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A R L ' C O R N W A L L I S. ) LONDON: ^-^r J. llEBRETT, (Succeflbr to Mr. AlmoN,) .Y J \M / mm 'm^ % •ifri if \\ 'J I --* < » --^■^^ ^ j4 ♦ M .» .#t»- i 4>. !\4(iA' r t\ ■ Ms" 4 ....*, '* • ! , THE * '. I i I . > . < INTRODUCTION. •C^ ! ':0 5. TH E feelings, which di£l^ate this publica- tion, have originated from the contents of a Narrative, figned oy Sir Henry Clinton, late Commander in Chief in America. In which Narrative, events are attributed to my condudl during the campaign of 1781, which, I trufl, it will appear, were by no means the xinavoidable confequences of any part of it. * The materials, hitherto produced, cannot be deemed complete, either in form or fubftance. There were many deficiencies in the papers laid before the Houfe of Lords ; in particular, four letters, dated July the 24th, Auguft the 1 6th, 20th, and 22d, from me to Sir Henry Clinton, were wanting ; one of which con- tained my reafons at lac|g! for undertaking the b '-^^ march % -s ll INTRODUCTION. march into Virginia : This omiflion, as the Secretary of State informed the Houfc, was owing to their not having heen tranfmitted hy the Commander in Chief. Four other letters (three of them dated the 2d, 27th, and 30th of Anguft, and one the 14th, ijth, and i8th of Odober) from Sir Henry CHnton to me, were read to the Lords, according to the order of their dates ; although they were only deli- vered to me, by the Secretary to the Comman- der in Chief, in the latter end of November, at New- York, above a month after my furren- der ; and confeq' *^ntly, their contents could not influence mj .datft in any manner. , I own I am perfectly aware of the impro- priety of publiihlng official letters for private reafons ; but, fmce the meafu^-es with refped to America have now undergone a total change, I hope, I fhall in fome degree ftand excufej for producing the whole corrcfpondence, in my pofleflion, relative to the principal tranfadlions of that campaign ; as it is the moft candid and complete mode, in my power, of Submitting them to the public confideration. The perufal of this Corrcfpondence will, t think, render not only the military, but every other reader a competent judge of the propricr #1 . ^7 4 • •• INTRODUCTION. ty of my condud, either when I a(9;ed under pofitive orders, prefTing contingencies, or dif- cretionary powers. It is foreign to tlie prefent purpofe, and I fliall therefore not endeavour to enumerate the many difficulties, Avhich I had to ftruggle with, in my command of the Southern dif- tri(5t, previous to the march into North Caro- lina, in the beginning of the year 1781. This meafure was thought expedient not only by me, but by the Commander in Chief: I was principally induced to decide in favour of • its expediency from a clear conviclion, that the men and treafures of Britain would be laviftied in vain upon the American war, without the mofl adive exertions of the troops allotted for that fervice ; and, that, while the enemy cou!4 draw their lupplies from North Carolina an4 Virginia, the defence of the frontier of South . Carolina, even againft an inferior army, would be from its extent, the nature of the climate, and the difpofition of the .inhabitants, utterly impradicable. The many untoward circimi- flances, wiiich occurred during the four months fucceeding the complete vidlory of Camden, . had entirely confirmed me in this opinion. Our hopes of fuccefs, in ofFenfive operations. ^ % * b 1^ were M 4 iv INTRODUCTION. were not founded only upon the efforts of the corps under my immediate command, whidi did not much exceed three thoufand men ; but principally, upon the moft pofitive afluranccs, given by apparently credible depu- ties and emiflliries, that, upon the appearance of a Britilh army in North Carolina, a great body of the inhabitants were ready to join and co-operate with it, in endeavouring to reflorc his Majefty's Government. The difafter of the 1 7th of January can- not be imputed to any defedl in my condudl, as the detachment was certainly fuperior to the force againft which it was fent, and put under the command of an officer of experience and tried abilities. This misfortune, however, did not appear irretrievable ; and to have aban- doned, without abfolute neceflity, the plan of the campaign, would have been ruinous and difgraceful : ruinous, by engaging us in a de- fcnfive fyftem, the impra£^,icability of which I have already ftated ; and difgraceful, becaufe the reafons for the undertaking ilili exifled in their full ftrength, the public faith was pledged to our friends in North Carolina, and I believed my remaining force to be fuperior to that under the command of General Greene. ....; 4 ^ Xhat M )rts of imand, oufand lofitivc dcpu- M ranee a great )in and reflore INTRODUCTION. fr That this opinion was well founded, th^ preci- pitate retreat of that General from North Ca- rolina, and our vidory at Guildford, after his return with Virginia reinforcements, are fuffi- cient proofs. The unexpe£led failure of our friends ren- dered the victory of Guildford of little value. 1 kiiow that it has hccn afl'erted or infinuated that they were not futficiently tried upon this occafion : But can any difpafiionate perfon be- lieve, that I did not give every encouragement to people of all delcri^^tions to join and ailift us, when my own reputation, the fafety of the army, and the interefts of my country, were lb deeply concerned in that.jun£bion and afliftance ? All Inducements in my power were made ufe of without material effect ; and every man in the army mufl have been convinced, that the accounts of our emiflaries had greatly exaggerated the number of thofe who profeflcd friendfhip for us, as they muft have obferved, that a very inconfiderable part of them could be prevailed upon to remain with us, or to ex- ert themfelves in any form whatever. This difappointment, and the wants and diftrell'es of the army, compelled me to move to Crofs-creek ; but meeting there with no ma- t^ teri4 t # INTRODUCTION. terial part of the promifed afliftance and fup- plics, I was obliged to continue my march to Wihnington, where hofpitals and fibres were ' ready tor us. Of this move I fent information by levcral cxprcfics to Lord Rawdon, but un- fortunately they all failed. My intention then was, as foon as I (hould have equipped my own corps, and received a part of the expeded rein- forcctnent from Ireland, to return to the upper country ; in hopes of giving fome protedlion to South Carolina, and of preferving the health of the troops, until new meafurcs could be con- certed with the Commander in Chief. The march of General Greene into South Carolina, and Lord Rawdon's danger, made my fituation very critical. Having heard of the arrival of a pacquet from Europe, without any certain accounts of the failing of the reinforce- ment, I thought it too hazardous to remain inadive ; and, as it was impoflible to receive hi time any orders or opinions from Sir Henry Clinton to dire^l me, it became my duty to adt from my own judgment and experience ; I there- fore upon mature deliberation, decided to march into Virginia, as the fafcft and moll efFedlual means of employing the fmall corps, under my command, in contributing towards the general k' ^' ■ '"^ fuccefs po fm ♦. lid Tup- larch to es were •matioii but uu- on then 3ut any nforcc- r to a'i oi ut:{i\\::. :r.':^V Whoever reads the Correfpondeiice w^ill fee, 'that, fuiQe Sir Henry Clinton had declared po- . iitively in his firfl, and in feveral fabfequent ydifpatghes, againfl the plan of reducing Virgi- mia, no explicit alternative was left to me, be- :ween complying with the requifition (con- tained in his letters of the nth and 15th of Line) of fuch troops as I could fpare from a lealthy defcnfive Ihition, or engaging in ope^-; * •ations in the Upper Chefapeak : The choice , )f an healthy fituation was controlled by other laterlal confiderations; for, whilft he ftated in fuch flrong terms the imminent danger of few York, or the important effedls, which he ;xpe<9:ed from the expedition againft Philadel- )hia, I did not think myfelf authorized to de- tain any part of the troops he fo earneftly re-» [uired ; merely upon my opinion of the dif- ference of the quahty of the air of Williamf- • )urgh, York, or Portfmouth ; from the latter )f which only, as it was already fortified, I could iffbrd an immediate detachment. And with refpeift to the, operations in |ke. Upper Chefa- c peak, ■.f'l I r I I ) m • \ * INTRODUCTION. peak, it will be remarked, that, although that plan had been for Tome time under the confide- ration of the Commander in Chief, he did not feem inclined to take more fhare in the refpon- iibility than barely to recommend it : and many teaibns, but particularly my recent failure in a fimilar attempt, deterred me from undertaking it, without an explicit inftrud:ion. Accord- . ingly, that I might be enabled to comply with thofe orders of the nth and 15th of June, I paffed James- river, Cmy remaining force being infufficient to fortify and maintain a poft on the Williamfburgh Neck; and embarked the troops required with all poflible difpatch. And It will be {een by the Correfpondence, that the Commander in Chief's opinion of the indifpen- fable necefiity of an havbour for line of battle fhips only appears in his letter of the nth of July, after he had been acquainted, that the troops, intended for the expedition againft Phi- ,, ladelphia, would be foon ready to fail. - ^ .. ; ~ Hampton-road was recommended by that order ; but, as it was, upon examination, found totally unfit for the purpofe d;efired, every per- . fbn can judge, whedier the order did not then, in its fpirit, become pofitive to occupy York and Gloucef^cr ; the only harbour in the Che- 3 fapeak, I r ugh that conlide- did not e refpon- nd many llure in a dertaking Accord- iply with F June, I )rce being a poft on arked the ch. And !, that the : indifpen- 3 of battle le nth of that the ainft Phi- • by that on, found very per- not then, py York the Che- fapeak, INTRODUCTION. xi lapeak, that I knew of then, or indeed th nf I - have heard of fince, in which line of battle fhips can be received, and protedled againft a fuperior naval force : and, as the harbour was the indifpenfable objed, I thought it unnecef- fary to enter into a defcription of the difadvan- tage of the ground, againft a land attack, fuice there remained no other choice. ,r, , , When the arrival of the French fleet, and the approach of General Wafliington, were known to Sir Henry Clinton, it will appear by the Correfpondence, that his promifes of relief in perfon were uniform ; without giving me the fmalleft particle of difcretionary power, different from holding the pofts that I occupied. Every reader will therefore be competent to judge, whether, under thefe circumilanccs, and as I could not but fuppofe that the Com- mander in Chief fpoke from a perfect know- ledge of his own refources, and of the force of the enemy, it would have been julHfiable in me either to abandon, by the evacuation of York, a confiderable quantity of artillery, the (hips of war, tranfports, provifions, {lores, and hofpi- tals, or, by venturing an a6lion, without the moll manifefl advantage, to run the rilk of pre** cipitating the lofs of them. , « , • .J . . c 3 ' - . Althougk ! I, m ,.«!• I'M'* 'I xii I "NT R O D U C 1 1 O N. Although the Marquis de la Favette ad- vanced his light troojjs early in September to William(burgh, he did not take poft there with his army till reinforced with the French troops from the Weft Indies, under the com- mand of Brigadier de St. Simon. I could, at that time, after leaving fome flight guards in the works, have marched out a little more than four thoufand men, partly compofed of troops "unaccuftomed to adion. The enemy were in a ftrong pofition, and confiderably fuperior in number, but I fliould have attacked them without hefitation, if I had thought myfelf at liberty, after a victory, to efcape into the Ca- rolinas, with the troops that were able to march. No other obje6l appeared fufficient to juftify this meafure ; for our labour would have been materially interrupted by an adion, and even a vidtory, unlefs it had extended to the annihila- tion of theMu*-quis de la Fayette's corps, without confiderable lofs on our fide, (two events not to be expedted) would not have enabled us to make afuccefsful defence. againft the army then ap- proaching, under the command of General Wafliington : But a defeat would probably hav^e been followed with the immediate lofs of our poft, which, until the end of Septem- f ; 1 2tte ad- 1 mber to 1 ft there 1 French 9. le com- )uid, at uards in ? >re than ^ f troops m y were fl Iiperior % I them J ylelf at |ll :he Ca- 1 march. 1 e been ■ even a 1 lihila- I ithout I not to H make ^ n ap- ?neral bably } >tem- ber, J II INTRODUCTION. xiJi her, was a in moft defencelefs flate : and as I could never have proved, that I fhould not have been relieved, I fliould have been expofed to public execration, as a man, who, having reafon to exped: the early arrival of the Com- mander in Chief to fuperfede him in his com- mand, had, in hopes of perfonal reputation from a vidence now laid before the public, — that our failure in Nor*-h Carolina was not occalloned by our v^c.nt of force to prote£l the rifing of our friends, but by their timidity, and unwillingnefs to take an active and ufe- ful part, * — that the move to Wilmington was rendered necefl'ary from the diftrefles of the troops, and the fufferings of the numerous lick and wour.ded, — that the m.arch into Vir- ginia was undertaken for urgent reafons, which could not admit of my waiting for the appro- bation of the Commander in Chief, — that I did not eftablifh the ftation in Virginia, but only reinforce it, — that I occupied the pofts of York and Glouceflcr by order, and was in- duced I Ci A I hi': If.:?.' > 41 ■.11 v ii i'i\ xvi INTRODUCTION. duced to remain in them by the profpcd of relief, uniformly held out to me by the Com- mander in Chief, — and, that, during the con- iiderable interval between my arrival at Pcterf- burgh, and that of the French fleet i^ the Chefapeak, my corps was completely at the difpofal of Sir Henry Clinton, cither to be withdrawn, or employed in the Upper Che- fapeak, or fent back to the Carolinas, -— and confequently, that my condu6b and opinions were not the caufes of the cataftrophe, which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781. '. i Mansfield-Street, Feb. 10, T783. CORNWALLIS. .' 1 . .. . ' ... .J . ^ ' _ '4'-* . •' ( ■ . .L • , 1 at l^ • .; .Mi,i .jj.W^.'.iiA 3Xii^ijj:f;; .^c'loo'ij ■^y.'*. COR RE- Ci / H, .':';1 I.- Ai»;.»j^it_^ ^i^'si. ». i^j" > 4 ;.- ' V . V li< lit :S .' M> ,■■ >rpc£t of le Com- the coii- t Pcterf- ' in the ' at the r t;o be er Che- , — and )pinions , which :.Lis. RE- /"la fl CONTENTS. ^,,.-.-*fe-.-.-^,-'4 P A .c T I. ♦ * . ;f. CORRESPONDENCE ketween General Sir HENRY CLINTON, K. B. Com. mander in Chief, and Earl CORN WALL IS, fR E L A.T IVE TO THE CAMPAIGN IN NORTH-CAROLINA. Clinton, A. 1781. P. - - - Jan. i8| I 5 9 Ap. 30, 13 lo. II. T^ A R L Cornwallis to Sir Henry JtL K. B. - b. II. Sir Henry Clinton's Anfwcr to Earl Corn- wallis, ----------- - Mar. 5, o. III. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, • Ap. 10, o. IV. Sir Henry Clinton's Anfwcr to Earl Com- .; wallis, -----.-- ---. Duplicate of Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, (inclofed,) - - - . . - . o. V. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - - Inclofed Copies of Earl Cornwallis's Dif- patch. No. 6, to Lord George Germain, - m Earl Cornwallis's Difpatch, No. 7, to Lord George Germain, --------- Ma. 17, A Proclamation of-*----- Fe. 20, 34. Earl Cornwallis's Difparch} No. 8, to Lord George Germain, -4--.- -»- Ma. i7> 3 5 b NoV. -t Ap. 13, Ap. x3» 20 Ma. 17, 22 *3 O N K S. f , il%\, P. •— i-»- Earl Cormvcllis'i DiTpatch, No. 9, to Lord ' George Germain, -.------- Ap. 18, 44 ■ I A Proclamation of ..... Mar.it, 47 ■ Earl ComwatlU's Dt itch, No. to* to Lord George Germain, ---.--- Ap. 18, 4S ■ Earl Cornwallis's Difpatch, No 11, to Lord George Gcrnoain, - - - - - . Ap.t}, 50 No. VL State of the Troops that marched with the Army . under the Command of Lieutenant-General Earl CornwalUs # at diffurent Periods of Time, <• • - • ....5} -"• » -• » f , r /■ J . • * • , PART 11, RELATIVE TO EARL CORNWALLIS'a MACRH INTO VIRGINIA. No. I. Earl Comwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - Ap. 24, J5 - ■ ' Inclofed a Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Letter to Major General Phillips, ;....-. Ap. 24, 5ft No. II. Sir Henry Clinton, to Earl CormvalHs, - Ma. z, S, 5* No. III. Sir Henry Clinloa's Inftru£lions to Major General Phillips, ......... Ma. »o, 61 No. IV. Earl Cornwalli's to Sir Henry Clinton, - May io, (4 No. V. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Comwallis, - May 19, 67 Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, • June i, 67 No. VI. Earl- Cornwallis's Anfwcr to Sir Henry Clinton, July 24^ 74. No. VI T. State of the Troops, that marcfied with the Army under the Command' of Licutenant-Geaeral *' >"* > Earl Cornwallis^ ......... M»y », 77 ■ X . 'U:iai : PART s. CONTENTS. IT «78i. P. Ap. i8, 44 Mar. it, 47 Ap. tt, 4$ Ap. fj, 5« the Army CornwalUs • • - 53 « -r fV ALLIS't lA. Ap. 24, 55 Ap. 24, 5* Ma. X, S, 5» or Ma. >o, 61 May *o, *4 May 29, 67 June I, 67 y July 24, 7+ te il - :" May tt 77 PART ^ « PART III. - .'F' - ' • • - • • •: RELATIVE TO THE OPERATIONS IK . . VIRGINIA. ... No. I. Eail CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, • - No. II. Eitrl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, • No. III. Sit Henry Clinton to Ma). Qen. Phillips, No. IV. Sir Henry Clinton to Maj. Gen. Phillips, No. V. Sir Henry Clintvn to Maj. Gen. Phillipi, No. VI. Sir Henry Clinton to Maj. Gen. Phillips, " Inclofing the Subfiance of feveral Convcr- fations between Sir Henry Clinton and Maj. Gen. Phillips, before his Departure for the Chelap^jk, No. VII. Sir Henry Clinton to Maj. Gen. Phill.^s, No. VIII. Sir Henry Clinton to Maj. Gen. Phillips, ■ Duplicate inclofcd in No. IX. Sir Henry Clinton to Earf CornwalUs, - - - - - No. IX. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, • No. X. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, • • No. XI. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, - No. XII. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, - No. XIII. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, • No. XIV. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, - No. XV. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, • No. XVI. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, - No. XVII. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, No. XVIII. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwaUis, ^o. XIX. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, • No. XX. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, - Ns. XXI. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, - ■v. t7li. P. May 2 6, 7» May It, 8a Mar. 14, 85 Mar. 24, 87 Ap. II, 90 Ap. 16, 9$ ■' • 100 Ap. 30, lOJ Ma. II, III June If, »«J June 15, fi» June 30, ii4 June 28, 126 July 8, 119 July 12, »3* June 8, U3 June 19, »37 July I, 141 July 17, 141 July 11, <4$ J"iy «5» 14& July 26, 152 Au. 20, >5J PAR T !?'*'■ ijr CONTENTS. PART IV. p '1^ I'm RELATIVE TO OCCUPYING AN HARBOUR*. FOR LINE OF BATTLE SHIPS. «• , ., . 1781. P« No. I. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, - July 8, 161 No. n. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl CornwallU, - July 11, 167 No. IIL Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - July i6, 170 ■ Inclofcd £xtra£ls of Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to General Phillips, - - - - - - - - -175 ■ The Report of the Engineer and Copies of the Opinions of the Commanders of his Majcfty's Ships in Chcfapcak relative to Point Comfort, - - - 180 No. IV. .ilmival Graves to Earl Cornwallis, No. V. Earl Cornwallis to Admiral Graves, - No. Vr. Earl Corn^vallis to Sir Henry Clinton, No. Vll. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, No. VIIL Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, No. IX. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Juiy 12, 180 Jiilyz6, i8z Au. 12, 1S3 Au. II, 184 Au. 16, 185 y^U. IZ, 186 4..-1 .1^:7 /-.' .1 ••> :^,',v^ , !■• 'iK .U; ,A - . ■' ' , ( > PART V. 1 -:4. ■ *; t. RELATIVE TO THE DEFENCE OF YORK, : , . IN VIRGINIA. - ,;- _-. . - No. I. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, « - Au. 31, 189 No. II. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - - Sep. i, 190 No. III. E^ri Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, • Sep. 2, ibid. - ■: ' Nq. IV. Earl w CONTENTS. OUR ,. P. 8, i6l - »7S - 180 ^12, 180 ;i6, 184 II, 184 16, 185 c No. IV. Eail Corn^vallis to Sir Henry Clinton, » No. V. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - - No. VI. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, - - No. Vll. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, - No. VIII. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - No. IX. Sir Henry Clinton to V.\x\ Cornwallis, - No. X. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - - No. XI. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, - No. XII. Eail Corn wnl lis to Sir Henry Clinton, - No. XIII. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, - Nr». XIV. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - No. XV. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - No. XVI. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, - ... ■ Inclofeil Earl Cornwallis to General Walh fngton .-------- General VV'afliington to Earl Cornwallis - .. Earl Cornwallis to General Walhingron - .- General VVafljington to Earl Cornwallis - ■1. Eail Cornwallis to General Waflunglon, - Copy of iht Articles of Capitulation - - 1781. P. Sep. 4, 191 Sep. 8, ihiJ. Sep. 2, 191 Sep. 6, 195 Sep. 16, 196 Sep. 24, 197 Sop. 29, 199 Sep. 2$, 200 0£V. 3, 201 Sep. 30, 20» 0£l. 1 1, 204 08t 15, 205 Od. 20', 206 : Ti-f .M »/" Oft. :7, 117 Ofk, 17, 215 061. 