o attempt an escape. His plan was to leave his sick and
wounded and his baggage behind, cross over in the night to Gloucester
Point, attack Choisy's camp before daybreak, mount his infantry on the
captured cavalry horses, and on such other as could be collected on
the road, push for the upper country by rapid marches until opposite
the fords of the great rivers, then turn suddenly northward, force his
way through Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Jerseys, and join Sir Henry
Clinton in New York. It was a wild and daring scheme, but his
situation was desperate, and the idea of surrender intolerable.

In pursuance of this design, sixteen large boats were secretly
prepared; a detachment was appointed to remain and capitulate for the
townspeople, the sick and the wounded; a large part of the troops were
transported to the Gloucester side of the river before midnight, and
the second division had actually embarked, when a violent storm of
wind and rain scattered the boats, and drove them a considerable
distance down the river. They were collected with difficulty. It was
now too late to effect the passage of the second division before
daybreak, and an effort was made to get back the division which had
already crossed. It was not done until the morning was far advanced,
and the troops in recrossing were exposed to the fire of the American
batteries.

The hopes of Lord Cornwallis were now at an end. His works were
tumbling in ruins about him, under an incessant cannonade; his
garrison was reduced in number by sickness and death, and exhausted by
constant watching and severe duty. Unwilling to expose the residue of
the brave troops which had stood by him so faithfully, to the dangers
and horrors of an assault, which could not fail to be successful, he
ordered a parley to be beaten about ten o'clock on the morning of the
17th, and despatched a flag with a letter to Washington proposing a
cessation of hostilities for twenty-four hours, and that two officers
might be appointed by each side to meet and settle terms for the
surrender of the posts of York and Gloucester. Washington felt
unwilling to grant such delay, when reinforcements might be on the way
for Cornwallis from New York. In reply, therefore, he requested that,
previous to the meeting of commissioners, his lordship's proposals
might be sent in writing to the American lines, for which purpose a
suspension of hostilities during two hours from the delivery of the
letter, would