CHAPTER XIII.
Departure for Yorktown: Washington’s tomb: Celebration of the anniversary of the surrender of Yorktown: Details of its siege in 1781.
The Virginia militia had long since expressed their desire to general Lafayette, of having him present at the celebration of the anniversary of the capture of Yorktown, on the very soil where this great event occurred, which, in terminating the revolutionary war, forever secured the independence of the United States. To accept this honourable invitation, general Lafayette left Washington the 16th of October, crossed the Potomac upon a wooden bridge nearly a mile long, and was received upon the Virginia side by a corps of troops, under command of general Jones. His march to Alexandria, and his entry into that city, were marked by the continual thunder of artillery, placed along the road, and by the acclamations of the people. We dined and slept at Alexandria. As we were sitting down to table with all the magistrates, and a great number of citizens, Mr. Adams, the secretary of state, informed us of the death of the king of France, Louis the eighteenth.
On the 17th, we embarked in the steam-boat Petersburg, in company with the secretary of war, Mr. Calhoun, generals Macomb, Jones, and a great number of other officersand citizens. After a voyage of two hours, the guns of fort Washington announced that we were approaching the last abode of the father of his country. At this solemn signal, to which the military band accompanying us responded by plaintive strains, we went on deck, and the venerable soil of Mount Vernon was before us; at this view an involuntary and spontaneous movement made us kneel. We landed in boats, and trod upon the ground so often worn by the feet of Washington. A carriage received general Lafayette, and the other visitors silently ascended the precipitous path which conducted to the solitary habitation of Mount Vernon. In re-entering beneath this hospitable roof, which had sheltered him when the reign of terror tore him violently from his country and family, George Lafayette felt his heart sink within him, at no more finding him whose paternal care had softened his misfortunes, whose example and wise counsel inspired his youthful mind with those generous sentiments which at present render him an example of good citizenship, a model to parents and husbands, the most devoted of sons, the most stable of friends. His father again sought with emotion for every thing which reminded him of the companion of his glorious toils.
Three nephews of general Washington took Lafayette, his son, and myself, to conduct us to the tomb of their uncle; our numerous companions remained in the house; in a few minutes after, the cannon of the fort, thundering anew, announced that Lafayette rendered homage to the ashes ofWashington. Simple and modest as he was during life, the tomb of the citizen-hero is scarcely perceived amid the sombre cypresses by which it is surrounded: a vault slightly elevated and sodded over, a wooden door without inscriptions, some withered and some green garlands, indicate to the traveller who visits this spot, the place where rest in peace the puissant arms which broke the chains of his country. As we approached, the door was opened; Lafayette descended alone into the vault, and a few minutes after re-appeared, with his eyes overflowing with tears. He took his son and me by the hand, and led us into the tomb, where by a sign he indicated the coffin of his paternal friend, along side of which was that of his companion in life, united to him forever in the grave. We knelt reverentially near his coffin, which we respectfullysaluted with our lips; rising, we threw ourselves into the arms of Lafayette, and mingled our tears with his.
In leaving the vault, we were met by the three nephews of Washington: one of them, Mr. Custis, presented general Lafayette with a gold ring, containing some of the hair of the great man, and we returned to the house where our companions awaited us. An hour was devoted to visiting the house and grounds, which at present belong to a nephew of Washington, who bears the same name, and is one of the judges of the supreme court of the United States. He has made no alteration in the property left him by his uncle, for whose memory he entertains the most profound and tender respect. George Lafayette assured us that every thing in the house was as he saw it twenty-eight years ago. He found in the place where Washington himself had left it, the principal key of the bastile, which was sent him by Lafayette, at the time this monument of despotism was destroyed. The note sent with the key is still carefully preserved.
The situation of Mount Vernon, upon the right bank of the Potomac, is very picturesque, and is seen to a great distance from this majestic river. The house is small, very plain, and surrounded by fine trees. The tomb is about two hundred paces from the house.
