while the navy became
prisoners by arrangement to the Compte de Grasse. At one o'clock a
regiment of American troops, followed by one of French, took possession
of the works, with drums beating and colours flying, when the British
flag was struck, and that of America displayed in its stead. At three
o'clock the British troops marched out, with drums beating and colours
cased, towards the enemy's lines. There in a wide field were drawn up
the armies of the allies, with the generals ready to receive them.
Proud and happy, indeed, must Washington and his brethren-in-arms have
felt at this, to them, glorious termination of the struggle.

Sullen and sad looked our men, I was told, as, with gestures of
impatience and vexation, they grounded their arms, and then marched back
into the town. At the same time the enemy took possession of all our
lines and works. My wounds, though severe, were not dangerous, and I
was able to take an interest in all that was going forward, and to
receive the visits of friends who came to inquire after me and to offer
me assistance. With regard to the condition of the garrison on the day
we surrendered, I can state positively that, on a correct muster, we
were unable to march out more than two thousand five hundred men. We
found, therefore, that we had lost, in killed and wounded, upwards of a
thousand, and from sickness four hundred and fifty. From this
calculation it will be seen that we had about a hundred and ten killed
and wounded every day after the enemy opened their batteries. The
remaining troops were at Gloucester, on the other side of the river, the
works of which they bravely defended to the last.

The ruinous condition of the town and works, which altogether did not
cover half a mile of ground in length and nothing like it in width, may
be conceived by the accounts I have already given. I may remark that
from one end to the other it was strewed with shot and shell, and had
truly the appearance of a ploughed field. I must not close my account
of the public events of this memorable period without speaking of the
civility and humanity the English prisoners received from the French--so
different to that which I experienced when I fell into their hands at
Saint Domingo. They showed evident compassion for our condition, and
not only rendered us every delicate attention in their power, but gave
the officers a captain's guard of grenadiers to guard them from the
insolence and abus