17, ib. 061. I 8, 217 Oft. 18, 21 8 - - - latj Nov. 30, 227 Dec. 2, 228 No. XVII. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, No. XVIII. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, No. XIX. Sir Henty Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, - Dec. 2, 2j<» No. XX. State of the Troops under the Comrrnnd , of Lieutenant-general Earl Cornwallis in Virginia at different rcriuds of Time. -- - --,.- No. XXI. State of the Army in Virginia under the Cutntijand of Lieutenant-general Earl Cornwallis, Oft, i3. ORK, ■> .5 3i» '89 1, 190 2, ibid. IV. Earl PART X CONTENTS. I ;!l» • ! IP M W ifi :3 n.: PART Vf. t't. LETTERS* FROM SIR HENRY CLINTON, K B. TO EARL CORNWALLIS. V ,1 I > ff k DtLlVERED AT NEW YORK A \fOyTH AFTER EARL .0 COPNWALLI:>S SURRSNDER, ". .. , .,7- /;■:! 1/1 No. J. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwalli?, - - Aug. *, 237 No. IT. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwalli-, - Aug. 47, 151 No. HI. Sir Henry Clinton ta Earl Cornwallis, . Aug. 30, 253 No. IV. Sir Hcury Clinton t6 Earl Cornwallis, - Ot>.i4,i5, ,• . I . ' .-.J apd iS. »5 7 :,■■.... - , . - ' . . I ^ , . ,- :>''»t-4 ■/ I V- •/ .■'I C R R E 1 '11 ' B>. f^i*' ORRESPONDENGE BETWEEN Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. COMMANDER IN CHIEF, '«*- 'V AND Lieut. Gen. E.irl CORNWALLIS. PART I. s "- :-.\ Ui ELATIVE TO THE CAMPAIGN IN NORTH CAROLINA. , > NUMBER L V larl Cornwallis to Sir Henry CUntnn, A'. B. datedCamp on Turkey -Creek, Broad River, Jan. i8, 1781. SIR, » -..,:;■.-;., 'N my letter of the 6th of this month, I had the honour to inform your Excellency, that I was Mready to begin my march for North Carolina, having jbcen delayed fomc days by a diverfion made by the Menemy towards Nincry-dx. General Morgan dill Ircmained on the Pacolet •, his corps, by the bed ac- • B * . .., cuunts l|i 11 ■• ■i H: < 5' ill ■m ■ t \. I: !V i ft Correfpondcnce relative to the counts I could get, confiftedof about five hundred men, continental and Virginia ftate troops, and one hundred cavalry under Colonel Walhington, and fix or feven hundred militia : but that body is fo fludtu- aring, that it is impofTible to afcertain its number, within fome hundreds, for three days following. 1 iiutenant-Colonel Tarleton, with the legion and corps annexed to it, confifting of about three hun- dred cavalry and as many infantry, and the firfl; bat-, talion of the feventy-firft regiment, and one three- pounder, had already paflTed the Broad River for the relief of Ninety-fix. I therefore direfted Lieutenant- Colonel Tarleton to march on the Weft of Broad River, to endeavour to ftrike a blow at General Mor- gan, and at all events to oblige him to repafs the Broad River ; 1 likewife ordered that he Ihould take with him the fcventh regiment and one three-pounder, which were marching to reinforce the garrifon of Ninety-fix, as long as he fliould think their fcrviccs could b'e ufeful to him. The remainder of the army marched between the Broad River and Catawba. As General Greene had quitted Mecklenburgh- county, and crofied the Pedee, I made not the leaft doubt that General Morgan would retire on our ad- vancing. The progrefsof the army was greatly im- peded by heavy rains, which fwelled the rivers and creeks; yet Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton-conduded his march fo well, and got fo near to General Mor- gan who was retreating before him, as to make it dangerous an;5 ith ^nfta: -^^l^fpe^ *nd, jnorc corpi ^ndl .;o dc ;|was ":^'the f . Walr^ ^:the i foriT md (ving iGen lan h utm of t ordt exai pre\ thre the to t obf thei ii vc hundred )s, and one on, and fix s fo fludtu- ts number, )wing. ; legion and c three hun- le firfl: bat- one three- Liver for the Lieutenant- ft of Broad eneral Mor- repafs the Ihould take ■ee-pounder, garrifon of heir fcrviccs of the army itawba. :klenburgh- not the lead r on our ad- greatly im- rivers and n-condu<5led ?neral Mor- « to niake it dangerous Campaign in North Carolina, 3 in^;o\i3 for him to pafs Broad River, and came up ith him at eight o'clock of the morning of the 1 7th nllant. Every thing now bore the moil promifing '^fpeft : the enemy were drawn up in an open wood, and, having been lately joined by fome militia, were -more numerous ; but the different quality of the corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton's command, ^nd his great fuperiority in cavalry, left hiin no room Ao doubt of the mod brilliant fuccefs. The attack |j|was begun by the firll line of infantry, confifting of ^the (eventh regiment, the infantry of the legion and Mcorps of light-infantry annexed to it ; a troop of ca- valry was placed on each flank J the nrfl: battalion of he feventy-firfl-, and the remainder of the cavalry, 'formed the referve. The enemy's line fr-on gave way, ^and their militia quitted the field ; but our troops ha- lving been thrown into Ibme difbrdcr by the purfliit, ;|General Morgan's corps faced about and gave them ^1 an hearty fire : this unexpeded event occafioned ihe utmofl confufion in the firft line •, the firft battalion of the fevcnty-firft and the cavalry were fucceflivcly ordered up ; but neither the exertions, intreaties, or exampk, of Lieutenant - Colonel Tarleton, could prevent the panic from becoming general. The two three-pounders were taken, and 1 fear the colours of thefeventh regiment fhared the fame fate. In jufiice to the detachment of the royiil artillery, I mufh here obferve, that no terror could induce them to abandon their guns, and they were all either kiljed or wounded B 2 in *;■,. \^ 4 Corre/poiidence relative to the in the defence of them. LientcnantXolonel Tarlc- ton with difficulty aflembled fifty of his cavalry, who having had time to recolle(5l themfelves, and being animated by the bravery of the officer who had fo often led them to vidory, charged and repulfed Colonel Wafhington's horfe, retook the bjtggagc of the corps, and cut to pieces the detachnnent of the enemy who had taken poficffion of it ; and, after deftroying what they could not conveniently bring off; retired with the remainder unmolefted to Ha- milton's ford, near the mouth of Bullock's creek. The loft of our cavalry is inconfiderable ; but I fear about four hundred of the infantry are either killed, wounded, or taken ; I will tranfmit the particular account of the lofs as foon as it can be afcertained. It is impoffible to forefce all the confequcnces that this unexpefted and extraordinary event may pro* dufce; but your Excellency may be affured, that nothing but the moft abfolute receflity fhal! induce me to give up the important objcd of the winter's campaign. - I (hall direfl Lieutenant-Colonel Balfour to tranf- mit a copy of this letter, by the firft opportunity, to the Secretary of State. th( ful '^Sm. wi hu ■$^' - I have the honour to be. Sec. C O R N W A L L I S. NUMBER m ilonel Tarlc- his cavalry, nfelves, and :er who had and repulfed baggage of nfient of the and, after liently bring jfted to Ha- 3ck*s creek, i but I fear ither killed, ic particular ertained. jucnces that nt may pro* fiTured, that (hal! induce the winter's mr to tranf- ortunity, to gj L L I S. 1 UMBER fm Cavipn'tgn in North Cardina* NUMBER 11. \. Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B, to Earl CornzvaUh, dated New Turk t March c^th, 1781. ', [Received June, 17S1.] \ A. MY LORD, I WAS honoured with your Lordlhip's dlfpatdies dated the i8ih of November, the 3d, 4th, 6th 7th, 22d, and 29th of December; and 3c3, 6th, and l8th of January, by "the Halifax floop of war, on the 16th ultimo. And, by the Mercury packer, which will fail in a day or two for Europe, 1 propofe to tranfmit copies of luch of them to the Minilter as may be neceffary for his Majefty's information. What your Lordfhip obferves, in your Irtter of the 4th December, I am very fenfible of; and am fully perfuaded that no reprefentation I can make will have any effed upon men loft to every fcnfe of umanity. • -■ - ^ - I am forry to fay, my Lord, that I have the fame reafon to lament the want of fafe conveyances for my difparchcs, which your Lordftiip regrets in your let- ter of the 6th January, having had feveral prepared for your Lordfhip ever fince the beginning of that month. And I am even now obliged to truft them by the precarious conveyance of "x merchant vefci, as I have in vain applied for a fhip of war for thefc two months paft for the purpofe. I \ . '< I rcqucH ( Q ./ f ill 1 i ill ■•ft: i'.-. ;•;;.(: r ; ■ . • ? : ! vVi V t § . • . Corre/pondence relative to the I requeft your Lordlhip's forgivcnefs for the omiffion I was guilty of, in not anlwering the para- graph of your letter of the 30th June, relative to Lieutenant-governor Graham. As there arc now no Refugees in Georgia, and of courfe no occafion for fuch an office as that to which he was appointed ; and as he is now in full pofllflion of his property, and does not feem to wifli for a continuance of the cmploynnent, it is very proper that it (hould ceafe— aad but reafonable that Mr. Graham fhould be re- infiburfed for the fums he has advanced, as well as paid his falary of twenty (hillings per day for himfclf and clerk, from the 3d of March to the period he ccafed to acfV. . ~*, , , , . It gives me very great pleafurc to learn from your Lordfliip, that the army under your command is now perfedliy healthy, and in good order. ^ ' I am forry the oat-fhips met with an accident off Charles-town bar. It is a rifk, in my opinion, which every fleet runs that anchors there. Surely it would have been better for them to have flood off, and rn; — but of thofe fea mattery I am, of courfe, not a competent judge. -> '■ • I am glad to find that your Lordfliip intends to fend the vidtuallers, and all fuch tranfports, to En- gland, as are unfit for fervice •, their fpeedy return being mofl earneflly defired. I woul4 wifh to have all fuch invalids, whofe times of fervice do not en* title them to Chelfea, and though unfit for fervice in ' . the .( \ -^ jfs for the g the para- rclativc to arc now no )Ccarion for appointed ; s property, ince of the uld ccafe— ould be re- as well as for himfclf period he from your )mmand is ccident off lion, which y it would ff", and rn; irfe, not a intends to ts, to En- ?dy return fh to have :lo not en« fervice in the . ''ft t€ / it <( i( C( ■■I Campaign in North Carolina, y the field, iTi.y be able to do duty in garrifon, fent here from time to time, that they may be placed in the garrifon battalion, which will finally infure to them his Majefty*s royal bounty. . . < • As I undcrftand the Chatham has brought out fifty thoufand pounds in fpecie to Charles-town, your Lordfhip*s difficulties with regard to money will have been removed. But I cannot fay fo much for ours. Lord George Germain having informed me, " As Major Rofs was of opinion that many of the pri- foners in our hands in Carolina might be induced to ferve on board the King's fliips, or in priva- teers, or inlift in the regiments ferving in the Wert Indies, or go as volunteers upon expeditions in that quarter, he had recommended to your Lordfhip to get rid of all you could in thofe fe- veral ways, or in any other your Lordlhip fhould think fit to be adopted ;" it is unneceffary for me to add any thing upon that fubjeft, but to fay, that I leave them entirely to your l^ordQiip's dipofal.' I wifli it had been poffible to have procured the horfes for General Vaughan •, as I fear the troops may fuffer from the drudgeries they were intended to perform. ' « I know not at prcfcnt how it is pofTible, my Lord, to avoid the expence of quartering the troops at Charles-town, confiftent with the terms of the capi- tulation J :0r (( 4C tt \ n . \- 9 : Cbrrefpondence relative to the filiation ; but I will endeavour to find fomc means of doing it, if it be prafticable. I am moft exceedingly concerned, my Lord, at the unfortunate affair of the 17th January. From the account your Lordlhip gives me of it, 1 fear Morgan has been in very great force, that our firft line has been too impetuous, and that the refcrve has fuftained the other too nearly, and probably in too loofe order j and that the enemy has moved againft them in that critical fitua- tion. I confefs I dread the confequences ; but my hope is, as it ever will be, in your l.ord(hip*s abi- lities and exertions. ' ' ' ■ ' I ihall always be happy in paying every attention to your recommendations in filling up the vacan- cies in the thiny-third regiment, as I fhall be con- llantly guided by your Lordfhip's wlfhes with refpeft to the promorions of your own regiment. I have already had an opportunity of fulfilling my intentions refpeding Colonel Wcbfler j but this is too unfafe a conveyance to truft the commi(]jon by. , I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. cu ; \\: i^tmn n"^ ?- '*, NUMBER w me means Lord, at y. From it, 1 fear , that our d that the early, and :he enemy cal fitua- ; but my (hip's abi- f attention :he vacan- all be con- ^ith refpeft , I have intentions 10 unfafe a TON. Cafnpa'ign in North Carolina, f ,%";' MBER 1 NUMBER IIL ^*i 1 > • » '- 1 1 Earl Cornwallis tn Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. dated Camp near If^ilmington, April lo, 1781. , . ^ ''I S I R, ilX^' I AM juft informed that I have a chance of fending a few lines to New York by the Amphi- trite, but as it depends upon my being expeditious, I cannot attempt to give your Excellency a parti- cular account of the winter's campaign, or the battle of Guildford, I have however the latisfaflion of in- forming you, that our military operations were uni- formly fuccefsful ; and the vidtory of Guildford, al- though on** or the bloodied of this war, was very complete. The enemy gave themfeJves out for nine or ten, and undoubtedly had fcven, thoufand men in the field, upwards of two thoufand of which were eighteen-months men, or Continentals. Our force was one thoufand three hundred fixty infantry, rank and file, and about two hundred ca- valry. General Greene retreated the night of the adion to the Iron-works on Troublefome Creek, eighteen miles from Guildford, leaving us four fix- pounders, being all the cannon he had in the field. The fatigue of the troops, and the great number of wounded, put it out of my pow^ to purfue beyond the Reedy Fork, in the afternoon 0I? the adion ; and the want of provifions'and all laiffi of neceffaries C '^»Ka: for */ 4 k '■I: •■ •f .1 |9 Corrc/pondence relative to the for the foldicrs, made it equally impoffiblc to follow the blow the next day. I, therefore, iflucd the en- clofed proclamation ; and, having remained two days on the field of battle, marched Co Bell'i-Mill pn Deep-River, near part of the country where the grcatcft number of our friends were fuppofcd to re- iide. Many of the inhabitants rode into camp, (hook me by the hand, faid they were glad to fee us, and to hear that we had beat Greene, and then rode home again ^ for I could not get one hundred men in all the regulator's country to Hay with us, even as militia. With a rhird of my army fick and w6undcd, which I was obliged to carry in waggons or on borfeback, the remainder without fhoes and worn jdown with fatigue, I thought it was time to look for fome place of reft and refitment ; I, therefore, by eafy marches, taking care to pafs through all the fettlements that had been defcribed to me as moft friendly, proceeded to Crofs- Creek. On my arrival there, J found, to my great mortification, and con- trary to all former accounts, that it was impoffible to procure any confiderable quantity of provifions, and that there was not four days fbrage within twenty miles. The pavigation of Cape Fear, with the hopes of which I had been flattered, was totally imprafti- pble, the diftancp from Wilmington by water being cne hundred and fifty miles, the breadth of the pycr feldom exceeding one hundred yards, the bank? .#^-' \: generally ihe n has £ '-V '^ VV to follow ;d the en- ined two Sell't-Mill where the ofcd to re- mp, (hook tc us, and then rode Fidred men \i us, even wbunded, 3ns or on and worn Tie to look erefore, by ;h all the le as mod my arrival and con- pofiible to Hons, and in twenty the hopes imprafti" Iter being th of the the banks generally r ^1^^^^ Campaign in North Carolina. 11 ^fgenerally high, and the inhabitants on each fide al- oft univcrfally hoftile. Under thcfc circumftances determined to move immediately to Wilmington. By this meafure the Highlanders have not had fo much time as the people of the upi>cr country, to prove the fmcerity of their former profcflions of friendfhip. But, though appearances are rather more favourable among them, I confefs they are not equal to my expe^ations. General Greene marched down as low as tke mouth of Deep-River, where he remained four days ago i he never came within our reach after the adbion, nor has a fhot been fince firedj except at Ram fey *s- Mill ^n Deep-River, where Colonel Malmedy, with about kwcnty of a gang of plunderers that are attached to }iim, galloped in among the centries and carried off three tagers. • -. ' « • .t *^i •; ^ I cannot fufficiently commend the behaviour of both officers and men under my command. They Jiot only fliewed the moft perfcvcring intrepidity in adion, but underwent with chearfulnefs fuch fatigues and hard(hips as have feldom been experienced by a Britifli army, andjuftly merit every mark of favour nd reward. The great affiftance which I received rom Generals Leflie and 0*Hara, and Lieutenant- ^colonel Tarleton, dcferves my warmeft acknowledge ents and higheft commendations. • > I am now employed in difpofing of the fick and ^yrounded« and in procuring fupplies ot all kinds> G a to ! ^;>l H 1 M V. i^^ ■'S 12 p. ^i .>; "I > '': " '■■ \{i Conefpondencs relative to the to put the troops into a [)roper ftatc to take the field. I am, likcwile, impatiently looking out for the ex- pcdted reinforcement from Europe, part of which will be indifpenfably neceflary to enable mc either to ac^ offenfively, or even to maintain myfelf in the upper parts of the country, where alone I can hope to preferve the troops from the fatal fickncfs which fo nearly ruined the army laft autumn. , I am very anxious to receive your Excellency's commands, being as yet totally in the dark as to the intended operations of the lummer. I cannot help exprefling my wilhes that the Chefapeak may become the feat of war, even (if neceflary) at the expence of abandoning New-York. Until Virgiaia is in a manner fubdued, our hold of the Carolinas muft be difficult, if not precarious. The rivers of Virginia arc advantageous to an invading army, but North-Carolina is, of all the provinces in America, the mod difficult to attack, ^unlefs material affiftance could be got from the inhabitants, the contrary of which I have fufficiently experienced) on account of its great extent, of the numberlefs rivers and creeks, and the total want of interior navigation. In compliance with your Excellency's general di- reftions, 1 fliall difpatch my Aid-de-camp, Captain Brodrick, to England, with the particular accounts of the battle of Guildford, of the winter's cam- paign, and the prcfent ftate of the province, copies . ■; .... ^ , . ,.,. -. .... Of .Li . 2/ ' ' fSir I 1K- c the field. )r the ex- of which e either to elf in the I can hope ncls which xcellency*s lark as to I cannot apeak may ry) at the il Virginia Carolinas le rivers of army, but J America, il afliflancc ontrary of account of ind creeks, general di- }, Captain r accounts ter's caQi« I Campaign in North Carolina, ' |J of which I Ihall have the honour of tranfmitting to your Excellency with my next difpatch. I have the honour to be, &c. ' • , . ' CORNWALLIS. NUMBER IV. * *,. .. 'I Sir Heiiry Clinton, K. B. to Earl Cornwallis^ dated NeW'Tork, yipril 30, 1781. ^ [Received, June J I "i Si, 2 I MY LORD, I CAPTAIN Biggs, of his Majefty's Ihip Amphi- tfite, who arrived here the 2 2d, has delivered to me your Lordfhip's two letters from Wilmington, of the 10th inftant, informing me of your having ob- tained a compleat vidtory over the rebel General Greene, near Guildford, on the 15th ulf. on which occafion I beg leave, my Lord, to offer your Lord- fhip my moft hearty congratulations, and to requeft you will prefent my thanks to Major-General Leflie, Brigadier-general 0*Hara, and Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton, for the great alLftance you received from them, and to the officers and men under your command, for their great exertions on the march through Carolinji, and their pcrfevcring intrepidity ^ in a^ion, i '^' I ' ' 1 K 1 ft! I If )' The i ; ■!'! 