After resting a few moments, we resumed the path leading to the shore: our march was silent; each of us bore a branch of cypress, cut from over the tomb of Washington. We resembled a bereaved family, who had entombed a beloved father, recently dead. We were already on board our vessel—and the waves had borne us afar, and no one had interrupted our silent meditation. At last Mount Vernon disappeared behind the high and winding banks of the river; all then grouped themselves on the quarter deck of the steam-boat, and listened attentively till evening to Lafayette, who talked of Washington.
Soon after leaving Mount Vernon we met the steam-boat Potomac, having on board a volunteer company from Fredericksburgh, commanded by captain Crutchfield, and a great number of passengers who came to meet general Lafayette. The two boats after exchanging salutes, sailed in company during the night, and arrived next day at noon at the mouth of York river, where were five other boats,which ascended the river with us to Yorktown. We delayed a moment in front of a point marked for our landing, and at a signal given by the artillery on shore, we debarked in boats commanded by captain Elliot. The general was received on shore by the Yorktown committee, the governor of Virginia and council, the chief justice of the United States, John Marshall, and numerous officers of the army. The upper banks of the river were covered with a crowd of ladies from great distances, and its waters offered an entirely picturesque view from the number, variety and disposition of the vessels with which it was covered. After having replied to the addresses of Mr. Leigh, president of the committee, and to that of the governor of Virginia, general Lafayette was conducted amid the acclamations of the people, to the head quarters prepared for him. It was in the very house that Cornwallis inhabited during the siege of Yorktown, forty-three years previous.
Yorktown, which has never recovered from the disasters of the revolutionary war, because its unhealthy situation prevented the access of new inhabitants, appeared from its actual condition very properly adapted to the celebration which was to take place on the following day: houses in ruins, blackened by fire, or pierced by bullets; the ground covered with fragments of arms, the broken shells, and overturned gun-carriages; tents grouped or scattered according to the nature of the ground; small platoons of soldiers placed at various points, all in a word, conveyed the idea of a camp hastily formed near a village taken and occupied after an obstinate battle. The manner in which we were lodged, tended to keep up the illusion; a single bed was prepared for general Lafayette; all who accompanied him, officers, generals, and the governor, placed themselves at random on mattresses or straw, in the half open and unfurnished apartments. During the night sixty officers formed a volunteer company, to guard the head quarters, around which they were bivouacked. We were awaked at day-break on the 19th, by the cannon thundering from the plain, calling all the surrounding troops to arms. General Lafayette, accompanied by the committee of arrangement, went to Washington’s marquee, which had travelled with us, and was erected at some distance from the head quarters: there he received the different corps of officers from the surrounding regiments. Duringthis presentation we were witness to the most affecting scenes: two old revolutionary soldiers fainted away in shaking hands with the general. The appearance of colonel Lewis who presented himself in the dress of a Virginian mountaineer, and asked permission to address Lafayette on behalf of his county, attracted great attention.
As soon as colonel Lewis had finished this discourse, which was much applauded by the auditors, the general kindly took his hand into his own, thanked him affectionately, and begged him to express all his gratitude to the mountaineers of Virginia, whose excellent and numerous services rendered during the revolution, he rapidly enumerated.
At eleven o’clock the troops approached the head quarters near which they formed two columns, and some moments after they marched to conduct general Lafayette under a triumphal arch erected over the situation of the English redoubt which he formerly carried, at the head of the American troops he commanded during the siege of Yorktown. His march now took place through a double row of ladies whose vivid joy and elegant costume singularly contrasted with the warlike arrangements around us. He was received under the triumphal arch by general Taylor who after the different corps had taken the places assigned them, and silence was established among the surrounding crowd, commenced an eloquent address, in which he developed the motives of American enthusiasm and gratitude, towards Lafayette.
General Lafayette was profoundly moved, and his emotion was still more augmented by the enthusiasm with which the last words of the orator were received by the people. However, always governed by that modesty which so strongly characterizes him, he immediately removed the wreath which had been placed upon his head, and turning to colonel Fish, one of the officers who valiantly seconded him in the attack upon the redoubt; “take it,” said he, “this wreath belongs to you also, preserve it as a deposit for which we must account to our comrades.” Then addressing general Taylor, he returned his thanks, thus:
“I am happy to receive such honourable evidences of friendship from my ancient companions in arms, in the place where the American and French arms were so gloriously united in a holy alliance in favour ofAmerican independence, and the sacred principle of the sovereignty of the people. I am happy also to be thus received on the very place where my dear comrades of the light infantry acquired one of their most honorable rights to the love and esteem of their fellow-citizens.” He finished by paying a tribute of gratitude to the officers who directed the attack upon the redoubt, and among them named Hamilton, Gimat, Lawrence, Fish, and added that it was in their name, in the name of the light infantry, and only in common with them, that he accepted the proffered wreath.
