It was like some work of magic; those who had been thirsting for each other's blood threw down their arms; men no longer shouted in anger; never a weapon was discharged, and in both the armies every one seemingly stood silent and motionless awaiting the result of this flourish of drums.
There is no good reason why I should continue this story of the Minute Boys of York Town, for there can be no doubt but that every one who reads what I have written knows full well all that happened there on the York river from the time parley was sounded until the vast army of red-coats were held prisoners in the hands of the "rebels."
In writing the closing lines let me set down that which happened some time after my Lord Cornwallis surrendered, lest he who has read thus far may think I am taking too much credit to my comrades and myself, by calling ourselves Minute Boys:
No less a soldier than General Lafayette himself told us four, for we insisted on having Uncle 'Rasmus with us when an orderly came to say that the young French general would speak with those who had befriended the Jerseyman—even General Lafayette himself told us that we had done in coming to the town of York that which advantaged the Cause, and asked what should be given us by way of reward.
Then it was that Pierre, speaking to him in his native tongue, told how we lads would have formed a company of Minute Boys but for the fact that we were shut up in the town of York, and asked that we be allowed, despite our age, to enroll ourselves as soldiers under his command.
This prayer he readily granted, claiming that he was pleased to do so, and from then on we served as real soldiers, although as you know full well the war was nigh to being ended.
It was General Lafayette who reclaimed for Saul and me our horses. When, after the surrender, I rode out with my father to see my dear mother, Silver Heels was the beast that carried me, and from that day to this we have never been parted, although she is getting now so far along in years that I fear death may soon step in and do that which the Britishers failed of doing.
It is to be regretted that he who set down the movements of those lads who took upon themselves the name of Minute Boys despite the smallness of their numbers, did not tell what part they played in the surrender of Cornwallis, which must have been a magnificent military spectacle, and because he has brought his story to an end without giving any of the details, it seems well to set down here that which has been written concerning it by the historian Fiske:
"The combination against Cornwallis had been completed, and day by day the lines were drawn more closely about the doomed army. Yorktown was invested, and on the 6th of October the first parallel was opened by General Lincoln. On the 14th, the second parallel, within three hundred yards of the enemy's works, was opened by Steuben. On the night of the 14th Alexander Hamilton and the Baron de Viomenil carried two of the British redoubts by storm. On the next night the British made a gallant but fruitless sortie. By noon of the 16th their works were fast crumbling to pieces, under the fire of seventy cannon. On the 17th—the fourth anniversary of Burgoyne's surrender—Cornwallis hoisted the white flag.