He could not escape to
the north or the east, for Washington's army shut him in.
Still for a few days the British made a gallant stand. But their
ammunition was running short, their defenses were crumbling to
bits, and on the 19th of October, almost four years to a day after
Burgoyne's surrender to Gates, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington.
Two days later the British soldiers marched out with flags furled,
while the bands played a tune called "The World Turned Upside Down."
To them indeed the world must have seemed turned upside down, for
the all-conquering British had been conquered at last, and that by
a nation of farmers unskilled in war. Yet they may have found some
comfort in the thought that after all they had been beaten by their
equals, by men of their own race.
On either side there was the same grit and endurance, the same
love of fair play. But added to that the Americans had fought for
a great cause. Their hearts were in it, as the hearts of the British
had never been. This was their great advantage. This nerved their
arm.
For two years after this Clinton still held New York, but there was
no more fighting between the regular armies, and the surrender of
Cornwallis may be said to have ended the war. When Lord North heard
the news he was distracted with grief. He dashed wildly up and down
the room, waving his arms and crying over and over again, "O God,
it is all over, it is all over.
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