14 Correfpondmce nlathe to the The difparity of numbers between your Lordfhip'i force and that of the enemy oppofcd to you, appears to be very great : and, I confefs, I am at fome lofs to guefs how your Lordfhip came to be reduced be- fore the aftion to one thoufand three hundred and fixty infantry, as, by the diftribution fent to me in your letter of the 6th of January, I am to fuppofe it was your intention to take with you the regiments mentioned in the margin, -[* which (notwithftanding the lofs of the feventy-firft and legion, in the unfor- tunate affair of Cowpens) I Ihould imagine mud have amounted to conllderably above three thoufand, exclufive of cavalry and militia. Before I was favoured with ypur Lordlhip's letter, the rebel account of the battle of Guildford had led me, indeed, to hope, that its confequences would have been more decifive, and that Greene would have re-pafled the Roanoke, and left your Lordfhip at liberty to purfue the objcfts of your move :i ;\. "? f Brigade of Guards, Twenty -third, Thirty-third, Seventy* iirft, two Battalionr, lagers. Regiment of Bofe, Light Infantry, Seventy>firft, and Legion. North-CaroluM Rtgimcnt. ^i there arrar mitt( dupl prop Chel thitl it is Care no d cate plan geth can offic five feve will \ for elit< inft the ord pie: fine hoi w. ii , 1' w. i, -'^^ Campaign in North Carolina* * 15 ' move into North Carolina. Under the pcrfualion, therefore, that you would foon be able to finifli your arrangcnnents for the fecurity of the Carolinas, I fub- mitted to you in my letter of the 13th inftant, (a duplicate of which I have the honour to enclofc) fhe propriety in that cafe of your going in a frigate to Chcfapeak, and diredbing fuch corps to follow you thither as you judged could be beft fpared. But, as it is now probable that your Lord(hip*s prefence in Carolina cannot be fo foon difpenfcd with, I make no doubt that you wiM think it right to communi- cate to Major-general Phillips, without delay, the plan of your future operations in tha: quarter, to- gether with your opinion how the Chefapeak army can beft dired their's to aflift them. That General- officer has already under his orders three thoufand five hundred men, and I fhall fend him one thoufand feven hundred more, which are now embarked, and will fail whenever the Admiral is ready. .,> •, With thefe, my Lord, which are rank and file fit [ for duty, and great part of them taken from the elite of my army. General Phillips is direfted by his inftru6lions to aft in favour of your Lordfhip, to the beft of his own judgment, until he receives your orders, and afterwards in fuch manner as you may plcafe to command him, &c. But 1 fhall be forry to find your Lordfhip continue in the opinion that our hold of the Carolinas muft be difficult, if not pre- carious, until Virginia is in a manner fubdued, as that h'y; few h ','. i.'i m [i I*; mi am? m f m Hi \ 'ij mm ,i -1; 11 m 16 Correfpondencg relative to the that is an event which, I fear, would require a con- fiderable fpace of time to accomplifh, and, as far as 1 can judge, it might be not quite fo expedient at this advanced feafon of the year to enter into a long operation in that climate. — This, however, will greatly depend upon circumftances, of which your LordOiip and General Phillips may probably be better judges hereafter. ." ' With regard to the operations of the fummer, which your Lordfliip is anxious to receive my di- rections about, you cannot but be fenfible that they muft in great meafure depend on your Lordfhip's fuccefles in Carolina, the certainty and numbers of the expeded reinforcement from Europe, and, like- wife, on your Lordfliip's fending back to me the corps I had fpared to you, under Major-general Leflie, which Colonel Rawdon, in his letter of the 31ft of October, told me you could return in the fpring. For until I am informed of the particulars of your Lordlhip's march through North Carolina, the cffe6tlve ftrength of your moving army, your plan of operations for carrying thofe objects you had or may have in view, into execution, as well by the corps afting under your own immediate orders, as thofe afting in co-operation under Major-general Phillips, it muft be obvioufly impoflible for me to determine finally upon a plan of operations for the campaign. I waj, >\?\i\ i >> '"< ':ZP" :•.<; ■i.: . 1,'V ■f c a con- is far as dient at ) a long ^er, will ich your ably be fummer, my di- bJe that ord(hip*s nbers of id, Hke- me the r-general r of the rn in the trticulars Carolina, )y> your you had well by te orders, r-general or me to s for the ' I was, ••'f'-m -p'^h Campaign in Korlh Carolina* fj I was indeed in great hopes that your fuccefles rrl North Carolina would have been fuch as to have put it in my power to avail myfclf of a large portion oF your Lordihip's army, the whole Chefapeak corps,' and the entire reinforcement from Europe, for thig campaign's operations to the northward of Carolina: but I obferve with concern, from your Lordfliip's letter, that lb far from being in a condition to fpare me any part of your prefent force, you are of opinion that part of the European reinforcement will be in- difpenfibly neceilary to enable you to ad offenfively, or even to maintain yourfelf in the upper parts of the country. • Had I known what your Lordfhip's further offen-- five meafures werfi intended to be for the remaining part of the fcafon, I might now have given an opi- nion upon them, as well as upOn the probable co- operation of the corps in the Chefapeak, without having which it will be fcarce poffible for me to form any; for as I faid before, I fear no folid operation'- can be carried on to the northward of Chefapeak' before thofe to the fouthward of it are totally at an - end, cither from fuccefs, or the feafon ; and my ' letter to your Lord [hip of the 6th of November will' have informed you what were my ideas of the opera- • lions proper to be* purfued in Chefapeak, and my • ;xpe6lations from ihem, had circumftar.ces admitted*" [of my purfuing the plan to its full extent. But I iniurt now defer fixin ^ifi.:'. 5« ■< . I ^. .i..i;.4 > J Duplicate. Inclofed in Number IV. .>.A "1 ■: Sir Henry Clinton, K, B. to Earl Cornwallis^ dated New^ ■■:(-. i>.i,^u-.^ York^ Jpril 13, 1781. : . t. iu.,:>-^ MY LORD, ,, ^ : AS it appears, even from che Rebel account of the adlion, that your Lordlhip has gained a vidtory over Greene ; and it is proba'Mc he may in confc- qucnce have repafled the Roanoke, I beg leave ta fubmit to your Lordfhip, the propriety of your coming to Chefapeak Bay in a frigate as foon as you have finished you arrangements for the fccurity of the Carolinas, and you judge that affairs there are m fuch a train as no longer to require your prefence v directing at the fame time fuch troops to follow you thither, as your Lordlhip is of opii- liion can be btfl fpared. r.-^ .^ ,- v'.'^rt','. • f. ' By an i| t- ?* ml Campaign in North CarcUnd^ 19 . '. ■' ' "■ B7 Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce's arrival I am made [acquainted thac fix Britifh regiments are intended as in immediate reinforcement to the army under my I command ; fliould therefore any of thefe corps ftop 'at Carolina your Lordfliip may probably diredt them cither to replace fuch troops as follow you, or to proceed immediately to the Chefapeak. Agreeable to what I have already faid to your Lordfliip in my letters of the ift of June and 6ch of November, it is my wifh that you (hould continue to condu(5t operations as ihey advance northerly : for, except as a vifitor, I (hall not probably move to Chefapeak, un^efs Walhington goes thither in great force. The fuccefs which has hitherto attended your Lordlhip excites the fuUeft alTurance of its conti- nuance J and as it is my inclination to affift your operations to the utmoft extent of my power, I am convinced, from your difintereftednefs, that you will not aik from me a larger proportion of troops than I can pofTibly fpare. * • ' " " As this goes by an unarmed veflel to Chefapeak, Major General Phillips will add what he thinks ne* ceflary to it, and forward it to Cape Fear. The Admiral has at laft confentcd that the Medea Ihall fail for Cape Fear, as foon as Hj'j is ready. Perhaps your Lordfliip may take that opportunity of returning in her ; and, if we can prevail upon the Admiral, or Commanding Naval officer here, to fpare Captain Duncan to conduft the naval part of our P % bufintifj '■■^"'«:ii /■ . A, Concjjxytidfnce relative to the bufinefs in the Chefapcak, 1 think we fliall have gained a great point*. ,,n;^;:r'^ ^.' '. :, ; ' ^ \ • , •■ ' 'i< I have the "honour to be, S:c. •' *' * r. H. CLINTON. V. 'l.'J'^ NUMBER V. ■vtr £'tf;7 Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated IVilmington,' --rf. Jpril 2^, 1781. S I R, '^m ui-;:^ I HAVE the honour to inclofe to you'a dupli- cate of my letter of the loth, fent by the Amphitrite, and copies of all my letters to the Secretary of State ; as they contain the moft exaft account of . every tranfaftion of the campaign, of the prefent flate of things in this diftrid, of my great apprehenfions from the movement of General Greene towards Camden, and my refolutions in confequence of it, J have nothing to add to it for your Excellency's fatif- fadlicn. Nei'-her my cavalry or infantry are in readinefs to move ; the former are in want of every thing, the latter of every neceffary but (hoes, of which we have received an ample fuppiy j I mud however begin my march to-morrow. It is very difagreeable to me to de- cide upon meafures fa very important, and of fuch confequence to the general condud of the war, with- • I out -/' ■ -i '■:^ym Campaign in North Carolina. .' ^.i out an opportunity of procuring your Excellency's diredions or approbation ; but the delay and diffi- culty of conveying letters, and the impoflibility oif waiting for anfwers, render it indifpenfibly neceffary. My prefent undertaking fits heavy on my mind ; I have experienced the diftrefles and dangers of march- ing fome hundreds of miles, in a country chiefly hoftile, without one aftive or ufeful friend ; without intelligence, and without communication with any part of the country. The fituation in which I leave South Carolina adds much to my anxiety ; yet I am under the neceffity of adopting this hazardous cn- terprife haftily, and wich the appearance of precipita- tion, as I find there is no profpeft of fpeedy rein- forcement from Europe, and that the return of General Greene to North Carolina, either with or without fuCcefs, would put a jun<5tion with General Phillips out of my power. * .i* *^ o^ j:r;:;?B'^ _J have the honour t6 be, &c. i^-^^^i • *. .riT/r.t.. •I »♦ ;* '^ya .,^., CPRNWALLIS,. •i»f'» •:"i. 'X -;:l''': ■tt. >■:. ^■ ,iV- i ■ »•;{ * t Ccpy VU :i:r /y-'-*. > ^■f. •:V'Ay -Mi M iV.o \ ii M r f i; I. "^-1 1 I i -s;f' %■ u»- Cerrefpondence reUiive to tl:e Inclofcd in Number V. Copy of Earl Cornwallij'^ difpatchy No. 6, to Lord George , , Germain, dated Guildfordj March 17, 1781. MY LORD, . YOUR Lordlhip's difpatch No. i, dated the 9th of November ulr. was delivered to me by my Aid-de-Camp, Major Rofs. The officers and foldicrs who fought fo gallantly on the 16th of Auguft re- ceived with the warmed fenfe of gratitude the royal approbation of their behaviour i and it is particularly pJeafing to me, that my condu: :: J;ni:*' HAVING occafion to dlfpatch my Aid -de- Camp, Captain Brodrick, with the particulars of the a^lon of the i5ih, in compliance with general dirediona fronfi Sir Henry Clinton, I fliall embrace the oppor- tunity to give your Lordlhip an account of the ope- rations of the troops under my command previous to that event, and of thofe fubfequent, until the depar*? :jre of Captain Brodrick. . .- ,.„ .' My plan for the w interns campaign was to pene- trate into Njrth Carolina, leaving South Carolina in fecuriiy againft any probable attack ia my ablencc, Lord Rawdon with a confiderable body of troopii had charge of the defenfive, and I proceeded about the middle of January upon the ofFenfivc operations. I decided to m. ch by the upper in prefcrrence to thq lower roads leading into North Carolina, bccaufe fords being frequent above the, forks of the rivers, my paf- fage there could not cafily be obftru(S^ed, and General Greene having taken poft on the Pedee, and there being few fords in any of the g^reat E.ivers of this country below their forks, especially in winter, I ap- prehended being much delayed, if not entirely pre- vented from penetrating by the latter route. • * ' V I was I . I- Blttl't!^ f i.ll' . -■iri^' mi 1' in t! > .'J ■■n \-f. ■ li V : • ?■,■ .(I 'i ■• ■ • ' "hi }*■ ,^^.! •1); K't'' 44 ^orrejpondence relative to thi I was the more induced to prefer this route, as I hoped in my way to be able to dcltroy or drive out of South Carolina the corps of the enemy conn- mandcd by General Morgan, which threatened our valuable dillridt of Ninety-fix : and I likewife hoped, by rapid . marches, to get between General Greene iind Virginia, and by that means force him to fight without receiving any reinforcement from that province ; or failing of that, to oblige him to quit North Carolina with precipitation •, and thereby en« courage our friends to make good their promifes of a general rifing to afTift me in rc-cllablilliing his Majefly*s government. , ; -' ' The unfortunate affair of the 17th of January was a very unexpected and fevere blow -, for, befides repu- tation, our lofs did not fall fliort of fix hundred men. However, being thoroughly fenfible that defenf?ve meafures would be certain ruin to the affairs of Bri- ^tain m the Southern Colonies, this event did not deter me from profecuting the original plan. That General Greene might be uncertain of my intended ioute as long as poffible, I had left General Leflie at Camden, until I was ready to move from Wynnef- borough, and he was now within a day*s march of mej J employed the iHth in forming a jundlion with him, and in colledling the remains of Lieutenant- colonel Taileton's corps; after which, great exer- tions were made by part of the army, wtthout bag- gage, to retake our prifoncrs, and to intercept Gene- ral 1 .1 Campaign in North Carolina* 25 ral Morgan's corps on its retreat to the Catawba ; but the celerity of their movements, and the iwelling of numberlefs creeks in our way, rendered all our efforts fruidefs. ' " ' ' • , I therefore aflembled the army on the 25th at Ramfoure's Mill, on the South Fork of the Catawba, and as the lofsof my light troops could only be reme- d ied by the activity of the whole corps, I employed a h.iltof two days in collecting fome flour, and in de- ll roying fuperfluous baggage and all my waggons except thofe loaded with hofpital-ftores, fair, and ammunitioii, and four referved empty in readinefs for lick or wounded. In this meafure, though at the expence of a great deal of officers baggage, and of all profped in future of rum> and even a regular fup- ply of provifions to the foldiers, I muft, injuftice to this army, fay that there was the molt general and cheerful acquiefcence. In the mean time the rains had rendered the North Catawba impaflable ; and General Morgan's corps, the militia of the rebellious counties of Rowan and Mecklenburg under General Davidfon, or the gang of plunderers ufually under the command of General Sumpter, not then recovered from his wounds, had occupied all rhe fords in a fpace of more than forty miles upwards from the fork. During its height, I approached the river by ftiort marches, fo as to give the enemy equal apprehcnfions for fcveral fords-, and after iiaving procured the bcfl: information in my power, L ^ - refolvcd >J iy\ i'V'St ,« ir m. 4 26 i4 . d » ?v CorreJ^ondence relative to the rcfolved to attempt the paflagc at a private ford (then (lightly guarded) near M'Cowan's ford, on the morning of the iftof "February. Lieutenant-colonel Webfter was detached with part of the army and all the baggage to Beattie's Ford, fix miles above M*Cowan*s, where General Davidfon was fuppofed to be polled with five hundred militia ; and was- direded to make every poflible demonftra- tion, by cannonading and otherwife, of an intention to force a paflagc there; and I marched at one in the morning with the brigade of guards, regiment of Bofe, twenty. third, two hundred cavalry, and two three-pounders, to the ford fixed upon for the real attempt. The morning being very dark and rainy, and part of our way through a wood where there was no road, one of the three-pounders in front of the twenty-third regiment, and the cavalry, overfet in a fwamp, and occafioned thofe corps to lofc the line of march j and fomeofthe artillery-men belonging to the other gun, (one of whom had the match,) having flopped to afTift, were I ike wife left behind. The head of the co- lumn in the mean while arrived at the bank of the river, and the day began to break.' I could make no ufeofthe gun that was up, and it was evident, from the number of fires on the other fide, that the oppo- fition would be greater than I had expedled. How- ever, as I knew that the rain then falling would foon render the river again impadkble, and I had received 2 information » ! ^ 71'.- - ( ^ Campaign in North CarcUna, 2y mformation the evening before that General Greene had arrived in General Morgan's camp, and that his army was marching after him with thegreateft expe- dition, I determined not to dcfift from the attempt ; and therefore, full of confidence in the zeal and gal- lantry of Brigadier-genera O'Hara and of the brigade of guards under his command, I ordered them to march on, bur, to prevent confufion, net to fire until they gained the oppofite bank. Their behaviour juftified my high opinion of them ; for aconftant fire from the€nemy, in a ford upwards of five hundred yards wide, in maiiy places up to their middle, with a rocky bottom and (Irong current, made no im- preffion on their co 1 and determined valour, nor checked their paflage. The light infantry, landing firft, immediately formed, and in a few minutes killed or difperfcd every thing that appeared before them, the reft of the troops forming and advancing in fucceiTion. We now learned that we iiad been op- pofed by about three hundred militia, that had taken poft there only the evening before, under the com- mand of General Davidfon. Their general and two or three other officers were among the killed ; the number of wounded was uncertain, and a few'^\'ere taken prifoners. On our fide. Lieutenant-colonel Hall and three men were killed, and thirty-fix men wounded, all of the light infanty and grenadiers of the guards. By this time the rear of the column had joined, and the whole having pafled with the greateft E 2 difpatch, 'I '■'''''■'>- i |;'.,v, . ■■■'■'. #•» . i.> li dorrefpondenc'e relative to the WW m ] difpatch, I detached Lieutenant- colonel TarletoOi with the cavalry and fventy-third regiment, to pur- fue the routed militia. A few were foon killed or taken ; and Lieutenant - colonel Tarleton having learned that three or four hundred of the neighbouring militia were to aflemble that day at Tarrants's houfe, about ten miles from the ford, leaving his infantry, he went on with the cavalry, and, finding the militia as expefted, he with excellent conduct and great fpi- rit attackc-i them inftantly, and totally routed them withlittls lofs on his fide, and on their's between forty and fifty killed, wounded, or prifoners. Tnis flroke, with our pafTage of the ford, fo effeftually difpirited the militia, that we met with no further oppofition on our march to the Yadkin, though one of the mod rebellious tracts in America. - i - During this time the rebels having quitted Seattle's Ford, Lieutenant-colonel Webfter was pafling his detachment and the baggage of the army ; this had become tedious and difficult by the continuance of the rain and thefwclling of the iver; but all joined us foon after dark about fix miles from Beattie's ford. The other fords were likewife abandoned by the enemy: the grcateft part of the militia difperfed, and General Morgan with his rorps marched all that af- ternoon and the following night towards Salifbury. We purfued next morning in hopes to intercept him between the rivers ; and, after ftruggling with many difficulties, arifing from.fw^lled creeks and bad roads, the Campaign in North Carolina, 2^ the guards came up with his rear, in the evening of the third, routed it, and took a few waggons at the Trading Ford of the Yadkin. — He had pafled the body of his infantry in flats, and his cavalry and waggons by the ford, during that day and the preceding night; but at the time of cur arrival the boats were fecured on the other fide, and the ford had become impaflable. The river continu- ing to rife, and the weather appearing unfettled, I determined to march to the upper fords, after procu- ring a fmall fupply of provifions at Salilbury. This, and the height of the creeks in our way, detained me two days ; and in that time Morgan having quitted the banks of the river, I had information from our friends, who crofled in canoes, that General Greene's army was marching with the utmofl difpatch to form ajundion with him at Guildford. Not having had time to colled the North-Carolina militia, and having received no reinforcement from Virginia, I concluded that he would do every thing in his power to avoid an adion on the South fide of the Dan j and, it being my intereft to force him to fight, 1 made great expe- dition, and got between him and the upper fords 5 and, being afliired that the lower fords are feldom pradlicable in winter, and that he could not colled many flats at any of the ferries, I was in great hopes that he would not cfcape me without receiving a blow. NotPring could exceed the patience and alacrity of the officers and foldiers under every fpecies of hardlhip and fatigue in endeavouring to overtake him. But our ■ I :f^ .'.V.': 1 ■'l J ■ i'l'i ''■ ft r w if ■»'•-; ■■ ryt ter !