tion." The governor laid before the delegates a body of general laws, which had been chiefly compiled from statutes then in force in New England, with more toleration in matters of religion. The delegates were not satisfied with many of them, and several amendments were made; but when they asked to be allowed to choose their own magistrates, the governor exhibited instructions from the Duke of York, his master, wherein the choice of "officers of justice was solely to be made by the governor "; and he told them decidedly that if they would have a greater share in the government than he could give them, they must go to the King for it. The delegates found that they were not popular representatives to make laws, but were mere agents to accept those already prepared for them. They had merely exchanged the despotism of Stuyvesant for English despotism. The New York code adopted by that meeting was arranged in alphabetical order of subjects and published, and is generally known as the Duke's Laws. The Duke of York became King, under the title of James II. in 1685. He died in St. Germain, Sept. 6, See CONNECTICUT; JAMES II.; NEW NETHERLAND; NEW YORK. 1633; son of Charles I.; became lord high The meeting had been called by Governor admiral on the accession of his brother Nicolls to "settle good and known laws" Charles to the throne in 1660. On March in their government for the future, and 12, 1664, King Charles II. granted to receive their "best advice and informaJames, under a patent bearing the royal seal, a territory in America which included all the lands and rivers from the west side of the Connecticut River to the east side of the Delaware River. Its inland boundary was a line from the head of the Connecticut River to the source of the Hudson, thence to the head of the Mohawk branch of the Hudson, and thence to the east of Delaware Bay. It also embraced Long Island and the adjacent islands, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket; also the territory of Pemaquid," in Maine, This granted territory embraced all of New Netherland and a part of Connecticut, which had been affirmed to other English proprietors by the charter of 1662. The duke detached four ships from the royal navy, bearing 450 regular troops, for the service of taking possession of his domain. Col. Richard Nicolls commanded the expedition. Stuyvesant was compelled to surrender (see STUYVESANT, PETER), and the name of the territory was changed to New York. Very soon commissioners appointed by the governments of New York and Connecticut to confer about the boundary between the two colonies agreed, for the sake of peace and good-fellowship, that the territory of New York should not extend farther eastward than along a line 20 miles from the Hudson River, and that remains the boundary to this day. In 1673 the Dutch again became possessors of New York, but the following year it was returned to England by treaty. It was decided that these political changes had cancelled the Duke of York's title to the domain, and a new one, with boundaries defined as in the first grant, was issued, June 29, 1674, but the line above mentioned was fixed upon as the eastern limit of the province of New York. 1701. Yorktown, SIEGE OF. The allied armies joined Lafayette at Williamsburg, Va., Sept. 25, 1781, and on the 27th there was a besieging army there of 16,000 men, under the chief command of Washington, assisted by Rochambeau. The British force, about half as numerous, were mostly behind intrenchments at Yorktown. On the arrival of Washington and Rochambeau at Williamsburg they proceeded to the Ville de Paris, De Grasse's flag-ship, to congratulate the admiral on his victory over Graves on the 5th, and to make specific arrangements for the future. In 1665 a meeting was held at Hemp. Preparations for the siege were immediatestead, L. I. (Feb. 28), at which thirty- ly begun. The allied armies marched from four delegates assembled-two representa- Williamsburg (Sept. 28), driving in the tives of each of the English and Dutch British outposts as they approached Yorktowns on Long Island and two in West- town, and taking possession of abandoned chester. Some of them had been members works. The allies formed a semicircular of Stuyvesant's last General Assembly line about 2 miles from the British inof New Netherland the previous year. trenchments, each wing resting on the Glou Williamsburg YORKTOWN Portsmouth Hudson NEW YORK Newark Princetony WARE Long 1s. Staten I Brunsw Trenton PHILADELPHIA NEW Charles FRENCH FLEET Henry Norfolk May Henlopen In the besieging lines before Yorktown the French troops occupied the left, the West India troops of St. Simon being on the extreme flank. The Americans were on the right; and the French artillery, with the quarters of the two commanders, occupied the centre. The American artillery, commanded by General Knox, was