At half-past four in the afternoon, the proposals of Cornwallis were received; but they were so general in their nature, that the Viscount de Noailles and Colonel Laurens, on the part of the allied armies, and Colonel Dundas and Major Ross, of the British army, were charged with preparing other terms of capitulation, for official signature. These were completed on the eighteenth. On the nineteenth they were signed at Yorktown, by Cornwallis and Thomas Symonds of the Royal Navy, who led the attack upon Fort Sullivan (Moultrie) in 1776; and, “In the trenches, before Yorktown, in Virginia,” by George Washington and Le Compte de Rochambeau, and by Le Compte de Barras for himself and Le Compte de Grasse. At twelve o’clock, noon, the two redoubts on the left flank of Yorktown were delivered, one to American infantry, and the other to French Grenadiers. At one o’clock, two works on the Gloucester side of the river were respectively delivered to French and American troops. At two o’clock, P.M., the garrison of York marched to the appointed place of surrender in front of the post, with shouldered arms, colors cased, and drums beating a British march; grounded their arms, and returned to their encampments to await a temporary location in the States of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. At three o’clock, P.M., the Gloucester garrison also marched forth—the cavalry with drawn swords and trumpets sounding, and the infantry as prescribed for the garrison of York. The terms of surrender were the same as those observed when General Lincoln surrendered Charleston to Cornwallis, in 1780; and when General O’Hara, on account of the illness of General Cornwallis, tendered the sword of that officer to General Washington, as the pledge of surrender, he was graciously referred to General Lincoln as its recipient, and that officer as graciously returned it. The land forces became prisoners to the United States, and the marine forces to the naval army of France. (See Appendix F.) On the twentieth, Washington issued an order of congratulation to the allied army, in the following words: “Divine service is to be performed to-morrow in the several brigades and divisions. The Commander-in-Chief earnestly recommends that the troops not on duty should universally attend, with that seriousness of deportment and gratitude of heart which the recognition of such reiterated and astonishing interpositions of Providence demand of us.” The American army which paraded on that Thanksgiving Day was not the same army that began the war. The one central figure, Washington, the Commander-in-Chief, is present. Some, crowned with well-deserved honors, are serving in the Halls of Congress. Some, worn out in service, have retired from active duty. All who had inordinate ambition, and cared more for self than country, have dropped from the Army Roster.