After this ceremony all the troops defiled before Lafayette, and we returned to Yorktown, where we passed the rest of the day in festivity. A circumstance of considerable piquancy augmented the interest of this patriotic and military celebration: I have already stated that General Lafayette on arriving at Yorktown, established his head quarters in the same house in which Cornwallis had his, forty-three years before. Some servants, in examining the cellars, in order to put away the refreshments and provisions conveniently, discovered in an obscure corner a large chest; its weight and apparent antiquity excited their curiosity; they opened it, and to their great astonishment found it filled with candles, blackened by time: by an inscription on the lid it was found that they formed part of Cornwallis’s stores during the siege. They immediately made it known in the house, and the intelligence speedily reached the camp. Shortly after all the candles were removed, lighted and arranged in a circle, in the centre of the camp, where the ladies and soldiers danced during the evening. A ball in York-town in 1824 by the light of Cornwallis’s candles, appeared so pleasant an occurrence to our old revolutionary soldiers, that notwithstanding their great age, and the fatigues of the day, most of them were unwilling to retire until the candles were entirely consumed.
Although more than half the night was passed before we could retire to rest, the desire of attentively considering the place in which American independence was secured by a decisive victory, did not permit me to waste much time in sleep. I awoke just at dawn of day, and reached the ruins of the ancient entrenchments of the town as the first rays of the sun fell upon the temporary encampment of the militia, which they had already abandoned; I saw a part ofthe troops going on board of vessels, which were preparing to leave the shore, while the decreasing sounds of the drum behind the forest, which begins at a short distance from the town, indicated the route of those detachments which sought their homes by land. Although every thing around me offered an exact and piquant scene of war, my attention was not long withheld from my principal object, and I soon began to reconnoitre the situation of the town, the exterior works and the position of the two armies, whoseholy alliancehad secured the independence of a young nation, and the rights of man on the American continent. Notwithstanding some gardens, and the useless efforts of the plough to fertilize some spots of a soil consisting almost entirely of sterile sand, I could easily find the trace of the fortification of the town, which describes an arc whose chord was formed by York river, which in this place is large and navigable even for frigates; but I had much difficulty in recognising the exterior works. However by the aid of a plan of the siege, I pursued my researches, when I remarked a man seated at the foot of a small pyramid, and who appeared to be plunged in profound meditation. On this pyramid is inscribed in large letters, the names ofViomenil,Rochambeau,Lauzun,St. Simon,Dumas, in short of all the principal officers of the French corps who had fought and conquered at York-town. While I read again and again with satisfaction the glorious names which will remind remotest posterity of the honourable part France took in the struggle of American liberty against British tyranny, the old man rose; I saluted him, and we soon entered into conversation relative to the objects which appeared to interest us equally. He informed me that he had served with Lafayette during the campaign of Virginia, and the siege of York-town; that having lived for forty years since on a farm but a few miles distant, he had not passed an anniversary since the capture of York-town, without coming to the spot, and paying the tribute of his regrets to his ancient comrades, and of gratitude to the French nation. “Since,” said he, “you appear to take so much interest in the details of this event, in which I had the good fortune to take an active part, let us ascend together this point of a bastion, which remains standing among all these ruins, whence we can take in the plan of operations at a glance, and I canmake myself better understood.” After the old soldier had looked around to collect his recollections, we sat down together, with our backs toward the town, and in front of us the plain, which the besieging army occupied. “You know,” said he, “how Cornwallis, after a campaign of six months, was driven by the young Lafayette, from post to post through Virginia, to shut himself up in York-town, whence he could only escape by laying down his arms. I shall therefore commence my recital from the period when Lafayette by establishing himself at Williamsburg, rendered it impossible for Cornwallis to escape.”
