nannounced, he darted
into his home, like the first sunbeam after a storm, only to disappear
again under as black a cloud as any of those that had brought the
thunder. He had come but to tell his wife that he was on his way to seek
a battle, an unequal though glorious contest, from which he might never
return."

Washington joined Lafayette at Williamsburg on the 14th of September.
Hastily arranging the siege of Yorktown, Cornwallis was surprised, one
bright morning, to find that the heights around him were swarming with
American soldiers, and the bay in front securely occupied by the French
fleet.

On the 6th of October the bombardment of the British works commenced
with terrible earnestness. An eye witness said:

"General Washington put the match to the first gun, and a terrible
discharge of cannon and mortars immediately followed."

"What part of the town can be most effectively cannonaded?" Washington
inquired of Governor Nelson, who was present.

Pointing to a large, fine house on an eminence, the governor replied:

"That is probably the headquarters of the enemy; fire at that."

It was Governor Nelson's own residence.

Four days the cannonading continued with great effect. At the expiration
of that time, Washington ordered the capture of two redoubts, lying
between him and the British works. These redoubts were so near as to
prove a great annoyance to the American troops. To the Americans was
assigned the capture of one, and to the French the capture of the other.
At the point of the bayonet these redoubts were taken; not a gun was
fired. As soon as Lafayette held possession of the redoubt taken by the
Americans, he despatched a message to Baron de Viomenil announcing the
fact, and inquired where the baron was.

"Tell the marquis," answered the baron, "that I am not in mine, but I
will be in five minutes;" and he was.

During the whole of the bombardment, Washington, as usual, was seen in
the most exposed positions, cheering his men and directing the assault.
One day, as he stood beside the grand battery with Knox and Lincoln, and
shot and shell flew around him, one of his aides, anxious for his
general's safety, remarked:

"That is a very exposed situation, general."

"If you think so, you are at liberty to step back," Washington promptly
answered.

Just then a musket ball struck the cannon in the embrasure, rolled
along, and fell at the general's feet.

"My dear general, we can't spare you yet,"