^ .:, 't if. K'J' a HI 3t> .. Correfpondence relaiive to the our intelligence upon this occafion was exceedingly defc6tiv€ ; which, with heavy rains, bad roads, and the paflageof many deep creeks, and bridges deftroy- ed by the enemy's light troops, rendered all our exer- tions vain ; for, upon our arrival at Boyd's ferry on the 15th, we learned that his rear-guard had got over the night before, his baggage and main body having paffed the preceding day ac that and a neighbouring ferry, where more flats had been colleded than had been reprefented to me as poflible. , r; -► My force being ill fuitedto enter by that quarter fo powerful a province as Virginia, and North Carolina being in the utmoft confufion, after giving the troops a halt of one day, I proceeded by eafy marches to Hillfborough, where I ereded the king's (landard, and invited by proclamation all loyal fubje(5ls to re- pair to it, and to (land forth and take an a<51:ive part in affifting me to reftore order and conftitutional go- vernment. As a conliderable body of friends were faid to refidc between the Haw and Deep rivers, I detached Lieutenant-colonel Tarleron on the 23d, with the cavalry and a fmall body of infantry, to prevent their being interrupted in aflfembling. Un- luckily, a detachment of the rebel light troops had croflcd the fame day, and by accident fell in with about two hundred of our friends, under Colonel Pyle, on their way to Hillfborough; who, miftaking the rebels for Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton's corps, allowed themfelves to be furroundcd, and a number m^i Campaign in North Caroiina, • j| of them were mod inhumanly butchered when beg« g,ing for quarter, without making the leaft refiftapce. The fame day I had certain intelligence that General Greene, having been reinforced, had re-crofled the Dan, which rendered it imprudent to feparate vc\j corps, occafioned the recall of Lieu tenant- colonel Tarleton's detachment ; and forage and provifions being fcarce in the neighbourhood of Hilllborough, as well as the pofition too diftant (upon the approach of the rebel afmy) for the protedion of the body of our friends ; I judged it expedient to crofs the Haw, and encamped near Allemance Creek, detaching Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton with the cavalry, light company of the Guards, and one hundred and fifty men of Lieutenant-colonel Webfter's brigade, a few miles from me on the road to Deep River, more ef- fedually to cover the country. General Greene's light troops foon made their appearance ; and on the 2d, a patrole having repor- ted that they had feen both cavalry and infantry near his pofl", I direfted Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton to move forward with proper precautions, and endea- vour to difcover the dciigns of the enemy. He had not advanced far, when he fell in with a conliderablc corps, which he immediately attacked and routed; but being ignorant of their force, and whether they were fupporred, with great prudence defifted from purfuit. He foon learned from prifoners, that thofe he had beat were Lee's legion, tliree or four hundred ■■ 'Jil*#'''' 1 ' ^-i villi (i ,1". ,&».•■« back ll 1 Pi • rl I k'.i'! 3^ Correfpondente relative to th^ back mountain men, under Colonel Preflon, with a number of militia -, and that General Greene with a part of his army was not far diftant. Our fituation for the former few days had been amongll timid friends, and adjoining to inveterate rebels ; between them I had been totally deftitute of information, which loft me a very favourable opportunity of at- tacking the rebel army. General Greene fell back to Thompfon's Houfe, near Boyd's Ford, on the Reedy Fork 5 but his light troops and militia Hill remained near us, and as I was informed that they were pofled careleflly at feparate plantations for the convenience of fubfifting, I marched on the 6th to drive them in, and to attack General Greene if an opportunity offered. 1 fucceeded completely in the firft i and at Weitzell's Mill, on the Reedy Fork, where they made a ftand, the back-mountain men and fome militia fuffered confiderably, with little lofs on our fide; but a timely and precipitate retreat over the Haw prevented the latter. I knew that the Virginia reinforcement were upon their march j and it was apparent that the enemy would, if pollible, avoid rifqueing an adlion before their arrival. The neighbourhood of the Fords of the Dan in their rear, and the extreme difficulty of fubfifting my troops in that exhaufted country putting it out of my power to force them, my refolution was to give our friends time to join us, by covering their country as cffeiftually as polTible, confiftcnt with ^ the • Campaign in North Carolina. jj the fubfiftence of the troops, ftill approaching the communication with our (hipping in Cape Fear River, which I faw it Ivould foon become indifpert- libly neceflary to open, on account of the fufferings of the army from the want of fupplies of every kind; at the fame time I was determined to fight the rebel army, if it approached me, being convinced that it would be impoffible to fucceed in that great objeft of our arduous campaign, the calling forth the nu- merous Loya^iils of North Carolina, whilft a doubt remained on their minds of the fuperiority of our arms. With thefe views, I had moved to the Qiia- ker Meeting, in the Forks of Deep River, on the 13th ; and on the 14th I received the information which occafioned the movement that brought on the aftion at Guildford, of which I fhall give your Lordfhip an account in a fcparatc letter. ('■;v'.-' ." ■.'. II I have the honour to be, &c. CORNWALLIS. .1. :^^:D Inclofed V. . *: -• jV.. ,- ■ •/... / ' /■'■ I I'" ■I'li ^^f w 34 Ccrrefpondence relative to the .•'*!^' :^^Mi:) U: •.i rat Inclofed in No. V. By the Right Honourable Charles Earl Comzvallis, Lieutenant -general of his Majejly's Forces, ■^ . . i-jc. &c, ^c, r ' A P R O C L A, M A T I O N. WHEREAS it has pleafed the Divine Providence to prolper the operations of his Majefty's arms in driving the rebel army out of this province ; and whereas it is his Majefty's moft gracious wifli to ref- cuc his faithful and loyal fubje(5ts from the cruel tyranny under which they have groaned for feveral years, I have thought proper to iflue this Proclama- tion, to invite all fuch faithful and loyal fubjeds to repair, without lofs of time, with their arms and ten days provifions, to the Royal Standard now ereded at Hillfborough, where they will meet with th^ moft friendly reception : and I do hereby allure them that I am ready to concur with them in effedual meafures for fuppreffing the remains of rebellion in this pro- vince, and for the rc-eft?blifliment ^of good order and conftitutional government. - Given under my hand at head quarters at Hillfbo- rough this 20th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1781, and in the twenty-firfl year of his Majefty's reign. CORNWALLIS. By his Lorfhip's command, H. Brodrick, " Aid de Camp. ^ God fave the King, Inclofed , » J Campaign in North Carolina^ 35 Inclofed in Number V, t,^ ,; \ I':..', uti Co/>>' 0/ Earl Ccrnzvaliis's Di/patch, No, J5, to Lord , George Germain, dated Guildford » 1^1 th March, 1781. ::''/.^ OJ •', •».. -■r MY LORD, *•• ' * I HAVE the fatisfafflion to inform yourLordfhip that his Majelly's troops under my command ob- tained a fignal vidtory, on the 15th inflant, over the rebel army commanded by General Greene. r In purluance of my intended plan, communicated to your Lordfhip in my difpatch, No. 7, I had en- camped on the 13th inftant at the Quaker Meeting between the forks of Deep River. On the 14th I received information, that General Butler, with a body of North-Carolina militia and the expected reinforcements from Virginia, faid to confift of a Virginia ftate-regimenr, a corps of Virginia eighteen- months men, three thoufand Virginia militia and recruits for the Maryland line, had joined General Greene ; and that the whole army, which was re- ported to amount to nine or ten rhoufand men, was marching to attack the Britifh troops. Durin«: the afternoon intelligence was brought, which was con- firmed in the night, that he had advanced that jday to ^Guiidfovd, about tv/elve miles from our camp. R'*- F a it\s, »r, mm \:y'< ':,.*"; r?ii* |;?f ft 'i,' •■■>■ m V v ,i: I.I t •3' v-l 36 Correfpondence relative to the ing now perfuaded that he had refolved to hazard an engagement, after detaching Lieutenant-colonel Ha- milton with our v/aggons and baggage cfcortcd by his own regiment, a detachnnent of one hundred in- fantry and twenty cavalry, towar-'s Bells Mill on Deep River, I marched with the reft of the corps, at day-break on the morning of the 1 5th, to meet the enemy or to attack them in their encampment. About four miles from Guiluford, our advanced guard, cpmmanded by Lieutenant colonel Tarleton, fell in with a corps of the enemy, conlifting of Lee's le- gion, f^.ime back-mountain men and Virginia militia, which he attacked with h's ufual good condud and fpirit, and defeated-, and, continuing our march, we found the rebel army ported on rifing grounds about a mile and a half from the court-houfe. The prifoners taken by Lieutenant-colonel Larleton having been feveral days with the advanced corps, could give me noaccoi|nt of the enemy's order or pofition, and the Country people were extremely inaccurate in their defcription of the ground. Immediately be- tween the head of the column and the enemy's line, was a confidcrable plantation, one large field of which was on our left of the road, and two others, with a wood of ab ut two hundred yards broad between them, on our right of it ; beyond thefe fields the wood continued for feveral miles to our right. The wood beyond the plantation in our front, in the {kirt of v^'hich the enemy's firft line was formed, w as about a mile 1 ,.-.# .% ■' »•- '. Campaign in Nerik Carolina. 'V!' 37 *•* a mile in depth, the road rhcn leading into an exten- five fpace ot cleaved ground about Guildford court- houfe. The woods on our right and left were reported to be imprafticablc for cannon ; but, as that on our right appeared the mod open, I refolved to attack the left wing of the enemy •, and, whilft my difpofition was making for thcit purpofe, I ordered Lieutenant Macleod to bring forward the guns and cannonade their center. The attack was direded to be made in the following order : On the right the regiment of Bofe and the feventy- firft regiment, led by Major- general Leflic, and fup- ported by the firft battalion of guards j on the left, the twenty-ihird and thirty-third regiments, led by Lieut. Col. Webfter, and fupported by the grenadiers and fecond battalion of guards commanded by Briga- dier-general O'Hara; the yagers and light- infantry of the guards remained in thewoodontheleftof theguns, and the cavalry in the road, ready to aft as circum- ftances might require. Our preparations being made, the adion began at about half an hour pait one in the afternoon j Major-general Leflie, after being obliged by the great extent of the enemy's line, to bring up the firft battalion of guards to the right of the regi- ment of Bofe, foon defeated every rhing before him ; Lieutenant-colonel Webiter, having joined the left of Major-general Leflie's divifion, was no lefs fuc- cefsfuHn his front, when, on finding that the left of the thirty-third was expofed to a heavy (ire from the , : right. m ■,n\ •• U' : ■ :\'; . ' 'li' '"t V v%~ \ m Va sS I . / 2 8 Ccn'cfpondence relative to the right wing of the enemy » he changed his front to the left, and, being lupported by the yagers and light- infantry of the guards, attacked and routed it. The grenadiers and fccon:l battalion of guards movinjr for. ward to occupy the ground left vacant by the move- ment of Lieutenant-colonel VN'ebfter. j^i w' All the infantry being now in the line, Lieutenant- colonel Tarleton had directions to keep his cavalry compacl:, and not to charge without pofitive orders, except to proteift any of the corps from the moft evi- dent dinger of being defeated. The excefiive thickncis of the woods rendered our bayonets of little life, and enabled the broken enemy to make frequent Hands, with an irregular fire, which occafioned fome lofs, and to leveral of the corps great delay, particu- larly on our right, where the firft battalion of the guards and regiment of Bofe were warmly engaged in front, flank, and rear, with fome of the enemy that had been routed en the firft attack, and with part of the extremity of their left wing, which by the clofenefsofthe woods had been pafied unbroken. The feventy-firil regiment and grenr^diers, and fecond battalion of guards, not knowing what was pafling on their right, and hearing the fire advance on their left, continued to move forward, the artillery keeping pace with them on the road, followed by the cavalry. The fe- cond battalion of guards firft gained the clear ground near Guildford court-houfe, , and found a corps of continental infantry much fup erior in number formed ir. <)>' CiVnpiii^n in North Carolina, 37 in the open field on the left of the road. Glowing with iiVipaticnce tofignalize themfclves, they inftantly attackeJ and iit:f/:'■ :-<: ■■ were •),•* .v.'J *'^s Earl CornwalUs^s March into Vir^^inla, 41 were withdrawn to the Continefiuls before the at- tack; I have the honour to enclofe to your Lordfhip the liO. of our killed and woundrd ; Captain Schutz's wound is fuppofed to be mortal, but the furgeons allure me tha' none of the other ofHcers are in dan- ger, and that a great number of the men will foon recover. I cannot afccTtain tlie lofs of the enemy, but it mufl: have been confiderable, between two and three hundreil dead were left upon the field -, many of their wounded that were abl^ to move, whilft we were employed in the care of Obr ov.n, cfcaped and followed the routed enemy ; and our cattlc-drivera and forage-parties have reported to me, that the houfcs in a circle of fix or eight miles round us are full of others : thofe that remained we have taken the bed care of in our power. We took few pri- foners, owing to the excefllve thicknefs of the wood facilitating their efcape, and every man of our army being repeatedly wanted for adtion. 'The conduct and adtions of the officers and foldicrs that compofe this little army will do more juftice to their merit than I can by words. Their perfevering intrepidity in aftion, their invincible patience in the hardfhipi and fatigues of a march of above fix hun- dred miles, in which they have forded feveral large rivers and numberlefs creeks, many of wKich would be reckoned large rivers in any other country in the world, without tents or covering againft the climate, G and ♦■ .- '!' '/ ^■>> .■il V ■ ;?:t .%■ > ■.'':•■ .ii I I » > ' m ■ !■ fill '■}'/■'■ tj] n \ .. i fill. I ■ iii m ■ m 1 1„, '( 4i ;^''* Corref^ondetice relative tp and often without provifions, will fufficlently mani- feft their ardent zeal for the honour and interefts of their Sovereign and their country. .^ ■ r,7 > I have been particularly indebted to Major-general Leflie for his gallantry and exertion in the adion, as well as his aflittance in every other part of the fervice. The seal and fpirit of Brigadier-general 0*Hara merit my higheft commendations ; for, after receiving two dangerous wounds, he continued in the field whilft the adtion lafted ; by his earneft attention on all other occafions, feconded by the officers and fol- diers of the brigade : his Majefty's guards are no lefs diftinguifhed by their order and difcipline than by their fpirit and valour : the Heflian regiment of Bofe deferves my warmeft praifes for its difcipline, alacrity, and cour'^ge, and does honour to Major Du Buy, who commands it, and who is an officer of fuperior merit: I am much obliged to Brigadier-general Howard, who ferved as volunteer, for his fpirited er^ample on all occafions : Lieutenant-colonel Webfter conduded his brigade like an officer of experience and gallantry. Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton's good condudt and fpirit in the management of his cavalry, was confpicuous during the whole aftion j and Lieu- tenant Maclcod, who commanded the artillery, proved himfelf upon this, as well as all former oc- cafions, a mod capable and deferving officer. The attention and exertions of my Aid-de-camps, and of all Earl CornwalIis*s March into Virginia. 43 all the other public officers of the army, contributed very much to the fuccefs of the day. I have conftantly received the moft zealous affift- ance from Governor Martin, during my command in the fouthcrn diftrid: hoping that his prefence would tend to incite the loyal fubjeds of this pro- vince to take an adive part with us, he has chear- fully fubmitted to the fatigues and dangers of our campaign : but his delicate conftitudon has fuffered by his public fpirit, for, by the advice of the phy- ficians, he is now obliged to return to England for the recovery of his health. This part of the country is fo totally deftitutc of fubfiflence, that forage is not nearer than nine miles, and the foldieis have been two days without bread ; I fhall, therefore, leave about fevcnty of the worft of the wounded cafes at the New-garden Quaker- meeting-houfe, with proper affiftance, and move the reqiainder with the army to-morrow morning to Bell's-roill. I hope our friends will heartily take an adive part with us, to which I (hall continue to en- courage them -, flill approaching our (hipping by eafy marches, that w^e may procure the nece(rary fupplies for further operations, and lodge our (ick and wounded where proper attention can be paid to them. This difpatch v^'ill be delivered to your Lordfhip l)y my Ald-de-canip, Captain Brocjrick, who is a G 2 very t"^; ..; *, / ' .» i I'l 111 :«.» •'> I ,- V ' ' -'I ■'- >v. • i^ '3'r**'|.' i,.v. : -'. I have the honour to be, &c. ", ' ?..;ii u .,, ,..,„., -,i , -«^-« ' 4\ -■ i „'' ■ S ..U - I . JC CORNWALL IS. i^'h «':vJ\ .• ■'- ♦ , t- ■ ■ J ■ :».t V ^ t. ♦.-. -*! . i i S Inclo{^d in No. V. ^i^^^^^sni. ^ Copy of Earl Cornwallii's Difpatch, No. 9, /^ Ltfr^;/ George GermaWy dated Pl^'llmington^ Jpril 1 8, 1781, ■'.r^i. , ., MY LORD, • - I MARCHED from Guildford on the morning of the 1 8th of March, and next day arrived at BellV mill, where I gave the troops two days reft, and procured a fmall fupply of provlfions. From thence I proceeded flowly towards Crofs-creck, attending to the convenience of fubfiftence, and the movement of our wounded. On my way I iffued the enclofed proclanaation, and took every other means in my power to reconcile enemies, and to encourage our friends to join us. '*' " ' "*" From all my information I intended to have halted at Crofs-Creek, as a proper place to refrelh and refit the troops ; and I was much difappointcd. '*u on Earl Cornwallis*s March into Virginia, 45 on my arrival there, to find it totally impoifTible : provifions were fcarce, not four days forage within twenty miles, and to us the navigation of the Cape Fear river to Wilmington impi-adticable ; for the diftance by water is upwards of a hundred miles, the breadth feldom above one hundred yards, the banks high, and the inhabitants on each fide gene- rally hoftile. — Under thefe circumftances, I was obliged to continue my march to this place, in the neighbourhood of which 1 arrived on the 7th in- ftanr. ., - = ■ I have been bufy, fmce my arrival, in difpofirg of our fick and wounded, and in procuring the neceflary fupplies 10 put the troops in a proper ftate to take the field. I am in daily expedration of feeing the reinforcement from Europe, and of receiving the Commander-in-chief's dire6lions for the further ope- rations of the campaign. Captain Schutz died a few days after the action, as we expefted ; but I am forry to inform your Lord- fliip, that, notwithftanding the flattering appearances and the alFurances of the furgeons, Colonel Webfter, (whofe lofs is feverely felt by me and the whole army) Captain Maynard of the guards, and Captain Wilmoufky and Enfign de Trott of the Regiment of Bofe are fince dead : the reft of the officers are reco- vering fad, and many of the wounded foldiers have already joined their regiments. i,.; . . - - Major ":av..'' • , ,"j ■•.■', > ^-^A >■, '. ■;, I'M .<»■ \i 'iy • ■ ^ ■ m ^'ii' ;i'« hitl '\ -»--^ 46 .fc Correfpondencc rek$ifveto J . Major Ciaig, who took poflefllon of this place in the latter end of January, has conduced himfelf with great zeal and capacity, having with a very fmall force not only fecured the poft from all in- fults, but made himfelf refpedable in this part of the country, by feveral fucccfsful excurfions. I (hall not trouble your Lordfhip on the fubjedl of South-Carolina, havisg dire(51ed Lord Rawdon, who commands on the frontiers, and Lieutenant- colonel Balfour, commandant of Charlcstown, to take every opportunity of communicating to your Lordlhip, as well as to the Commander-in-chief, the Hate of affairs in that province. As they are both officers of capacity and great merit^ I trull that their rondu<5l will have given fatisfadlion. _ ^ Til . ; ) i'r:' I have the honour to be, &c. -^...V. , ^ij^ C O R N W A L L I S. i fn"^ \ • i*\ '^ 'f- Incloied >'^j'f''- -■< ^ ,»*•:»• ^ 'J i\4 Enrl Ornzvallis's March into Virginia. ^f *'■ '■V3 »l ,:.' ;>' ^r:v ' \ • '• ' Inclofed in No. V, ' -.i' NORTH CAROLINA. » n - ■ ' .*' • ■ _'"' .« • L By Charles Earl Cornzvallis, Lieufenant -General of his Majeftfs Forces, ^c. i^c. &l\ *' t A P R O C L A M A T I O N. WriEREAS by the bleffing of Almighty God» his Majefty*s arms have been crowned with fignal fuccefs, by the compleat vit^lory obtained over the Rebel forces on the 15th inftant, I have thouglit pro- per to ifTue this proclamation to call upon all loyal fub- jeds to {land forth, and take an a6live^)art in reftoring good order and government. And whereas it has been reprefented to me that many perfons in this pro- vince who have taken a fhare in this unnatural rebel- lion, but having experienced the oppredion and injul- ticeof the Rebel government, and havingfeen the errors into which they have been deluded by falfehoods and mifrcprefentations, ^re fincerely defirous of returning to their duty and allegiance, I do hereby notify and promife to all fuch perfons (murderers excepted) tliat if they will furrender themfelves with their arms and ammunition, at head quarters, or to the officer com- manding in the dillrict contiguous to their rtfpefl-ve pLicuS t- ' -^i ■'!.'?-•■' '' ''I ;■■?'■• >. .1 ', ,., hi* ^'i V ■ i;;'^^-- •■■■; H 1 • . .1 .\' '.{•'.■ !.4'l wi *. >• ■tCl fit § 48 ^ Correfponience relative t^ places of refidence, on or before the 20th day of April next, they fliall be permitted to return to their homes, upon giving a military parole, and fliall be protecfled in their perfons and properties from all fort of violence from the BritiHi troops, and will be reftorcd as foon as poffible to all the privileges of legal and conftitutional goveriiment. . ^^ , S '''« Given under my hand 'at head quarters, this i8th day of March, A. D. 1781, and in the twenty- firlt year of his Majefty's reign. '' . CORNWALLIS. X-t ■ \rn Inclofed in No. V." •' ' '" -"'^ Coj)y cf Earl Cornwalliss difpatch^ No. 10, to Lord George Germain^ dated ^Vilmingiorii April i8ch, 178 1. . MY LORD, i .