CHAPTER XVIII.

Events of 1781 continued.-Capture of Mr. Laurens on his way to Holland.-Maryland accedes to the confederation.-Death of General Phillips.—Cornwallis enters Virginia. Marquis de la Fayette forms a junction with General Wayne.—American stores destroyed at the Point of Fork.-Baron Steuben escapes with his levies-Tarleton enters Charlotteville-Narrow escape of the Governour and Legislature of Virginia-Extensive destruction of Tobacco and other American property by the British army.— The enemy are intercepted by the Marquis in their attempt upon Albemarle-Baron Steuben succeeds in joining the MarquisCornu allis retires down the James river-Skirmish between Butler and Simcoe on the Chickahominy-Battle of Greenspring-Cornwallis crosses the river and retires to Portsmouth-Moves from thence to York and Gloucester.-Affairs of the North-Washington and Count Rochambeau plan an attack against New-York-Sir Henry Clinton is deceived, and the allied armies move to Virginia.-Arrival of the Count de Grasse.-Action between the French and British fleets off the Capes of Virginia.-The Count de Barras enters the Chesapeake. -Washington joins the Marquis de la Fayette and St. Cimon at Williamsburg.-The combined armies move towards Fork.— General Greene moves from the hills of Santee.-Execution of Colonel Hayne at Charleston.-Temper with which Greene marches to the enemy-Battle of the Eutaw Springs-The enemy retire to Charleston.-Expedition of Arnold against NewLondon.

SLOW as had been the progress of the United States towards independence at home, the success of their correspondence abroad, had been great beyond their most sanguine hopes and expectations. Russia was almost the only European power which had refused to receive their agents, or to acknowledge their independence; France and Spain were already among

their allies, and the late declaration of war by Great Britain against the Dutch united Provinces, gave fair prospects that that power would soon unite in the alliance. This event, so advantageous to the United States, had been brought about by the capture of Mr. Laurens, late president of Congress, who had been appointed envoy to Holland, with suitable instuctions to improve the good disposition which had been manifested by the Batavian Provinces towards the United States, and prepare the way for their admission of a Minister plenipotentiary. The papers found upon Mr. Laurens, fully explained the nature of his mission, and the part which had been taken by Holland, against which an immediate declaration of war was published. Mr. Laurens was committed to the tower as a state prisoner, and treated with rigorous severity. His capture and confinemeut, made it necessary for Congress to appoint some other person to Holland, and Mr. John Adams then in France, was accordingly commissioned as Minister Plenipotentiary to the States General.

On the 1st of March the representatives in Congress from the state of Maryland, in pursuance of an act of their legislature, passed on the 1st of January, signed the articles of confederation, and thus completed the ratification of that instrument, notice of which was immediately given to the ministers in Europe, with directions to communicate the circumstance to the courts at which they respectively resided.

We have seen that the Marquis de la Fayette, finding himself unable to intercept the progress of General Phillips to Petersburg, and urged by General Greene to avoid a general action, retired with his army to the north side of the James river, a few miles

below Richmond. General Philips, who had made a rapid movement to that city, by order of Lord Cornwallis, lived but a few days after his entrance into it; he had been for some time ill with a billious fever, and died on the 13th May. Cornwallis, having met with little or no interruption in his march from Wilmington, entered Petersburg on the 20th. The army of his lordship was now so considerable, (being increased by various reinforcements to near 8000,) that he did not scruple to express his contempt for his adversary, and flatter himself with the assurance that Virginia would soon yield to the power of his arms. The whole force of the Marquis did not exceed half that number, and nearly three fourths of them were raw militia, officered, however, for the most part, by gentlemen who had gained considerable experience in the continental service. Cornwallis remained no longer at Petersburg, than was necessary to give information to Sir Henry Clinton of his situation and views, and to his officers in the south, such orders as his future expectations dictated, and on the 24th of May, moved with the army to James River. Having crossed it at Westover, he proceeded to White Oak Swamp. The Marquis de la Fayette, being in no condition to do more than watch his motions, moved at a cautious distance, and took a position behind the Chickahominy, on the road to Falmouth, where the Virginians had a valuable manufactory of arms. Here also he hoped to form a junction with General Wayne, who had been detached from the north with a reinforcement for the army in Virginia.

Cornwallis, who knew that Wayne was on his march, was desirous of forcing la Fayette into bat

tle before the junction could take place, and with this view followed him with great celerity across the Chickahominy; but the Marquis disappointed his lordship, by retiring beyond the Pamunky, Lieutenant Colonel Mercer having joined him on the march with a new raised troop of dragoons. Here he was greatly alarmed at the appearance of the light corps of the enemy under Tarleton, and began reluctantly to prepare for battle, supposing the whole British army to be near at hand; but finding that Tarleton's party was no more than a patrole considerably in advance of the pursuing army, the Marquis continued his retreat, and after a series of masterly manoeuvres in which he displayed great prudence, he effected a junction with Wayne at Racoon Ford. This gave an addition of 800 Pennsylvanians to his force; but the disproportion between himself and his adversary was still too great to permit him to think of battle.

Lord Cornwallis finding that the Marquis daily increased the distance between them, at length gave up the pursuit, and contrary to the wise policy which had generally dictated his iordship's measures, turned his attention to objects of minor importance, at the moment when it was in his power, by a vigorous pursuit of la Fayette with the mounted men of his army, either to have prevented his junction with Wayne, or to have brought their united forces to battle under circumstances that must have ensured him victory. Two expeditions were devised by his lordship: the one, for the capture of the American stores which lay at Point Fork, (at the confluence of the Rivannah and Fluvannah, whose union forms the James River) under the protection of the Baron Steuben with 4 or 500 new levies: the other for seizing

the members of the legislature then convened at Charlotteville.

The first of these expeditions was entrusted to Lieutenant Colonel Simcoe with the Queen's Rangers and the Yagers; the other to Tarleton, who in addition to his legion, had under him one company of the 23d regiment. Cornwallis with the main body, followed the former. Baron Steuben received timely information of the intentions of the enemy, and having removed all the stores to the southern banks of the Fluvannah, crossed over with his troops, just as Simcoe reached the Point. The Baron who was only apprised of Tarleton's motions, was deceived by the appearance of Simcoe into a belief that the whole British army were near bim, and thought it adviseable, therefore, to make a rapid retreat during the night, leaving all his stores to fall a sacrifice to the

enemy.

Tarleton, in the mean time, pressed forward to Charlotteville, and entered the town with such celerity, that the members of the Assembly had great difficulty in saving themselves from his hands by a hasty adjournment: seven of them, indeed, were taken, and a considerable quantity of military stores and tobac co, which had been deposited here, was destroyed. Mr. Jefferson, the Governour, narrowly escaped being taken. Several of the convention troops of Burgoyne, which were cantoned in the vicinity of the town, deserted to Tarleton, while he remained. Having accomplished his object, the British Colonel rejoined Cornwallis, who had by this time reached the Point of Fork with the main army, and on the 10th of June, was despatched on another expedition to Albemarle old court-house, to which place the stores