Ok, I have been super excited to write this one!I have actually seen the Yorktown, what do you call it? Battlefield? I ask this because it wasn't a battle, more of a siege, I dunno, but I've been there, it was very fascinating.
HISTORY LESSON! Feel free to skip this part, I'm just going to start ranting. Hamilton and Laurens led men to invade redoubt 10, a British advantage point, on the night of October 14, 1781. The whole idea was risky, but well planned. The redoubts were heavily guarded and the walls were layer after layer of wood and dried mud. And the Americans knew this. Having a bunch of men from different backgrounds in a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower, worked to their advantage. They had men run first to break a hole in the wall to allow for the infantrymen to storm in.
While Hamilton and Laurens led Americans to the lesser defended redoubt 10, while the Marquis de Lafayette lead the French to redoubt 9. With only the light of exploding bombshells, they attacked. More British were killed than American and French soldiers. With both redoubts overthrown, redoubt 10 in under thirty, and redoubt 9 soon after that, the American's trenches could be further expanded. Do you remember these lines?
Take the bullet out your gun.
What?
Take the bullet out your gun!
What?
We move undercover and we move as one,
Through the night we have one shot to live another day,
We cannot let a stray gunshot give us away,
We will fight up close
?
That is actually describing what they did that night. Fighting with bayonets was actually an instruction made by Lafayette. If you didn't know, muskets could shoot once or twice before needing to reload, not exactly ideal for close-range fighting.
Next to what is left to redoubt 10, is a plaque dedicated to Hamilton and Lauren's leadership. The plaque basically says they stormed the redoubt with "unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets".
To get from the American trenches to the redoubts, you had to take a road going straight through no man's land, which, is the space between the two sides, anyone there is venerable to cannon and musket balls. That was interesting. Fun (side) fact: "The World Turned Upside Down" was an American drinking song. Hence why its used in the musical.
I could go on for hours, believe me! I have done a project on this, I had to keep detailing short because of a word limit, I was tempted to write an essay to turn in separately. *nervous laugh* If you haven't guessed, I love history.
I'm guessing no one will, but I would be more than happy to go into more detail for anyone who wants to know more about Yorktown. Just PM me and tell me what specifically you want to know more about. :D
I don't own Hamilton. Sorry that was so long and unorganized, props to the few of you who read all that!
Chapter twenty-one: Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)
The battle (*coughs* siege *coughs*) of Yorktown,
1781,
Alex gasped. "Yorktown?" He looked at John who smiled widely.
"Mon ami, si je me souviens clairement," Lafayette turned to Hercules, "les deux tourtereaux pris d'assaut redoute dix,"
("My friend, if I remember clearly," - "The two lovebirds stormed redoubt 10")
As Lafayette and Hercules chuckled, Alex turned to see if Eliza had heard Lafayette. She was fluent in French like him, thankfully, she didn't appear to have heard him.
Unlike most people of that era, John didn't know his French. "What'd he say?" He asked Alex.
Alex shook his head watching "Lafayette" approach "him" onstage.
Monsieur Hamilton!
Monsieur Lafayette!
In command where you belong?
Are you saying no sweat?
Ha
We're finally on the field, we've had quite a run,
Immigrants,
We get the job done!
The audience erupted into applause and cheers. So long and so loud, that they all had some trouble hearing what came next.
What happens if we win?
I go back to France, I bring freedom to my people if I am given the chance,
"Is this foreshadowing?" Angelica asked bluntly.
We'll be with you when we do.
"HA! HAHAHAHAHA!" Jefferson fake-laughed. "Hamilton, that is hilarious! Because YOU wanted to not bother with the French! I on the other hand, insisted that we help them, fight for, how do you say it Lafayette? Liberté?" He said showing off an impeccable French accent, you have to admit.
"Mr. Jefferson, there is a time and place for such remarks, the here and now is not one of those. So please, make such comments cease." Washington scolded.
"Of course, but might I add that I drafted a declaration for the French with Monsieur Lafayette over there!" Thomas smirked.
"Just, drop it Thomas," Angelica warned.
Thomas glared at her, but stayed quiet.
Go, lead your men!
I'll see you on the other side?
'Til we meet again! Lets go!
I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory,
Is this where it gets me: on my feet?
The enemy ahead of me?
If this is the end of me,
At least I have a friend with me,
Weapon in my hand and command with my men with me,
Then I remember my Eliza's expecting me,
Eliza smiled at her husband.
Not only that but my Eliza's expecting,
Eliza gasped.
We gotta go,
Gotta get the job done!
Gonna start a new nation
Gonna meet my son!
Eliza was overjoyed to know that her Alexander has some sense to not jump head first into the dangers war.
"Oh, dear sister, I cannot begin to imagine!" Peggy cried. "Being with a child and have my husband away at war! Oh, I would go insane!"