-I,, tU > -> AS Governor Martin returns to England by this opportunity, I (hall beg leave to refer your Lordfhip to him for many particulars relating to this province; but I think it incumbent on me to be explicit to your Lordfhip, ^s his Majefty's Miniftcr, on one or two capital points. 'Vn.r^.y.n.iu.,,...mm4 The principal reafons for undertaking the winter's campaign wtre, the difficulty of a defenfive war in South Carolina, and the hopes that our friends in * 4 North CafMpaign in North Carolina* / 49 North Carolina, who were faid to be very lumerous, would nidke good their promifcs of afrembling and ukinj; an active part with ns, in endeavouring to re- eliablifh liis Majelly's government. Our experience has Hicwn that their numbers are not fo great as had been repreiented, and that their fricndfhip was only pafTive; for we have received little afiiftance from them fmce our arrival in the province, and although I gave ;he ftrongcft and mod pubHc aflfurances, that tpfter refitting and dcpofiting our fick and wounded, I fliould return to the upper country, not above tw(^ hundred have been prevailed upon to follow us, cither a5 provincials or militia. This being the cafe, the immenfe extent of this country, cut with numberlefs rivers and creeks, and the total want of internal navigation, which renders it impoffible for our army to remain long in the heart of the country, will make it very difficult to reduce this province to obedience by a dired attack upon it. If therefore it fliould appear to be the intereft of Great Britain to maintain what (he already poflcfles, and to pyfh the war in the Southern Provinces, I take the liberty of giving it as my opinion, that a fer'.ous attempt upon Virginia would be the moft folid Plan, becaufe fuccefsful operations might not only be attended with important confequences there, but would tend to tlie fecurity of South Carolina, and uidmately to the fubmiiuon of North Carolina. 4" . H The / / '■MM\ '■■ mm 'is I'Vl I I t m , »■ 5^' v< Cdrrejpondcnce relative to the The great reinforcements fent by Virginia to General Greene, whllft General Arnold was in the Chefapeak, are convincing proofjs that finall expeditions do not ' frighten that powerful province. I • ■ / \ I have the honour to be, &c. . , CORNWALLIS. Inclofed in No. V. ," ^ t '^ I 1 m Copy of Earl Cornzvallis's difpaUh^ No. ix, to Lord George Germain ^ dated lPllm:>igto}j, April 23^, 1781. MY LORD, • I YESTERDxAY received an exprefs by a fmall veflcl from Charles-town, informing me that a frigate was there, but not then able to get over the bar, with difpatches from Sir Henry Clinton, notifying to me that Major-General Philips had been detached into the Chefapeak with a confiderable force, with in- llruftions to co operate with this army, and to pui hinnfelf under my orders. This exprefs likewife brought me die difagreeable accounts, that the up- per polls of South Carolina were in the moft im- minent danger, from an alarming fpirit of revolt among many of, the people, and by a movement of Gcner'il Greeners army. Although the cxpreffes that • ^ I I fbnt Campaign in North Carolina, 51 I fent from Crols Creek to inform Lord Rawdon of the necefllty I was under of coming to this place, ^nd to warn him of the poffibilicy of fuch an attempt of the enemy, had all mifcarried, yet his Lnrdfliip was lucky enough to be apprized of General Greene's approach at leaft fix days before he polfibly could reach Camden, and I am therefore ftill induced to hope from my opinion of his Lordfliip's abilities, and the precautions taken by him nnd Lieutenant- colonel Balfour, that we ihall.not be fo un^ tunate as to loofe any confiderable corps. The diibnce from hence to Camden, t.'c 'vant of forage and fubfidence on the greareft part cf '\t road, and the difficulty in pafllng the Pedee v -^n oppofed by an enemy, render it utterly impoffible for me to give immediate affiiiance, and I apprehend a polTi- bilityof the urmoft hazard to this little corps, with- out the chance of a benefit in the attempt j for if we are fo unlucky as to fuflVr a fcvere blow in South Caro- lina, the f[>irit of revolt in that province would become very general, and the numerous rebels in this province be encouraged to be more than ever aflive and violent. This might enable General Greene to hem me ia among the great rivers, and by cutting off our fub- fiftence, render ol!r arms ufclefs : and to remain here for tranfports to carry us off, would be a work of time, would loie our cavalry, and be oilierways as ruinous and diri^raceuil to Britain, as moll events could be. I liave therefore und(;r ib many embar- ^ ] \ 1 ' ' raPjii-g < . -rJ 1 rf; ;'^' ■■f 1 ' :,^' vt-'^ ■ -^^' '•fti ;:;,;«^.:'i ■ -Ml If - .■ ■ ■ i. ' it*! '.. >'4 ".*K. . 'rm £ 2 ' Corrcfpcndcnce rdaths to the ^ • ralTing circumdances, (but looking upon Charles- town as fafe from any immediate attack from the Rebels,) refolved to take advantage of Genwral Greene's having left the back part of Virginia open, and march immediately into that province to attempt a junction with General Phillips. I have more readily decided upon this meafure, becaufe if General Greene fails in the objefl of his march, his retreat will relieve South Carolina •, and niy force being very infufiicient for ofTcnfive opera- tions in this province, may be employed iifcfully in Virginia in conjundion with the corps under the command of General Phillips. ; ■ I have the honour U) be, TvC. C O U X \Y A L L I 3. I ,f CORK E 5- 'Y Campnign in North CaroUua. O -a r-' o CQ 1 '^ ^/: -:; \j u t:: ^y Cm c o a> o «' CO •'I vxox >^ I— I o o (—1 J2 c s;33jun|o^ LtI .Tf 23 •sjo'Jcjf^ O rv JO 3U;>un5?3'^ CO •iiot,r.jjvg pz On CM c r •UI3UlIu53'^ pi I OO d CO CO CO •JU31Ui5j^ P^s OS CO 53 •sniuctlmof) £ I - •juouu33-v[ tjjZ. •f,pjrnf) JO I'pcPiin •S 3 X V CI o , CO r.: r-. O CO CI r - ON cs vo On OO o »- I- CO , • oc ii''' ' »k ' ^■.:,j;.«i I '■■.J, ■!»■■* * •" 1 1 ifiU n ik<: ;« *< »■' •-•'1 ■",• , ■■%n • '. /C CORRESPONDENCE B U V WHEN Con. Sir HEN R Y C 1,1 NTON, K. B. , COMMANDER IN CHIEF, . A H D • Lieut. Gen. Earl CORN W A I. I, I S. P A R T II. RELATIVE TO EARL CORNWALLIs's MARCH INTO VIRGINIA. I , N U M B E R I. , Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B» dated ' *' JVilmhigton^ Jpril 24, 178 1, " * " •-' SIR, ._.,•, , .-..- ^, -■':•■: r-'-.. IH A V E reflefled very ferioufly on the fubjcfl cf my attempt to march into Virginia, and have in confequence written a letter to Major-general Phillips, of which I have the honour to enclofe a copy to your Excellency. I have, likewife, direfleJ Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to fend tranfp : ;ts and • . - provifions I* I ■-#■;' , ; .1.'; m. -■: hi ."■" ''■ii : n ''n ■ ;•/(■;■ ^ , '.' f' C": ••tj ii t I. 1 .-i 1 ,■ it 1 ii ,. H ■ I' i 11 56 CorrefpoJidcnce rcUtivd to provifions to this port, in cafe I fhould find the junftion with Major-ocr.eral Phillips inexpedient or impracticable, and that I diould have the mortifica- tion of Teeing that there is no other merhod of con- veying his Majefty's troops to South-Carolina, with- out expofing them to the moll evident danger of being loll. I have the honour to be, &:c. C O R N W A L L I S. V' i. iii 1 "■ '■ *. ■ r .ii 1 1 ■. ' j ,i H'- ■■■!:' u ■ . ll Ill I.,.'|| ; It i .| r?''*'! (Incloled in Number I.) Copy of Ecirl Ccrfizvallis^s Letter to Major-general PtiUips^ dated {Vilmvigton^ April 24^, 1781. DEAR PHILLIPS, MY fituation here is very diftreffing : Greene took the advantage of my being obliged to come to this place, and has marched to South-Carolina. My exprcfies to Lord Ravvdon, on my leaving Crofs- Creek, warning him of the polTibility of fuch a movement, have all failed j mountaineers and militia have poured into the back part of that province, and I much fear that Lord Rawdon's polls will be fo diilani from each other, and his troops fo fcattercd, as to put him into the grcatell danger of being beat in Earl Cernwallis*s March into Virginia] 57 in detail, and that the worft of confequences may happen to moft of the troops out of Charles-town. By a dire(5b move towards Camden, I cannot get time enough to relieve Lord Rawdon ; and, fhould he have fallen, my army would be expofed to the utmoft danger, from the great rivers I fhould have to pafs, the exhaufted ftate of the country, the nume- rous militia, the almoft univerfal fpirit of revolt which prevails in South Carolina, and the ftrength of Greene's army, whofe continentals alone are at leaft as numerous as I am ; and I could be of no ufe on my arrival at Charles-town, there being nothing to apprehend at prefent for that poft, I (hall, therefore, immediately march up the country by Duplin Court- houfe, pointing towards Hillfborough, in hopes to withdraw Greene; if that Ihould not fucceed, I Ihould be much tempted to try to form a jundion with you. The attempt is exceedingly hazardous, and many unforefeen difficulties may render it totally impradticable, fo that you mull not take any fteps that may expofe your army to the danger of being ruined : I fhall march to the loweft ford of the Roa- noke, which,, I am informed, is about twenty miles above Taylor's-ferry. Send every pofllble intelligence to me by the cypher I enclofe, and make every movement in your power to facilitate our meeting, (which mull be fomewhere near Peterfburg) with fafety to your own army : I mention the loweft ford, becaufe in a hoftile country ferries cannot be de- I pended -mi ''«':■': % '' I ■Mi'; /A h:i * Til 'i^ ,' 5» ' Correfpondence relative to pended upon •, but if I fliould decide on the meafure of endeavouring to come to you, t fliall try to fur- prize the boats at fome of the ferries, from Halifax upwards, " "';< ' -7'' I am, &c. ..:.".-: . CORNWALLIS. If' \: NUMBER II. Sir Hmry Clinton to Earl CormvalUs^ dated Niw Icrk, ' Marsh zd, 1781. JReceived hy Earl CornzvaUis in Virginia, MY LORD, ^ YOUR Lordfhip may probably hear that the army and navy in Chefapeak are blocked up by a lupe- rior French naval force to that under Captain Sy- monds. The firft account I had cf it was from General Arnold, dated the 14th February; and I fent it immediately to tlie Admiral at Gardiner's Bay. — A day or two afterwards I had it confirmed that they were part of the fleet from Rhode liland ; which I have heard fince failed from thence on the 9th ultimo. NDtwithftanding which, I greatly fear he has not fent a naval force to relieve them. Wa(h- ington has detached fome New-England troops under La Fayette and Howe, that way. If fo much time is given, I cannot anfwer for confequences. Portf- mouth ii r ' Earl Comwallis^s March into J^rginia. ^59 month Is fafe, at this feafon, againft any attack from the Suffolk nde, but not fo from a landing in any of the bays to the eaftward of Elizabeth River. — I have much to lament that the Admiral did not think it advifeable to fend there at firft, as Brigadier-gene- ral Arnold's projeded move in favour of your Lord- fhip's operations, will have been ftopt : and if the Admiral delays ic too long, I fliall dread Hill more fatal confequences. I have troops already embarked in a great proportion to that of the enemy j but to fend them under two frigates only before the Chefa- peak is our own, is to facrifice the troops and their convoy. : . ■ ' . i I enclofe to your Lordfiiip all the news 1 have been able to colled. Ethan Allen has, I think, quitted Congrefs, and put them at defiance. Your Lordfhip will fee his plan by the News-paper of the 28th February, faid to be genuine. Difcontents run high in Connedicut. In Ihort, my Lord, there feems little wanting to give a mortal ftab to rebel- lion but a proper reinforcement, and a permanent fuperiority at fea, for the next campaign j without which, any enterprize depending on water move- ments mud certainly run great riik. — Should the troops already embarked for Chefapeak proceed ; and, when there, be able to undertake any operation in addition to what Brigadier-general Arnold pro- pofes, I am confident it will be done. Major-ge- neral Phillips will command this expedition. I 2 Till ■f ■^■'.' m W ^ ■ h 6o Correfpondencc relative to Tlil Colonel Bruce arrives I am uncertain v.iac reinforcements are intended for this army. I'he Minifter has, however, aflured me, that every pof- fible exertion will be made. j f •' I fhall tremble for our poft at Portfmouth, fhould the enemy's reinforcements arrive in that neighbour- hood before the force, which I now flatter myfelf the Admiral will order a fuITicicnt convoy for, ar- rives. ■■'■., • .;- ■'•' - '■ ' March 8th. I have received a letter from General Arnold, dated the 25th ultimo, wherein he tells me, that the French left him on the 19th. And in ano- ther letter of the 27th, he fays, he has not the kail doubt of defending his poft againft the force of ihe; country and two thoufand French troops until a re^ inforcement can arrive from New York : and that he propofed to fend five hundred men under Coionel Dundas up James River, to make a diverfion in favour of }'our Lordfhip. The Admiral informs rrc of the return of the French fhips to Rhode -Ifland, and of their ha- ving taken the Romulus, and carried her into that place. But as the Admiral, in his letter of the 2d inftant, feems to think that the whole, or at lead a great part,, of the French fleet failed for Chcfa« peak on the 27th, and that he was at that time ready to fuil ; I flatter myfelf he is either gone there, or hgs lent a fufficient fofce to clear the Chellipeak. ';• ' The til E m 1.1 i > >^%il V rr-|i 6 2 Lonefpondence relative to troops at pref»;n(: under his orders, and the poRs he occupies on Elizabeth River, near the mouth of James P.iver in Virginia, you will, of courfe, ufc every means to attain this very material purpofc. — The propereil methods to be purfued on this occafion cannot be exadly pointed out to you, but muft be kft ro your difcretion. iw When you fhall have formed your jun(^ion with Brigadier-general Arnold, if you find that General ailing under the orders of Earl Cornwallis, you will, of courfe, endeavour to fulfil thofe orders. — If this fliould not be the cafe ; after receiving every information refpe6>lng his probable lituation, you will make fuch movements with the corps then un- der your orders as can be made confident with the iecurlty of the poft on Llizabeth River, or you fnall think will mofl effcflually aiTifl: his Lordlhips opera^ tions, by deftroying or taking any magazines the enemy may have on JaiDes River, or at Peterfburg, on the Appamaiox. After which, if it fhould be thought neceffary.^ you will eftablilli a pofl-, or pofls, at fuch ftations on James River, as Ihall appear bell calculated to open the way for, and fecuie the fafety, a< far . s poflible, of a rapid movement of troops %o giro jciloufy for Upper James River, and to inter- rupt the ourfe of fupplies to the Carolinas. T.»ie objeft of co-operation with Lord Cornwallis being fulfilled, you are at liberty to carry on fuch defuUory expeditions for the purpofe of deilroying the , f 1 n ••.v" Earl Cornwallis's March into Plrginia, 6j the enemy's public (tores and magazines in any part " of the Chciapeak, as you fhall judge proper. If the Admiral, difapproving of Portfmouth, and requiring a fortified ftation for large fhips in the Chefapeak, (hould propole York Town or Old Point Comfort, if pofTefTion of either can be acquired and maintained without great rifk or lofs, you are ac liberty to take poircfiion thereof: but if the objec- tions arc fuch as you fliall think forcible, you muI^, after ftatirg thofe objections, decline it, till folid ■ operations take place in the Chefapeak. As to whatever relates to the people of the coun- try, their being received and armed, or being more for the King's fcrvice that they fliould remain quietly at their houfes, or refpedling the oaths that fliould be offered to tiiem, or for your general conduct in matters of this kind, 1 refer you to my Inflrudions to Major-general Leflie, and Brigadier- general Ar- nold, copies of which will be given to you. And concerning your return to this place, j^ou will receive either my orders or Lord Cornwallis*s, as circum (lances may make neceffary. *Tis prefumed his Lordfliip will be able to fpare troops to ftation at Portfmouth, &c. but fhT)uld that not be the caie, you are at liberty to leave either the regiment of Prince Heredicaire or the feventy-fixth, or both, for that purpofe, under any officer, being a general officer. Lord Cornwallis may choofe to ap- point; but if it fliould be an officer of your own appointing. ♦ 1 1 ,j- '"'', ■■*■■? ,i| f ■.-:m ■»V,.' " f' '• . 1 '''"'!|"T'f"W'V-» f >->)> I ,, €4 Correfpondence relative to appointing, with the rank of Lieutenant-colonel ; I think Lieutenant-colonel Dundas, as being acquain- ted with the fpor, fhould remain. • It is probable, whenever the obje«5ls of this expe- dition are fulfilied, and that you have ftrengthened the prefent work«;, and added luch others as you fhall think necelTary, that you may return to this place. — In which cafe, you mull: bring with you Brisadier-general Arnold, the Light Infantry, Colonel Robinfon's corps, or the feventy-fixth, and, if it ihould be pofTiblc, the Queen's Rangers. The moment you have communicated with Lord Cornwallis, and heard from his Lordlliip, you are to confider yourfelf as under his LordQiip's orders, until he, or you fliall hear further from me. Moll heartily wifhing you fucccfs, 1 have the honour to be, &:c. H. CLINTON. N U M B E R IV. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clin i on ^ K. B, dated Teterjliirgh^ in Virginiay 2.0th May ^ 1781. S I R, YOU will eafily conceive how fenfible an afflidion it was to me on entering this province, to receive an .1 _. . « ' Earl Cornwallis's March into Virginia, 65 an account of the death of my friend General Phil- Hps i whofe lofs \ cannot fufficiently lament, from pcrfonal or public confideraiions. The corps which I brought f- jm North Carolina arrived here this morning. The information con- veyed by your Excellency to General Arnold rela- tive to the probable movements of the French arma- ment, reftrains me at prefent from any material of- feniive operations ; but as foon as I can hear any fatisfadory accounts of the two fleers, I will endea- vour to make the beft ufe in my power of the troops under my command. General Arnold being of opi- nion, that Portfmouth, with its prelcnt garrifon, is fecure againft a coup de ma-n, 1 would wilh to avoid making a precipitate movement towards that place, without abfolute neccffity, becaufe it would lellcn our reputation in this province ; but I have fent to afliire the commanding officer, that I will do every thing I can to relieve him in cafe the French (hould at- tack the poft. La Fayette is at Wiltown, on the other fide of James River, not far from Richmond : I have not beard that Wayne has yet joined him. It is with infinite fatisfa6lion that I enclofe to your Excellency copies of two letters from Lord Rawdon, which have relieved me from the moft cruel anxie- ties. His LordQiip's great abilities, courage, and firmnefs of mind cannot be fufficiently admirtJ. and applauded. There is now great reafon to hope that we Ihall meet with no ferious misfortune in that K province, K i-^:i?r:i 'O' .' ■■ n :» ■Il I ,' 66 Correfpondence relative to province ; if however General Greene fhould pcrfc- vere in carrying on ofFenfive operations againft ir> we mufl, I think, abandon Camden, and probably Ninety-fix, and limit our defence to the Congaree and the Santee : this will be only giving up two bad pofts, which it is difficult to fupply with provifions, and quitting a part of the country^ which for fome months paft we have not really polTefled. I have taken every means to inform Major Craig of my having pafled the Roanoke ; on which event, it was previoufly concerted between us that he fhould fall . down to Bald Head, and from thence proceed to Charles-town, as foon as tranfports arrive to carry him. The Legion being in the utmoft diftrefs for want of arms, cloathing, boots, and indeed appointments of all kinds, I mufl: beg that your Excellency will be plcafed to dire(5l the Infpeftor General to forward a fupply of every article with the greateft difpatch. • , I have the honour to be, &c. CORN WALL IS, '-:\ '■ r ■ NUMBER r Earl Corntvallis's March into Virginia, 67 NUMBER V. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Ccrnwallis^ dated New^ Torkf May 2^th, 178 1. [ Received July 12, 1781, from Lieut, Col» Macpherfon.] MY LORD, I had the honour of writing to your Lordlliip by Lord Chcwton, who failed from hence in the Rich- mond the 4th inftant, to join you at Wilmington ; but your Lordfhip's departure from thence will have prevented his meeting you there, and I hope he has fince then joined you in the Chefapeak. When I firft heard of your Lordfhip's retreat from Crofs Creek to Wilmington, I confefs that I was in hopes you had reafon to confider Greene fo totally /jors de combat as to be perfe£lly at eafe for Lord Rawdon's fafcty. And after your arrival at Wil- mington I flattered myfelf that, if any change of circumftanccs fhould make it neceflary, you could always have been able to march to the W"alkamavv, where I imagined veflcls might have pafled you over to George-town. I cannot therefore conceal from your Lordfhip the apprehenfions I felt on reading your letter to me of the 24th ult. wherein you in- form me of the critical fituation which you fup- pofed the Carolinas to be in, and that you fhould K 3 probably "• i '^'*-: >^vl^t ':. y ,ci ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) h // {./ ^ A^ ^ !