Scammel, after he had surrendered. General Washington with Lincoln, Knox,
and their aids were in the vicinity of this action, in very exposed
situations. The Americans under Lafayette, carried the redoubt which they
attacked, before the French made their assault upon the other. The latter
also, suffered a greater loss of men than the former. When the fort was
taken by the troops under the Marquis, he sent his aid, through the fire of
the whole British line, to give notice to Baron Viominel, "that he was in
his redoubt, and to enquire where the Baron was." The Baron returned for
answer, "that he was not yet in his, but should be in five minutes."

General Washington expressed his sense of this brilliant affair in his
orders of the 15th, Head Quarters, before York-Town. "The Marquis
Lafayette's division will mount the trenches tomorrow. The commander in
chief congratulates the allied army on the success of the enterprise, last
evening, against the two important redoubts on the left of the enemy's
works. He requests the Baron Viominel who commanded the French grenadiers,
and the Marquis Lafayette, who commanded the American Light Infantry, to
accept his warmest acknowledgments for the excellence of their
dispositions, and for their own gallant conduct on the occasion. And he
begs them to present his thanks to every individual officer and to the men
of their respective commands, for the spirit and rapidity with which they
advanced to the points of attack assigned them, and for the admirable
firmness with which they supported them, under the fire of the enemy,
without returning a shot. The General reflects with the highest pleasure on
the confidence which the troops of the two nations must hereafter have in
each other: assured of mutual support, he is convinced there is no danger
which they will not cheerfully encounter; no difficulty which they will not
bravely overcome."

If the Marquis de Lafayette was animated by an ardent love of civil