XLI. 1781. CHAP. army, being captured fighting in the American caufe, was condemned to death by a court of inquiry at Charlestown as a traitor. His execution occafioned a threatening proclamation from general Greene, and was the fubject of much public difcuffion in England, but the conduct of lord Rawdon was deemed completely justifiable', 4th Aug. 26th Aug. Batile at 22d Aug. 8th Sept. AFTER the departure of lord Rawdon, the chief command devolved on colonel Stewart. General Greene had already achieved, by valour, judgment, and perfeverance, the chief object of the campaign, recovering the principal part of South Carolina, and confining the English within the three great rivers Santee, Congaree, and Edifto. Being reinforced by a confiderable body of militia and other troops, he marched, as foon as the weather would permit, to attack the British army, who fell back from Wateree to Eutaw. Although colonel, Stewart was apprized of Greene's approach by two deferters, he gave no credit to their intelligence, but fent four hundred unarmed men on that very road, to procure vegetables, the greater part of whom were taken prifoners. The few who escaped fpread alarm, not unaccompanied with terror. An obftinate and bloody engagement however eufued, in which the artillery of both parties was feveral times taken and re-taken; both claimed the victory, and nearly feven hundred were flain, wounded, and miffing on each fide. The British having kept the field that night and the following day, retired to Monk's Corner, and fubfequently to Charlestown Neck, while general Greene, too much enfeebled to make an attempt on the city, regained his former encampment on the high hills of Santee; thus terminating the eventful campaign in South Carolina. See Papers on this fubject, Remembrancer, vol. xiii. p. 121. in the enfuing year, the provincial legiflature recompenfed the fervices of general Greene by the donation of an eftate of the value of ten thoufand guineas. See Remembrancer, vol. xiv. p. 140. XLI. DURING thefe tranfactions, Sir Henry Clinton was CHA P. prevented, by the reduced ftate of his force, from undertaking any diftant enterprize. Early in the year 1781. of the enemy General he felt confiderable apprehenfions for the fafety of Expedition New York. The French having attained a fupe- against Portf riority of naval power in confequence of the lofs of month. the Culloden man of war in a tempeft, while the 23d Jan America was feparated from the fleet, and the Bedford difmantled, their admiral, availing himself of this accident, blocked up the port of Portsmouth in Virginia, where general Arnold was established. General Washington embarked a large body of troops under La Fayette to act in that quarter, and entertained fanguine hopes of furrounding and capturing Arnold, but they were fruftrated by the languor and ineptitude of the French general and admiral; and the difpatch of a reinforcement of two thoufand men from New York, under general Phillips, enabled the British to refume offenfive operations. After completing the 26th Mar. fortification of Portsmouth, general Phillips ravaged Phillips the country, and deftroyed a large quantity of valu- ravages Virginia. able ftores, without lofs, and almoft without oppofition. Having achieved the objects of his march, and left a garrifon in the fmall fort at Mill Point, Phillips was preparing to re-join Sir Henry Clinton, according to his original inftructions, when he received intelligence of the march of lord Cornwallis, accompanied 7th May. with a request that the armies fhould unite at Petersburgh. Compliance with this demand was the laft sth. military act of general Phillips, who after a fhort ill- His death. nefs, died of a malignant fever, and the command again devolved on general Arnold. The junction of the armies was effected without difficulty, lord Cornwallis having reached Petersburgh, with only flight oppofition, at the head of fixteen hundred men, with four pieces of cannon. Is this interval, the commander in chief, unapprized of lord Cornwallis's movement, had fent a confiderable reinforcement to the army in Virginia, hoping to facilitate 24 20th May. Arrival of lord Cornwallis. XLI. 1781. CHAP, facilitate the return of all to co-operate in the defence of New York, which he confidered in danger of an attack. His further intentions were, if the city fhould be fecure, to move as high as poffible up the Chesapeak, and by the effect of an operation which had been preconcerted with general Haldimand, who commanded in Canada, to make an entire divifion between the united colonies, and, inclofing the armies, ravage on either fide, as circumstances might require. Lord Cornwallis, however, unacquainted with Clinton's views, expeditioufly croffed James river in purfuit of La Fayette, difpatching two bodies of troops, under colonels Tarleton and Simcoe, in different directions to deftroy ftores and provifions. Pursuit of LA FAYETTE refted his only hope in meeting with La Fayette. general Wayne, who was advancing to join him with a body of troops from Maryland. He retreated with fo much celerity that purfuit foon became hopeless, but the two detached expeditions were eminently Succefs of