*i V y ^^ 4^ <^^< II I.I 11.25 ■iilM 125 ■50 ^^ II^H ^ 1^ |2.0 % 75 / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET VyCBSTER.N.Y. USSO (716) 872-4S03 fV ^v ■^ 4S^2% '-^^I^ '4^ ^•v- 68 Cotrefpmdenee relative to- if* ' r/K Li; probably attempt to efFed a junffcion with Major-- general Phillips. Lord Rawdon*s officer-like and fplrited exer- tions, in taking advantage of Greene's having de- tached from his army, have indeed eafed me of my apprehenfions for the prefent. But in the difordered ftate of Carolina and Georgia, as reprefcnted to ine by Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, I Ihall dread what may be the confequcnce of your Lordlhip's move, vinlefs a reinforcement arrives very foon in South Carolina, and fuch inftrufcions are fent to the officer commanding there, as may induce him to exert him- felf in reftoring tranquillity in that province at leaft, Thefe I make no doubt your Lordlhip has already fent to Lord Rawdon, and that every neceffary mea- fure for this purpofe wiU be take a by his Lordfhip in confequcnce of them, fhould he renaain in the command. But as there are maay officers in the regiments coming out who are oldt: than Lord Rawdon, I have to lament the probability of his being fuperfeded in it, as I can fcarce flatter my- fcif that any of them will be pofleffed of the know- ledge requifite for condu^Siing operations in Carolina without having ever ferved in that country, or be fo competent to the command there as officers of more local experience. I therefore beg leave to fubmit to your Lordfhip the propriety of fending either Major- general Leflie or Brigadier-general 0*Hara to Charles- town, to take the command of the troops in that • V.V • 2 . _^ . diftfidl; -s,^ m Earl Cornwullis^s March into Virgma, 6^ diftrift ; which in the prcfcnt critical fituation of affairs in the Southern Colonies, will certainly re- «iuirc an officer of exi>erience, and a pcrfe^ know- ledge of the country. Had it been poffible fur your Lord (hip in your Icittcr to me of the loth ult. to have intimated the probability of your intention taform a jundion with General Phillips, 1 Ihould fertajnly have endeavoured to have Hopped you, as I did then, as well as now, confider fuch a move as likely to be dangerous to our intcrefts in the Southern Colonies. And this, my Lord, was not my onl/ fear ; for 1 will be Ifree to own, that I was appre- hend ve for the corps under your Lordihips imme- diate orders, as well as for that under Lord Rawdon i and I fliould not have thought even the one under Major-general Phillips in fafcty at Petcrfburg, at leaft for fo long a time, had 1 not fortunately on hearing of your being at Wilmington fent another detach- ment from this arnny to reinforce him. * • ,' I am pcrfuaded your Lordfhip will have the gootf- nefs to cxcufe my faying thus much ; but what is done, cannot now be altered : and as your Lordlhip has thought proper to make this decifion, I Ihall moft gladly avail myfelf of your very able alliftancc in carrying on fuch operations as you fl>all judge beft in Virginia, until we are comptlJcd, as 1 fear we muft be, by the climate, to bring them more northward. Your I.ordiliip will have l)ecn informed of my ideas refpc£ling optratioiis to the noithwaid of ten I ^0 Correfpondence relative to of the Carolinas, by my inftrudlions to the difFercnt General officers detached to the Chefapeak -, and the iubftance of fomc convcrfations with General Phillips on that fubjeft, which I committed to writing and fent to him with my laft difpatch, with direftions to communicate it to your Lordfliip. By thefe your Lordfhip will obfervc th*:t my firft objeA has t^ been a co-operation with your meafures ; but youp^i Lordfhip's fituation at different periods, made it ne- ceiTary for me occafionally to vary my inflrud^ions to thofe General officers according to circumftances. They were originally direfted to affift your Lord- fhip*s operations in fecuring South and recovering North Carolina i their attention was afterwards point- ed to the faving South Carolina ; and now your Lordfhip may poffibly think it necelTary to employ your force in recovering both or either of thofe pro- vinces, by cither a diredt or indireft operation. With refped to the firfl, your Lordfhip muft be the fole judge ; with refpeft to the laft, you have my opinions, which may however probably give way to yours, (hould they diffi^r from them, as they will have the advantage of being formed on the fpot, and upon circumllances, which at this diilance I cannot of courfe judge of: I (hail therefore leave them totally to your Lordfliip to decide upon, until you cither hear from me or we meet. - I (hould be happy to be able to afcertain the time when our rcinforcments may arrive j but as I have *^ received 5-r ■^M^i % Earl CornwaUWs March into Vlrgina, 71 received no letters from the minifter of a later date than the 7th of February, I am p.c a lofs to guefs how (bon we may expert them. As I had judged the force I fent to tne Chefapeak fully fufficient for all operations there, even though we (hould extend them to the Experiment (mentioned in the conver- ^kins referred to) at the WefternHead of Chefapeak iPbut Baltimore, &c. and your Lordihip will per- ceive that it was Generals Phillips and Arnold's opi- nion, they were fufficient for even that on the Eaftern ; (which however might certainly require a much greater force,) it is polTible that the additional corps your Lordlhip has brought with you, may enable you to return fomething to me for this poll : but I beg ydur Lordfhip will by no means conlider this as a call ; for I would rather content myfclf with ever fo bare a defenfive, until there was an appearance of fcrious operations againft me, than cramp yours in the lead. But (as I faid in a former letter) I truft to your Lordlhip's difmtereftednefs, that you will not require from me more troops than are abfolutcly wanted ; and that you will recolleft a circumftance, which I am ever aware of in carrying on operations in the Chefapeak, which is, that they can be no ^ longer fecure than whilft we are fuperior at fea. That we (hall remain fo, I moft fmcerely hope ; nor have I any reafon to fufpeft we (hall not : but at all events, I may at leaft expeft timely imformation will be fenc me of the contrary being likely to happen. '•-'■';. In mm I* ' nil. i' 1* Jlfi ;.J .. ■ fJiiJ 'III Mi H iff ; •|? *ji Corrcfpovdencc relative to • . In which cafe I hope your 'LorJlliip may be able to place your army in a fecure firuation during fuch temporary inconvenience; for Ihould it become per- manent I need not fay what our profpei^s in this country are likely to be. The Admiral being now off the Hook, gives me an opportunity of commu- cating with him by letter ; and I have in the nf^eft preflfing termr requefted his attention to the Chcflp- peak, having repeatedly told him, that fliould the enemy poflcfs it even for forty-eight hours your Lordlhip's operations there may be expoftd to moft imminent danger. General Robertfon has alfo en- deavoured to imprefs him with the fame ideas •, but until I have an anfwer in writing I cannot be fure that he will, as I do, confider the Chefapeak as the firft objeft. For he at prefent feems rather in- cHned to lead his fleet to open the Port of Rhode- Ifland, and to cruife to the northward of Nantucket, for a fleet which he has heard is coming from Europe with a fmall reinforcement to the French armament, and which I am of opinion is bound to Rhode- Iflan-d. I have, however, taken ever/ occafion to reprefent to him the necefliry of hearty co-operation and com- munication J if they fail, I am determined it (hall ^ not be on my fide. ^P| The requ fitions your Lordfliip has made in your letter to me of the 20th infl;ant, for horfe accoutre- ments, &c. fhall be fupplied to the utmoft extent of our abilities j and the tnclofcd extrads of letters • frond Earl Cornwallis's March into Virginia, 73 from Lcitenant-coloncl Inncsto his deputy at Charles- Town, &c. WAX explain to your Lordiliip why they are not more ample. June I ft. 1 have this moment received the Ad- miral's anfvver to my letter j and I am to fuppofe from it thai he will ^o every thing in his power tqyiuard the Chcfapeak. The copy is inclofed for jKt Lordlhip's information. I heartily*wffh he may continue in this difpofition j the ncceflity of which I (hall not fail to urge by every opportunity he may give me of communicating with him. As I (hall frequently fend one of my advice boats to your Lordfhip with any information which may dcfcrve your attention, I hope to hear often from you by the fame conveyance. Lord Chew ton has a cypher, which was given him for that purpcfe ; but fhould he not have joined you, we may make ufe of Colonel Dundas's until he does. I (hall fpare your Lordfhip and myfelf the paiq of faying much to you on the lofs of our valuable friend ; I feel it too fenfibly for expreffion. " ""' ' .n 't'v '.'ki! art ;>■>;,., r I have the honour to be, &c. :\ H. C L I N T O N. 4'. 't< c; G, L •: NUM- »■ 74 Correfpondence relative t$ NUMBER VI. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Heuiy Clinton, K. B* dated Portfmouth, Virginia, July 24, 1781. . SIR, %, ;.. I FINIKby your Excellency's letter of the ||||h of May, delivered to me by Lieutenant - colonel M'Pherfon on the 1 2th of this month, that neither my march from Crofs Creek to Wilmington, or from thence to Feterfburg, meets with your Approbation. The move from Crofs C '•. to Wilmington was ab- folutely neceflary, fuch , the fituation and diftrefs of the troops ; and fo great were the fuffcrings of the lick and wounded, that I had no option left. I tried many methods of informing Lord Rawdon of it ; they all failed. I had left fuch a force in South Ca- rolina, that, if Lord Rawdon could have- had timely notice of the probability of General Greene's moving towards that province, and could have called in Lieutenant colonel Watfon, General Greene would not have ventured to have placed himfelf .before Camden. On the 2 2d of April I feceivcd a difpatch frc Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, inclofmg a letter froirT Lord Rawdon of the 13th, apprizing him of General Greene's approach, and faying that he could not hope to get Lieutenant-colonel Watfon to him in time ; and A and Th< bcei reac ccrti in I Wa| loi ever Ordc Earl Cornwairts's March into Virginia, 7 5 and that he had then at lead fifteen days provifion. The fate of the garrifon of Camden muft have been decided before I could have hoped to have reached the Pedce or Waggamaw. I had then no certainty of being able to get vcffels in time to aflifl: I f in paffing the latter. From Wilmington to t|>d«ll#'^ Waggamaw is a ptrfc^ defert j and indeed in all thau k>\v^ countrgiUfs ilit^^ible to fubfiMn the fummer, J^l^ant of water to turn the mills. l|||i^^ j Had a misfortune happened to LordRawdon's corps, I knew that the whole country Eaft of Santee and Pedee would be in arms againft us. I therefore did not think that I could, with thirteen hundred infan » try and two hundred cavalry, undertake fuch a / march, and the paffage of two fuch rivers as the Pe- dee and Santee, without expofing the corps under my c command to the utmoft hazard of difgrace and ruin. If, on the contrary. Lord Rawdon Ihould have ef- fef^ed his retreat from Camden, and have aflcmbled his whole force Weft of Santee, I was convinced that General Greene could do no effedual mifchief but over-running the back country, which I (hould arrive too late to prevent, and which different corps of the rebels have conftantly done ever fince the firft battle of Camden, exclufive only of the ground on which our forts were conftrufted. I fhould therefore have carried back my army to South Carolina, giving every advantage to General Greene's movement, in order to comnicnce a defenfive war on the frontiers :;* L 2 of i ■Mm mm ;/** \ I jS Correfpondence ril'aiive td of that province, which I have long fince declared, both to yourfelf and to the miniftcr, to be in my opi- nion impra(flicable, againft the rebellious inhabitants fupportcd by a continental army. In the nrieafure which I purfucd, I neither rilked my own corps or ijor-gencra! Phillips's, being determined to return to Wilmington from Halifaj^, unlcfs I heard from that oBicer th^p could joitl%ll' ^^liiafcty |||he great qi!iM|jjMpKf proviiions, which I was credflj^ informed Ohould find at Halifax, would cafily ena- ble me to return. Major-general Phillips could be in no danger, as I had written exprefsly to him to take no meafures in confequencc of my letter that could expofe his corps to hazard j and indeed I can^ . not help obferving, that in this inftancc your Excel- ( lency fsems to think the force of Virginia more for- midable than you have done on fome other occafions. With the warmert zeal for the fervice of tny king and country, I am confcious that my judgement is liable to error. Perhaps, in the difficult firuation I was in at Wilmington, themeafure which Ladoptcd was not the beft ; but I have at lead the fatisfadion to find, by the intercepted letters of the 14th of May, from General Greene to Baron Steuben, that it was not agreeable to his vvilhcs that I came into Virginia. I have the honour to be, &c. CORN WALL IS. * W CORRES- ) > ID Earl CornzvaUis*s March into Virgitiia. *jy C CO 2 • •-« 6 c o U 6 IT) Pu o o ^' H V *3 Q Q 'A < h CO (4 Q < < (A u > o 04 (A •4 H O h •Xuw!uio3 JH^jT •yog JO )UOUI|39^ XuBtluio^iqSi'j puoaaj-Xui^ig •suoijenEjiOAxx pjim-Xjiqx pjim-AjU3,wx til h C3C CM CO OS o d CO CO hi p >i'k tu^ 11^^ II te; i m 't% !^H, » f;: Ik. 1 '■I3 1- (* 'fWl R m [|.-, m * CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, i COMMANDER IITCHIBP, AMD Lieut. Gen. Earl C O RWUB^ L L I S. %i0. V PART in. RELATIVE TO THE OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA, NUMBER L irsrts^ , Earl ComwaUis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Byrd*s Plantation^ James River, May 26, 1781. ' '"' SIR, I HAVE confented to the requcft of Brigadier-gene- ral Arnold to go to New York ; he conceives that your Excellency wifhes him tu attend you there, and his prefent indifpofition renders him unequal to the fatigue of fervice. He will reprefent the horrid , enormities which arc committed by our privateers in Chcfapeak- Jtrv'" 'V/^-.: 1^1 #; rh - Mi^ Ml: ■! -:•! .ill ' 'fulfil 4 So Correfpondeme relative to the •:Cl#pH^-'^ay^ afid I mvifl join my earneft wif|i, thatfome remedy may be applied to an evil which is very prejudicial to his Majefty's fervice. '. Thavie the hpnoqr to be, &;c^ J CO'RN W^ALLIS. vi w i M B E R 11; Ecirl CorriwdUis to'^ir TKnry Clinton, KrB, dated Byrd's Plantation^ North cf Jama River, 26th of ' May, 1781. ^ •* ^* /• * '- ^y. S I'R,- rr -^ o '^ v^v ■■ t ? v : 'j a j '^ ^ THE reinforcement is fafely arrived in James River, and 1 opened all your difpatches to poor Phillips, mzikcdOn his Majejly*s fervice. > I hope that your Excellency has received my let- ters from Wilmington, and one of the 20th from 'Petef/burgh J as the latter went by an uncertain con- veyance* I fend aduplicateiof it. ' ' ? I The arrival of the reinforcement has made me eafy about Portrmoiith for the prefent. I have fent Ge- neral Leflie thither with the feventeenth regiment and the two battalions of Anfpach, keeping the forty- ' third regiment with the army. I fliall now proceed to diflodge La Fayette from. Richmond, and with my light troops to deftroy any magazines or llores in 'the"neighbourhood which may have been colleded 4 either I % o '« ' * Operations in Virginia. 8i either for his ufe or for General Greene's army. From thence I pnrpofe to move to the Neck at Williamii||| burgh, which is reprefented as healthy, and whei fome rubfiilence may be procured • and keep mj^Ml unengaged from operations >«||^ich might interfere with your plan for the campaign, until I havct the fa- tisfa(5li^[M>f hearing from you. ^\ hope I (hall then have an opportunity to receive better information than has hitherto been in my power to procure, rela- tive to a proper harbour and place of arms. At pre- ' fent I am inclined to think well of York. The ob- jedions to Portfmouth are, that it cannot be made ftrong without an army to defend it, that it is rc- ^ markably unhealthy, and can give no prote£bion to a fhip of the line, Wayne has not yet joined La Fay- ette-, nor can I pofitively [learn where he is, nor , what is his force. Greene's cavalry are faid to be coming this way •, but I have no certain accounts of it. ' Your Excellency defires Generals Phillips and Ar- nold to give you their opinion relative to Mr. jilexan- der*% propofal. As General Arnold goes to New York by the firft fafe conveyance, you will have an opportunity of hearing his fcntimcnts in perfon. Experience has made me lefs fanguine, and more arrangements feem to me ijeceflary for fo important an expedition than appear to occur to General Ar- nold, J|,'" " ': ' V ..: ' . - ' ■ ■ r..v M Mr. 'mm 4*;.. i« ,''M Ww^ !!H, j; Zt Correfpondence relative to the r % '■'I Pr Mr. Alexander's converfations bear too flrong a rc- femblance to thofe of the cmiflaries from North rolina to give me much confidence; and, from the rJence I have had, and the dangers I have under- gone, one maxim aij|M)ears to nie to be abfolutely rcceflary for the fafe and honourable condudt of this war, which is, that we ihould have as few^^fts as pofllbk, and that wherever the King's troops arc, they fliould be in refpeftable force. By the vi- gorous exertions of the prefent governors of Ame- rica, Jarge bodies of men are foon collcdteu; and I have too often obfervcd,' that when a ftorm threa- tens our friends difappear. . In regard to taking poffeffion of Philadelphia by an inqurfion, (even if practicable,) without an in- tention of keeping^or burning it, (neither of which appear to be advifeabJe,) I Ihould apprehend ic would do more harm than good to the caufe of Bri- tain. I fliall take the liberty of repeating, that, if ofFerifive war is intended, Virginia appears to me to be the only province in which it can be carried on, and in which there is a flake. But to reduce the province, and keep poflellion of the country, a confiderable army would be necefiary 5 for, with a fmall force, the bufi- nefs would probably terminate unf^'vourably, though the beginning m'ght be fuccefsful. In cafe it is thought expedient, and a proper army for the attempt can be formec, I hope your Excellency will do me 3 the f I "«•,•. "' "% ny ifi- is ipt Ime the • . Operarions in Virginia. -' t^ - V the juftice to believe, that I neither wi(h nor exped: to have the command of it, leaving you at New York i^ on the dcfenfive. Such fentimcnts are fo far frofii my heart, that I can with gre^it truth aflure yoo, that few things could give mei^rcater pleafure than being relieved by your prefence from a (icuation of fo much affticty and refponfibility. * By my letter of the 20th, your Excellency will obferve, that, inftead of thinking it pofllble to do any thing in North Carolina, I am of opinion that it is doubtful whether we can keep the pofts in the back part of South Carolina •, and I believe I have dated, in former letters, the infinite difficulty of protecting a frontier of three hundred miles againft a perfevering enemy, in a country where we have no water commu- nication, and where few of the inhztbitants are adive or ul^fbl fViends. ' " '- v_ ^ '-' - . -. : In enumerating the corps employed in the Southern Diftridt, your Excellency will recoUcfl that they are all very weak, and that fome of the Britifli as well as Provincial regiments retain nothing but the name. Our weaknefs at Guildford was not owing to any detachment, unlefs that with the baggage ; but to our loffes by adion, ficknefs, &c. during the winter's campaign, v > . ^ *^ ; 1 faw with concern that you thought Lieutenant- colonel Balfour had a6led injudicioufly in lending home fome tranfports. That bufinefs has, I appre- hend, been mifreprefented by perfons interefted in" M 2 retaining ^A^\ 'm ■ r 'is ,'.K: m :• i ii I ih «4 Correfpondence relative to the retaining rotten vclTcls in the fervice of Govern- ment. The circumftances I dd not now perfedly recolledt, but I believe you will find that the (liips Jcnt home were either viduallers, which the Treafury defired in the llronaift manner, or tranfports which were fo exceedingly bad that they could never have gone out with fafeiy, after a flay of three ^onths in Charles-town harbour. Whatever was done in it was with my approbation at the time, appearing evidently for the good of the fervice : I, therefore, think it my duty to exculpate Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, whom I have found, on all occafions, a mofl: zealous, intelligent, and deferving officer. Colonel Robinfon's corps is fo weak, and deferts fo fall, that at the recommendation of General Ar- nold, I have confcnted that it Ihall return in the traniports to New-York. ' . i :i . ■^' < / . t ^' r I have the honour to be, &c. . ■., 1 V CORNWALLIS. .* •- J c7 U V I'i- »■>■», t( • m ;,-tJ n.- -..i:; ■:m ■'}■'' X ■ NUMBER 'is., f '-n ( .. ■ ': i ; v4 operations in Virginia, 8,-; NUMBER III. Sir Henry Clinton, K, B, to Major-general Phillips^ dated March 14, 1781, half pe^ft Two, [ Received at Peteribnrge by Earl Corhwallis, May 20.] DEAR PHILLIPS, r" -• ' B Y the enclofed from the Admiral you will fee that the want of intelligence has again loft us a fair opportunity of giving " a mortal blow,'* I hope, however, he will dill overtake .thcnn before they reach Chefapeak ; they failed in a fnow ftorm on Wednefday, and I fear he was not out of Gardiner's Bay till Saturday. He was, however, left purfuing on the nth, with all his coppers and a fair wind. I think, if he does not overtake them at fea, they will nc*^ rifk an adion in Lynhaven-bay, and will therefore proceed with their zvhole fleet to York, as I told the Admiral they would, and there, perhaps, lay ; and I had almoft faid fafcinate the Admiral till another fleet arrives ; if from Europe, it ought not to come without a hint from thence ; from the Weft Indies it v/ill not probably come unaccompanied by our friend Sir George. *Tis poflible it only means to fee the tranfports ofiF the Chefapeak, and then proceed to the Wejl-Indies with the flee: of men of war ; 'cis pofllbie^ alfo, that the whole is gone to the V Weft- M'h mm ■■ ':*J ,:■'....