"The Compte de Graffe perceiving how difficult it was to bring Admiral Graves to action, and fearing that fome variation in the wind might put it in his power to enter the bay before him, determined to return to the Chesapeak, in order to continue his operations, and recover his abfent people. "The Glorieux and Diligente joined the fleet the 10th in the evening. On the 11th the two frigates, Richmond and Iris, which the evening before had come out of the bay, where they had cut away the buoys from the anchors of the French fhips which had been obliged to cut their cables to get the fooner under fail, fell into the hands of the Compte de Graffe, who the fame day anchored under Cape Henry, where the Compte de Barras had arrived the evening before; he had failed from Newport the 30th of Auguft. This arrival was of fo much the more confequence, as he had on board the artillery for carrying on the fiege. "The fleet, in this affair, had twenty-four fail of the line and two frigates. Admiral Graves, reinforced by Admiral Hood, had twenty fail of the line, and nine frigates and floops. He had failed from New York the 31st of Auguft, upon hearing of the movements Generals Washington and Rochambeau were making towards Philadelphia, and which then firft difcovered to the enemy, the projects intended to be executed. "By the confeffion of the English, five of their fhips were very much damaged, and particularly the Terrible, which they were obliged to burn. Only the fifteen headmost ships of the French could come into action; and they had only an equal number of the enemy against them, for the five fhips of the English rear-guard refused to come within cannon-shot. "The French fleet has loft in this action, M. Boades, Capitaine de Vaiffeau, commanding the Reflechi; Dupe D'Orvault, Lieut. de Vaiffeau, and Major of the Blue Squadron; Rhaab, Enfeigne de Vaiffeau, Suedois on board the Caton; de la Villeon, auxiliary officer on board the Diademe, eighteen were wounded, and about 200 men were killed and wounded. 66 The 18th, Generals Washington and Rochambeau came on board the Ville de Paris, to concert measures with M. de Graffe, for carrying on their future operations. "The 19th, M. de Choify paffed York river, with the Legion of Laufun, and 2000 American troops, to go and invest Gloucester, where the enemy had 1500 men; he received almost as foon as he arrived, a reinforcement of 800 men from the ships of war. "The fleet had quitted Lynnhaven bay, where the fhips did not lie in fafety, and moved above the middle ground and Horfe-fhoe, where they anchored in a line of battle within the entrance of those two banks, ready to oppose Admiral Graves, as he was reinforced by Admiral Digby, if he prefented himself to fuccour Lord Cornwallis; befides, this pofition gave means to haften the fiege by a greater fa. cility of transporting ammunition. Three fhips were now to block up the entrance of James river. "The "The 3d of October, the enemy, diftreffed for want of forage, drowned 200 horses. "On the night of the 6th and 7th, the trenches were opened both above and below York, within half cannon fhot of the town. The 8th, a battery erected by the Touraine regiment, obliged the Guadaloupe to cut her cables and run along shore under the protection of the batteries of the town. The fame day they fired red-hot fhot upon the Charon, and she was foon confumed. 66 Every thing was now ready for a general affault; when Lord Cornwallis, perceiving the great danger he was in, demanded on the 17th, a suspension of arms for twenty-four hours; only two were granted; and he fignified that he was ready to capitulate. "One day was employed to fettle the articles of capitulation. Four years before this event, (16th Oct. 1777) General Burgoyne figned the capitulation of Saratoga, where 6040 Brunswickers and Tories of the country furrendered themselves prisoners of war to general Gates. "The enemy had 800 killed; our lofs, with that of the Americans, was about 700 men. We have followed, for greater accuracy, the printed account, different journals, and particularly a copy of M. Rochambeau's, and others fent to us. "The ships arrived latt Tuesday are, the Provence, Victoire, Vaillant, and Triton, with the Ralieufe and Aigrette frigates. They quitted the Chesapeak, the 4th of this month, and M. de Graffe, four days after. The fleet of M. de Graffe is gone to Martinique, and the English are already failed for the windward islands." Note 233. Lift of the Killed and Wounded, together with the Number of Guns difmounted, in the action of September 5th. Capt. Robinson of the Shrewsbury had one of his legs shot off, and the first Lieutenant of the fame ship killed. VOL. VI. T Note Note 234. Comparative View of the Strength of the British and French Fleets, in the action off the Chesapeak. Guns and men-fuperiority in favour of the French. 