pied the left. At the head of the former the great
American commander, mounted on his noble courser, took his station,
attended by his aides. At the head of the latter was posted the
excellent Count Rochambeau and his suite. The French troops, in complete
uniform, displayed a martial and noble appearance; their band of music,
of which the timbrel formed a part, was a delightful novelty, and
produced while marching to the ground a most enchanting effect. The
Americans, though not all in uniform nor their dress so neat, yet
exhibited an erect, soldierly air, and every countenance beamed with
satisfaction and joy. The concourse of spectators from the country was
prodigious, in point of numbers probably equal to the military, but
universal silence and order prevailed. It was about two o'clock when the
captive army advanced through the line formed for their reception. Every
eye was prepared to gaze on Cornwallis, the object of peculiar interest
and solicitation; but he disappointed our anxious expectations;
pretending indisposition, he made General O'Hara his substitute as the
leader of his army. This officer was followed by the conquered troops in
a slow and solemn step, with shouldered arms, colors cased, and drums
beating a British march."

"Having arrived at the head of the line, General O'Hara, elegantly
mounted, advanced to His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, taking off
his hat, and apologizing for the non-appearance of Earl Cornwallis. With
his usual dignity and politeness, His Excellency pointed to
Major-General Lincoln for directions, by whom the British army was
conducted into a spacious field, where it was intended they should
ground their arms. The royal troops, while marching through the line
formed by the allied army, exhibited a decent and neat appearance as
respects arms and clothing, for their commander opened his stores and
directed every soldier to be furnished with a new suit complete prior
to the capitulation. But in their line of march we remarked a
disorderly and unsoldierly conduct, their step was irregular and their
ranks frequently broken. But it was in the field, when they came to the
last act of the drama, that the spirit and pride of the British soldier
was put to the severest test; here their mortification could not be
concealed. Some of the platoon officers appeared to be exceedingly
chagrined when given the order 'ground arms'; and I am a witness that
they performed this duty in a very unof