profperous. Colonel Tarleton, with his ufual speed colonel Tarleton, and colonel Simcoe. Defpair of and intrepidity, reached Charlotteville, and broke up the feffion of the general affembly of the province, taking seven of its members, and one member of the general congrefs, prifoners; Mr. Jefferfon, prefident of the province, narrowly efcaped. Tarleton in his progrefs deftroyed feveral waggons laden with clothing and ftores, and at Charlotteville a thoufand new firelocks, four hundred barrels of gun-powder, with confiderable quantities of tobacco and cloathing. COLONEL SIMCOE was equally fuccesful: the enemy, under baron Stuben, had removed to the oppofite fide of the river Fluvanna, but by an ingenious feint he induced them to abandon their stores, which were deftroyed by a small detachment under captain Stevenson and cornet Wolfey, who paffed the river in canoes. THE progrefs of the British army in pursuit of La the Ameri- Fayette was attended with general deftruction of ftores and property. The diftrefs of the Americans cans, XLI. 1781. was now extreme; their operations retarded by the CHA P. want of enthusiasm and public confidence, their paper currency fo much depreciated that it no longer anfwered the purposes of its emiffion, while the recent ravages in the hitherto favoured province of Virginia, completed the public defpair. The incapacity of congrefs to proceed in the contest was afcertained by intercepted dispatches, and the prisoners taken by colonel Tarleton reprefented, as the prevailing fentiment, that if Great Britain could hinder the intended cooperation of the French fleet and army with the native forces, during the enfuing autumn, the French alliance would be diffolved, and an union with the mother-country cordially embraced both by congrefs and the people". No exertion was neceffary on the part of the British armies; a fyftem ftudiously defenfive, preventing all fplendid advantages on the fide of their opponents, would have reduced them to defpair, and frustrated all hopes of ultimate fuccefs. againft BOTH the French and American commanders were Projects of fenfible of the neceffity of effecting fome great achieve-te enemy ment to reanimate the drooping caufe; and when M. New York. de Barras arrived with a fquadron of fhips, general Washington, in an interview with him and Rocham- 21ft May. beau, propofed an attack on New York. This appeared to be the only exploit of fufficient importance to claim their exertions, as the march of lord Cornwallis to Virginia was not yet known. Clinton re ginia. SIR HENRY CLINTON being apprized of these in- June. tentions, by an exprefs intercepted in the Jerfeys, for- quires troops warded dispatches to accelerate the return of the de- from Virtachments from Virginia. He did not, however, infift on their immediately quitting lord Cornwallis, if he was engaged in a movement which required their affiftance; or if he would employ them in co-operating with the loyalists in the upper part of the Chefapeak, and upon the Sufquehanna, which would have Tarleton's Campaigns, p. 297. made XLI. 1781. CHA P. made an effectual diverfion of general Washington's force. This plan not meeting the approbation of lord Cornwallis, he refolved to fend back the troops, and 30th June. according to his understanding of Sir Henry Clinton's dispatches, re-paffed James river, and retired to Portfmouth. 6th July. The order counter manded. 11th July. Lord Cornwallis ftationed at As the British troops were about to embark, La Fayette, who had joined general Wayne, made an approach to harass their rear, but, instead of gaining the expected advantage, was himself attacked, and night alone faved him from deftruction. Before the British troops could put to fea, Sir Henry Clinton wrote two difpatches, expreffing difapprobation at the abandonment of the neck of land at Williamsburgh, requiring lord Cornwallis to refume that pofition, and fortify himself in Old Point Comfort, as the best naval station which he could protect, with or without the addition of York Town, as he fhould find most convenient; and he was permitted to retain the troops which he had been required to return. IN pursuance of what he confidered to be the spirit of these instructions, lord Cornwallis furveyed Old York Town. Point Comfort, and finding neither that nor Portf mouth a fufficiently defenfive ftation for fhips, evacuated them, and fortified the towns of York and Gloucefter. 1ft to 22d Auguft. 6th July. The enemy York. 21ft & 23d. MEANWHILE general Washington having effected a menace New junction with Rochambeau, appeared more than once in force before New York, with the feeming intention of making an attack as foon as the co-operation of De Graffe could be ascertained; but on his arrival, his pilots refufing to fteer his fhips over the bar of New York, the attack was abandoned, and the united French and American armies, after feveral feints, marched across the Jerfeys to Philadelphia. 18th Aug. Arrival of De Graffe. 30th Aug. Arrival of ALTHOUGH the intention of count De Graffe to vifit America was well known, it was not conceived that he would employ his whole armament in that expedition, and neglect the convoy of the homeward bound |