from New York. The besiegers commenced their second parallel 200 yards from the works of the besieged. Two redoubts which were advanced on the left of the British, greatly impeded the progress of the combined armies; it was therefore proposed to carry them by storm. To excite a spirit of emulation, the reduction of the one was committed to the French, of the other to the Americans. The assailants marched to the attack with unloaded arms. Having passed the abbatis and palisades, they attacked on all sides, and carried the redoubt in a few minutes, with the loss of eight killed and twenty-eight wounded. The French were equally successful on their part, they carried the redoubt assigned to them with rapidity, but lost a considerable number of men. These two redoubts were included in the second parallel, and facilitated the subsequent ope rations of the besiegers.

By this time the batteries of the besiegers were covered with nearly a hundred pieces of heavy ordnance, and the works of the besieged were so damaged, that they could scarcely shew a single gun. Lord Cornwallis had now no hope left, but from offering terms of capitulation, or attempting an escape. He

determined

determined on the latter. This, though less practicable than when first proposed, was not altogether hopeless. Boats were prepared to receive the troops in the night, and to transport them to Gloucester Point. After one whole embarkation had crossed, a violent storm of wind and rain dispersed the boats employed on this business, and frustrated the whole scheme. The royal army, thus weakened by division, was exposed to increased danger.

Orders were sent to those who had passed, to recross the river to Yorktown. With the failure of this scheme, the last hope of the British army expired. Longer resistance could answer no good purpose, and might occasion the loss of many valuable lives; lord Cornwallis therefore wrote a letter to general Washington, requesting a cessation of arms for twenty-four hours, and that commissioners might be appointed to digest terms of capitulation.

The posts of York and Gloucester were surrendered by a capitulation, the principal articles of which were as follows: The troops to be prisoners of war to congress, and the naval force to France. The officers to retain their side-arms, and private property of every kind; but all property obviously belonging

to

to the inhabitants of the United States, to be subject to be reclaimed.

The regular troops of France and America employed in this siege, consisted of about 7,000 of the former, and 5,500 of the latter, and they were assisted by about 4,000 militia. On the part of the combined

army, about

On the
On the part

300 were killed or wounded. of the British, about 500; and seventy were taken in the redoubts; which were carried in the assault on the 14th of October. The troops of every kind that surrendered prisoners of war, exceeded 7,000 men; but so great was the number of sick and wounded, that there were only 3,800 capable of bearing arms. Congress honoured general Washington, count de Rochambeau, count de Grasse, and the officers of the different corps, and the men under them, with thanks for their services in the reduction of lord Cornwallis. The whole project was conceived with profound wisdom, and the incidents of it had been combined with singular propriety. It is not therefore wonderful, that, from the remarkable coincidence in all its parts, it was crowned with unvaried success.

Such was the fate of that general, from whose gallantry and previous successes the speedy conquest of the southern states had

20

been

been sq confidentially expected. No event during the war bid fairer for oversetting the independence, of at least a part of the confederacy, than his complete victory at Cam den; but by the consequences of that action, his lordship became the occasion of rendering that a revolution, which from his previous success was in danger of terminating in a rebellion. The loss of his army may be considered as the closing scene of the continental war in north America.

The people throughout the United States displayed a social triumph and exultation, which no private prosperity is ever able fully to inspire. General Washington, on the day after the surrender, ordered "that those who were under arrest should be pardoned and set at liberty." His orders closed as follows, "Divine service shall be performed to-morrow in the different brigades and divisions. The commander in chief recommends, that all the troops that are not upon duty, do assist at it, with a serious deportment, and that sensibility of heart which the recollection of the surprising and particular interposition of Providence in our favour claims."

After the capture of lord Cornwallis, Washington, with the greatest part of his army, returned to the vicinity of New York.

In the preceding six years, he had been accustomed to look forward, and to provide for all possible events. Constantly struggling with difficulties, his courage at all times. grew with the dangers which surrounded him. In the most disastrous situations, he was far removed from despair. On the other hand, those fortunate events which induced many to believe that the revolution was accomplished, never operated on him so far as to relax his exertions or precautions.

Though complete success had been obtained by the allied arms in Virginia, and great advantages had been gained in 1781 in the Carolinas, yet Washington urged the necessity of being prepared for another campaign. In a letter to general Greene, he observed, "I shall attempt to stimulate congress to the best improvement of our late success, by taking the most vigorous and effectual measures to be ready for an early and decisive campaign the next year. My greatest fear is, that, viewing this stroke in a point of light which may too much magnify its importance, they may 'think our work too nearly closed, and fall into a state of languor and relaxation. To prevent this error, I shall employ every means in my power; and if unhappily we sink into this fatal mistake, no part of the blame shall be mine."

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