Part 38 (1/2)

In faith of which, We, the Deputies and Plenipotentiaries of the Lords the States-General of the United Netherlands, and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, have, in virtue of our respective authorities and full powers, signed these presents, and confirmed the same with the seals of our arms.

Done at the Hague the eighth of October, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two.

John ADAMS. [L.S.]

George VAN RANDWYCK. [L.S.]

B. V. D. SANTHEUVEL. [L.S.]

P. V. BLEISWIJK. [L.S.]

W. C. H. VAN LIJNDEN. [L.S.]

D. J. VAN HEECKEREN. [L.S.]

Joan VAN KUFFELER. [L.S.]

F: G: VAN DEDEM, TOT DEN GELDER. [L.S.]

H: TJa.s.sENS. [L.S.]

No. 14. (p. 086) PLATE XIV.

_1782._

Libertas Americana. [Rx]. Non sine diis animosus infans.

LIBERTAS AMERICANA.

[_Surrender of the British Armies at Saratoga and at Yorktown._]

LIBERTAS AMERICANA. (_American liberty._) The head of a beautiful maiden, facing the left, with dishevelled hair floating in the wind, and with the rod of liberty surmounted by the Phrygian cap on her right shoulder. Exergue: 4 JUIL. (_sic_) 1776. (_4 Julii, 1776: July 4, 1776._) On edge of bust, DUPRe.

NON SINE DIIS ANIMOSUS INFANS.[52] (_The courageous child was aided by the G.o.ds._) The infant Hercules (_America_), in his cradle, is strangling two serpents, while Minerva (_France_) stands by, helmeted, and with spear in her right hand, ready to strike a leopard (_England_) whose attacks she wards off with her s.h.i.+eld decked with the lilies of France. Exergue: 17/19 OCT. 1777/1781. (17/19 _Octobris_ 1777/1781: 17/19 _October_, 1777/1781.)[53] DUPRe. F. (_fecit_).[54]

[Footnote 52: Horace, Book III, Ode iv, 20.]

[Footnote 53: Dates of the surrender of the British armies at Saratoga and at Yorktown.]

[Footnote 54: See INTRODUCTION, pages x, xi, and xxii.]

This medal was not voted by Congress, but was ordered by Franklin, in commemoration of the surrenders of Lieutenant-General Burgoyne and of General Lord Cornwallis. As the official reports of the first of these events have already been given under No. 2, page 9, I give here only the doc.u.ments relating to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, at Yorktown.

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ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS. (p. 087)

_General Was.h.i.+ngton to the President of Congress._

To His Excellency Headquarters, near York, THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. October 19, 1781.

Sir: I have the honour to inform Congress that a reduction of the British army, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, is most happily effected. The unremitted ardour which actuated every officer and soldier in the combined army on this occasion, has princ.i.p.ally led to this important event, at an earlier period than my most sanguine hopes had induced me to expect.