Part 1

Transcriber’s Notes:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics.

Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end.

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Yorktown

_CLIMAX of the_ REVOLUTION

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

_Source Book Series_

NUMBER ONE

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The National Park System, of which this Colonial National Historical Park is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and inspiration of its people.

THIS BOOK printed at the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. Copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, _Washington, D. C._

PRICE 20 CENTS

Yorktown _CLIMAX_ OF THE REVOLUTION

_EDITED by_ CHARLES E. HATCH, JR. _and_ THOMAS M. PITKIN

_WASHINGTON, D. C., 1941 (REPRINT 1956)_

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fred A. Seaton, _Secretary_

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CONRAD L. WIRTH, _Director_

_CONTENTS_

Page

1. CORNWALLIS GOES TO YORKTOWN 1

2. THE FRENCH FLEET BLOCKADES THE CHESAPEAKE 1

3. THE ALLIES ASSEMBLE AT WILLIAMSBURG 3

4. THE BRITISH POSITION 5

5. THE SIEGE BEGINS 8

6. THE FIRST PARALLEL 9

7. THE BOMBARDMENT 10

8. STORMING THE REDOUBTS 11

9. THE BRITISH COUNTERATTACK 14

10. CORNWALLIS TRIES TO ESCAPE 15

11. CORNWALLIS DECIDES TO SURRENDER 17

12. THE PARLEY 18

13. THE SURRENDER 18

14. “THE PLAY IS OVER” 22

15. WASHINGTON CONGRATULATES THE ARMY 22

16. THE MEANING OF YORKTOWN 24

BIBLIOGRAPHY 25

_ILLUSTRATIONS_

THE SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS’S ARMY Frontispiece

PLAN OF THE SIEGE OF YORK TOWN IN VIRGINIA 6

THE STORMING OF REDOUBT NUMBER TEN 12

THE LAST DAY OF THE SIEGE 16

THE MOORE HOUSE 19

CORNWALLIS’S PAROLE 21

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_THIS BOOKLET relates to the Yorktown portion of Colonial National Historical Park, Jamestown-Yorktown, Virginia, which commemorates significant phases of American history from the first settlement at Jamestown until the winning of American independence at Yorktown. Other areas under National Park Service administration commemorating the Revolutionary period of American history are:_

George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Washington’s Birthplace, Westmoreland County, Virginia. Washington Monument National Memorial, Washington, D. C. Statue of Liberty National Monument, Liberty Island, New York, N. Y. Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Federal Hall National Memorial, New York, N. Y.[1] Saratoga National Historical Park, Stillwater, N. Y. Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, N. J. Kings Mountain National Military Park, York, S. C. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro, N. C. Moores Creek National Military Park, Cowie, N. C. Cowpens National Battlefield Site, Gaffney, S. C.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] Operated by the Federal Hall Memorial Associates cooperating with the National Park Service.

_INTRODUCTION_

The story of the last great act in the drama of American independence has been told many times, but never more vividly than in the words of the actors themselves. This book is an attempt to portray the crowning campaign of the American Revolution in the language of participants. Cornwallis, commander of the British forces, and Tarleton, his dashing cavalry leader, have been called upon to describe scenes and events inside Yorktown, during the campaign which culminated in the surrender of Cornwallis’s army and was followed by the abandonment of British efforts to reduce the revolting American colonies to their old allegiance. Washington, “Mad” Anthony Wayne, Surgeon Thacher of the Continental Line, the young and chivalrous Count William de Deux-Ponts, and others recount for us American and French operations around Yorktown, for the most part in words penned while the events themselves were transpiring. Lafayette writes exultantly, on the heels of the surrender, that “the play is over,” and Washington congratulates the army on its success. Here is the story of the siege of Yorktown recorded by those who were a part of it.

Here also are estimates of the significance of the surrender by a contemporary American statesman who was in position to view its immediate effects on the watching European world, by an American President who saw Yorktown against the background of a century’s independent national development, and by the commission which prepared the sesquicentennial celebration of the event in 1931. There has been added only sufficient new narrative to fill the obvious gaps in the accounts of contemporaries.

CHARLES E. HATCH, JR. THOMAS M. PITKIN.

_Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown, Virginia, January 23, 1941._

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_Reproduced from a picture made shortly after the American Revolution by the painter Van Blarenburghe, based on an action sketch by Captain Louis Alexandre Berthier, of Rochambeau’s army. It depicts the British army marching out of Yorktown between the French and American troops to surrender its arms and flags._

1. CORNWALLIS GOES TO YORKTOWN

In the spring of 1781, the seventh year of the struggle for American independence, Lord Cornwallis, commanding a British Army, marched from North Carolina into Virginia, in an attempt to conquer the State and restore it to allegiance to Great Britain. The Marquis de Lafayette, sent to Virginia with a small American force, was unable to meet him in open battle but did his best to hamper the movements of the British. In midsummer Cornwallis received orders from Sir Henry Clinton, his superior in New York, to fortify a base in the lower Chesapeake for the use of the British fleet.

