the hospital.
The allies steadily worked their way forward by means of parallels, and
finally the guns along the entire front of Cornwallis were dismounted
and his shells expended.

His situation had become so desperate that no one could have condemned
him for surrendering, but, before doing so, he resolved to make a
determined effort to extricate himself from the trap in which he was
caught. His plan was to abandon his sick, baggage, and all incumbrances,
cross the river in the darkness to Gloucester, attack and scatter the
French force stationed there, and then hasten northward through
Pennsylvania and New Jersey to New York.

This attempt would have been made, but, after a part of the army had
crossed, a violent storm scattered the boats and compelled their return.
The result quenched the last spark of hope in the breast of Cornwallis.
He opened negotiations with Washington, and the terms of surrender were
signed October 18th.

THE SURRENDER.

At two o'clock the next afternoon, the British troops marched slowly out
of Yorktown, drums beating, muskets shouldered, and colors cased. The
American line was drawn up on the right of the road and the French on
the left, its extent being fully a mile. Washington allowed no idle
spectators present, and repressed every sign of exultation on the part
of the captors.

General O'Hara, riding at the head of the troops, saluted when he came
opposite Washington, and apologized for the absence of Cornwallis, who
was suffering from illness. When O'Hara's sword was offered to
Washington, he replied that General Lincoln had been designated to
receive it. There was poetical justice in this, since it was Lincoln who
had been obliged to surrender Charleston to Clinton the previous year.

The prisoners numbered 7,247 English and Hessian soldiers and 840
sailors. Seventy-five brass and thirty-one iron guns were also secured,
including the accoutrements of the army. Clinton with the promised
relief arrived off the Chesapeake on the 24th, and learned to his
consternation that every British soldier in Virginia was a prisoner of
war. With indescribable sadness he sailed back to New York, feeling, as
did everyone else, that English rule in America was ended and American
independence won.

Washington dispatched a courier with the glorious news to Philadelphia.
Riding at headlong speed and changing his horse frequently, he reached
the national capital on the evening of the 23d. In those d