Eliza turned to her sister, "Sweet, Peggy. Be thankful your father-in-law forbid Stephen from joining the war!" Eliza pinched her husbands cheeks, "Because this one had me on eggshells all day everyday for his well being!"
Alexander tried to hide his embarrassment, not wanting to upset his wife.
Take the bullet out your gun.
What?
Take the bullet out your gun!
What?
We move undercover and we move as one,
Through the night we have one shot to live another day,
We cannot let a stray gunshot give us away,
We will fight up close
Seize the moment and stay in it,
It's either that or meet the business end of a bayonet!
"Ah! The night of October 14!" John exclaimed. "I remember that vividly!"
"As do I, Brother." Alex smiled remember how he showed Washington he was capable of commanding.
The code word is Rochambeau dig me?
ROCHAMBEAU!
You have your orders now go man go!
And so the American experiment begins with my friends all scattered to the winds.
Laurens is in South Carolina, redefining bravery!
We will never be free until we end slavery!
John cheered.
When we finally drive the British away,
Lafayette is there waiting-
In Chesapeake Bay!
How did we know that this plan would work?
We had a spy on the inside, that's right!
HERCULES MULLIGAN!
"There I am! I was beginning to think they forgot about me!" Hercules exclaimed.
Peggy sighed, "Peggy Schuyler Van Rensselaer is here. I did something too!"
"We know Peggy! You saved little Kitty when the Loyalists came to the house!" Eliza said, hating to see her sister so blue.
Peggy's face lit up. "Oh yeah! And that Indian threw a tomahawk at my head and left a mark on Mama's banister!"
"See Peggy, you were the only one who was brave enough to run back downstairs! That has to count for something!" Angelica piped up.
A tailor spyin' on the British government!
Take their measurements, information, and I smuggle it!
UP!
to my brother's revolutionary coventat,
I'm running with the Sons of Liberty and im lovin it!
That's what happens when you forget the
Ruffians, we're in the shit now, somebody's gotta shovel it,
Hercules Mulligan I need no introduction, when you knock me down i
Get the fuck back up again!
"Wow!" Eliza muttered.
"That was like, your entire war life told in thirty seconds!" John gasped.
Hercules smiled. "Best part is, that's actually right! Especially that last bit!"
Alex chuckled with Lafayette.
Left! Right! Hold!
Go!
What?! What?! What?!
After a week of fighting, a young man in a redcoat stands on a parapet.
Washington uncontrollably cracked a smile while watching the white flag wave. Alex recognized it as the same one he saw on his face after every victory. He smiled widely himself.
We lower our guns as he frantically waves a white handkerchief.
Washington chuckled. "He would have beat that drum 'til doomsday if that Jones boy hadn't informed me. We couldn't hear him over the cannon and gun fire," He explained to Eliza.
Eliza, knew this of course, Alex had told her, but she didn't want to be rude, so she nodded.
And just like that, its over, we tend to our wounded and count our dead.
Black and white soldiers wonder alike if this really means freedom.
Not yet.
We negotiate the terms of surrender,
I see George Washington smile.
We lead their men out of Yorktown,
They stagger home single file,
Tens of thousands of people flood the streets,
There are screams and church bells ringing,
And as our fallen foes retreat, I hear the drinking song they're singing!
The world turned upside down.
The war heroes cheered.
"Freedom!" John shrieked.
"The world nearly did turn upside down!" Lafayette laughed.
Being lead by Alex, the group of four said the line with the cast, their tone staying the same as the cast's changed with the music. Alexander could have sworn he saw Washington's mouth move with them.
The world turned upside down.
The world turned upside down,
Down,
Down, down, down!
Freedom for America! Freedom for France!
Down, down, down!
Gonna start a new nation! Gonna meet my son!
Down, down, down!
By now the men had stopped chanting 'The World Turned Upside Down" and now began to chant "we won!", and this time, Washington joined in with them, not subtally.
We won!
We won!
We won!
WE WON!
The world turned upside
DOWN!
Eliza smiled watching her husband cheer with his friends. She laughed as her children pretended to be them and cheer like the men onstage. Philip, John, and William were arguing over who would be their papa.
Peggy had a proud smile on her face.
Angelica looked satisfied.
Stephen seemed overjoyed.
Washington was crying tears of joy.
Madison was sitting respectively.
Thomas just seemed like he wanted to be pissed, but he was trying to deny the fact he had a smile on his face.
So, I decided to not address the fact that the war ended two years AFTER Yorktown. I didn't want to mess with the cheerful vibe.
Real quick, something that I learned and included in the chapter was that the British drummer boy wasn't heard for a while by the American or French. One of the soliders said something about doomsday and the drummer boy, I can't remember what. The Jones boy? Yeah, I just needed George to say something about finding out. As far as I know, there is no boy with the last name of Jones that informed Washington about the surrender.