“In the early part of September, Cornwallis attempted to reconnoitre our position, but judging that it would be impossible to force it, and knowing that all retreat by sea was cut off by the French fleet under Count de Grasse, determined to run the chances of a siege, and endeavoured to fortify himself as well as he could. We all thought, that profiting by the enthusiasm which our late successes had excited in the army, Lafayette would not give his adversary time to prepare himself, but would lead us at once to a final victory. But the young general on this occasion manifested a moderation perhaps still more admirable than his bravery and talents; neither the solicitations of his officers, who pressed him not to lose this opportunity of winning new laurels, by striking the last blow at the English army, nor the offers of Admiral De Grasse, who through M. De St. Simon offered him the support of the marines, and even a part of the crews of his thirty-eight vessels, could determine him to attempt any thing before the arrival of the allied army commanded by Washington and Rochambeau. “When great interests are in question,” answered he, “I shall never prefer the gratification of self-love, to the certainty of a assured success,” and he waited to the end with a patience which would have excited surprise even in an old captain.
“On the 13th Washington and Rochambeau arrived at our camp, and on the 17th went on board theVille de Paristo concert with Count de Grasse the measures necessary to render the French fleet tributary to the success of the enterprize. On the 26th and 28th all the combined forces were united, and we marched to invest York-town, which was accomplished without the loss of a single man. The French corps commanded by Rochambeau, occupied thespace between the river and a marsh which is nearly in front of us, but which is now masked by some trees and ravines, under shelter of which, without risk, we could approach within pistol-shot of the enemy’s works. The Grenadiers and Chasseurs of the advanced guard of this army was commanded by Viomenil. Next morning the American army passed the same marsh, established its left there, and placed its right below upon York river. The investment of the place was thus as close and complete as possible. The legion of Lauzun, a corps of cavalry, and a half brigade of American militia, took post at Gloucester on the other side of the river, where they could only establish themselves after dislodging Tarleton, who occupied it with 400 horse and 200 infantry.
“During the night of the 29th and 30th, the enemy dreading to be attacked by a coup-de-main in the very extensive position he had fortified, resolved to abandon his camp at Pidgeon hill, and to retain only two redoubts in front of the body of the place. The day of the 30th was employed by us in occupying the works abandoned by the enemy, which enabled us to enclose him within a narrower circle, and gave us the greatest advantages. From this moment we opened our trenches, and a noble emulation was established between our allies and us. Although we were very young soldiers and inexperienced in the operations of a siege, we had the satisfaction of meriting the praise of the French, who agreed that our zeal and intelligence made us worthy of being associated with veteran troops.
“Messrs. Duportail and de Querenet superintended the works as chiefs of Engineers. M. D’Aboville commanded the French artillery, and General Knox the American. Notwithstanding the enemy’s fire, the trenches were rapidly advanced. On the 9th, three batteries were ready to play upon the town. General Washington himself fired the first gun, and at this signal we commenced a furious cannonade, which the enemy answered with great vigour. On the 10th a red-hot shot fired from a French battery at the little English squadron stationed in the river, set fire to a ship of 44 guns and two other smaller vessels. This conflagration which commenced in the evening and continued till late at night, presented a terrible and magic spectacle. The devouring flames which blazed in tall columns up themasts, threw a lurid light upon all our batteries, and seemed to lend us their light to facilitate their destruction.—The battle only ceased when the cessation of the conflagration left us in darkness.
