CAPITULATION AT YORKTOWN-GEN. O'HARA DELIVERING HIS SWORD TO GEN. WASHINGTON, IN PRESENCE OF GENERALS ROCHAMBEAU AND LAFAYETTE, AND THE STAFF OF THE ALLIED ARMIES.

Baron, to tell him that he (Lafayette,) had carried his redoubt, and to ask, whether, he (Viomesnil,) did not require aid from the Americans? "Tell Lafayette," said Viomesnil, "that I have not yet carried my redoubt, but shall do so in five minutes.' He made his words good.]

"In the night of the 15th the enemy made a sally with 800 chosen men. He met with resistance at all our redoubts, and took possession of a battery of the second parallel, where he spiked four guns. The Chevalier de Chastellux marched against the enemy with his reserve, and repulsed this sally. The four guns being badly spiked, were ren. dered serviceable six hours afterwards by the care of General d'Aboville, commander of our artillery. The Marquis de St. Simon was wounded in the trenches on the following day, and not wishing to be relieved, finished his twenty-four hours of duty.

"At last, on the 17th, the enemy commenced a parley, and the capitulation was signed on the 19th of October, by which Lord Cornwallis and his army were made prisoners of war. The Americans and

French took possession at noon of two bastions. The garrison defiled at two o'clock between the two armies, with drums beating, carrying their arms, which they afterwards piled with twenty pair of colours. Lord Cornwallis being ill, General O'Hara defiled at the head of the garrison. When he came up he presented his sword to me. I pointed to General Washington, who was opposite me at the head of the American army, and told him that the French army being auxiliaries on the continent, it was the American general who was to signify his orders to him.

"Colonel Laurens, Viscount Noailles, and M. de Granchain had been appointed by their respective generals to draw up the articles of his capitulation, together with some superiour officers of the army of tLord Cornwallis. It was signed by General Washington, the Count de Rochambeau, and M. de Barras, as representative of Count de Grasse, and immediately carried into execution. We found 8,000 prisoners, of whom 7,000 were regular troops, and 1,000 sailors; 214 pieces of cannon, of which 75 were of brass, and 22 pair of colours. Among the prisoners there were at least 2,000 in the hospitals, of whom the greatest care was taken. All the rest were sent into the interiour of the country."

Count Dumas, who conducted the capitulation on the part of the French general, states: "The garrison defiled between the two lines, beyond which I caused them to form in order of battle, and pile their arms. The English offi. cers manifested the most bitter mortification, and I remember that Colonel Abercrombie, of the English guards, (the same who afterwards perished in Egypt, on the field of battle, where he had just triumphed,) at the moment when his troops laid down their arms, withdrew rapidly, covering his face and biting his sword." It was indeed a result hu

miliating to British pride; and the officers sought to evade the consciousness of rebel triumph, by ungenerous reflections upon the American officers, and professions of respect for the French. Cornwallis had undoubtedly affected indisposition, that he might not surrender at the head of his troops. Generals Washington, Rochambeau, and Lafayette, sent their aids-de-camp to present him their compliments. He detained the aid-de-camp of Lafayette, Major Washington, nephew of the general, and expressed his anxiety to explain in person to the general who had so gallantly opposed him during the campaign, that he had only surrendered when defence was no longer possible. The next day Lafayette called to see him. "I know," said Cornwallis, "your humanity towards prisoners, and I recommend my poor army to you." This was said in a tone and manner which implied that he had confidence in Lafayette alone, and not in the Americans. Lafayette therefore replied with spirit: “You know, my lord, that the Americans have always been humane towards captured armies"-alluding more particularly to the case of Burgoyne's army, captured at Saratoga. Indeed, Cornwallis, who was a brave and able officer, and greatly pained at his misfortune, was treated by General Washington, and the French and American officers, with the greatest kindness and respect; and a like treatment was extended to all of the prisoners. Lafayette, participating in these acts of generosity, and alive to the honour of the Americans, would suffer no imputations to be cast upon them, unrepelled. General O'Hara having remarked one day at table, to the French generals, affecting to speak so that Lafayette could not hear him, that he considered it as fortunate not to have been taken by the Americans alone, "General O'Hara, probably," replied Lafayette, "does not like repetitions." He had been captured with Burgoyne, and was afterwards taken for the third time, by the French at Toulon.

The news of the capitulation at Yorktown, flew upon the wings of the wind, and occasioned joy to the hearts of all who were friendly to the American cause. It was conveyed to France, by a French frigate, in the short passage of eigh. teen days. In England, it occasioned consternation to the war advocates, and caused the downfall of Lord North's ministry. The way was thus prepared to an honourable

peace for the American people, with the acknowledgment of their independence as its basis.

But this decisive event did not relax the vigilance of Washington and Lafayette. They wished to make "assu. rance doubly sure," by striking a blow upon the enemy further south. It was proposed that Lafayette, with two thousand Americans, and St. Simon's corps of French, should be conveyed by the squadron of Count de Grasse, to secure the capture of Charleston, and co-operate with Gen. Greene, who commanded there, in driving the enemy from the Carolinas. But the Count de Grasse, anxious to return to the West Indies, and restricted by his instructions, refused all co-operation, although Lafayette held frequent and earnest interviews with him, to endeavour to induce him at least to detach a part of his, vessels to convey re-enforcements to Gen. Greene. When Lafayette, returning from his last visit to the admiral, landed at Yorktown, Lord Cornwallis, who was still there, remarked to some officers, "I will lay a bet he has been making arrangements for our ruin at Charleston!"

Active military operations for the season were at an end. The American army, with the exception of two thousand men, who were detached to re-enforce Gen. Greene in the south, returned to winter quarters near the banks of the Hudson. The French army remained in Virginia until the following summer. Lafayette resolved to visit once more his native land. Added to the natural desire of seeing his family and friends, he cherished the purpose of procuring from the French government further and substantial aid to America, and more particularly to urge a powerful naval co-operation, for the ensuing cam. paign, in case an honourable peace should not previ ously be concluded. On the point of leaving Yorktown, he took leave, in a general order, of his brave corps of infantry, with whom he had undergone so many perils, and achieved such glorious results. "In the moment (he said) the major-general leaves this place, he wishes once more to express his gratitude to the brave corps of light infantry, who for nine months past have been the companions of his fortunes. He will never forget that with them alone, of regular troops, he had the good fortune to manœuvre before