with the right. The fleet of De Grasse was in Lynn Haven Bay to beat off any vessels that might attempt to relieve Cornwallis. On the night of Oct. 6 a heavy ordnance was brought up from the French ships, and trenches were begun at 600 yards from the British works. The first parallel was completed before the morning of the 7th, under the direction of General Lincoln; and on the afternoon of the 9th several batteries and redoubts were finished, and a general discharge of heavy guns was opened by the Americans on the right. Early on the morning of the 10th the French opened several batteries on the left. That evening the same troops hurled red-hot balls upon British vessels in the river, which caused the destruction by fire of several of them-one a 44-gun ship. ATLANTIC ROUTE OF WASHINGTON'S ARMY FROM THE HUDSON TO The allies began the second parallel on the night of the 11th, which the British did not discover until daylight came, when they brought sev eral heavy guns to bear upon the diggers. On the 14th it was determined to storm two of the redoubts which were most annoying, as they commanded the trenches. One on the right, near the York River, was garrisoned by forty-five men; the other, on the left, was manned by York River, and on the 30th the place about 120 men. The capture of the was completely invested. The British at former was intrusted to Americans led by Gloucester, opposite, were imprisoned by Lieut.-Col. Alexander Hamilton, and that French dragoons under the Duke de Lau- of the latter to Freneh grenadiers led by zun, Virginia militia, led by General Wee- Count Deuxponts. At a given signal don, and 800 French marines. Only once Hamilton advanced in two columns--one did the imprisoned troops attempt to es- led by Major Fish, the other by Lieucape from that point. Tarleton's legion tenant-Colonel Gimat, Lafayette's aide; sallied out, but were soon driven back while Lieut.-Col. John Laurens, with by Lauzun's cavalry, who made Tarleton's eighty men, proceeded to turn the redoubt horse a prisoner and came near capturing to intercept a retreat of the garrison. his owner. So agile and furious was the assault that the redoubt was carried in a few minutes, commander-in-chief saw both redoubts in with little loss on either side. Laurens possession of his troops he turned and was among the first to enter the redoubt, and make the commander, Major Campbell, a prisoner. The life of every man who ceased to resist was spared. said to Knox, "The work is done, and well done." That night both redoubts were included in the second parallel. The situation of Cornwallis was now critical. Meanwhile the French, after a severe He was surrounded by a superior force, struggle, in which they lost about 100 his works were crumbling, and he saw men in killed and wounded, captured the other redoubt. Washington, with Knox and some others, had watched the movements with intense anxiety, and when the that when the second parallel of the besiegers should be completed and the cannon on their batteries mounted his post at Yorktown would become untenable, and he resolved to attempt an escape by abandoning the place, his baggage, and his sick, cross the York River, disperse the allies who environed Gloucester, and by rapid marches gain the forks of the Rappahannock and Potomac, and, forcing his way by weight of numbers through Maryland and Pennsylvania, join Clinton at New York. Boats for the passage of the river were prepared and a part of the troops passed over, when a furious storm suddenly arose and made any further attempts to cross too hazardous to be undertaken. The troops were brought back, and the earl lost hope. After that the bombard and Major Ross, of the British army, at the house of the Widow Moore to arrange terms for capitulation. They were made similar to those demanded of Lincoln at Charleston eighteen months before. The capitulation was duly signed, Oct. 19, 1781, and late on. the afternoon of the same day Cornwallis, his army, and public property were surrendered to the allies. The delivery of the colors of the several British regiments at Yorktown, twentyeight in number, was performed in this wise: twenty-eight British captains, each bearing a flag in a case, were drawn up in line. Opposite to these were twenty-eight American sergeants in a line to receive them. Colonel Hamilton, who had the and destructive, and on the 17th he offered direction of the movement, appointed an to make terms for surrender. On the fol- ensign to conduct the ceremony. lowing day Lieutenant-Colonel Laurens that officer gave the order for the British and Viscount de Noailles (a kinsman of captains to advance two paces and deliver Madame Lafayette), as commissioners of up their colors, and the American serthe allies, met Lieutenant-Colonel Dundas geants to advance two paces to receive ment of his lines was continuous, severe, When |