“On the 14th, the English possessed no other external works but two large redoubts, on the situation of one of which Lafayette yesterday received the civic wreath; the other much more to the right, precisely where the pyramid is raised, at whose base we first met. Washington resolved to take them, and all the 14th and part of the 15th was employed in cannonading them to destroy the abattis which defended the approaches, and facilitate the storm. During this cannonade Washington and Rochambeau, on foot, surrounded by the officers of the staff, remained as near as possible to the enemy’s works, to judge better of the effects of our batteries, and caused the whole army to admire their calm intrepidity. Rochambeau, to calm the impatient ardor of Viomenil, who thought they were burning powder uselessly, and that the moment was arrived for the assault, descended alone into the ravine which separated him from the enemy, tranquilly mounted the opposite side, entered the abattis within pistol-shot of the English batteries, and returned to assure Viomenil coolly that the abattis was not sufficiently destroyed, and he must wait until the parapet was more levelled, in order that his grenadiers should be exposed as little time as possible. At length the enemy’s fire began to slacken, and Washington judged the moment favorable for the assault. Lafayette at the head of the American light infantry was charged with the attack of the redoubt on the left of the beseiged, and Viomenil, at the head of the French grenadiers with the left. Lafayette thought correctly that to carry entrenchments defended by experienced soldiers with young troops, he could only count on the audacity and rapidity of the attack; in consequence he had all the arms of his division discharged, formed it in column, and led it himself, sword in hand, at full speed across the abattis, and in spite of the enemy’s fire entered the redoubt, of which he was soon master with the loss of but few men. He immediately sent his aid, Barbour, to Viomenil to inform him he was in his redoubt, and inquire wherehewas. The aid-de-camp found the French general at the head of his column of grenadiers, waiting patiently underarms, under the terrible fire of the enemy until his sappers had methodically prepared a path across the abattis. “Tell Lafayette,” said Viomenil, “that I am not yet in mine, but will be there in five minutes,” and in fact within five minutes, his troops entered the redoubt by beat of drum, and in as good order as if on parade. This action displayed in the strongest manner the discipline, bravery and coolness of the French grenadiers, but cost them a considerable number of killed and wounded. As soon as we were masters of the two redoubts, we established there good lodgments which were connected with the second parallel, and new batteries were constructed, which completed the enclosure of Cornwallis’s army, and battered effectually the interior of the place in a very destructive manner.
“During the night of the 15–16th, the enemy made a sortie of 600 picked troops, commanded by Abercrombie, who met with resistance from all our redoubts, but succeeded in deceiving the French post of the second parallel, by presenting themselves as Americans, and by the aid of this manœuvre gained and spiked a battery of four pieces. Chevalier Chastellux arriving immediately with his reserve, forced the British to retreat precipitately. Thanks to the care of General Aboville, commanding the French artillery, the four badly spiked pieces were ready to be used in six hours afterwards.
“It appeared that this sortie was intended to cover the retreat of Cornwallis and his army. In fact we learned soon after, that general Cornwallis had resolved to leave his sick and baggage, cross the river during the night, attack the troops which occupied Gloucester unexpectedly, and after routing them, to force his way by land even to New York. The plan was a bold one, and worthy of such a man as Cornwallis. His boats were all in readiness, and part of his troops had already landed on the opposite side of the river, when a violent tempest suddenly coming on, rendered it impossible for him to continue his operations. He esteemed himself very fortunate in getting his troops back to York-town, before the daylight betrayed his secret. He then perceived there was no longer a hope of escape for him, and on the 7th he demanded a parley. The negociations continued until the 19th: they were conducted by the American colonel Laurens, whose father was a prisonerin England, and the Viscount de Noailles. The capitulation specified that Cornwallis and his army should be prisoners of war; that the troops should defile with shouldered arms, with flags rolled up, and drums beating an English or German march, and that they should ground their arms on the glacis, in face of the allied armies. This capitulation was ratified by the general in chief, and at noon detachments of the allied troops occupied the principal posts. When the British came out of the city to defile before us, we were ranged in two lines, the Americans on the right, and the French on the left; at the extremity of both lines were all our general officers. In the midst of them, the belovedWashingtonwas conspicuous, from his great height and beautiful charger, which he managed with inimitable grace. At the moment when the head of the column appeared, all eyes sought Cornwallis, who being detained by indisposition, was represented by General O’Hara. The latter either through mistake or determination, offered his sword to General Rochambeau, who by a sign pointed out General Washington, and said, that the French army being only auxiliary, it was from the American general that he should