ive of his troops, leaving the rest to surrender the place. His Lordship's intention was to attack Lauzun's Legion at Gloucester and get possession of their horses, and then move rapidly off either to the northward or southward, as circumstances might dictate. Accordingly, an embarkation took place, and part crossed over; but while the next embarkation was on the water, a violent storm of wind and rain occurred, which, driving many of the troops down the river nearly under the enemy's lines, obliged his Lordship to desist from prosecuting his intentions, and recall such troops as had landed at Gloucester. These men suffered a good deal from the enemy's fire while returning on the river.

On the 17th Lord Cornwallis proposed a cessation of hostilities, and Lieutenant-Colonel Dundas and Major Ross (now General) having met the Marquis Noailles and Mr. Lawrence, articles of capitulation were settled. By the 1st the land forces were to become prisoners of war to the United States of America, and the seamen to the naval army of the King of France. By the 3d the troops were to march out with shouldered arms and drums beating to a place where the arms were to be laid down. By the 4th the officers were to keep their private property and wear their side arms. By the 5th the soldiers were to be kept in Virginia, Maryland or Pennsylvania, and to receive provisions as the soldiers of America. A British, Hessian, and Anspach field officer,

with other officers, in the proportion of 1 to 50 men, were to be allowed to reside near their respective regiments on their parole of honour, and bear witness of their treatment, delivering clothing and necessaries to them, for which passports were to be granted on application. By the 8th, the Bonetta sloop of war to be allowed to sail to New York with an officer bearing despatches, and with such other persons as Lord Cornwallis might think proper to put on board, who are not to be examined. The ship and crew to be accounted for, the dangers of the sea excepted. By the 14th article it was stipulated that no article of this capitulation was to be infringed on pretence of reprisals, and if there were any doubtful expressions in it, they were to be interpreted according to the usual meaning and acceptation of the words. The signatures of the Earl Cornwallis, Lieutenant-General, commanding the garrisons of York and Gloucester, and of Commodore Symonds, commanding his Britannic Majesty's naval forces in York River, on the one part, and of his Excellency General Washington, commanding the combined forces of America and France, his Excellency Count Rochambeau, Lieutenant-General Grand Cross of the order of St. Louis, commanding the auxiliary troops of his Most Christian Majesty in America, his Excellency the Count de Grasse, Lieutenant-General, commander of the naval army of his Most Christian Majesty in the Bay of

Chesapeake, on the other part, were affixed to the capitulation. On the 19th the garrison marched out betwixt the two lines of American and French troops reluctantly enough, and laid down their arms. A corporal next to me shed tears, and, embracing his firelock, threw it down, saying, "May you never get so good a master." This over, the regiments set about fixing upon the officers who were to remain on parole of honour with the troops. In the 76th this was done by casting lots, which was also the mode followed by the field officers of the British army; and it having fallen upon Colonel (afterwards Lord) Lake, that officer expressed himself in such a manner on the occasion, as induced Major Gordon to say that he would take the duty for him, an offer which was joyfully accepted. It fell to my lot to be one of the captains of the 76th detailed to remain with the soldiers in America. Our departure was fixed for the following morning, so that little time was given for preparation, but having a great desire to visit the enemy's works, which we had so long contemplated with feelings understood by human nature, but which language can ill describe, accompanied by a friend I visited the French lines, and met with much courtesy from the French. On the top of the parapet where the guns were placed which had been spiked in the "sortie," they showed me a grave, saying, “Voilà un de vos brave gens." It was that of a serjeant in the Foot Guards who had

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fallen there. Earl Cornwallis also mentions the conduct of the French officers in making offers of money for our use. I have heard of one of them, I believe Le Vicomte Vismesnil, who apologised by saying, “ Je n'ai rien à vous offrir. J'ai eu l'honneur de servir cinquante ans le Grand Monarque je n' yai gagné que la petite croix et le rhumatisme.”*

* In the "New York Packet," December 27, 1781, under the signature "A Subaltern," there appeared a lengthy comment on Lord Cornwallis' despatch relating to the reduction of York. The writer charges his lordship with being "No General”—No soldier-No politician-and no gentleman. For each of these charges the writer gives his reasons. The last one, that of Lord Cornwallis being no gentleman, he says "is evident from his ungrateful silence as to the noble and generous conduct of General Washington and the American officers to him and his army after the capitulation.

"The magnanimity, humanity, and politeness of the Commander-in-Chief of the American armies would have extorted expressions of gratitude and respect from an Indian savage, a Tartar, or a Turk. A British general and an English nobleman is the only human being that could have treated such superlative virtue with sullen disrespect."

CHAPTER THE SIXTH.

Prisoners of war escorted to Winchester-General Morgan as to accommodation for Prisoners-Removed to Little York.

THE British prisoners moved out of York Town next day, 20th, in two divisions, escorted by regiments of militia or state troops; one took the direction of Maryland, the other, to which I belonged, moved to the westward in Virginia. Our guards were all from the upper parts of the state, called backwoodsmen, between whom and the inhabitants of the lower parts there existed no cordiality; and at night when we halted, they not only allowed, but even encouraged our men to pull down and make fires of the fence-rails, as we had been accustomed to do when we had arms in our hands; and when a proprietor complained they only laughed at him. They did not scruple also to let us make free with a turnip field. We moved on towards the base of the lesser blue ridge of mountains in the direction of an opening or gap called Ashley's Gap, where was a public-house kept by a person of that name. Happening to ride on in front of the