PRINTER'S NO. 4773
No. 894 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY CURRY, BALDWIN, BARRAR, BEBKO-JONES, BEYER, BLAUM,
BOYD, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, COHEN, CORRIGAN,
CRAHALLA, CRUZ, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, FICHTER, FORCIER,
FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOOD, GOODMAN,
GRUCELA, HARHART, HERMAN, HERSHEY, JAMES, KILLION, LEDERER,
LEH, MAITLAND, MANN, MARSICO, McCALL, McGILL, METCALFE,
MILLARD, S. MILLER, MUNDY, PALLONE, PETRONE, PHILLIPS,
PISTELLA, QUIGLEY, RAMALEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROSS,
RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, B. SMITH,
SOLOBAY, STAIRS, R. STEVENSON, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE,
WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, OCTOBER 17, 2006
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 17, 2006
A RESOLUTION
1 Observing October 19, 2006, as "Victory at Yorktown Day" in
2 Pennsylvania and encouraging Pennsylvanians to learn more
3 about and to reflect on the sacrifices made by American
4 patriots 225 years ago.
5 WHEREAS, The American military campaign for independence from
6 England began in April 1775 when British forces attempted to
7 capture colonial military supplies in Lexington and Concord,
8 Massachusetts, where the American Revolution officially began
9 with exchanges of musket fire; and
10 WHEREAS, Delegates from American colonies forged and adopted
11 the Declaration of Independence in Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776,
12 declaring themselves to be free and independent states; and
13 WHEREAS, These newly united colonies were supported by
14 France, who signed a treaty of alliance and commerce in 1778,
1 giving the colonies significant international credibility
2 despite having an inferior military and facing bleak odds for
3 success in war; and
4 WHEREAS, Each of the American colonies, including
5 Pennsylvania, raised militias which collectively organized to
6 create the Continental Army to fight against the British forces
7 for American independence; and
8 WHEREAS, On September 28, 1781, after six arduous years, a
9 siege began at Yorktown, Virginia; and
10 WHEREAS, British troops had captured Yorktown and Gloucester
11 and controlled the Chesapeake Bay until French naval forces
12 defeated the British Navy, allowing the Continental Army to
13 safely arrive in Yorktown where the climactic battle of the
14 American Revolutionary War ensued; and
15 WHEREAS, The Battle of Yorktown lasted for nine days as
16 colonists from each of the colonies joined under the command of
17 General George Washington with the forces from France under
18 Lieutenant General Jean Baptiste Rochambeau to defeat British
19 forces under General Charles Cornwallis; and
20 WHEREAS, The Americans and the French triumphed over the
21 British at Yorktown, leading to the British surrender on October
22 19, 1781; and
23 WHEREAS, The victory at Yorktown was in part due to the
24 significant efforts and sacrifices of Pennsylvanians who had
25 prevailed at battles and events through 1778, including
26 Washington's crossing, Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, Fort
27 Mifflin and the Valley Forge encampment; and
28 WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians were a considerable presence at
29 Yorktown, fighting in the 1st and 2d Battalions led by Colonel
30 Walter Stewart and Colonel Richard Butler respectively and
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1 serving in and leading other military units; and
2 WHEREAS, The 1st and 2d Pennsylvania Battalions numbered
3 approximately 700 soldiers at Yorktown; and
4 WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians further supported the Revolutionary
5 cause by maintaining Camp Security in Springettsbury Township
6 and other prisoner-of-war camps in Reading and Lancaster; and
7 WHEREAS, Many lives were lost on the battlefield of Yorktown,
8 including 500 British, 200 French and 80 Americans, and
9 countless others were missing or wounded; and
10 WHEREAS, The victory at Yorktown led to the signing of a
11 peace treaty in Paris in 1783 in which England recognized the
12 United States as free and independent after nearly seven years
13 of war; and
14 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania delegate Benjamin Franklin was
15 instrumental in negotiating the peace treaty and garnering
16 international support for the newborn nation; and
17 WHEREAS, The victory at Yorktown and the 1783 Treaty of Paris
18 legitimized the Declaration of Independence and led to the
19 drafting of a new Constitution and the official creation of the
20 United States of America; and
21 WHEREAS, The 225th anniversary of the victory at Yorktown
22 celebrates the birth of our nation, the unification of many
23 cultures and the creation of a representative government based
24 on free enterprise and civil liberties; and
25 WHEREAS, On this occasion it is important to recall the role
26 that Yorktown has served in the legacy of our nation's freedom,
27 and it is especially necessary to honor those Americans who have
28 served our nation; therefore be it
29 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives observe October
30 19, 2006, as "Victory at Yorktown Day" in Pennsylvania and
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1 encourage Pennsylvanians to learn more about the pivotal Battle
2 of Yorktown and its influence on the founding of the United
3 States and to reflect on the sacrifices of Pennsylvanians during
4 the American Revolution to secure our liberty and the efforts of
5 Pennsylvanians who continue to defend that liberty today; and be
6 it further
7 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be distributed to
8 the news media throughout this Commonwealth.
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