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arrived announcing that the Count De Grasse* had arrived in the Chesapeake, with the naval force upon which Washington had anxiously depended for aid in his approaching contest with Cornwallis. The fifth of September witnessed a naval conflict between De Grasse and the commander of the English fleet that Clinton had sent from New York. The loss of the British was great, and after remaining five days in sight of the French, the English returned to New York, leaving De Grasse master of the bay.

Cornwallis had at first been so sanguine of success, feeling that he had only Lafayette to oppose him, that he had offered to send a portion of his troops to help Clinton against Washington. Before September ended, he found himself shut up at Yorktown by the combined French and American forces which menaced him both on land and water, while he, however, had hope that Clinton would come to his help, and Washington was dismayed by a proposition made by De Grasse to keep to sea, leaving but two vessels at the mouth of York River. At the urgent entreaty of Washington and Lafayette, this purpose was not carried out. By degrees the position of the British became less and less tenable, and by the seventeenth of October, Cornwallis proposed to surrender. On the nineteenth, the British force marched out between the French and American troops ranged on opposite sides of the field, and laid down their arms, while Major General O'Hara, acting for Cornwallis (whose absence was excused on account of "indisposition"), surrendered the English general's sword to General

François Joseph Paul, Count de Grasse-Tilly, one of the most renowned of French captains, was born at Valette, in 1723.

Lincoln, who had been obliged to give up his sword to Cornwallis, at Charleston, eighteen months before. The capitulation was drawn up by a son of that Laurens, formerly President of Congress, who had been imprisoned in the tower of London, of which Cornwallis had been constable.

The French influence in bringing about the surrender of Cornwallis can never be forgotten. Leav

HEADQUARTERS OF CORNWALLIS AT

YORKTOWN.

ing out of the account Lafayette, who was of the greatest assistance by his bravery and enthusiasm for the cause, and Steuben, who was led to enter the American army through French influence, the entire naval force, without which the effect

could hardly have been produced, was French, and of the sixteen thousand troops, seven thousand were of that nation.

In thus mentioning the American indebtedness to the French, it must not be permitted to detract from the praise that should be awarded to Washington, whose calm perseverance and skilful direction of the campaign was the real cause of its success. ordered that Divine services should be performed in all the brigades the next day, and that the soldiers should "universally attend, with that seriousness of

He

TRANSPORTS OF JOY.

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deportment and gratitude of heart which the recognition of such reiterated and astonishing interpositions of Providence demand of us."

Congress was transported with joy. It decreed that thanks should be given to Rochambeau and De Grasse, and that a column should be raised at Yorktown, commemorative of the alliance of France and the United States, and of the victory of their arms,

and it appointed a day of thanksgiving and prayer to God for his signal interposition. The same feelings were excited throughout the States, for it was felt that war was over. Count De Vergennes sent the information from Versailles to Franklin, who was in Paris on the nineteenth of November. He had himself received it the same evening, and wrote

at eleven at night. Franklin was in ecstasy of joy, and said that there was no "parallel in history of two entire armies being captured from the same enemy in any one war." Paris was illuminated three successive nights, and there were great rejoicings, and many illuminations in other parts of France.

The news reached England on the twenty-fifth of November, and Parliament met without delay. There was a general opposition to the prosecution of the war, and a resolution was offered that all further efforts to reduce the revolted Colonies be given up. The King was stubborn, but at last, in March, 1782, a resolution was passed in the House of Commons that all who should advise continuing the war should be deemed enemies of the King and country.* On the twentieth of March, Lord North was obliged to dissolve his ministry. Lord Rockingham was then with the utmost reluctance called to the head of affairs, and he accepted on condition that the independence of the United States should be acknowledged.

Franklin was consulted at Paris, and he expressed a willingness to negotiate for peace, provided France were included. A preliminary treaty was accordingly signed on the thirtieth of November, 1782, by the

* Curwen writes, "As soon as the joyful tidings of the ministers' defeat and the nation's deliverance was announced in the lobby and avenues of the House to the numerous multitudes that waited in anxiety and perturbation to know the fate of their country, the most vehement and heartfelt shouts of acclamation pierced the ear, if they did not reach the heart of the minister, now tottering on the Treasury bench." The Government made efforts to restrain the people from illuminations, in London, but not with entire success. The members who had conquered the ministry were hailed by the multitude "as the saviors of their country."

three powers. ville, the English representative at Versailles, and there was much amusement at seeing, as Bancroft says, "the dismissed Postmaster-general for America, at the request of the British Secretary of State, introduce the son of the author of the Stamp Act as the British Plenipotentiary, to the minister for foreign affairs of the Bourbon king.'

Franklin introduced Thomas Gren

On the fifth of December, 1782, a dark and foggy day, King George III. came into the House of Lords, announced by a "tremendous roar of artillery," to acknowledge formally the independence of the United States. He took his seat upon the throne, dressed in his royal robes, and, with evident agitation, drew from his pocket the scroll containing his speech. His usual impressive and clear delivery left him, and he spoke with hesitation, a choked utterance and great embarrassment. He said, "I lost no time in giving the necessary orders to prohibit the further prosecution of offensive war upon the continent of North America. Adopting, as my inclination will always lead me to do, with decision and effect whatever I collect to be the sense of my parliament and my people, I have pointed all my views and measures in Europe, as in North America, to an entire and cordial reconciliation with the Colonies. Finding it indispensable to the attainment of this object, I did not hesitate to go to the full length of the powers vested in me, and offer to declare them"- Here he paused, and was in evident agitation, either embarrassed in reading his speech by the darkness of the room, or affected by a very natural emotion. In a moment he resumed "and offer to declare them free and independent