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
pe