ore than once had
come to the aid of the army. At this time, he loaned the government
$20,000 in gold, and at about the same time, France sent the colonists
more than a million dollars in coin.

The Continental army paraded through Philadelphia (August 30, 1781),
dusty and ragged, but keeping step to the fife and drum. The next day,
the French troops marched through, jaunty in white and green uniforms,
with bands playing. Lafayette, who was in Virginia, sent word to
Washington that the British troops had landed at Yorktown (instead of
going to New York), and that Cornwallis was strongly fortified there.
The British battleships lay in the river before the town. Cornwallis
thought his only enemy was Lafayette, of whom he had little fear.
Lafayette carefully arranged his troops to cut off any retreat from
Yorktown, and waited for Washington. A powerful French fleet arrived
from France and bottled up Cornwallis in the York River. The American
and French armies marched on from Philadelphia, Washington taking time
on the way to visit Mount Vernon, which he had not seen for six years.

[Illustration: Washington spent the first night under a mulberry tree]

Cornwallis felt very safe and snug in Yorktown (Va.) till he saw the
French ships, and then he decided to retreat. But every way was
blocked. The allied armies (American and French) entrenched themselves
close about the town. Washington spent the first night among his men
sleeping under a mulberry tree. On the night of October 6th (1781), the
siege of Yorktown began, Washington himself putting the match to the
first gun. A week later, two strong British redoubts (forts) were
stormed and taken, one by an American company under Colonel Hamilton and
the other by the French. The British kept up a constant bombardment of
the American lines, and Washington was often in the greatest peril. On
one occasion, an officer spoke of his danger and Washington said, "If
you think so, you are at liberty to step back." He was never afraid and
what the Indian had said of him years ago seemed indeed true.--"A mighty
Power protected him and he could not die in battle!"

The Americans pounded the British fortifications to pieces. Cornwallis
looked in vain for help from New York. He was surrounded on all sides
and all hope of escape was gone. On the 19th of October, 1781, in order
not to sacrifice the lives of any more of his brave men, Lord Cornwallis
surrendered to General Washington. The who