from Charleston to the Chesapeake. But the great scheme for capturing Arnold was not abandoned. A personal conference was held on the 6th of March, at Newport, Rhode Island, between Washington, Rochambeau, Destouches, and other French and American officers. It was there resolved to embark part of Rochambeau's army, amounting to eleven hundred men, under the command of the Baron de Viomenil, and to risk the whole of the French fleet to escort it. Notwithstanding a favourable wind, Destouches did not sail until the evening of the 8th, and he was soon followed by Admiral Arbuthnot, who brought him to action on the 16th of March, off Cape Henry. Arnold was saved by the delay in the sailing of the French fleet; for after an hour's fighting, the French bore up and ran to leeward. Next day, Destouches called a council of war, wherein it was resolved neither to risk another action, nor attempt ascending the Chesapeake; but to return instantly to Rhode Island, whence they came.* *Marshall, Tucker, Stedman. LA FAYETTE IN VIRGINIA. 147 On the 26th of March, Major-General Philips, who had been taken prisoner at Saratoga, and since exchanged for General Lincoln, arrived in the Chesapeake, with a reinforcement of two thousand men, from New York. He soon formed a junction with Arnold, and the small bodies of militia were everywhere put to flight. The whole country bordering on the bay was ravaged by Arnold, who finally marched to Petersburg, after an ineffectual resistance by Baron Steuben. Four thousand hogsheads of tobacco were destroyed in that place alone; and immense quantities of tobacco, flour, shipping, public and private stores, and private property, were taken and destroyed, in the neighbouring towns. On the 9th of May, they returned to Petersburg, where General Philips terminated his military services with his life. On the 20th of May, Lord Cornwallis reached Petersburg, having completed his march from Wilmington to that place in less than a month. He was joined by the forces which had been commanded by Philips, and a further reinforcement of fifteen hundred men, which had lately arrived from New York. General La Fayette had been ordered to join the southern army; but when the news of Philips's arrival in Virginia had reached head-quarters, he was ordered to defend that state. His forces were principally composed of soldiers from New England, who had a great dislike and dread of a campaign in the hot south; desertions, therefore, became so prevalent, that it was at one time feared that La Fayette would be left with none except his staff. The ardent Frenchman made strong appeals to the patriotism and pride of the troops, telling them, in an order of the day, that he was about to enter on a service of great importance, danger, and difficulty, and felt persuaded that they would not abandon him; but that if any individual was unwilling to accompany him, he would give him a permit to return. This measure was successful, and desertion almost wholly ceased. Their good disposition was cherished by a supply of money sufficient to purchase shoes, shirts, and some other articles for the use of the detachment. This money he raised among the merchants of Baltimore, on his own private 148 LA FAYETTE ESCAPES CORNWALLIS. bills of credit.* He soon after forced a march to Richmond, where he succeeded in saving the military stores from a visit of the enemy. Cornwallis advanced and crossed the South Anna or Pamunkey river, whence he sent off two expeditions; one to Charlotteville, the other to Point of Fork. Tarleton led the first, intending to surprise and capture the Assembly, which was in session at Charlotteville; he succeeded in making prisoners of seven of the members, and in destroying a large quantity of stores. The second, under Colonel Simcoe, was but partly successful, the Americans having previously removed the greater part of the stores from Point of Fork. Whilst La Fayette was effecting a junction with Wayne, who was coming to join him with eight hundred men of the Pennsylvania line, the British took post between the marquis and his stores, which had been removed from Richmond to Albemarle Old Court-House. Anxious to save the supplies, La Fayette marched after the British, and got within a few miles of their army, when they were two days' march from the place where they were deposited. Cornwallis was of opinion that the stores must of necessity fall into his hands, there being but two roads by which they could be reached, one of which he occupied. By taking the other road, the Americans would be liable to be attacked at a disadvantage by the British. The marquis, however, freed himself from this dilemma, by opening a shorter road in the night, which had long been disused, and which the British supposed impassable. Next day, June 18th, Lord Cornwallis found that the "boy," as he arrogantly styled La Fayette, had encamped between himself and the American stores, which were thus saved from capture. Cornwallis fell back to Richmond, and La Fayette was reinforced by Steuben's troops and the neighbouring militia, and his whole force was thus raised to four thousand men, one half of whom were regulars. Suspecting the American force * Marshall. CORNWALLIS'S STRATAGEM. 