At length the governor and commander of the forces "thought they should be wanting in humanity to the brave soldiers who had behaved so long with such fidelity and courage if they should subject them to all the horrors of an assault, which, from the superior numbers of the enemy, and the ruinous condition of the place, could not fail to succeed. They therefore proposed a cessation of arms on the 12th of February, for adjusting the terms of capitulation, which was done, as the Marquis de Bouillé did not impose hard terms on the soldiers of a garrison who had acquitted themselves so well and had suffered so much."[103] The garrison marched through the breach with drums beating and colours flying, and, having laid down their arms, the militia proceeded to their homes, and the regular troops were sent to England, on condition that they should be considered as prisoners of war until exchanged. Brigadier-General Fraser observed, in his despatch:--"Notwithstanding the event has proved unfortunate, I should be wanting in doing justice to the troops under my command if I concluded without saying that both officers and soldiers deserve the highest commendation. Under a constant fire of shot and shells, night and day (that I doubt has, in any instance, been exceeded), the officers showed a constant and universal cheerfulness, and by their example the soldiers bore the greatest fatigue with a firmness that deserves my acknowledgments." The loss sustained by the battalion during this siege was, Lieutenants Wilson and Clerk, Quarter-master Shungar, 3 serjeants, 2 drummers, and 22 rank and file, killed; Captains Wallace and Buckeridge, Surgeon Young, 6 serjeants, 4 drummers, and 84 rank and file, wounded; 2 private men missing. After the capitulation the battalion proceeded to England, where it arrived in May, and, its exchange having been settled, it resumed military duty. [Sidenote: Both Batts.] On the 9th of May, 1782, the Duke of Argyle was removed to the 3rd Foot Guards; and the Colonelcy of the ROYAL Regiment was conferred on Lord Adam Gordon, fourth son of Alexander, second Duke of Gordon. [Sidenote: 1783] [Sidenote: 2nd Batt.] [Sidenote: 1784] [Sidenote: 1st Batt.] [Sidenote: 1790] Both battalions remained in England until the autumn of 1783, when, peace having been concluded, the second battalion embarked for Ireland, from whence it proceeded, in the following year, to Gibraltar to relieve the Hanoverian corps, which had been performing duty in that garrison during the war. At the same time the first battalion proceeded from England to Ireland, where it remained until January, 1790, when it embarked for the West Indies to relieve the 3rd Foot, and on its arrival at its destination it was stationed at Jamaica. [Sidenote: 2nd Batt.] [Sidenote: 1793]