done it, they answered-" We could not, when they 1781. begged and cried fo upon their knees for their lives." About five of the enemy were killed, and 1 major, 1 captain, I enfign, and 20 privates captured. Col. Hamilton, who conducted the enterprise with much addrefs and intrepidity, in his report to the marquis mentioned to the honor of his detachment-" that, incapable of imitating examples of barbarity, and forgetting recent provocations, they fpared every man that ceased to refift." The French were equally fuccefsful on their fide. They carried the redoubt committed to them with rapidity, but loft a confiderable number of men. Thefe two works being taken into the second parallel facilitated the fubfequent operations. The British were fo weakened by the fire of the combined armies, but chiefly by fickness, that lord Cornwallis could not venture any confiderable number in the making of fallies. The prefent emergency however was fuch, that a little before day break of the morning of the 16th he ordered a fortie of about 400 men, under 16. lieut. col. Abercromby, to attack two batteries which appeared to be in the greatest forwardnefs, and to fpike the guns. Two detachments were appointed to the fervice; and both attacks were made with fuch impetuofity, that the redoubts which covered the batteries, were forced, and eleven pieces of cannon fpiked. The French troops, who had the guard of that part of the intrenchment, fuffered confiderably. This fuccessful action did honor to the officers and troops engaged, but produced no effential benefit. The cannon, being haftily fpiked, were foon rendered again serviceable; and the combined forces were fo induftrious, that they finished VOL. IV. O their 1781. their batteries, opened them about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and fired brifkly. Their feveral batteries were now covered with near 100 pieces of heavy ordnance; and the British works were fo deftroyed, that they could scarcely fhow a fingle gun. Thus was lord Cornwallis reduced to the neceffity of preparing for a furrender, or of attempting an escape. He determined upon the latter. Boats were prepared under different pretexts, for the reception of the troops by ten at night, in order to pass them over to Gloucester Point. The arrangements were made with the utmost fecrecy. The intention was to abandon the baggage, and to leave a detachment behind to capitulate for the towns people, and for the fick and wounded, his lordship having already prepared a letter on the subject, to be delivered to gen. Washington after his departure. The first embarkation had arrived at Gloucester Point, and the greater part of the troops were already landed, when the weather, which was before moderate and calm, instantly changed to a moft violent ftorm of wind and rain. The boats with the remaining troops were all driven down the river, and the defign of paffing was not only entirely fruftrated, but the abfence of the boats rendered it impoffible to bring back the troops from Gloucefter. Thus weakened and divided, the army was in the most imminent danger. The boats however returned; and the troops were brought back without much lofs in the course of the forenoon. Matters were now haftening to a crifis, which could not be longer averted. The British works were finking under the weight of the American and French artillery. The continuance of the allied fire, only for a few more hours, Q&t. hours, would reduce them to fuch a condition that it 1781. would be rashness to attempt their defence. The time for expecting relief from New York was elapfed. The ftrength and spirits of the royal troops were worn down by conftant watching, and unremitting fatigue. Lord Cornwallis therefore sent out a flag at ten o'clock in the morning of the 17th, with a letter to gen. Washington, 17. requesting a ceffation of arms for twenty-four hours, and that commiffioners might be appointed for digesting the terms of capitulation. An anfwer was given; and a reply forwarded in the afternoon; to which Washing ton rejoined the next day, declaring the general basis on which the capitulation might take place. Commiffioners were appointed-on the fide of the allies viscount de Noaille, and lieut. col. Laurens, whofe father was in close confinement at the Tower, while the fon was drawing up articles by which an English nobleman and a British army became prifoners. While fettling the terms, the viscount wished his lordship to ftate, upon his honor, the value of the military cheft. His lordship declared it to be about 1800l. fterling. The viscount obferved that the fum was fo trifling, that it was not worth bringing into the account, and therefore was for leaving it entirely at Cornwallis's difpofal. Laurens in terfered, and obferved to his colleague, that though it was natural for a fubject of one of the greatest monarchs in the world to think 1800l. an inconfiderable fum, yet, for his part, being a fubject of an infant state, struggling with infinite inconveniencies, and where money was very rare, he must deem it a very confiderable fum; and therefore he infifted that it should be accounted for. This was accordingly done; and afterward it was paid into the O 2 hands 1781, hands of Timothy Pickering; efq; the American quarter master general, to the amount of 21131. 6s. fterling, eftimating the dollar at 4s. 8d. There being a manifeft impropriety in the Americans ftipulating for the return of the negroes, while they themselves were avowedly fighting for their own liberties, they covered their intention of repoffeffing them, under thefe general terms with which the fourth article closed-" It is understood, that any property obviously belonging to the inhabitants of thefe ftates, in the poffeffion of the garrifon, fhall be fubject to be reclaimed." The pofts of York and Gloucester were furrendered on the 19th: The honor of marching out with colours flying, which had been denied to gen. Lincoln, was now refufed to lord Cornwallis; and Lincoln was appointed to receive the fubmiffion of the royal army at York Town, precifely in the fame way his own had been conducted about 18 months before. The troops of every kind that furrendered prifoners of war, exceeded 7000 men; but fuch was the number of fick and wounded, that there were only 3800 capable of bearing arms. The officers and foldiers retained their baggage and effects. Fifteen hundred feamen partook of the fate of the garrifon. The Guadaloupe frigate of 24 guns, and a number of tranfports were furrendered to the conquerors: about 20 tranfports had been funk or burnt during the fiege. The land forces became prifoners to congress; but the feamen and fhips were affigned to the French admiral. The Americans obtained a numerous artil lery, 75 brafs ordnance and 69 iron, cannon, howitzers and mortars. Lord Plate IX. £ H m British American & French Approaches. 1. A BattThree 18, & Three 3. 10 Inch Mortars. & 6 Mort & Howit. ing of Sixteen pieces Howitze. MRemainder of the Second Parallel. Parallel of Sixteen pieces 18 & 24 Pr Fix 13 In. Mortars. e Americans. dre priv B.During Gen! Choisy, Brigad Gen Weedon, & the Duke de Laurun. can O in ch the g T.Conder Sculp London. |