Surrender of lord into form, such articles as general Washington had drawn up and 1781. proposed to lord Cornwallis; and early the next morning the American general sent them to his lordship with a letter, expressing his expectation, that they would be signed by eleven, and that the garrison would march out by two in the afternoon. Lord Cornwallis, submitting to a necessity absolutely inevitable, Oct. 19. surrendered the posts of Yorktown and Gloucester Point with the garrison, and the shipping in the harbour with the seamen, to Cornwallis. the land and naval officers of America and France. By the articles of capitulation, the officers were to retain their side arms and private property. The soldiers, accompanied by a due proportion of officers, were to remain in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; and the officers, not required for this service, were to be allowed to go on parole to Europe, or to any maritime port, occupied by the English in America.i The garrison marched out of the town with colours cased; and general Lincoln, by appointment, received the submission of the royal army precisely in the same manner in which the submission of his own army had been previously made, at the surrender of Charlestown. The whole army merited great approbation; but the artillerists and engineers received the highest applause. Generals Du Portrail and Knox were each promoted to the rank of major general; lieutenant colonel Gouvion and captain Rochefontaine were each advanced a grade by brevet. Generals Lincoln, de la Fayette, and Steuben, were particularly mentioned by the commander in chief in his orders the day after the capitulation; and governor Nelson, who remained in the field during the siege, at the head of the militia of Virginia, and who exerted himself to furnish the army with supplies, was very honourably mentioned. The count de Rochambeau received the highest acknowledgments; and several other French officers were named with distinction. Congress, on receiving intelligence of this important victory, passed resolutions, returning the thanks 1 The army, with the artillery, arms, accoutrements, military chest, and all public stores, were surrendered to general Washington; the ships and seamen, to the count de Grasse. The prisoners, exclusive of seamen, amounted to 7073; of which number 5950 were rank and file. Fit for duty To the 7073 prisoners are to be added 6 commissioned and 28 non commissioned officers and privates, taken prisoners in the two redoubts, and in the sortie made by the garrison. The loss sustained by the garrison during the siege, in killed, wounded, and missing, amounted to 552. The loss of the combined army, in killed, was about 300.-The allied army, to which that of lord Cornwallis surrendered, has been estimated at 16000 men. The French amounted to 7000; the continental troops, to about 5500; and the militia, to about 3500. 1781. of the United States to the commander in chief, to the count de Rochambeau, to the count de Grasse, and to the officers of the different corps, and the men under them. It was also resolved, that a marble column should be erected at Yorktown with emblems of the alliance between the United States and his most Christian majesty, and inscribed with a succinct narrative of the surrender of earl Cornwallis. Revolt of the Pennsylvania line; General Washington, on this very joyful occasion, ordered, that those who were under arrest, should be pardoned and set at liberty; and closed his orders in the following pious and impressive manner: "Divine service shall be performed to-morrow in the different brigades and divisions. The commander in chief recommends, that all the troops that are not upon duty do assist at it with a serious deportment, and that sensibility of heart, which the recollection of the surprising and particular interposition of divine Providence in our favour claims."1 Congress resolved to go in solemn procession to the Dutch Lutheran Church, to return thanks to Almighty God for crowning the allied arms with success; and issued a proclamation, appointing the 13th day of December" as a day of general thanksgiving and prayer, on account of this signal interposition of divine Providence." The capture of lord Cornwallis may be considered as the closing scene of the revolutionary war. Events of less magnitude, that occurred in the course of the year, require less detail. On the night of the 1st of January, a mutiny broke out in the Pennsylvania line of the continental army, and soon became so universal in the line of that state, as to defy all opposition. A destitution of pay and of suitable clothing was the cause of the mutiny. Congress sent a committee of their body to procure an accommodation. The complaints of the soldiers, being and of the founded in justice, were redressed, and the revolt was completely quelled. A part of the Jersey troops soon after revolted; but Jersey troops. 