"In a few minutes after their departure, there came a man alone to us, having on a surtout, as we conjectured (it being dark), and inquired for the engineers. We now began to be a little jealous for our safety, being alone and without arms, and within forty rods of the British trenches. The stranger inquired what troops we were; talking familiarly with us a few minutes, when, being informed which way the officers had gone, he went off in the same direction after strictly charging us, in case we should be taken prisoners, not to discover to the enemy what troops we were. We were abliged to him for his kind advice, but we considered ourselves as standing in no great need of it; for we knew as well as he did that sappers and miners were allowed no quarters, at least are entitled none by the laws of warfare, and of course should be taken care, if taken and the enemy did not find us out, not to betray our own secret.
In a short time the engineers returned and the aformentioned stranger with them; they discoursed together sometime, when,by the officers often calling him 'Your Excellency,; we discovered that it was Gen. Washington. Had we dared, we might have cautioned him for exposing himself so carelessly to danger at such a time, and doubtless he would have taken it to good part if we had. But nothing ill happened to either him or ourselves." Sergeant James Martin

"Sir, you are too much exposed here. Had you not better step a little back...Colonel Cobb, if you are afraid t, you have the liberty to step back." Gen Washington's reaction to COL Cobb's warning during an assualt at Yorktown.

"[P.S.] I trust you wil bear in mind that I write to you most confidentially. Desperate cases require bold remedies." Rear Admiral Sam Hood to George Jackson of the Admiralty giving his assesment of the situation.

"I have the mortification to inform you your Excellency that I have been forced to give up my posts of York and Gloucester and, and to surrender the troops inder my command, by capitulation on the 19th inst. as prisoners of war to the combined forces of America and France. I never saw this post in a very favorible light, but when I found I was to be attacked in it in so unprepared a state, by so powerful an army and artillery, nothing but the hopes of relief would have induced me to attempt its defence..." Lord Cornwallis explaining why he was surrendering to Gen Clinton

As you can tell, SGT Doody has a new book on the American Revolution More to follow

40 rods = 640 feet. Danger close!

Originally Posted by Charge_7

40 rods = 640 feet. Danger close!

if I may, what is the basis of measure for a rod??

"I am on fire. By the Great God of War, I think we may all hang up our swords by the last of the year in perfect peace and security." GEN George Weedon to Nathanael Green on the situation at Yorktown

"I felt a secret pride swell my heart when I saw the 'star-spangled banner' waving majestically in the very faces of our implacable adversaries; it appeared to like an omen of success to our enterprize, and so it proved in reality. A simultaneous discharge of all the guns in thr line followed, the French troops accompany it with 'Huzza for the Americans!'" Segeant James Martin

"Cornwallis may now tremble for his fate, for nothing but some extraordinary interposition of his guardian angles seem capable of saving him and his whole army from captivity." COL St. George Tucker in a letter to his wife

how do you get these

What is the measure of a rod?
1 Pole = 1 Rod
1 Rod = 1 pole
1 Rod = 1 perch
1 Rod = 16.5 feet

Too much info?

Originally Posted by Sea_Cadet

how do you get these

any good book on history. The book I have now is the Spirit of Seventy Six. It is a collection of letters, orders, diary entries ect of the people who fought the Revolutionary War. I like history straight from the horses mouth, not translated 100 times like your typical history text book

Originally Posted by Charge 7

Washington was probably unused to looking up at anybody. He stood 6' 2" himself. Roughly equivelant to 6' 8" for somebody today.

oh... tought I was closing him in ... I'm 6.1 feet and only 15 years old

to stay on subject: http://manunited42.tripod.com/

Originally Posted by Azorrik

to stay on subject: http://manunited42.tripod.com/

That's something I never knew and very interesting! Thanks for the info.

Actually, the quote from Rochambeau is a little different ... not "I have need of you," but "if I have need of you" -- here it is is from an article in the 1885 Revue francaise de l'etranger et des colonies:
--------
My children, if I have need of you tonight I hope that you won’t have forgotten that we have served together in this grand regiment called “Auvergne sans tache” (Auvergne without stain), an honorable name it has merited since its creation.

They responded to me, added Rochambeau in his Memoirs, that if I promised to give them that name, they would [fight] to the very last man.

We will see that they kept their word.

-----

Actually, the French is weird, because the soldiers actually respond "we will die to the last man" or "we will get killed to the last man." Maybe that would be better ...