• i 't^\ '^>m ■v-M mm: Jli Correjpondence relative to the Weft-Indies, for it is a bold move to evacuate Rhode- ifland, and proceed to the Chefapeak fo encumbered, liable to be followed by an unencumbered fuperior copper fleet. God fend our old Admiral fuccefs! I depend on early information from you, and fhall prepare for every poflible event. — Recoiled that we have not a fingle tranfport till you fend feme. With every wi(h for your health and fuccefs. y. Believe me, &c. H. C L I N T O N. The fchooner (hall attend you, though we can iU fpare her. As often as poflible communicate by , thefe veflels •, they make their paflage better than the frigates. ».*.:??. P. S. I have received your letters. . y Ji »< In addition to what I have written above, pray ob- ferve me well in what I am faying. . ^^ I think, if the French are gone to Chefapeak, they will flielcer themfelves in York-River. — The Admiral will immediately hold his ufual language that he waits for the arm5^ That from South-Caro- lina cannot come, as Colonel Balfour has very inju- dicioufly fent home the tranfports. — I cannot move a man till you fend back tranfports ; but, if he pro- pofes any thing to you, he mufl: firft declare in writing pofitively what he thinks his fleet will do, or at aft opi wil un: thel op( Ch( - t * operations in Virginia, 8v at leaft attempt, before you can decide ; and then, after confulting your officers, let me know your opinion what can be done, and what land force it wilJ require to do it. If all agree that they will be unattackable in that flation, it nnift be blocked, and then we muft do our befl: to afllft Lord Cornwallis's operations, or carry on defultory operations in -the Chefapeak till fome other plan can be fettled ; but all muft be fettled in formal council. ''■».• * li I- II ob- )eak, I The NUMBER IV. , ; Sir Henry Clinton, K, B, to Major-general Phillips^ dated New-Tor k, March 24, 178 1. [Received by Earl Cornwallis at Peterfburg, May 20.] DEAR SIR, I BELIEVE that Lord Cornwallis has finiihed his campaign, and, H report fays true, very hand- fomely, by taking all Greene's cannon, and recover- ing the greateft part of his own men who had been made prifoners by Mr. Greene. — If that fhould be the cafe, and Lord Cornwallis does not want any co-operation to aflift him, and you fee no profpeft of ilriking an important ftroke eifewhere, I fhall pro- bably requeft you and General Arnold to return to me, with fuch troops as I have already named in my inftrudiion". »' t;i< 1 mm w r'^'- 'I i '¥ By! !f. Li' t El >^*^T 8S €orre/iwtdeneding the poU at Porcfmouth, and fuch others as you propofe to ellabliih on James river, with their importance confidered, either as aiEftipg Lord Corn* wallis's operations, or conofdied ^ith tlioie of the navy. When you retgrn, yow will he plcafed to bring with you a fmall proportion of howitzes, mortars, cohorns, &c, fo placed in the veflcl in which they are embarked, as to be ready to land diredlly, as it is very likely we may proceed upon fome operation immediately on your arrival. 1 believe Fayette is intrenched at Annapolis, and that his corps does not now exceed nine hundred men, though he (Parted with thirteen hundred. You may poffibly attempt him in earned : — he will, at all events, ferve as a mafk to your return to us. You will probably hear from Lord Corn wal lis be- fore you determine on any attempt at a dilflance from him. — 1 w'fli much to know what troops he thinks be can fpare from the troops under his Lord(h»p*s immediate orders j for, till I do, 'tis impodible to fix any plan. — Three complete regiments will, I hope, arrive at Charles-town in the courfe of a few days, if Captain Elphinfton Ihould think it too early m the feafon to come diredly here ; and three more are hourly expeaed from the Weft-Indies, both which divifions will, of courfe, join mc. The Operations in Virpnia, 3 ' 8j » The French certainly cxpe ;. ji,./i(f». - I have the honour to be, &c. .\ j •- TJi/j, H. CLINTON. i,. IW .'•" -;^;;.N UMBER VI. r. :. Sir Henry Clintoriy K. B. to Major-General Fhillips^ /; , dated New-York, April i6th, 1781. [Received by Earl Cornwallis, at Peter jOburg, May 24.3 DEAR SIR, V YOUR letters of the 15th, 16th, 18th, and 19th inftant, were delivered to me on the aid by Captaia Biggs of his Majefty*s (hip Amphitrite. And I fhould have now entered largely into, and given a detail anfvver (agreeable to your defire) to the fevera} fubjefts thereof, if I had not from the purport of Lord Cornwallis*s letter of the loth, and yours of the 19th, judged it to be unneceflary at prefent to give either you or myfelf that trouble. What you fay in your letter of the 15th inftant, refpe(5bing the poll at Portfmouth, and the'choice of another fomewhere elfe on Elizabeth River, you will find fully anfwered in mine to you of the nth which accompanies this : for (though written above a fort- night fince) I had qo fafe opportunity before the pre- fent of fending it to you. Lord r A'. U'> Sf.. ,(4. ',,1 .j'ffll 'I'M ■. .' \,t 'lit' v, mm ':':'.r^ ': ■''m .'^h! IMS s / :^ r^^^i:? r "1^. ri i 'r; ' /\ • > I * Mil '|i Con e/pondience relative to the Lord Cornwallis's arrival at Wilmington has con- fidcrably changed the complexion of our affairs to the fouthward, and all operations to the northward ITJuft probably give place to thofe in favour of his Lordfhip, which at prcfent appear to require our more immediate attention. I know nothing of his Lordlhlp's fituation but what I have learnt from his letter to mc of the loth, which you have read j and as I have the flrongeft reafoii to believe that he had above three thoufand men (exclufive of cavalry and militia) when he entered North Carolina, I am to- tally at a lofs to conjefture how his numbers came to be reduced before the day of a(5lion to one thou- fand three hundred and fixty infantry, except by fuppoiing (as you have done) that he had previoufly ■weakened his army by detachments. Of this how- .: ever, I fhall probably be informed when I receive the copy of his Cordlhip's letter to the Minifter , , and I fhall mod likely be at the fame time informed what profpeds he may ftill have of arming the numerous friends we were taught to expe«ft his find- ing in the diftridts he has vifited in his march fo, and retreat from, Guildford ; without whole afiif- tance we fhall, I fear, hold thofe provinces by a very precarious tenure. -' I had great -hopes before I received Lord Corn- wallis's letter, that his Lordlhip would have been in a condition to have fpared a confidcrable part of his • army from Carolina for the operations in Cheafapeak, : ; J but * Operations in P^rginia, '.^ ^ but you will obferve from it that, inftead of fending any part of his prefent force thither, he propofes to detain a part of the reinforcement coming from Europe for his more fouthern operations, even though they fhould be defenfive. I Ihall therefore take the opinions of the General officers near me upon the prcfent ftate of our affairs, and I propofe afterwards to fend you fuch a further detachment from this army as we may judge can be done with tolerable fecurity to this poft, at leaft while we remain fuperior at i6a< i^^.t"- ,■ y.4 ' V ■ .»4:' , ■ .. •• ' With fo large a force as you will then have, I flatter myfelf that you will be able to make the mod cffcdual exertions either direflly or indircdly in Lord Cornwallis's favour, as far as your efforts on the Ihores of the Chefapeak can co-operate with what he may be doing in Carolina. Whatthefe, however,* may be, you, as being upon the fpot, muft cer- tainly be the bed judge, until you either hear further from or fee his Lordfhip. ' * In yours and Brigadier General Arnold's joint letter, you mention that from one thoufand fix hun- dred to two thoufand more men, would enable VQU to take a port in force at Peterfburg ; from whence you might break up Mr. Greene's communications with Virginia, and in co-operation with Lord Cornwallis, probably difperfc the Rebel army. And that you could moreover, with this increafed ftrength, attempt Fayette's corps, Baltimore, and Annapolis, with great tKl pro. IS % i/:!::\ IS f '; m I; v>^ i ^M-it" u ■'!.*'■ r " '^:■ M? If ,\ 08 Correfpndence reUtive tc the probability of fuccefs, and finally attempt Philadel- phia, and take poll in the lower counties of Dc- . laware, for which you apprehend your force would then be fufficienr, : /-,:•■ i:cu\ i< .*, -iwJ The Security of the two Carolinas is certainly an obje(5l of the greateft importance, and fhould at all events be firft attended to. Succcfs aifo againft any conliderable corps of the enemy, which may be dol- lefted any where within reach, and the taking or deftroying their public ftores, magazines,. &c. are: undoubtedly very important advantages. But there. is in my humble opinion Hill another operation, which if fuccefsful would be moft folidiy deciiive in- its confequences, and is therefore well worth our confideration. It is the trying the fame experiment (which has hitherto unfortunately not fucceeded to- tbe fouthward) in other difl:ri6is, which have been- reprefented as moft friendly to the King's interefts.; Virginia has been in general looked upon as univer- fally hoftile-, Maryland has not been as yet tried, but is fuppofcd to be not quite fo much fo : but the inhabitants of Pennfyivania on both fides of the Suf- quehannah, York, Lancailer, Chefter, and the Pe-- ninfula between Chefapeak and Delaware, are re-i. prefented to me to be friendly. There or there- abouts, I think this experiment fhould nov/ be trief*, but it^ cannot be done fairly until we have a force, fufficient not only to go there, but to regain a re-' fpc<5lable hpld of -the country afterwards, /hould it 'Cnq ' * *, O be the be Operations in Virginia, * 99 be judged necefiary. I wifh that our numbers were competent to the occupying two correfponding (la- tions at Baltimore and Elk river. Agreeable to what I mentioned to you in the converfations we have had together on this fubjedl, to which that you may be able on occafion to refer, I have committed the fubftance of them to writing, ^nd fend them to you inclofed. This I (hould have done fooner, had I had a fafe opportunity before. I have now the greater' reafon to be convinced that the opinions I then gave you were right, from a e >nverfation I have fmce had with a very intelligent friend of ours from the country, known to Colonel Simcoe, who goes to you by this opportunity, and will be able to give you the fuUeft information thereon. . r April 30th. I expeded that the Medea would have been fent to Lord Cornwallis, and that Captain Duncan would have been appointed by the Admiral to conduft the naval operations in the Chefapeak, for which he is particularly qualified from his know- ledore of thofe waters, and his having had the ma- nagement of thatbufmefs in Lord Howe's command. But the Admiral has juft wrote to me that he cannot pofTibly at prefent fpare Captain Duncan, and that he has appointed Captain Hudfon of the R-ichmond to carry my difpatches to Chefapeak and Cape Fear, and afterwards attend this fervice. My difpatches will therefore go in her under the charge of Lord Chewton, and as we both know Captain Iludfon's O 2 great ^ #1' ii|,f}(;:i;; mji.;- nm>i loo Correfpondence relative to the great zeal to co-operate with the troops on all occa- sions, I hope every thing will go on under his direc- tion perfedly to your fatisfaclion. I have the honour to be, &c. ' ^ 7 a CLINTON. Incloltd in No. VI. * • ' \ - ■■ . . ■ $uhfiance cf Jeveral Converfations had with Major-* general Phillips^ on the Suhje^ of Operations in the Chejapeak, before his Embarkation on his Expedition thither. :n \',:.-f.A'-.J: •1.' f fc fRoceiyed by EarJ QornwalHs at Petcrfburg, Msy 24.3 , ,,.. . Ij; • UNTIL I know Lor4 Con^wallis's fuccefs to the; fouihward, and what force cap be fpared from the fouthern diftrid for fuither operations, and until the reinforcements expelled to this arnny arrive j fuch troops as are in the Chcfapeak may be employed, firfl: in afiifting his Lordfhip's operations, and then in either eftablifliing a permanent pod near the en-f trance of that bay, (if the naval commander does not approve of the one in Elizabeth River,) where large fhips as w?ll as fmall may lie in fecurity during any temporary fuperiority of the enemy's fleet; or if fuch a poft cannot be found, in employing wha^ remains of the feafon in carrying oq defultory expe- ditions againft fuch towns, ftations, magazines, &c. 95 |:he epemy may have there \ — to convince thof? people mpre by what we can do, than what we operations in Firgima, lot really do, that they are in our power; and finally, in pvirfuing the fame plan (fupporting friends,) in a more northerly and healthy clinnate. - • - r With regard to a ftation for the proteftioi* of the King's Ihips, I know of no place fo proper as York Town, if it could be taken poflTcffion of, fortified> and garrrifoned with one thoufand men; — as, by having one thoufand more at a poft fomcwhere in Elizabeth River, York and James Rivers would be ours, and our cruizers might command the waters of the Chefapeak. Troops might likewife be fpared from thefe ports to carry on expeditions during the fummer months, when probably nothing can be rifked in that climate but water movements. But if the Heights of York and thofe on Gloucefter fide cannot be fo well and fo foon fortified as to render that poft hors d'infult, before the enemy can move a force, &c. againft it, it may not be advifeable to attempt it : in that cafe, fomething may poffibjy be done at Old Point Comfort to cover large fiiips ly- ing in Hampton Road, (which is reckoned a good pne, and not fo liable to injury from gales at N. E. as that of York, particularly in winter.) If neither can be fecured, we muft content ourfclves with keep- ing the Chefapeak, with frigates and other armed veflels, whiich will always find fecurity, againft a fuperior naval force, in Elizabeth River, As our operations in proper feafon may re-commence in the ynper James, perhaps a ftation might be found at '' '',•: the ■(•„;• i,<*^, 11 'r.:V-^iJ I . Hil p [I I il4 \ H I'M?*?- . i 'It 10 1 Cerrefpondence relative to the the e»trance of the narrows of that river that may be of ufe in future day, and held with a fmall force. James-town feems a proper fpot for fuch a ftation j as does the place where the narrows and windings begin, • -: ^ ' ..r^i- At a proper time of the year operations muft ftill go northward -^ either by a diredl movement — fta- tioning your fupplics in the navigable rivers which lie favourable for it — in which you are, however, cxpofed to a temporary naval fuperiority of the ene- my — or by proceeding up the Chefapeak, if a force equal to the attempt can be colledled ; (for when it can, I ihould propofe to take a ftation, threatening all the provinces bordering on Chefapeak with a de- fultory war-,) prevent thofe provinces from being fuccoured; — by menacing communications; and availing ourfelves of a fuppofed numerous band of friends, who otherwife may be forced to arm againfl: \is. Had we a force fufFicient for two movements^ that would be beft j — four thoufand men to proceed in tranfports up to Baltimore, taking a ftation within a certain diftance of the Sufquehannah, and having veflels always ready for a rapid move with part, or even the whole, to a correfponding ftation in the Eaftern Neck j wliile a corps of ten thoufand men, or more, (according to the force that can be brought againft you,) occupies the Eaftern Neck, and can, in its turn, fuccour the weftern corps. Whether the eaftern corps ads abnc, or in co-operation, it mufl: be Imen, iiight can, Ir the Imuft be Operatiom in Virginia, lo^ be in very great force for reafons obvious. I do not know enough of this Neck to fay; what force, or whether any, can be placed in fecurity. The mod ardvanccd ftation would certainly be the beft, parti- cularly at firft, to enable our friends, who, we artf told, are at Lancafter, Little York -town, and Chef- ter, to join us.-^Iron Hill may perhaps be it -, and as marftiy creeks run up from Delaware and Chefa* peak, the heads of which are not far afunder, many good pofts may be found for corps of different ftrength •,— for while we command thofe bays, there can be no danger of operation againft our flanks and rear ; and if the enemy Ihould be fupcrior in one, he cannot be fo in both : — we (hould 'therefore have always a connmunication open. This corps Ihould be very ftrong indeed, — or there Ihould be one a6ting in favour of it in Jerfey. The preference muft be givrn to that plan, againft which Wafhing- ton can bring the lea(t force. He undoubtedly can bring a greater force into Jerlcy than any where, as the New-England troops may be prevailed on to go there, — and they cannot fo cafily be drawn into the Eaftern Neck, or even over the Delaware. Btfides, if Wadiington moves into Jerfey, his meal and flour have both but a fliort portage ; but once deprived of the eaftern counties, his cattle in that cale coming chiefly from New England, will increafe his diffi- culty of fubfiltence ; for as we may, under thofe cir- cuniftances, attempt to occupy King's Ferry, he will be ( - CM'* ;■: WWM ; ■mm III v-i ^^-,■' ■ -rt I04 Correjpondence relative to the W^' IV': ■ ' V!<^ r i ^'■;,?, be reduced to the Detour. I therefore fhould pre- fer a fingle corps in the Eaftcrn Neck, fufficient, however, for the purpofe. As the French have ad- ded confiderably to Wafhington*s force, I do not think an army lefs than Sir William Howe had could be fufficient — fifteen thoufand ncn. But where are they to be found ? My whole force, rank and file, fit for duty, i" nearly twenty-four thoufand. It is prefumed Lord Cornwallis will be content with fix thoufand for the fouthward ; two thoufand we fuppofe in the Chefapeak — twelve thoufand arc re- quired for New York ; — there remains only four thoufand for that operation. I did expert ten thou- fand men as an augmentation to my prefent army. — ^lad they come, this proje(^ might have taken place; but I am now told, I am to expeft only four thou- fand — which will not be fufficient. — However^ once convinced that the French will not fend rein- foreemcnt, and that we fhall be permanently fupe- rior at fea, and have an adtivc co-operating naval commander, — I fhould be tempted to try : — but until all this combines, I dare not: — and if it is- delayed too long, our friends in Pennfylvania may ha forced from us, or cajoled. •, • If we could hold the Chefapeak by the polls on Elizabeth and York rivers, Oxford, and Port Penn,. and the two Eaftcrn on the fea-cofts, and threaten our enemies of Virginia and Maryland, and protefb our friends of all thefc countiics, I think we Ihouldl - in % :*•. m .•i A *• . 2 ••• t. ^f. Operations in Virgtnial ^* io j in that cafe leave the French little to induce them to fupport the war. idth Apr'tU Thefe however I give you merely as my opinions at the time we talked this on fub- je^ i — and they will influence you, of courfe, no' further, than as they correfpond with your own now. . ^^,.. , _^ . ,_ ,.: ,',.„^ r ,:^r With refpeifl to the number and difpofition of friends in Pennfylvania, I am telling you more what I wifli than what I expeft to find; for we have been too often deceived by reprefentations of fan- guine friends* V H. CLINTON, :.U*r ;?^!jv •<• .»-*».,'i»' V' .,y^. \^. .'':*■ s 3D.li.i. «•. .J * vhw' NUMBER VIL (Secret, and moft private.) •^1 4^. ■>,)'■ Sir Henry Clinftn^ K, B, to Major-general Phillipfj, ,..; . dated New Tork, ^oth Jpril, 1781. [Received by Earl Cornwallis at Pctcrfburg.] \ Dear Phillips, " ' ^ ^^ ' - • -^ - I CANNOT judge from Lord Cornwallis's let- ter, whether he propofes any further operations in the Carolinas — what they may be— and how far you can operate in his favour. If I was to give a pri- vate opinion from reading his letter— I would fay, I cannot conceive from it that he has any ofFenfive ob- ":"'v^Vl '•ym.' .1 liifr-i ifi! vw II ■■' [V ,v'i ,n, 10^ CornffondtHCi nlaiive to the jcA in view. • He fays, that North-Carolina is ^ country, in which it is impoflible for an army to afl or move without the afllftance of friends : he does not feem to think we have any there — nor do you. I fhall give no opinion refpeding that at pre- fent, or until I receive his Lordfliip's account of the ftate of the province, and of his winter campaign. His Lordfhip tells me that he wants reinforce- ment. — With nine Britifh battalions, and detach-, ments from {twtn more, (befides thofe from the Ar- tillery and feventeenth Dragoons) — five Heflian bat- talions, and a detachment of Yagers — and eleven Provincial battalions, exclufive of the cavalry and infantry of the Legion, and the Provincial Light In- fantry ; — I would afk, — How can that be polTible ? And if it is,, what hopes can I have of a force fuf- ficient to undertake any folid operation? To be brief — If his Lordfliip propofes no opera- tion to you foon, and you fee none that will operate for him diredly — (that is, before the firft of June,) — I think the befl indire6t one in his favour will be, what you and General Arnold propofed to me in No. lo. of your joint letter of the i8th inftant, beginning with the attempt on Philadelphia. The only rifk you run is from a temporary fuperibrity of the enemy at fea. — Land and naval reinforcements from France are talked of — If they come immediately from Eu- rope, we mud have fomc information of them, and they will, I hope, be followed ; — if from the Weft- Indies,' ■y ■. Operations in yirginia** ' lofy . » ■ Indies, I hope the fame. It is however an important move, and ought (in my opinion) to be tried, even with fome riik. If our friends arc as numerous and hearty as Colonel Rankin reprefents them to be, with their affiftance added to what you carry thither, you will be able to maintain yourfelf. But if, after ha- ving given the experiment a fair trial, you find it will not do*,, you may either retire to Portfmouth, or by tranfports and boats in Delaware pafs to Jer- fcy — where, at all events, I mufl: pick you up, by receiving you at, or near. Mount Holly. Givamc - timely notice of your intended move, and, if poflible, I will follow you into Delav/are with fuch a fms^U reinforcement as I can at the time fparc. ' As rny invitation to Lord Cornwallis to come to the Chefapeak was upon a fuppofition that every .