； and poured their fire into each other。 When night came the British had about three hundred and fifty casualties and the French about two hundred。 There was no brilliant leadership on either side。 One of Graves's largest ships； the Terrible； was so crippled that he burnt her； and several others were badly damaged。 Admiral Hood； one of Graves's officers； says that if his leader had turned suddenly and anchored his ships across the mouth of the Bay； the French Admiral with his fleet outside would probably have sailed away and left the British fleet in possession。 As it was the two fleets lay at sea in sight of each other for four days。 On the morning of the tenth the squadron from Newport under Barras arrived and increased Grasse's ships to thirty…six。 Against such odds Graves could do nothing。 He lingered near the mouth of the Chesapeake for a few days still and then sailed away to New York to refit。 At the most critical hour of the whole war a British fleet； crippled and spiritless； was hurrying to a protecting port and the fleurs…de…lis waved unchallenged on the American coast。 The action of Graves spelled the doom of Cornwallis。 The most potent fleet ever gathered in those waters cut him off from rescue by sea。
Yorktown fronted on the York River with a deep ravine and swamps at the back of the town。 From the land it could on the west side be approached by a road leading over marshes and easily defended； and on the east side by solid ground about half a mile wide now protected by redoubts and entrenchments with an outer and an inner parallel。 Could Cornwallis hold out？ At New York； no longer in any danger； there was still a keen desire to rescue him。 By the end of September he received word from Clinton that reinforcements had arrived from England and that； with a fleet of twenty…six ships of the line carrying five thousand troops； he hoped to sail on the 5th of October to the rescue of Yorktown。 There was delay。 Later Clinton wrote that on the basis of assurances from Admiral Graves he hoped to get away on the twelfth。 A British officer in New York describes the hopes with which the populace watched these preparations。 The fleet； however； did not sail until the 19th of October。 A speaker in Congress at the time said that the British Admiral should certainly hang for this delay。
On the 5th of October； for some reason unexplained； Cornwallis abandoned the outer parallel and withdrew behind the inner one。 This left him in Yorktown a space so narrow that nearly every part of it could be swept by enemy artillery。 By the 11th of October shells were dropping incessantly from a distance of only three hundred yards； and before this powerful fire the earthworks crumbled。 On the fourteenth the French and Americans carried by storm two redoubts on the second parallel。 The redoubtable Tarleton was in Yorktown； and he says that day and night there was acute danger to any one showing himself and that every gun was dismounted as soon as seen。 He was for evacuating the place and marching away； whither he hardly knew。 Cornwallis still held Gloucester； on the opposite side of the York River； and he now planned to cross to that place with his best troops； leaving behind his sick and wounded。 He would try to reach Philadelphia by the route over which Washington had just ridden。 The feat was not impossible。 Washington would have had a stern chase in following Cornwallis； who might have been able to live off the country。 Clinton could help by attacking Philadelphia； which was almost defenseless。
As it was； a storm prevented the crossing to Gloucester。 The defenses of Yorktown were weakening and in face of this new discouragement the British leader made up his mind that the end was near。 Tarleton and other officers condemned Cornwallis sharply for not persisting in the effort to get away。 Cornwallis was a considerate man。 〃I thought it would have been wanton and inhuman；〃 he reported later； 〃to sacrifice the lives of this small body of gallant soldiers。〃 He had already written to Clinton to say that there would be great risk in trying to send a fleet and army to rescue him。 On the 19th of October came the climax。 Cornwallis surrendered with some hundreds of sailors and about seven thousand soldiers； of whom two thousand were in hospital。 The terms were similar to those which the British had granted at Charleston to General Lincoln； who was now charged with carrying out the surrender。 Such is the play of human fortune。 At two o'clock in the afternoon the British marched out between two lines； the French on the one side； the Americans on the other； the French in full dress uniform； the Americans in some cases half naked and barefoot。 No civilian sightseers were admitted； and there was a respectful silence in the presence of this great humiliation to a proud army。 The town itself was a dreadful spectacle with； as a French observer noted； 〃big holes made by bombs； cannon balls； splinters； barely covered graves； arms and legs of blacks and whites scattered here and there； most of the houses riddled with shot and devoid of window…panes。〃
On the very day of surrender Clinton sailed from New York with a rescuing army。 Nine days later forty…four British ships were counted off the entrance to Chesapeake Bay。 The next day there were none。 The great fleet had heard of the surrender and had turned back to New York。 Washington urged Grasse to attack New York or Charleston but the French Admiral was anxious to take his fleet back to meet the British menace farther south and he sailed away with all his great array。 The waters of the Chesapeake； the scene of one of the decisive events in human history； were deserted by ships of war。 Grasse had sailed； however； to meet a stern fate。 He was a fine fighting sailor。 His men said of him that he was on ordinary days six feet in height but on battle days six feet and six inches。 None the less did a few months bring the British a quick revenge on the sea。 On April 12； 1782； Rodney met Grasse in a terrible naval battle in the West Indies。 Some five thousand in both fleets perished。 When night came Grasse was Rodney's prisoner and Britain had recovered her supremacy on the sea。 On returning to France Grasse was tried by court…martial and； though acquitted； he remained in disgrace until he died in 1788； 〃weary；〃 as he said； 〃of the burden of life。〃 The defeated Cornwallis was not blamed in England。 His character commanded wide respect and he lived to play a great part in public life。 He became Governor General of India； and was Viceroy of Ireland when its restless union with England was brought about in 1800。
Yorktown settled the issue of the war but did not end it。 For more than a year still hostilities continued and； in parts of the South； embittered faction led to more bloodshed。 In England the news of Yorktown caused a commotion。 When Lord George Germain received the first despatch he drove with one or two colleagues to the Prime Minister's house in Downing Street。 A friend asked Lord George how Lord North had taken the news。 〃As he would have taken a ball in the breast；〃 he replied； 〃for he opened his arms； exclaiming wildly； as he paced up and down the apartment during a few minutes； 'Oh God！ it is all over；' words which he repeated many times； under emotions of the deepest agitation and distress。〃 Lord North might well be agitated for the news meant the collapse of a system。 The King was at Kew and word was sent to him。 That Sunday evening Lord George Germain had a small dinner party and the King's letter in reply was brought to the table。 The guests were curious to know how the King took the news。 〃The King writes just as he always does；〃 said Lord George； 〃except that I observe he has omitted to mark the hour and the minute of his writing with his usual precision。〃 It needed a heavy shock to disturb the routine of George III。 The King hoped no one would think that the bad news 〃makes the smallest alteration in those principles of my conduct which have directed me in past time。〃 Lesser men might change in the face of evils； George III was resolved to be changeless and never； never； to yield to the coercion of facts。
Yield； however； he did。 The months which followed were months of political commotion in England。 For a time the ministry held its majority against the fierce attacks of Burke and Fox。 The House of Commons voted that the war must go on。 But the heart had gone out of British effort。 Everywhere the people were growing restless。 Even the ministry acknowledged that the war in America must henceforth be defensive only。 In February； 1782； a motion in the House of Commons for peace was lost by only one vote； and in March； in spite of the frantic expostulations of the King； Lord North resigned。 The King insisted that at any rate some members of the new ministry must be named by himself and not； as is the British constitutional custom； by the Prime Minister。 On this； too； he had to yield； and a Whig ministry； under the Marquis of Rockingham； took office in March； 1782。 Rockingham died on the 1st of July； and it was Lord Shelburne； later the Marquis of Lansdowne； under whom the war came to an end。 The King meanwhile declared that he would return to Hanover rather than yield the independence of the colonies。