Sir, I was honoured with your letter of the 12th of July, by the Solebay, in which you mention a desire of having a harbour secured in the Chesapeak for line of battle ships. I immediately ordered the engineers to examine Old Point Comfort, and went thither myself with the captains of the navy on this station. You will receive a copy of the engineer’s report, with a sketch of the peninsula, and the opinion of the officers of the navy relative to the occupying and fortifying of that post.

The Commander-in-chief having signified to me in his letter of the 11th instant, that he thought a secure harbour for line of battle ships of so much importance in the Chesapeak, that he wished me to possess one, even if it should occupy all the force at present in Virginia; and, as it is our unanimous opinion, that Point Comfort will not answer the purpose, I shall immediately sieze and fortify the posts of York and Gloucester, and shall be happy at all times to concur in any measures which may promote the convenience and advantage of his Majesty’s navy.

LORD CORNWALLIS TO ADMIRAL GRAVES, JULY 26, 1781.

2. THE FRENCH FLEET BLOCKADES THE CHESAPEAKE

Cornwallis moved his whole army to Yorktown, on the York River, in August and began leisurely fortifying that position and Gloucester Point opposite. Meanwhile the French West Indies fleet, under Comte de Grasse, evaded its British opponent and moved north to cooperate with the French and American land forces under Washington and Rochambeau. De Grasse sailed for the mouth of Chesapeake Bay to blockade Cornwallis by sea, while the allied armies prepared to leave the Hudson River, where they had been threatening Clinton, and close in by land. Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton, Cornwallis’s cavalry leader, watched the gathering of hostile forces.

Near the end of August, the Guadaloupe of twenty-eight guns, left York town, to proceed to New York with dispatches from Earl Cornwallis, and from Captain Symonds of the Charon, who commanded his Majesty’s ships in the Chesapeak. At this period, the sea officers imagined that the British fleet from the West Indies would be discovered off the capes by the frigate, and the land officers expected that a considerable body of troops would soon arrive from New York to strengthen the King’s forces for solid operations in Virginia, and likewise to garrison the works which were constructing for the advantage and protection of both army and navy. These suppositions, which were well grounded, diffused among the royalists general satisfaction: but their prospects of glory were suddenly obscured. On the 30th, the French fleet, of twenty-eight sail of the line, from the West Indies, under orders of the Count de Grasse, entered the Chesapeak. The advanced guard of his squadron, consisting of the Glorieux, a coppered seventy-four, and the Diligente and Aigrette frigates, met the Guadaloupe near the capes, who, not understanding their signals, kept aloof, and afterwards by swiftness, made good her retreat to York town; whilst the Loyalist, a bad twenty-gun ship, who was stationed in the bay, after a gallant struggle in the mouth of the channel, fell into the possession of the French.

The Count de Grasse, without loss of time, blocked up York river with three large ships and some frigates, and moored the principal part of the fleet in Lynhaven bay. Upon his arrival within the capes, he dispatched information of that event to General Washington in the Jerseys, and to the Marquis de la Fayette, who was encamped near the Chickahomany. The disembarkation of the troops brought in the line-of-battle ships from the West Indies immediately took place, and the continental army in Virginia advanced to the Green springs on the 3d of September, to form a junction with the Count de St. Simon. The Marquis de la Fayette soon after moved the French and Americans to Williamsburgh.

In the mean time Earl Cornwallis practised various means to send intelligence to New York of the situation and force of the French fleet. Patroles of the legion cavalry were continually detached to the shores of James and York rivers, and daily reported to his lordship every occurrence worthy of attention: They informed him of the movement of the boats with troops towards the Chickahomany, and of the different manoeuvres of the Count de Grasse. On the 5th, the French ships were observed to make repeated signals, and it was soon discovered that an English squadron was approaching. Notwithstanding the absence of a number of officers and seamen employed in the disembarkation of St. Simon’s brigade, and of another detachment engaged in procuring water, the French fleet got under way, and stood out of the capes.

This state of hope was interrupted by the arrival of Count de Barras’s division in the Chesapeak from Rhode Island. Intelligence soon after reached York town, that Count de Grasse had repulsed the British fleet, and was returning to the bay. Before this period accounts were brought to Earl Cornwallis that General Washington, with a large body of continentals, and Count Rochambeau, with the French army, were preparing to form a junction with LaFayette, by descending in transports from the head of Elk river in Maryland, under the convoy of the French ships. In this situation, blocked up by sea, and exposed to a powerful combination on shore, Earl Cornwallis turned his attention towards the corps already arrived at Williamsburgh.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL TARLETON, _A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781_.

