e for me to set down of my own knowledge all that was
done during this seemingly long time by the Britishers, for I saw only a
portion of the movements. Often the clouds of smoke prevented me from
seeing friend or foe, and again, when came this change of position, or
that counter-marching, I failed to understand the meaning, therefore it
is that again shall I make my story more plain by setting down the words
of another, which I have seen on a printed sheet:

[Illustration: "A GENERAL DISCHARGE ... WAS COMMENCED BY THE
AMERICANS."]

"The evening of the sixth was very dark and stormy, and under cover of
the gloom, the first parallel was commenced within six hundred yards of
Cornwallis's works. (Parallel is a technical term applied to trenches
and embankments dug and thrown up as a protection to besiegers against
the guns of a fort. In this way the assailants may approach a
fortification, and construct batteries within short gun-shot of the
works of the beleaguered, and be well protected in their labors.)

"General Lincoln commanded the troops detailed for this service. So
silently and so earnestly did they labor that they were not discerned by
the British sentinels, and before daylight the trenches were
sufficiently complete to shield the laborers from the guns of the enemy.
On the afternoon of the ninth several batteries and redoubts were
completed, and a general discharge of twenty-four and eighteen-pounders
was commenced by the Americans on the right.

"This cannonade was kept up without intermission during the night, and
early next morning the French opened their batteries upon the enemy. For
nearly eight hours there was an incessant roar of cannon and mortars,
and hundreds of bombs and round shot were poured upon the British works.
So tremendous was the bombardment that the besieged soon withdrew their
cannon from the embrasures, and fired very few shots in return. At
evening red-hot cannon balls were hurled from the French battery on the
extreme left, at the _Guadaloupe_ and _Charon_.

"The _Guadaloupe_ was driven from her post, while the _Charon_ and three
large transports were burned.

"The night was starry and mild, and invited to repose; but the besiegers
rested not, and York Town presented a scene of terrible grandeur such as
is seldom witnessed by the eye of man.

"From the bank of the river I had a fine view of the splendid
conflagration. The ships were enwrapped in a torrent of fire which
spread wit