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Yorktown, Virginia, USA. British and American officers met in this house to draw up the fourteen articles of capitulation, the surrender of British forces under Cornwallis. On October 17, 1781, fighting ceased after a British office held up a white handkerchief. The next day negotiations commenced and were signed on the morning of October 19. Later in the day, on a large field a few miles away, the British troops lay down arms and formally surrendered. Cornwallis, feigning illness, did not attend the surrender, sending a lower rank officer in his stead. The subordinate officer, not wanting to recognize the American victors, offered his sword to Lafayette, who deferred to George Washington. He refused to accept the sword, except from Cornwallis, so he had a second officer accept the sword.