3. THE ALLIES ASSEMBLE AT WILLIAMSBURG

Williamsburg, at the heart of the Virginia Peninsula, commanded the landward approach to Yorktown. Here, during September, the allied armies gathered, Washington and Rochambeau hastening down from the north to join the troops of Lafayette and St. Simon. Richard Butler, then a colonel of the Pennsylvania Line, serving with Lafayette, kept daily record of the scene.

_Sept. 8th._--Received orders to march for Williamsburgh to join the allied army; arrived at our ground at 11 o’clock, had some difficulty in getting our baggage as we had to let the allied army have our wagons to bring on their whole train and camp, therefore had to lay in bough huts, on very dusty ground, for this day and night; the French army, the Pennsylvania and light-troops made a very elegant appearance in passing through the city.

_Sept. 9th._--Obtained our baggage, pitched our camp. Lay by without any accounts of the enemy stirring on the eighth, the British fleet passed Cape Henry and came into the bay, and were gallantly engaged by the French, who drove them to sea, and pursued them, but leaving six ships of the line for the security of the bay. The Baron de Steuben arrived in camp with his suite.

_Aug._ [_sic._] _11th._--Accounts by a Frigate that the French were left in full pursuit of the British, who were flying before them, and that in about six hours sailing they must come up with eighteen sail of victuallers which the British intend for Lord Cornwallis’ relief and support, which they had abandoned in their flight. Still no flour or meal, and the beef supplied is very bad, in short there is yet no exertions made to supply the troops who have been supplied with only three days’ bread out of seven, and not the least likelihood of being better supplied.

_Sept. 12th._--Several cannon heard down the river; no account from the fleet. This day Governor Nelson sent Mr. Nichols to give me an order to retain a mill, and to impress corn carriages, boats, or any thing to facilitate the collecting of provisions; sent off Lieutenant Collier with a party for this purpose.

_Sept. 13th._--An account of the Commander-in-Chief having arrived at his own seat at last. He has not been within his own door for seven years, indeed not since he was first a member of Congress in the year 1775, all which time he has been a most faithful patriot and servant of his country, from the citizen he was a councellor, then a General, and in reality the Father of the people, he has nobly shared in all their misfortunes, shewing the utmost fortitude and regularity of conduct; indeed the able statesman has appeared in all his actions. Some malign shafts have been shot at him by a small insignificant tribe whose falsely and ill directed arrows always reverted to their own bow and wounded themselves.

_Sept. 14th._--The Marquis Lafayette still continues ill of the ague. Yesterday the Marquis de St. Simon, and a number of his officers, paid a visit to our line, and the Baron Steuben and our good friend Gen. Wayne, whose wound and gout still continue ill. About 3 o’clock an express arrived, announcing the approach of our great and good Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Washington, and the Count de Rochambeau, the commander of the allied armies of France, now joining. At 4, P. M., the guns fired a royal salute as the General approached the camp, on which the two armies turned out on their battalion parades;--his Excellency and the Count De Rochambeau, with their suites, attended by the Marquis de Lafayette, Maj. Gen. and commander of the American, and Maj. Gen. Marquis de St. Simon, commander of the allied army (lately arrived), and all their suites, visited the allied army first, and then the American army, and were saluted according to custom; these ceremonies finished, the whole of the officers of the French army attended at the Marquis de St. Simon’s quarters and were introduced to the _Illustrious Hero_. The field officers of the American army all attended to bid him and the other Generals welcome. These ceremonies over, an elegant supper was served up.... To add to the happiness of the event and evening, an elegant band of music played an introductive part of a French Opera, signifying the happiness of the family when blessed with the presence of their father, and their great dependance upon him. About 10 o’clock the company rose up, and after mutual congratulations and the greatest expression of joy, they separated.

_Sept. 15th._--An officer arrived from Count de Grasse’s fleet, with certain account of the arrival of his and Count de Barras’ fleet, from Rhode Island, with the French troops on board, and heavy artillery and large mortars, also of the capture of the _famous_ Iris frigate, and the Richmond frigate, which with the Romulus of 44 guns, are sent to Baltimore, and head of Elk, to bring down all our troops and apparatus for a siege; the storm seems to thicken fast about Lord Cornwallis, whose people desert fast, which is a certain symptom of despondency in all armies. This day, his Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief, dined with the Marquis de Lafayette, also Marquis de St. Simon, Baron de Steuben, Count de Rochambeau, Dumas, and Desandroins, a number of American and French officers of distinction, and passed the afternoon in the greatest happiness and harmony. Several officers of the Navy, among whom is the captain of the Experiment of 40 guns.

_Sept. 16th._--His Excellency Gen. Washington, Counts de Rochambeau, de Chastelleux, and a great number of Generals and other officers dined with Baron de Steuben; we spent the afternoon in great harmony and retired.