1 The piety of a conqueror forms an immortal wreath, which will flourish when the laurel shall have withered. Timoleon, in reply to the eulogiums lavished on him by the Syracusans, said, "The gods had decreed to save Sicily: I thank them that they chose me to be the instrument of their goodness." Washington, with similar but more enlightened piety, uniformly ascribed his successes, and every propitious event, to the divine agency. In August, 1778, he remarked: "It is not a little pleasing, nor less wonderful to contemplate, that after two years manoeuvring and undergoing the strangest vicissitudes, that perhaps ever attended any one contest since the creation, both armies are brought back to the very point they set out from, and the offending party in the beginning is now reduced to the use of the spade and pickaxe for defence. The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel, who lacks faith, and more than wicked, who has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations." In the case of Arnold's treachery, he observed: "In no instance since the commencement of the war, has the interposition of Providence appeared more remarkably conspicuous, than in the rescue of the post and garrison of West Point." by prudent and vigorous measures this revolt was seasonably 1781. suppressed. of Arnold against Vir London. Benedict Arnold, who, after his treachery to his country, had Expedition been appointed a brigadier general in the royal army, made a descent on Virginia in January, with about 1500 men, and com- ginia; mitted extensive ravages on the unprotected coasts of that state.1 While the combined armies were advancing to the siege of and New Yorktown, general Arnold, who had lately returned from Virginia, was appointed to conduct an expedition against New London. The troops employed in this service, were landed on each side of the harbour in two detachments; the one commanded by lieutenant colonel Eyre, and the other by general Arnold. New London is a seaport town, situated near the mouth of the Thames, and on the west side of that river. For the defence of the place, there had been constructed below the town, and on the western side of the harbour, a fort, called Fort Trumbull, with a redoubt; and opposite to it, on Groton Hill, another fort, called Fort Griswold, a strong square fortification, insufficiently garrisoned. Fort Trumbull, the redoubt, and the town of New London, Sept 6. being totally untenable, were evacuated on the approach of Ar- bull taken, nold, who took possession of them with inconsiderable loss. Fort Griswold was defended by colonel Ledyard with a garrison of and Fort about 160 men, some of whom had just evacuated the works on Griswold the opposite side of the river. On the rejection of a summons to surrender, the British marched up to the assault on three sides; and, though the ascent was steep, and a continued fire was directed against them, they at length made a lodgment on the ditch and fraized work, and entered the embrazures with charged bayonets. An officer of the conquering troops, on entering the fort, asked who commanded. "I did," answered colonel Ledyard, "but you do now," and presented him his sword, which was instantly plunged into his own bosom. Although resistance had now ceased, yet, to the indelible infamy of the conquerors, they commenced a merciless slaughter, which "was kept up until the greater part of the garrison was killed or wounded." The town of New London, and the stores con- New Lontained in it, were reduced to ashes; and general Arnold, having don burnt. completed the object of the expedition, returned in eight days to New York.2 1 Arnold landed his men about 15 miles below Richmond, and marched into that town on the 5th of January. The public stores and buildings there, and many stores, mills, and vessels in other places, were taken, or destroyed. 2 Colonel Eyre, the commander of the British detachment in the assault on Fort Griswold, and major Montgomery, the second in command, were killed. The whole loss of the enemy was 48 killed, and 145 wounded. There were 160 men in the Fort, of which number 80 were killed, 40 wounded, and 40 taken prisoners. Of the 80 killed, 60 belonged to Groton. Pres. Stiles, Lit. 1781. Cherokee The Cherokee Indians having made an incursion into Ninety Six district, in South Carolina, massacred some families, and burned several houses; general Pickens, at the head of 394 towns burnt militia men, mounted on horseback, penetrated into their country, and in fourteen days burned 13 towns and villages, killed upward of 40 Indians, and took a number of prisoners, without the loss of a man.1 by Pickens. W. Florida subdued by the Span iards. N. Hamp united with Vermont. Don Galvez, the Spanish governor of Louisiana, took Pensacola from the British, on the 9th of May, and soon after completed the conquest of the whole province of West Florida. Articles of union were agreed upon in February, between the shire grants legislature of Vermont and a convention held at Cornish, by which the New Hampshire grants, east of Connecticut river and west of the "Mason line," were taken into Union with