, while the American army marched to 

 Springfield. The pretense of investing New 



York was car- 

 ried on by the 

 carrying of ba- 

 teaux for the re- 

 crossing of the 

 Hudson, and 

 the building of 

 ovens on the 

 Jersey shore, 

 opposite Staten 



Monument Erected in 1 88 1 in Commemoration of the Surrender of the British Army 

 Under Lord Cornwallis in 1781 