_Sept. 17 to 27._--Has been spent in debarking the troops and trains from the shipping the whole being arrived, the troops having taken their proper stations and every thing arranged, and the Commander-in-Chief and principal officers returned from on board the Ville de Paris where the Generals have been fixing a plan of cooperation with the Admiral, orders were issued for the whole army to move at 5 o’clock.

GENERAL RICHARD BUTLER’S JOURNAL.

4. THE BRITISH POSITION

Meanwhile Cornwallis had not been idle. The unexpected appearance of the French fleet in the bay, its repulse of the British fleet, and the gathering of his enemies at Williamsburg had spurred him to renewed exertions in preparing the defenses of Yorktown. His outer line was extensive but well chosen. His inner line, close about the town, was less advantageous.

At this period, the labour which had been bestowed on the outward position at York town, had improved its natural advantages, and rendered it in every respect convenient for the King’s troops. The right rested on a swamp which cover the right of the town: A large redoubt was constructed beyond it, close to the river road from Williamsburgh, and completed with fraizing and abbatis. The Charon, Guadaloupe, and other armed vessels, were moored opposite to the swamp; and the town batteries commanded at the roads and causeways which approached it. On the right, at the head of the morass, two redoubts were placed, one on each side, of the main Williamsburgh road. The center was protected by a thin wood, whose front was cut down, with the branches facing outwards. A field work, mounted with cannon, was erected on the left of the center, to command the Hampton road. A deep ravine, and a creek, which increased till it reached York river, covered the left. Trees were felled, fleches were thrown up, and batteries were constructed, at the points which were deemed most vulnerable. The distance between the heads of the swamp and creek, which embraced the flanks of the town, did not exceed half a mile. The face of the country, in front of this line, was cut near the center by a morass, and, excepting this break, the ground was plain and open for near two thousand yards. An excellent field artillery was placed to the greatest advantage by Captain Rochefort, who commanded in that department....

The works erected for the protection of York town, consisted, on the right, of redoubts and batteries, with a line of stockade in the rear, which supported a high parapet of earth. The redoubts were furnished with fraizing and abbatis. A marshy ravine lay in front of the right, over which was placed a large redoubt, with a good ditch, fraizing, and abbatis: The morass extended along the center, which was defended by a line of stockade, and by batteries that looked upon all the avenues to the swamp: On the left of the center, was a horn work, with a ditch, a row of fraize, and an abbatis: Some embrazures for cannon were at present open in this work. The left was fortified by redoubts, communications of earth, and batteries, which were all furnished with fraizing, but without stockade or abbatis. Two redoubts were advanced before the left, which were small, and not so well finished as that in front of the right. The ground in front of the left was in some parts on a level with the works, in others cut by ravines, and altogether very convenient for the besiegers. The space within the works was exceedingly narrow, not large enough for retrenchments, and, except under the cliff, exposed to enfilade.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL TARLETON, _A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781_.

5. THE SIEGE BEGINS

French and American troops having assembled in overwhelming force, from points as far distant as Rhode Island and the West Indies, Washington assumed command of the whole and moved on Yorktown.

I have not leisure to give a particular account of our proceedings, it must suffice only to inform you, that, after assembling all the Troops at _Williamsburg_, and making the necessary Arrangements, the Allied Army moved on the Morning of the 28th Sept. and took post in the neighbourhood of York that night. The Enemy gave us no annoyance on the March; a body of Horse that was paraded in front of their Works retired upon our firing a few shot among them. The 29th. was spent in reconnoitring, and taking a position as near the advanced Works as could be done without placing the Encampments directly in the range of the Enemy’s shot; some skirmishing happened between our Riffle men and the Yagers, in which the former had the advantage. At night, the Enemy abandoned all their Out Posts (some of which were very advantageous) and retired to the Town. Yesterday Morning we occupied the same ground and last night made some lodgments at a short distance from the Lines. The Horses and Teams are beginning to arrive from the Northward, the heavy Artillery will be brought up as soon as possible and the Seige pushed with vigor; as I have no Idea that Lord Cornwallis will surrender so respectable a force, as he has under his command, unless he is compelled by dire necessity.

WASHINGTON TO MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM HEATH, OCTOBER 1, 1781.

6. THE FIRST PARALLEL

The siege operations of the eighteenth century were conducted according to a set pattern. When the most advantageous ground had been chosen and marked, the besiegers began digging a line of entrenchments facing the besieged position at a distance of from 800 to 1,000 yards, convenient range for the artillery of that day. This line of entrenchments, in which batteries were erected, was known as the “first parallel.” In planning the siege of Yorktown, the allied engineers chose for the first parallel a line from the head of a deep ravine, which half encircled the town on the left, to the York River on the right. Its opening was delayed for several days pending the arrival of heavy artillery.

The reconnoissance completed, the artillery disembarked, and the necessary supplies arranged, the establishment of the first parallel was begun.