and the artillery that was taken in
them was directed against the town. The situation of Lord Cornwallis
was now becoming critical, for his works were sinking and crumbling,
and nearly all his guns were silenced. To retard the completion of the
second parallel, therefore, Cornwallis directed a sortie, under the
command of Lieutenant-colonel Abercrombie, against two of the enemy's
batteries that were guarded by veteran French troops. The assault
was made on the 16th of October, and the French were driven from both
batteries, with the loss of more than one hundred in killed and wounded;
and having spiked the gnus, Abercrombie returned within the lines.
The spiked cannons, however, were soon made again fit for use, and the
batteries opened upon the town. Lord Cornwallis had reason to expect
that before this time Sir Henry Clinton would have arrived with his
promised relief. Still, though he was disappointed, he did not despair.
He saw, indeed, that he could not defend the town, but he I still hoped
to save at least a part of his army by a bold manouvre and a rapid
movement. The French blockading force, on the Gloucester side, was now
commanded by de Choisi; and Cornwallis conceived the idea of attacking
them, by night, and after dispersing this force, to mount his infantry
on the horses of the enemy's cavalry, and then, by a rapid march, to
gain the fords of the great rivers, and force his way through Maryland,
Pennsylvania, and Jersey to New York. To this end the greater part of
the guards and part of the twenty-third regiment were embarked in boats,
and transported to Gloucester-point without being discovered; but they
were scarcely landed when a violent storm arose, which prevented the
return of the boats, and the whole scheme was frustrated. The troops
transported to Gloucester-point returned in the morning without great
loss, although the passage of the river was now exposed to the fire of
the enemy. All hope was now lost, for by this time the British works
were so demolished by the incessant fire of the enemy, that not a gun
could be fired from them; and when the bombs were counted, they were
found not to exceed one hundred. Under these circumstances, Lord
Cornwallis proposed a cessation of hostilities for twenty-four hours, to
settle terms for capitulation. Washington replied, that it was his
wish to save the effusion of blood, and to accept such terms as were
admissible; and a negociation commenced, which ended in a