cumstances, his lordship became a prisoner to the son of his own prisoner. A capitulation was signed; but the honour of marching out with colours flying, which had been refused to general Lincoln, on his giving up Charleston, was now refused to lord Cornwallis; and general Lincoln was appointed to receive the submission of the royal army at York Town, precisely in the same way as his own had been conducted about eighteen months before. The regular troops of France and America employed in this siege, consisted of about seven thousand of the former, and of five thousand five hundred of the latter; and these were assisted by four thousand militia. The troops of every kind that surrendered prisoners of war exceeded seven thousand men. Five days after the surrender, a British fleet and army of seven thousand men, destined for the relief of Cornwallis, arrived off the Chesapeek; but on receiving advice of his lordship's surrender, they returned to New York. Such was the fate of the general, from whose gallantry and previous successes, the speedy conquest of the southern states had been so confidently 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 Camden; 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 as a rebellion. The loss of this army may be considered as deciding the contest in favour of America, and laying the foundation of a general peace. The reduction of an army that had carried ra2 B 2 vages yages and destruction wherever they went; that had involved thousands of all ages in distress; occasioned unusual transports of joy in the breasts of the whole body of the people. Throughout the United States, they displayed a social triumph and exultation, which no private prosperity is ever able to inspire. A day of thanksgiving was appointed by congress, who went in procession to church, to offer up their grateful acknowledgments for the signal success of the campaign. A. D. This year, 1781, terminated in all parts of the United States in favour of the Ame 1781. ricans. It began with weakness in Carolina, mutiny in New Jersey, and devastation in Virginia; nevertheless in its close, the British were confined to their strong holds in or near New York, Charleston and Savannah, and their whole army was captured in Virginia. They, in the course of the year, had acquired much plunder, by which individuals were enriched, but their nation was in no respect benefited. On the last day of the year, Henry Laurens was released from his long confinement in the Tower of London. To this fact we have hitherto but barely alluded. He was committed a close prisoner on the 6th of October, in the preceding year, on suspicion of high treason. This gentleman had been deputed by congress to solicit a loan for their service in the United Netherlands; and also to negociate a treaty between them and the United States. On his way thither he was taken by the Vestal frigate; and though he threw his papers overboard, yet enough were recovered to ascertain the object of his mission. In the course of his imprisonment, he was offered his liberty, if he would acknowledge his error, which he indignantly refused. After Afterwards, when his son arrived in France as the special minister of congress, he was requested to beg that he would withdraw himself from that post: to which he replied, "My son is of age, and has a will of his own; if I should write to him in the terms you demand, it would have no effect. He is a man of honour, he loves me dearly, and would lay down his life to save mine; but I am sure he would not sacrifice his honour to save my life, and I applaud him." A. D. 1782. A few months after the surrender of lord Cornwallis, the British evacuated all their posts in South Carolina and Georgia, and retired to the main army in New York. Early in the ensuing spring, sir Guy Carlton arrived in New York, and took command of the British army in America. Immediately on his arrival he acquainted general Washington and congress, that negociation for peace had been commenced at Paris. On the 30th of November, the provisional articles were signed, by which Great Britain acknowledged the independence and sovereignty of the United States of America, and these articles were ratified by a definitive treaty. Thus ended a long and arduous conflict, which eventually gave to the American states a rank among the nations of the earth. Toward the close of this year, congress A. D. issued a proclamation, in which the armies of the United States were applauded and discharged from their duties. On the day preceding their dismission, general Washington issued his farewell orders in the most endearing language. The evacuation of New York took place in about three weeks after the American army was dischargand in the evening there was a display of fire ed; 2 B 3 1782. works, works, which exceeded every thing of the kind before witnessed in the United States. The hour now approached when general Washington was to take leave of his officers, who had been endeared to him by a long series of common sufferings and dangers. This was done in a solemn manner; "With an heart full of love and gratitude," said he, "I now take leave of you: I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy, as your former ones have been glorious and honourable." The officers came up successively, and he took an affectionate leave of each of them. When this scene was over, the general left the room, and passed through a corps of light infantry to the place of embarkation. The officers followed in procession. On entering his barge, he turned to the companions of his glory, and by waving his hat bid them a silent adieu.Some of them answered this last signal of respect and affection with tears; and all of them hung upon the barge which conveyed him from their sight, till they could no longer distinguish in it the person of their beloved commander in chief. He proceeded to Annapolis, then the seat of congress, to resign his commission. On his way thither, he delivered to the comptroller in Philadelphia, an account of the expenditure of all the public money he had ever received. This was in his own hand writing, and every entry was made in a particular manner. In every town and village through which the general passed, he was met and saluted by public and private demonstrations of joy. His resignation was accepted in a public manner, at which a great number of distinguished persons were pre sent; sent; and never was there witnessed a more interesting scene*. Immediately on his resignation, Mr. Washington hastened to his seat at Mount Vernon, on the banks of the Potowmac, in Virginia, where * At a proper moment, general Washington addressed Thomas Mifflin, the President, in the following words: Mr. President, "The great events on which my resignation depended having at length taken place, I have now the honour of offering my sincere congratulations to congress, and, of presenting myself before them to surrender into their hands the trust committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the service of my country. Happy in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable nation, I resign with satisfaction the appointment I accepted with diffidence; a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so arduous a task, which however was superseded by a confidence in the rectitude of our cause, the support of the Supreme Power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven. The successful termination of the war has verified the most sanguine expectations, and my gratitude for the interposition of Providence, and the assistance I have received from my countrymen, increases with every review of the momentous contest. While I repeat my obligations to the army in general, I should do injustice to my own feelings not to acknowledge, in this place, the peculiar services and distinguished merits of the persons who had been attached to my person during the war: it was impossible the choice of confidential officers to compose my family should have been more fortunate; permit me, sir, to recommend in particular those who have continued in the service to the present moment, as worthy of the favourable notice and patronage of congress. I consider it as an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life, by commending the interests ΟΙ our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, |