"Every thing now verged to the dreaded crisis. The fire of the
besiegers was heavy and unintermitted. The British could not
return a gun, and the shells, their last resource, were nearly
exhausted. They were themselves worn down with sickness and
continual watching. A few hours it appeared must infallibly
decide their fate. And if any thing were still wanting, the
French ships which had entered the mouth of the river, seemed
prepared to second the general assault on their side. In this
situation, lord Cornwallis, not less calm and humane, than he
was intrepid, chose not to sacrifice the lives of so many brave
men to a point of honour, but the same day proposed to general
Washington a cessation of twenty four hours, in order mutually
to adjust the terms of capitulation.
"The troops which surrendered in the posts of York and
Gloucester amounted to between five and six thousand men, but
there were not above three thousand eight hundred of these in a
capacity for actual service. They were all obliged to become
prisoners of war. Fifteen hundred seamen were included in the
capitulation. The commander, unable to obtain terms for the
loyal Americans, was obliged to have recourse to a sloop,
appointed to carry his dispatches, and which he stipulated
should pass unsearched, to convey them to New York.
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