414 6889 Note 235. Lift of the French Fleet under M. de Barras. Note 236. Lift of the French Squadron detached by the Comte de Graffe, under the command of M. de Villebrune, to Annapolis, in Maryland, to escort a body of troops under M. Viomefnil. Note 237. Strength of the Army under Earl Cornwallis. The 7th, 23d, 33d, part of the 60th, 63d, 64th, and 71st regiments, befides fome regiments of Heffians. Provincial Corps. Lieut.-Colonel Tarleton's Legion. Volunteers of Ireland, under Lord Rawdon. South Carolina Royalists, Col. Innes. Two battalions of De Lancey's. Lieut.-Col. Brown's Florida Rangers. Note 238. Letters that paffed between Sir Henry Clinton, and Earl Cornwallis. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, June 11th, 1781. Refers his Lordship again to the inftructions given to General Phillips, refpecting ftations on James and York Rivers. Since October laft had fent from New York to Chesapeak 7724 effectives; his Lordship might have 1500 or 2000 oppofed, to him feems to blame his lordship for not cutting off Fayette; is himfelf threatened with a fiege, his whole effective force only 10,931, and the enemy might collect 20,000, befides reinforcements from the French, which, from pretty good authority, he had reafon to expect. Therefore, if his Lordship did not adopt his ideas of moving to Baltimore, or Delaware Hook, he begged leave to recommend it to him to take a defensive station on any healthy fpot, be it at Williamsburg or Yorktown; and then to fend him, in fucceffion, the two battalions, light infantry 43d, 76th, or 8oth; two battalions of Anfpach, Queen's T 2 Rangers, Rangers, cavalry and infantry; the remains of the detachment of 17th Light Dragoons, and fuch a proportion of artillery as he could fpare. Lord Cornwallis, in his answer, dated Williamsburgh, June 30th, 1781, fays," Upon viewing York, I was clearly of opinion it far exceeds our powers, confiftent with your plans, to make fafe "and defenfive pofts there and at Gloucefter." That when he had paffed James River, he should dispatch as many troops as the tranfports could carry. That when he faw Portsmouth, he should give his opinion what number of men would be wanted for it, or any post that might be thought more proper. Submitted it to Sir Henry's confideration, as there was little chance of being able to establish a poft for the effectual protection of ships of war, whether it was worth while to hold a fickly defenfive poft, which would always be expofed to a fudden French attack, and which experience had now shewn made no diverfion in favour of the Southern army. "From the "ftate of Lord Rawdon's health, it is impoffible that he can re"main, for which reason, although the command in that quarter can "only be attended with mortification and disappointment; yet, as "I came to America with no other view than to endeavour to be ufe"ful to my country, and as I do not think it poffible to render any "service in a defenfive fituation here, I am willing to repair to "Charlestown, if you approve of it. Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis, to Sir Henry Clinton, dated New York, Dec. 2d. 1781. " SIR, "Yesterday afternoon I was honoured with your Excellency's letter, dated the 30th Novewber. "I do not recollect that any conversation paffed between us, the other day, before the publication of my letter, relative to my taking poffeffion of the pofts of York and Gloucefter. But in my answer to your dispatches, dated the 8th and 11th of July, directing me fo pofitively to poffefs a harbour in the Chefapeak, for line of battle fhips, your Excellency will fee, that after finding that works on Point Comfort could not protect a naval force in Hampton Road, I thought that I acted in ftrict obedience to your orders, by taking poffeffion of thofe pofts. I thought it unneceffary to enter into a minute detail of the disadvantages of the ground, either on my first examination of it in the month of June, or on my return to it in Auguft; because, on the first occafion, as I have already had the honour of explaining to your excellency, I did not, after feeing it, entertain for a moment an idea of occupying it, not thinking myself at liberty by the inftructions, under which I then acted, to detain the greatest part of the force in Virginia, for the purpose of securing a harbour |