CHAPTER X.

THE surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown virtually closed the war, but the Continental army was not actually disbanded until late in 1783.

Intelligence of the fate of Cornwallis and his army fell in the midst of the war-party in the British Parliament like an exploding bomb-shell. The wisest statesmen of all parties considered the events at Yorktown as a death-blow to all hope for future conquests in the United States. Lord North, the British premier, saw this clearly, and was greatly distressed by the fearful tidings. He paced his room violently, and throwing his arms wildly about, exclaimed, “Oh, God, it's all over! it's all over!"

A cessation of hostilities was agreed upon by Parliament in March, 1782, and by mutual consent the United States and Great Britain appointed commissioners to treat for peace on the basis of the independence of the former. preliminary treaty of peace was effected, and a definite. treaty was ratified. During the summer of 1782 the British troops evacuated Savannah, others left Charleston in December, but they held the city of New York almost a year longer.

Washington occupied for head-quarters at Newburgh a quaint stone house, built in 1750 by Jonathan Hasbrouck, a descendant of a Huguenot settler in that region. It is perfectly preserved, it having been bought for the purpose

by the State of New York many years ago, and placed under the care of the municipal authorities of Newburgh. The interior structure of the house is quite remarkable. The largest room (which Washington used as a public audience and a dining-room) has seven doors and only one window. The fireplace in that room is really a part of the apartment, it being the space beneath a wide-mouthed chimney, sufficiently large to allow a small bullock to be roasted. whole within it.*

The "Hasbrouck House" is the most noted of any of the dwellings used by Washington as head-quarters at various times, for here he and Mrs. Washington dwelt longer together in camp than elsewhere. Connected with its functions there were more important events than at other headquarters, and there were more distinguished persons entertained there by the commander-in-chief and his wife than

* Just before Lafayette's death, the American minister in Paris, with several of his countrymen, were invited by the venerable M. Marbois (who was the French Secretary of Legation in the United States under the Chevalier de Luzerne) to dine with him. Lafayette was among the guests. At about the dinner hour, the company were shown into a room which was in strong contrast with the other elegant apartments. It had the appearance of a large room in a Dutch or Belgian farm-house. On a long, rough table was spread a repast in keeping with the room. There was a single dish of meat, uncouth-looking pastry, wine in bottles and decanters, accompanied by glasses and silver goblets. "Do you know where we are?" Marbois asked Lafayette and his companions, among whom was Col. Nicholas Fish. The marquis looked at the low ceiling with heavy bare beams, and the rest of the architecture, and after a brief pause he exclaimed, “Ah! the seven doors and one window, and the silver goblets, such as the marshals of France used in my youth! We are in Washington's head-quarters on the Hudson fifty years ago!"

MRS. WASHINGTON AT NEWBURGH.

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anywhere else. The head-quarters of Generals Greene and Knox were three or four miles from Newburgh, where the artillery were encamped.

Mrs. Washington did not accompany her husband on his journey from Philadelphia to Newburgh, but followed him. soon afterwards, arriving at head-quarters on the 20th of

Mrs.

April. She was warmly greeted by the officers and their wives, who were in camp, and by the heads of families in the neighborhood, who had known her at New Windsor. Knox was the first to fly to the embrace of her good friend and to give her a kiss of welcome.

Soon after Mrs. Washington's arrival she was a delighted participant in a grand fête given at West Point in honor of the birth of the dauphin of France, the first son of Louis XVI. and Maria Antoinette. For that occasion a curious edifice-an enormous arbor-was erected under the direction of Major Villefranche, an expert French engineer. It

was about two hundred and twenty feet in length and eighty feet in width, and was composed of the materials afforded by the trees of the region. It was supported by a grand colonnade of one hundred and eighteen pillars, made of the 'trunks of trees. The covering of the roof consisted of branches of evergreen-trees, curiously interwoven, and the same materials formed the walls, leaving the ends open. On the inside every pillar was encircled by muskets with fixed bayonets, and bound with wreaths of evergreens and flowers in a fanciful manner. The whole interior was beautifully decorated with festoons and garlands of flowers, intermingled with laurel, spruce, and arbor-vitæ boughs. There were also emblematical devices significant of the alliance between the United States and France. Many appropriate mottoes were seen among the decorations.

The whole army was paraded on the occasion on both sides of the river, in full view of West Point. They stacked their arms at a signal given by three discharges of cannon, when their officers repaired to the Point to dine with the general and his other guests in the great arbor just described.*

There was a notable gathering at head-quarters at Newburgh on the morning of May 31, 1782, preparatory to a

* In general orders issued at Newburgh on May 29th, General Washington appended the following memorandum:

"The Commander-in-chief desires his compliments may be presented to the Officers' Ladies, with and in the neighborhood of the army, together with a request that they will favor him with their company at dinner on Thursday next, at West Point. The General will be happy to see any other Ladies of his own or his friends' acquaintance on the occasion, without the formality of a particular invitation."

ENTERTAINMENT AT WEST POINT.

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voyage thence to the scene of the grand fête. Among those present were Gov. George Clinton and his wife and suite, Generals Knox and Hand with their wives, Egbert Benson and his wife, and Mrs. Chancellor Livingston and her sister-in-law, Mrs. General Montgomery. These, with General Washington and his wife, went down the river in barges. gayly decorated with flowers and laurel, and arrived at West Point between one and two o'clock in the afternoon. A great number of other ladies and gentlemen arrived at about the same time in land vehicles and barges, and the grand arbor and the grounds around presented a gay scene on that beautiful May day.

The dinner was ready at five o'clock. At a signal of three cannon discharges the guests repaired to the arbor, which was protected by the Lifeguard. The general and his wife and suite, with other guests, moved from General MacDougall's quarters through a line of artillery, while martial music enlivened the scene. More than five hundred guests partook of the feast. After the cloth was removed, thirteen appropriate toasts were drunk. Each was announced by thirteen discharges of cannon and bursts of martial music. The guests retired from the table at seven o'clock. In the evening the arbor was brilliantly illuminated by a vast number of candles, tastefully arranged. It was the scene of a gay ball, which was opened by Washington, with Mrs. Knox as his partner. A grand feu de joie from musketry and cannon was fired in the darkness throughout the whole line of the army on the neighboring hills. This was followed by shouts of "Long live the Dauphin!" by the, whole army, thrice repeated. The celebration was ended by a grand display of fireworks.