BOOK longer dared to appear; but were compelled, after XXI. several had been sunk in the attempt, to abandon 1782. their ships to the flames, or to the mercy of the English. The distress of the enemy was now wrought up to the highest pitch of calamity; and the British officers and seamen, seeing all resistance at an end, now exerted themselves to the utmost to save the vanquished foe, and their humanity was, at the close of this memorable conflict, no less conspicuous than their valor. Captain Curtis, in particular, exposed himself to the most imminent personal danger; and his pinnace was almost in contact with one of the largest batteries at the moment of explosion. .In the end the floating batteries were all consumed; and the loss of the Spaniards, exclusive of that sustained by the troops on the isthmus, was computed at one thousand five hundred men, whilst that of the garrison amounted to less than one-third of the number. In the mean time lord Howe, who commanded the grand fleet, consisting of thirty-four sail of the line, was on his passage from Portsmouth in order to throw succours into the fortress. He arrived at Cape St. Vincent the 9th of October, and on the 11th he passed the Straits, where the combined fleets had for some time been stationed in order to intercept him; but a violent tempest drove XXI. 1782 them upon the Barbary coast, and prevented all BOOK possibility of attack. The St. Michael, of 72 guns, having separated from the fleet, ran on shore on the rock of Gibraltar, and was taken possession of by the garrison. After fully executing the purpose of his destination, lord Howe set sail for England. The enemy making their appearance off Cape St. Vincent, October 20, the British admiral lay-to, in order to receive them; but they kept at so great a distance, that the cannonade, which lasted from about five in the afternoon till ten at night, did little damage; and his lordship having no pressing reasons for renewing the fight against so superior a force, continued his voyage without further molestation to Portsmouth. The governor of Gibraltar, general Elliot, for his gallant and heroic defence of that fortress, was raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Heathfield, and a pension annexed to the title equal in amount to that granted to sir George Rodney. This was the last transaction of importance during the continuance of the war in Europe; and thus the military career of Britain, after her repeated misfortunes, terminated with great splendor and éclat. All the belligerent powers were now inclined to listen to overtures of pacification. The independence of America being virtually recognized by England, and a resolution against offensive operations having passed the house of commons, the war BOOK with the colonies was in fact at an end. The oriXXI. 1782. articles of America signed at Paris, Nov. 1782. ginal purpose of France being accomplished, she could have no motive to persevere in a contest, the expence of which was enormous, and the further success uncertain. Spain, after extraordinary exertions, having failed in both her grand objects, the recovery of Gibraltar, and the conquest of Jamaica, had little reason to flatter herself that her future efforts would be more effectual than the past; and Holland would have neither the inclination nor ability to continue the war alone. Provisional During the negotiation with France and Spain, peace with protracted chiefly in consequence of the demand in which Spain for some time resolutely persisted of the cession of Gibraltar, provisional articles of pacification between Great Britain and America were signed on the 30th of November 1782, by which the thirteen provinces were declared free and independent States; and by a boundary line very favorable to America, the whole country southward of the lakes on both sides of the Ohio, and eastward of the Mississippi, was ceded to the colonies, with a full participation of the fisheries on the Banks of Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Laurence. In return for which the congress engaged to RECOMMEND to the several states to provide for the restitution of the confiscated estates of the loyalists. But this recommendation eventually proved, as might have easily been foreseen, nugatory and XXI. useless; and this wretched portion of his majesty's BOOK deluded subjects migrated in great numbers to the inhospitable wilds of Nova Scotia and the barren shores of the Bahamas. Dr. FRANKLIN, so lately the subject of the vilest and grossest abuse, had now the glory of signing this treaty on the part of the United Statesthe intelligence of which was received in America with emotions of exultation and rapture. The definitive treaty was not however signed till the following year, at the close of which, New York, Charlestown, and Savannah, the only places in the possession of the English, were finally evacuated; and general Washington made his public entry into the first of these cities as soon as the royal army was withdrawn. The rejoicings on this occasion were celebrated with patriotic enthusiasm; after which an affecting leave was taken by the general of the friends and companions of his warfare, who accompanied him on his return to his own province, in silent and solemn procession, to the banks of the North River. When the barge quitted the shore, he waved his hat, bidding them for the last time adieu. To this valediction, fixing their regards on their beloved commander till they could no longer distinguish his person, they replied by acclamations. intermingled with suppressed sobs and involuntary In every town and village through which tears. 1782. BOOK the general passed he was received with the highest demonstrations of gratitude and joy. XXI. 1782. Gen. Washington re When he arrived at Annapolis, he signified to signs his congress his intention to resign the command he commission had the honor to hold in their service, referring to them the mode in which it should be done. They resolved it should be in a public audience. When the day fixed for that purpose arrived, the hall of the senate-house was crowded with personages of the highest merit and distinction; and general Washington, addressing the president in a speech remarkable only for its dignified simplicity, "demanded leave to surrender into their hands the trust committed to him, and, having finished the work assigned him, to retire from the great theatre of action to the tranquil scenes of private life, earnestly recommending to the protection of Almighty GoD the interests of his dear country, and those who have the superintendance of them to his holy keeping." To this address the president replied in words to the following purport :-" The United States in congress assembled receive with emotions too affecting for utterance the solemn resignation of the authority under which you have led our troops with success through a perilous and doubtful war. Called upon by your country to defend its invaded rights, you accepted the sacred charge before it had formed alliances, and whilst it was without friends |