A Last Bicentennial Bash

Once more with feeling as the colonials win the big one

If the U.S. Secret Service had been on duty in 1781 at Yorktown, Lord Cornwallis might have had a fighting chance against George Washington. Concerned in 1981 about security for Washington's 39th successor to the presidency, the prudent but unromantic federal agents forced the play-acting colonial troops to surrender all but a few of their 50 cannons, temporarily confiscated their flints and black powder and subjected each make-believe soldier to a metal detector's scan. No matter: the glory of re-created victory was undimmed....

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