Vermont. On the 5th of April the union of the grants, east and west of Connecticut river, was consummated; and on the following day, 35 representatives, from the grants east of Connecticut river, took their seats in the general assembly of that state. Petition of from the London. On the 1st of December, Henry Laurens addressed a petition to the house of commons, stating, That for many years, at the Tower of peril of his life and fortune, he laboured to preserve and strengthen the ancient friendship between Great Britain and the colonies; and that in no instance he ever excited on either side the dissensions which separated them: That the commencement of the present war was a subject of great grief to him, inasmuch as he foresaw and foretold, in letters now extant, the distresses which both countries experience at this day: That in the rise and progress of the war, he extended every act of kindness in his power to persons called Loyalists and Quietists, as well as to British prisoners of war; very ample proofs of which he can produce: That he was captured on the American coast, first landed upon American ground, where he saw exchanges of British and American prisoners in a course of negotiation; and that such exchanges and enlargements upon parole are mutually and daily practised in America: That he was committed to the Tower on the 6th of October, 1780, being then dangerously ill; that in the mean time he has, in many respects, particularly by being deprived (with very little exception) of the visits and consultations Diary, information from Rev. Mr. Kinne. "It is a fact, which seems to manifest the respect entertained by this detachment for the militia of Connecticut, that their retreat was so early, as to leave the barracks at Fort Griswold standing, and a magazine of powder at that place untouched." Marshall. 1 This success is ascribed to a new method of fighting Indians, introduced on this occasion. The American militia rushed forward on horseback, and charged the Indians with drawn swords. The Cherokees again sued for peace, and obtained it. 2 Vermont State Papers, 132-137. of his children and other relations and friends, suffered under a degree of rigour almost, if not altogether, unexampled in modern British history: That from long confinement, and the want of proper exercise, and other obvious causes, his bodily health is greatly impaired, and that he is now in a languishing state: He therefore humbly prayed their Honours would condescend to take his case into consideration; and, under proper conditions and restrictions, grant him enlargement, or such other relief as to their wisdom and benignity should seem fitting.1 1781. Phillips Exeter Academy, in New Hampshire, was founded.2 Academy. The Massachusetts Medical Society, and Staples Free School Mass. Med. in Fairfield, Connecticut, were incorporated. The Rev. Dr. Society. Salter of Mansfield, Connecticut, made a donation to Yale Col- Donation to lege of a house and 200 acres of land for a Hebrew Professor. Y. College. The Vermont Gazette was first published. On the 30th of October, congress resolved, that the respective Resolution states be called upon to furnish the treasury of the United States of Congress. with their quotas of eight millions of dollars, for the war department and civil list for the ensuing year.3 Colonel Isaac Hayne, of South Carolina, was executed at Col. Hayne Charlestown on the 4th of August, by order of lord Rawdon and executed. colonel Balfour.4 1 Annual Register. This Petition is dated, "Tower of London, Dec. 1, 1781;" and it" was presented to the House in the form in which it came out of Mr. Laurens's own hand, it being written by him in the Tower with a leaden pencil."- -Mr. Laurens was soon after released; but his confinement in the tower for more than 14 months, "so far undermined his constitution, that he never afterwards enjoyed good health." Ramsay. 2 This academy was founded by the Honourable John Phillips, LL.D. of Exeter. See A. D. 1780. 3 The committee, appointed to ascertain the proportions of the several states of the monies to be raised for the expenses of the ensuing year, reported the following proportions: New Hampshire 173,398 1307,506 Delaware 112,085 8,000,000 dol lars, or £1,800,000 sterling. By a statement of Robert Morris, Esq. from the Office of Finance, Oct. 15, 1781, it appears, that a subsidy, granted by the king of France to the United States, was Loan opened in Holland 6,000,000 livres 10,000,000 total sixteen million livres ; on the whole of which, after a deduction of 12,983,501 livres, there remained a balance of 3,016,499 livres. "This with the sum brought by colonel Laurens may be considered as of the value of about one million dollars, which is the utmost." See The Remembrancer, for the year 1782, Part II. 60-66. The loan in Holland was opened by Mr. J. Adams, 27 February, 1781. 4 After the reduction of Charlestown, colonel Hayne had, with some restrictions, subscribed a declaration of allegiance to the king of Great Britain; but VOL. II. 43 |