149 to be greater than it really was, Cornwallis retired to Williamsburg, and the marquis followed him cautiously. When near Williamsburg, Colonel Butler attacked the British rear under Colonel Simcoe, and a sharp engagement ensued, in which the Americans had the advantage; but the advance of the whole British army, compelled Butler to retire. Cornwallis had no intention of fighting a general battle, and he had just received orders from Sir Henry Clinton to send part of his troops back to New York, as the British commander-in-chief had learned, by intercepted letters written by Washington to Congress, that the Americans and French were contemplating a joint attack upon New York, as soon as the Count De Grasse should arrive with a fresh fleet. On the 4th of July, Cornwallis marched from Williamsburg to a ford across James's river, and sent part of his army to the opposite bank, in the Island of Jamestown. On the following day, the wheel-carriages were sent over to the island, and on the 7th, the baggage followed. La Fayette now supposed that nothing remained on his side the river but the rearguard of the British army, and encamped within nine miles of their camp, intending to assault their rear. Cornwallis suspected that an attempt of the kind would be made, and encamped the greater part of the main army in the most compact manner possible, whilst he displayed the troops on the island so as to induce the belief of the American scouts and light parties that the main body had crossed over. Believing this to be the fact, La Fayette detached some riflemen to harass their outposts, while he advanced at the head of the continental troops to cut off the rear. Every appearance, says Marshall, was calculated to countenance the opinion he had formed. The British light parties were driven in, and the picquets were forced by the riflemen, without much resistance; but an advanced post, which covered the encampment from the view of the Americans, was perseveringly maintained, although three of the officers commanding it were successively picked off by the riflemen. La Fayette, who arrived a little before sunset, suspected, from the obstinacy 150 WAYNE'S GALLANT CHARGE. with which this post was maintained, that it covered more than a rear-guard, and determined to reconnoitre the camp, and judge of its strength from his own observation. It was in a great measure concealed by woods; but from a tongue of land stretching into the river, he perceived the British force to be much more considerable. than he had supposed, and hastened to call off his men. He found Wayne closely engaged. A piece of artillery had been left weakly, defended, which Wayne determined to seize. Scarcely was the attempt made, when he discovered the whole British army, arranged in order for battle, moving out against him. To retreat was impossible; and the boldest had become the safest measure. Under this impression, he advanced rapidly, and, with his small detachment, not exceeding eight hundred men, made a gallant charge on the British line. A warm action ensued, which was kept up with great spirit, until the arrival of La Fayette, who, perceiving Wayne to be out-flanked both on the right and the left, ordered him to retreat, and form in a line with the light-infantry, who were drawn up, about half a mile in his rear. The whole party then saved itself behind a morass. Cornwallis did not im- Fortunately for La Fayette, Lord prove the advantage he had gained. stratagem of the American general to draw him into an ambuscade, a suspicion equally favoured by the hardiness and time of the attack, Cornwallis would allow no pursuit, but crossed over with his whole army in the night to Jamestown, whence he soon afterwards proceeded to Portsmouth.* The American loss in this bold attempt was one hundred and eight privates and ten officers, in killed and wounded; the British stated their whole loss at five officers and seventy privates. Two cannon also fell into the hands of the British. At Portsmouth, Lord Cornwallis embarked the troops that were required at New York; but before they sailed, he received fresh orders from the commander-in-chief, Sir Henry Clinton, to keep them where they were, as he had no longer * Marshall's Life of Washington. |