receive orders. O’Hara appeared piqued, and advanced towards Washington, who received him with a noble generosity. It was evident to us that the English in their misfortune were especially mortified to be obliged to lay down their arms before Americans, for the officers and soldiers affected to turn their heads towards the French line. Lafayette perceived this, and revenged himself in a very pleasant manner. He ordered the music of the light infantry to strike upyankee doodle, an air which the British applied to a song composed to ridicule the Americans at the beginning of the war, and which they uniformly sung to all their prisoners. This pleasantry of Lafayette was so bitter to them, that many of them broke their arms in a rage in grounding them on the glacis. Cornwallis himself participated in their weakness of self-love, which made them blush to be conquered by those they chose to consider as rebels, rather than as citizens armed in defence of their rights. The day after the capitulation, being amid the allied generals who came to visit him, he affected in speaking of Lafayette always to separate his glory from that of theAmericans. “I determined more willingly to surrender,”said he, addressing our young general, “as I knew that the French were associated with the Americans, and their character assured me of an humane and honourable treatment for my army.” “What,” replied Fayette, “has your lordship so soon forgotten that weAmericansare also humane to captive armies?” This answer which alluded to the taking of Burgoyne’s army by the Americans, some time previous, prevented Cornwallis from returning to the subject. You see,” said the old soldier, whom I had not once ventured to interrupt, during his recital, so strongly was I interested, “that Lafayette was on all occasions a strong and ardent friend; he was not contented to serve our cause by his counsels and sword in her battles, but he defended our character and reputation, when they were unjustly attacked, and identifying himself with us, rendered himself as it were bondsman for all our actions. Moreover the English who affected so much contempt for us, ought at least to have talked less ofhumanity, as they every day outraged this virtue by the most horrible actions. We should never forget that during this campaign of Virginia, so glorious for our arms and fortunate for our independence, fire, pillage and murder accompanied them through our towns and villages; frequently they massacred their prisoners in cold blood after battle, and, in short, during the seige of York-town, despairing to conquer us by force of arms, they attempted to poison us, by sending among us more than an hundred unfortunate negroes, affected with the small-pox, and which our pity succoured at the foot of their ramparts.
“But why dwell so long upon the crimes of a tyranny we have destroyed, and which half a century of happiness and liberty, should efface from our memory!—Have I not moreover a much more pleasant task to accomplish in speaking of the rights which the French army and its virtuous leaders have acquired to American gratitude by their courage and generosity.” He then related to me with emotion a number of incidents, which proved that there never was a better disciplined army, nor understood their duties as allies better, than this little French army, and I ought to add that this evidence of an old American soldier, speaking as it were in presence of the facts he cited, is not the only one I collected during our journey. Every where, even to the smallest villages, which were formerly occupied by theFrench army, I heard its severe discipline, its profound respect to propriety, patience under fatigues, courage in battle and moderation in victory, highly praised; and I avow that this eulogium on the noble conduct of my countrymen always made my heart beat with a delightful emotion. Why then, does the French restoration of 1815, (which, to attach to its colours, glorious recollections, or to cause to be forgotten the warlike prodigies of the tri-colored cockade, incessantly invokes the standard of Henry IV, which was only distinguished in civil wars, or of Louis XIV, whose banners were merely witness to useless victories or devastating retreats,) not claim as a legitimate heritage a part of the glory of the War of American Independence? Was it not under thisWhite flagthat Rochambeau’s grenadiers marched to the capture of Yorktown? Was it not under the banners oflegitimacythat our navy immortalized itself in securing the freedom of a young nation by the dispersion of the English fleets? Or does the restoration spurn the glory because it was acquired to the advantage of Liberty? I know not; but what is certain, is, that while we were celebrating the anniversary of the capture of Yorktown, the French squadron commanded by Admiral —— which was then lying in Hampton roads, where they might hear the acclamations of American gratitude for French benefits, remained coldly strangers to a festival which ought to have been regarded as a family celebration by both nations. However, we are satisfied that this inexplicable indifference or repugnance, was not participated in by a majority of the officers or crews. Of the officers some privately came on shore and in citizen’s dress, were witness to this patriotic scene, in which the Americans would have speedily assigned them a distinguished place, if they had been permitted to present themselves in their proper uniform.
When I returned to the headquarters, I found our travelling companions very much occupied with this question, and many of them affirmed that the French admiral would not have acted thus unless he had received instructions on the subject from a superior authority.