Show AT YORKTOWN YEARS AGO how now of glorious victory stirred the land at the end of the revolution 1 on october 23 years ago the cry the war le to over began to ring through the land but it was not until four days later when the word of cornwallis Cornwall ls surrender re reached ached the continental congress that the real celebration begun says the new york sun the acclaim with which the news was received old records disclose wae was not unlike that with which the american people in november 1018 greeted the capitulation of the hun run there w were no limousines dragging drugging tin cans and old wash boilers bollers about the street af no backfiring back firing motor trucks but there were well here Is the lory the ending of the long struggle tor for independence was in sight after the hostile anny had been driven from new jersey at the battle of spring hold june 28 1780 2780 the war for the most part was transferred to the southern states though the british re ro mined control of manhattan island ak cornwallis Cornwall ls believed in 1781 that dat it if the south could be subjugated espe dally virginia tho the war would be won vron Ia lafayette fayette with his bin army was being pushed phed northward fron the Car by the british Brit lih Cornwall ls finally me made hie his way ray into the penin peninsula rala between ta york and james rivers where he established a base of supplier supplies at yorktown lafayette was vas about twenty miles away and in constant touch with washington neon who was waiting information regarding the french fleet lafayette wanted to attack the enemy but washington deemed each such a movement premature washington finally effected a junction with the forces of lafayette making an army of men whilo while cornwallis had about bottled up on an the peninsula ift only hope being from the assistance which might coma ome to him from the british navy vigor bously pressing the siege washington secured from overtures over turee for a surrender on october IT and articles of surrender were finally agreed upon the artillery guns ments and public stores of every description were to be delivered to the victors the officers to retain their sidearms and the soldiers to keep their private property of every kind promptly at noon on the day agreed upon for the surrender october the gates of the fort were opened and a detachment of american infantry and french grenadiers entered and took possession two hours later at 2 in the afternoon the enemy marched out ont with colors furled to the tune the world Is upside down washington dispatched with all haste his trusted adjutant col tench tilghman to philadelphia where the continental congress was sitting the young soldier took the long trip on horseback biding riding practically night and day he reached the quaker city at midnight on october A 23 four days after the surrender after finding his w way wy y with all zil baste haste to the home of thomas mckean the prem president ident of congress he rapped so violent violently t tle r khight door knocker that one of the night watch several blocks away hurried over to learn the cause of the disturbance tur bance soon boon the news was being proclaimed throughout the city the cry was taken up not only by the watch but by hundreds of citizens rushing half bau dressed from their beds into the street IL the bellman of the old statehouse use was hurried out from his home to announce the tidings lights were seen moving in every house the people were astir as they had not been before since the day when the declaration of independence had been promulgated five years before the city was wild with joy soon the cannon were booming charles thompson secretary of congress in his rounds of the homes where the members were living found his errand of notification useless the patriots were all in nes for the early morning session and eager to bear boar the official dispatch from washington A prayer of thanksgiving was offered several speeches made and then the congress adjourned to the lather an church where at 2 thanks were given to almighty god for crowning the armies of the united states and its ally with success dispatch ridera riders were sent out in every direction heralds of a new em era the dawn of a democracy whose influence was eventually to permeate every path of the earth Coi congress cress voted the thanks of the nation and appropriate honors to washington rochambeau chambeau Bo de grasse and a day was van appointed for general ing and prayer throughout the union for gods great favors to the struggling patriots legislative bodies bodle executive councils councI ln city corporations private societies churches and other eions overwhelmed washington with congratulatory addresses bonfires 1 were kindled on the mountain peaks |