gade, 1000 French marines, and a select battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Mercer, making in the whole, 3,500 men. The post of Gloucester had been reinforced on the 2d of October by Tarleton's legion; and on the morning of the 30th, the greater part of the garrison moved out on a foraging excursion. General Choise, who had moved about the same time from his right position for the purpose of planting himself close to the enemy's works, entered the lane leading to Gloucester Point, just as the rear of Lieutenant Colonel Dundas, covered by Tarleton's cavalry, had passed through it on their return from foraging. A skirmish ensued in which the British were soon driven into their works, and the French General occupied their ground, continuing to enclose the garrison, until the end of the siege.

On the 6th, Washington's heavy ordnance and other implements for the siege arrived, and the first parallel was immediately commenced, under a constant, but ineffectual fire from Cornwallis's batteries. By the 10th, our batteries and redoubts were ready to open along the whole fosse, and their effect upon the defences of the town was so immediately destructive, that Cornwallis would no doubt have sought the means of safety, either by offering instant battle, or capitulation, but for the arrival of another messenger from Sir Henry Clinton on this day, who brought assurances that an armament of 7000 men was on its way for his relief. This reanimated his confidence, and determined him to hold out to the last moment, repairing with great assiduity during the night the breaches and dilapidations of the day. But so powerful was even our first parallel, that our shells and

red hot balls reached the enemy's ships in the harbour, and one of their best frigates was destroyed.

On the night of the 11th, Washington commenced his second parallel within three hundred yards of the enemy's lines, and so expeditiously and secretly was the work carried on, that the trench was nearly completed before the dawn of day. Upon perceiving this extraordinary despatch of his besiegers, Cornwallis redoubled his exertions to strengthen his defence, still trusting to the promised aid of the British commander in chief. All his batteries were opened to stop the progress of this second parallel; but though his fire was considerably destructive, particularly from two redoubts on his left, our work was continued without intermission. At this moment Washington determined to carry these two redoubts by a coup de main. The detachment ordered against that on our right was entrusted to the Marquis de la Fayette, who conducted it in person, the other to the French under the Baron de Viomenil. Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton, assisted by Lieutenant Colonel Laurens, led the van of la Fayette, and so vigorously was the assault conducted, that they soon forced their way into the redoubt, and made the whole party consisting of 60 men, under Major Campbell, prisoners, only five of their number being killed. The detachment had been ordered in the assault to remember the recent massacre at New-London after fort Griswold had surren dered; but Hamilton upon being questioned why he had spared the lives of his prisoners, answered, that his detachment could not imitate deeds of barbarity upon men who begged for quarters.

The enterprise against the other redoubt, conducted by the Baron Viomenil, was equally successful,

though more difficult, the number of the enemy here being double that of the other, and the resistance proportionately formidable. The commandant of the redoubt with half his force, escaped, leaving the other half, of whom 18 were killed, to fall into the hands of the Baron. The loss of the latter was very severe, having 100 men killed and wounded. Our loss in

the other affair was 9 killed and 32 wounded. These two redoubts were soon added to our second parallel, and the equal honours acquired by the French and Americans in the enterprise, infused a mutual confidence in the allies, and added more vigour to the further prosecution of the siege.

Lord Cornwallis in the mean time more and more straightened in his position, and still without the expected reinforcements, though ten days had elapsed since it was said they were to sail from New-York, projected a sally against two of our redoubts, which were not yet completed. Lieutenant Colonel Abercrombie conducted the enterprise with 400 men, of the guards and light infantry; and before day light on the morning of the 16th he advanced upon our lines. His party were divided into two detachments, the first of the guards under Lieutenant Colonel Luke, the second of the light infantry under Major Armstrong.Both officers succeeded in driving out the French who occupied these redoubts, and in spiking eleven pieces of cannon, besides killing a number of men; but this success was of little benefit to the besieged, for being unable to hold possession of the redoubts, the party was compelled to retire on the approach of the assailants; and the redoubts were soon made ready and the cannon unspiked.

This completed the second parallel of the besiegers, who now displayed a front of nearly one hundred

pieces of heavy ordnance, while the defences of the town were so much demolished that scarcely a gun could be shown. In this situation Cornwallis was reduced to the alternative of attempting his escape, or of offering terms of capitulation; the latter was too humiliating to his proud military spirit, and a plan was instantly conceived for carrying the former into effect. He determined to pass his whole army over in the night to Gloucester Point, and by falling upon General Choise to possess himself of all his horses, by which the greater part of his army would be mounted, and his further movements were to depend on contingent occurrences. The attempt was equally bold and desperate; but whatever might have been its ultimate issue, fortune had prepared another fate for Cornwallis. After the first division of his army had actually crossed, and while he was waiting for the return of the boats to embark the remainder, a violent storm arose, which dispersed the boats and drove them down the river considerably below the town; so that day light approached before they could be brought up to the place of embarkation. It was now too late; and his lordship was compelled to employ the forenoon in reuniting his divided force, by recalling the division which had crossed the river.

The last hope of his lordship being thus disconcerted by a destiny beyond his control, he considered any farther resistance as an useless expenditure of the lives of his men, and having beat a parley, sent a messenger to Washington, with a proposition for a cessation of hostilities for the space of twenty four hours, with a view of settling by commissioners, terms for the surrender of his two posts. After requiring from his lordship a previous avowal of the basis upon which

he meant to propose the surrender, the request for a cessation of hostilities was granted, and commissioners were mutually appointed. On the part of the allied armies, the viscount de Noailles, and Lieutenant Colonel Laurens, aid de camp to Washington; and on the part of the British, Lieutenant Colonel Dundas, and Major Ross, aid de camp to his lordship, met on the 18th, but not being able to agree upon definitive terms, rough drafts of their proceedings were submitted to the respective commanders. Washington, perceiving that Cornwallis insisted upon terms unwarranted by the situation of the two armies, and unwilling to lose a moments time in fruitless negociation, transmitted to his lordship on the morning of the 19th, his ultimatum, declaring that hostilities should recommence at 11 o'clock, unless the terms were previously ratified. Cornwallis strenuous as had been his efforts to procure certain advantageous conditions for his army and the citizens in York and Gloucester, who had joined the British standard, now perceived that further delay would be hazardous, and the surrender was made on the following terms. 1st. That the British land and naval forces at York and Gloucester, surrender themselves respectively to the combined forces of America and France. 2d. That the artillery, arms and stores of every description, be delivered unimpaired to officers appointed to receive them. 3d. That the two redoubts on the left flank of York, be delivered up at 12 o'clock, the one to a detachment of the American army, the other to a detachment of the French grenadiers. The garrison of York to march out at 2 o'clock, to a place appointed in front of the posts, with shouldered arms, colours cased, and drums beating a British or German march, there to ground