- thing would be fettled in the Carolinas, I do not think he will come ; — if however, he determines to do fo as a vifitor, he will get Barklay or fome pther to bring him, fbr the Admiral has this clay only ordered a (hip for the purpofc — and the one he ha? ordered cannot (I apprehend) get oyer the bar of . Cape Fear. Our Admiral is grown, if poflible, more imprac- ticable than ever. He fwears to me that he knows nothing of his recall — to others he fays, he is going hone immediately. If the next packet does not fatisfy me in this particular, I fhall probably retire*. and leave him to Lord Cornwallis's management. — T9 whom it will be my advice to try the only ex- P 2 perimen^ ^■•':^v 1 'dM^ s M lcrimcnt. that (in my opinion) can operate, if thq one in Carolina has failed.— -As toVirginia, 1 know none wTiicH can reduce that province in one cam- paign. — Though it is certainly a great exertion, th^ . only one thaf appears to nie i^ the above. If I flay It ihall be tried. Without a co-operating naval • Chief, the ri£k is doubly great ; — it would be fuffi- ciently fo witK one. But if it fucceeds, its confc- quences muft be very decifive. May 26;. ^We reinforcement is embarked, ancj fallen down to Staten Ifland, where they wait only ' the Admiral's pleafure for their proceeding to Chefa- peak. Two days ago he ofFeried to take them thi* ther under the tfcort of his fleet — to-day he writes to me, " that he thinks he cannot be iuftified in • * lofing a nrioment to proceed off the Chefapeak ; but if I think it of greater confequence to land *' the reinforcement of troops propofed to be fent *' there, than to intercept the enemy, he will take *' the tranlports with hinn — otherwife, he fliaH cer- ' *' tainly leave them behind, until it is known where the enemy's fleet is lodged, of which he " will tranfmit the earlieft information to me, and " then appoint a convoy to bring them on." la anfwer, 1 have acknowledged the very great impor- tance of intercepting the French fieet — but that it is alfo of importance that this reinforcement Ihould jo|n you immediately, and leave, to him (as being the beft judge) the propereft mode ofaccomplifhing it with fafety. — Thus the matter rcfts. < 7 re "4.. May % • ._ operations in Virginia, -109 ^dy ^d. As I am (from the Admiral's ftrange condud) doubtful when or whether the reinforce- pient will evpr join you, I do not now fend Colonel Rankin to you, as I at firft propofed — but I enclofc > his propofals. You will fee by them that he is not much of an ofHcer — but he appears to be a plain, fenfiblc,, man, worth attending to — And Sim- coe can explain a thoufand things rcfpecling him and his aflbciates, which I cannot in a letter. As you ieemed to thinL (before you received Lord Corn- wallis's letter) that all dired operations in favour of his Lordlhip would ceafe by the end of May •, fhould the expedition not fJl from hence before the 20th inft. and I do not hear further from you, I will not fend it ; for, in that cafe, I think the experiment on the peninfula may be tried to more advan- tage up Delaware than round by Chefapeak : , in which cafe I (hall exped General Arnold and you, , ^ with fuch troops as you can fpare, to meet nve at . the head of Elk or Bohemia, and forma junc- tion. I can certainly fpare more troops from hence for fuch a move than I can fend to Ciicfapeak^ for reafons obvious. Pray let me receive General Ar- nold's and your opinions upon Colonel Rankin's propofals as loon as pofiible. I confefs I am not. fanguine; but if the experiment can t-e tried with- out any other rijk than from the enemy's fuperioricy at fea, I (hould willi to do it. Therefore if Gene- , ral Arnold and you like ir, I fliall be reconciled to it, and it ihall be tried, after I know your opinions on -: ■)■'■■;: ■ -m (■ '1 .. -f J. M*1 ■iJ ■'■' ■ ■■'. I '„■■ .'<■■§ ;•■ •■■* vi. IS ,„ fy '"■■■■•'111 1 tJO Corre/pondence relative to the on It, and the inclofcd propofals — and if you ap» prove, about what time you think the attempt may take place. I am perfuaded, that en application. Captain Hudfon will give you a frigate for your difpatches. If we move up Delaware, Captain Duncan, (Lord Howe's Captain,) will conduft us. I have already talked to him on the fubjed, and he approves. ^-^ *^ -^ If Lord Cornwallis propofes any thrngneccflary for Jiis operations, you of courfe muft adopt it if you can, letting me know your thoughts thereon. But fhould his Lordfhip determine on a defcnfive in the Carolinas, he furely cannot want any of the European reinforcement, and will of courfe fend it to you, and all fuch other as fhall arrive. Thus reinforced, rf after leaving a fufficient garrifon in Elizabeth river,^ you can proceed to the peninfula; I think wejfhall be in force to give this a fair trial: and I may leave you in the command there, unlefs things Ihould take a more favourable turn in the Carolinas, and Lord Cornwallis's prefence there be no longer neceflary ; for, until they do, I fhould imagine he will not leave Carolina. You will think me long-winded. But as fafe op- portunities are not frequent, I muft make the beft ufe I can of this. I refer you for more information to Lord Chew ton, who is the bearer of my dif- patches. • H. CLINTON. ■t*i t^UM^r ■ \ vm eop- beft k* t^peratium in y'trgma^ III /- NUMBER VIII. Sir Henry Clinton^ K, B, to Major-general Phillips, dated May ii. {Received by Earl Cornwallis at Peterfburg, May 24,3 DEAR PHILLIPS, i 1 was in hopes that the fleet would have failed long fmce^ but although the Admiral dates bis let- ter the loth, off Sandy Hook, I fear he is ftill within. ;..,.; ■ ^ . . Pi.eport fays that the French had riot failed from Rhode- Ifiand a few days ago, they might, however, have failed yefterday: the only news we hare is a riot at Philadelphia, and all paper-nioney xefufed in payment; it works finely. No news from Lord Cornwallis fince his letter of the loth of April. - - ,..„,, Walhington fome diys fince called in Burgoynej by a letter from him this day, that it countermanded or fufpended ; their councils feem a little unfettled, •—it is reported and believed, that the French troops are to join Walhington, and are now on thar route. -' * '. >> - • V-.V. ''^ . : ' > I an), &c. ^ ' - H. CLINTON. Lord Chewton failed three days lincc for LorA Cornwallis. ,, , • .;.. . , , NUM- . •ran i v'^ ^ •■■'■' ' ' .■> ..wi; ■^, ■ ■■J -v ;'U '\r.t '"( I •A- *■:;'■■ '■ ,'i ' ''■ '■• I ■■, ! n m.'.> m i\i ■J\m .if-h m nt n V ^ '. Carre, ce relative to ihd m<% ' NUMBER IX. ' Sir Hefifjf Clinton to Earl CornwalUs, dated New-Tork^ . ' June 15, 1781. [R-ceived June 26, 17^^15 from Enfigri Amicl.} MY LORD, I' ^ V AS the Admiral has thought propel to fl:6p tlie failing of the convoy with ftores, horfe accoutre- iricnrs, &c. (which has been for fome days ready to fail to the Chefapeak) without affigning to me any reafon for fo doing, I delay not a moment to dif- patch a runner to your Lordfhip, with a dtiplicate, of my letter of the nth inftant, which was to go by that opportunity. ^ ; r r . 1 . . / ^^ ; j:*: And as I am led to fuppofe (from your Lordfhip*s letter of the 26th ult.) that you may not think it expedient to adopt the operations I had recommend- ed in the Upper Chefapeak, and will by this time probably have finifhcd thofe you were engaged in, I requeft you will immediately embark a part of the troops ftated in the letter inclofed (beginning with the light infantry, &c.) and fend them to me with all poflible difpatch ; for which purpofe. Captain Hudfon, or officer commanding the King's Ihips, will I prefume, upon your Lordfhip's application ap- point a proper convoy. I (hall likewife in proper time folicit the Admiral to fend fome more tranfports to the Chefapeak, in which '^' < operations in Virginia* . 113 which your Lordlliip will pleafe to lend hither the remaining troops you judge can be fpared from the defence of the pods you may occupy ; as I do not think it advifable to leave more troops in that un- healthy climate at this feafon of the year than what are abfolutely wanted for a defenfive, and defultory water excurfions. 7. I have the honour tc be, &c. », t H. CLINTON. :.*■ ^,i, > r - -i^-r ' \: Duplicate inclofed in Number IX. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New^ . , Tcrk, June n, 1781. V i [Received the 26th of June from Enfign Amiel] * r MY LORD, 1 am honoured with your Lordihip*s letter of the 26th ult. and as I am unwilling to detain the convoy, I (hall not have time to write fo fully to your Lordlhip as I would wifh. Refpeifling my opinions of ftations in James and York rivers, I Ihall beg leave only to refer your Lord- ftiip to my inftrudtions to, and correfpondence with, Generals Phillips and Arnold -, together with the fub- ftance of my converfations with the fo;mer ; which your Lordfliip will have found amongft General Phil- Q^ lips's ■V' 'i^ ^l ■'0m ''I ' 'i- i''i .mi ■#- it 'mm - i '.Ill Yt' \ ) •I ft p' u .gf 114 ' Ciirrefpon^ence relative to the lipjj's papers, and to which I referred you in my iaft difpatch. I Ihall, therefore, of courfe, approve of any alteration your Lordftiip may think proper to make in thofe ftations. The detachmcmsl have made from this army into Chefapeak, fjnce General Lcflie's expedition in 06to- ber laft, inclufive, nave amounted to feven thoufand feven hundred and twenty-four t.ffe(f>ives -, and at :he time your Lordfhip nrade thejunftion with the corf s there, there were under Major-general Phillips's orders five thoufand three hundred and four; a force I (hould haye hoped, would be fulBcient of itfelf to have carried on operations in any of the fouthern pro- vinces of America; where, as appears by the inter- cejttcd letters of Wafliington and La Fayettte, they are in no fituation to ftand againft even a divifion of that army. , - • . ; I have no reafon to fiippofe the Continentals under La Fayette can exceed one thoufand ; and I am told by Lieutenant-colonel Hill, of the ninth regiment, that aboqt a fortnight ago, he met at Frederick- town, the Pennfylvania line, under Wayne, of about the lame number, who were io difcontented, that their officers were afraid to truft them with ammunition. This, however, may have fince altered^ and your Lordlhip may poflibly have oppofed to you, from fifteen hundred to two thoufand Continentals, and (as La Fayette obfcrvcs,) a fmall body of ill ar- fned peafantry, full as fpiritlefs as the miliija 'i / Operations in Virginia, ^'5 of the fouthern provinces> and without any fer- vicc. :*' •' ^' ■■' ' *■. - ^ ' ' ■*■■ ; '- ■' ■■ ' - . Comparing, therefore, the force now under your Lordfhip in the Chefapeak, and that of the enemy oppofed to you (and I think it clearly Appears they have for the prefent, no Intention of fending thither reinforcements,) I (hould have hoped you would have quite fufficient to carry on any operation in Vir- ginia ; (hould that have been advifeable at this ad- vanced feafon. ^ '• *■ By the intercepted letters, inclofed to your Lord- fhip in my laft difpatch, you will obferve, that I am threatened with a fiege in this poft. My prefent ef- fcdive force is only ten thoufand nine hundred and thiry-one. With refpe. ;.l -!vr* :|.';vi, •>'M o ' ■ft i ' '."' 116 CQ^efpondence relative to thd .. take a defcnfive ftation, in any healthy fituation you choofe, (be it at Williamfburgur Yoriv-'OAn.) Anl I would wifh in that cafe, that after rereiviiort) yourfclf fuch troops as you may judge neceflary, for an ample defenfive, and defultory movements by water, for the purpofe of annoying the enemy's commuications, deftroying magazines, &c. the fol- lowing corps may be fent to me in fucceffion as you fpare them. Two battalions of Light Infantry. . 4 Forty-third regiment. ' i * t- - . !»■ Seventy-fixth or eigiitictli regiment. ••'/ Two battalions of Anfpach . •' «: .> ; Queen's Rangers, cavalry and infantry. , Remains of the detachment of 17th Light f Dragoons •, and fuch proportion of Artillery • .' as can be fpared, particularly men. Until the arrival of the cxpeded reinforcements from Europe, it will be impofliblc for me to judge what future operations may be within my power, un- der my prefent circum (lances. I heartily wifh I was able to fpare a fecond army, after leaving a fufficient defenfive for this important poll. But your Lord- ihip will, I hope, excufe me, if I dilfent from your opinion of the manner in which that army fhould be employed ; for experience ought to convince us, that there is no polTibility of re-eftablifhing order in any re- :. f:^ bcUious operations in Virginia, 117 : bcllious ptovinceon this continent without the heart/ affiftance of numerous friends. Thefe, my Lord, are nor, I ihink, to be found in Virginia; nor dare I pofitively aflert, that under our prcfent circumftances they are to be found in great numbers any where elfe, or that their exertions when found will anfwer our expcdtations : but I believe ther* is a greater probability of finding them in Pennfylvania than in any, except the fouthern provinces. In thefe your Lordihip has already made the experiment ; it has there failed — they ?re gone from us, and I fear are not to be recovered. The only one therefore now re- maining is this ; and if I continue in the command I am determined to give it a fair trial, whenever it Cin be done with propriety : I am not, however, likely to have a choice of operation at leaft for fome time to come. Nor can I altogether agree v/ith your Lordibip, in thinking that a defultory move againft Philadel- phia would do more harm than good. There, my Lord, are «-olle(5ted their principai depots of ftores , for the campaign, an inimenfe quantity of European and Weft-India commoditiesy and no inconfiderable fupply of money, which their uninterrupted trade and cruifers have lately procured them ; and from thefe funds they are now forming a bank by fubfcription, which, if it fucceeds, may give frelli vigour to their caufe. Could we therefore at this moment feize thofe important magazines, &C. overfet their fchemes, and break up their public credit, the favourable con- ' v '•' ' * fequence '^:*a ■^^iim. . '- ft' < f it [""'M'l •^ I- 'I ,3* 1 . ! i.4;-..'rffll ■f V ; *i Pi' ■'^ |i ,ii 'Ill' ■f.V I'X, ' \y -rf: fells- -i^ it H' ft!'! ■ liS Comjpondence reiaihe to the • fequcnc^s refulting from fuch fuccefs are too obvious to need explanation. And all this, my Lord, I have no doubt might have been efFcdted if our reinforce- ment had arrived in time, and the enemy had no profpcd of receiving any without our either keeping or deftroying Philadelphia i the latter of vehich is foreign to my inclination, and the former is certainly at prefent inadvifeable. I have the honour to be, &c. - H. CLINTON. . ..'* ',* / NUMBER X. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. dated WHliawJhurgby June ^o^ 178 1. ,^ — SIR, AFTER palUng James river, at Weftover, I moved to Hanover court-houfe, and croffed the South Anna; the Marquis de la Fayette marched to his left, keep- ing above at the diftance of about twenty miles. By pulhing my light troops over the North Anna, 1 alarmed the enemy for Fredericklburgh, and for the jundtion with General Wayne, who was then marching through Maryland. From what I could learn of the prefent ftate of Hunter*s iron manufafto- ry, it did not appear of fo much importance as the ftores on the other fide of the country, and it was . .. , . ^ impoffible T»' |i'' 1. ^ Operaims in Virgmla, '119 impoffiblc to prevent the junftion between the Mar- quis and Wayne : I therefore took advantage of the Marquis's pafling the Rhappahannock, and detached Lieutenant-colonels Simcoe and Tarlcton to difturb the aflembly then fitting at Charlotteville, and to dcftrov the (lores there, at Old Albemarle court-% houfe, and the Point of Fork ; moving Wih the in- fantry to the mouth of Byrd creek^ near the Point of Fork, to receive thofe detachments. Lieutenant- colonel Tarleton took fome members of the aflfembly at Charlotteville, and deftroyed there and on his re- :'irn one tboufand (land of good arms, fome cloath- ing and other ftorcs, and between four and five hun- dred barrels of powder, without oppofition. Baron Stuben, who commanded about eight hun- dred twelvemonths-men and militia, retired with great precipitation from the Point of Fork. Lieu- tenant-colonel Simcoe, after ufing every exertion to attack his rear-guard, defiroyed there and at places adjacent, about three thoufand three hundred (land of arms, moft of which unferviceable, but then un- der repair, fome fait, harnefs, &c. and about one hundred and fifty barrels of powder. I then moved by Richmond, and arriv ;d at William(burgh on the 25th inftaut, having, in addition to the articles already mentioned, deftroyed on this expedition at different places above 2000 hogfheads of tobacco and a great number of iron guns, and brought off* ^ur brafs thirteen-inch mortars, five brafs eight-inch howitzes •^ K. / « '>%\ Jiu- K Wl I «f m ¥ I! I [i* iV ijt t 'i J .!< Iv' I20 Correfpondence relative to the howitzes, ynd four long brafs nine-poundes, all French. We found near Hanover court-houfe ten French brafs twenty-four pounders, which we could rot carry, and had not time or means to deftroy farther than fpiking, and throwing five or fix of them into the Pamunkcy ; and we found at WiHiam{l)urgh a confiderable quantity of fliot and fhells, which are embarked. General Wayne joined the Marquis about the middle of the month, as did Baron Stuben f(;on after ; and their army has generally kept about twenty miles from us, without any material attempt by detachment, except in an attack on Lieutenant- colonel Simcoc, on the 26th, as he was returning with his corps and the yagers from the deftrudion of fome boats and (lores on the Chickahominy. The enemy, though much fuperior in numbers, were repulfed with confiderable lofs, three officers and twenty -eight privates were made prifoners : the Ran- gers had three officers and thirty privates killed and wounded ; Lieutenant Jones, who was killed, be- haved with the greateft fpirit, and is much lamented by Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe. 's * The morning after my arrival here I was honoured with your Excellency's difpatches of the nth and 15th inftant, delivered by Enfign Amiel. By them I find, that you think if an ofFcnfive army could be fpared, it would not be advifable to employ it in this province. It is natural for every officer to turn his thoughts particularly to the part of the war in which hQ ^i 1 '^ ■•,v/.,'1 Operations in Virginia, lai he has been mod employed j and as the fecurlty at lead of South Carolina, if not (he rcdudion of North Carolina, fcemed.to be generally expcfted from me, both in this country and in England, I thought my- felf called upon, after the experinr^nt I had made bad failed, to point out the only mode in my opinion of effe(5ting it, and to declare, that until Virginia was to a degree fubjcdted, we could not reduce North Carolina, or have any certain hold of the back coun- try of South Carolina j the want of navigation ren- dering it impoflible to maintain a fufficient army in either of thofc provinces at a confiderable diQance from thecoaft, andthe men and riches of Virginia fur- nilhing ample fuppiics to the rebel fouthern army. I will not fay much in praife of the militia of the fou- thern colonics i but the lilt of Britilh officers and foldiers killed and wounded by thcrh fince lad June, proves but too fatally that they are not wholly con- temptible. . ,.., - Your Excellency being charged with the weight of the whole American war, your opinions of courfe are lefs partial, and are direded to all its parrs j to thofe opinions it is my duty implicitly to lubmir. Being in the place of General Phillips, I thought myfelf called upon by you to give my opinion with all deference on Mr. Alexander's propofals,and the at- tempt upon Philadelphia. leaving experienced much difappointment on that head, I own I would cauti- oufly 'engage in meafures depending materially for . R ^' their .»* .. ^ fel - 1 :r^? W: i *i Ml'' > , i- 122 Correfpondence relative to the their fuccefs on the rftive affiftance from the country, and I thought the attempt on Philadelphia would do more harm than good to the caufe of Britain j be- caufe, fuppofing it pradicable to get pofleffion of the town, (which, befides other obftacles, if the re- doubts are kept up, would not be eafy) we could not hope to arrive without their having had fuffi- cient warning of our approach to enable them to fecure fpecic, and the greateft part of their valuable public ftores, by means of their boats and fliipping, which give them certain pofleffion of the river frou. Mud Ifland upwards. 1 he difcriminating of the owners, and dt'ftroying any confiderable quantity of Weft India goods, and other merchandize difperfed through a great tov/n, without burning the whole together, would be a work of much time and labour. Our appearance there, without an intention to ftay, might give falfe hopes to many friends, and occafion their ruini and any unlucky accident on our retreat, might furnifli matter io'f great triumph to our ene- mies. However, my opinion on that fubjeft is, at prefcnt, of no great importance, as it appears, from your Excellency's difpatches, that, in the execution of thofe ideas, a co-operation was intended from your fide, which now could not be depended upon, from the uncertainty of the permanency of our naval fuperiority, and your apprehenfions of an intended feiious attempt upon New York. I have, therefore, loft no time in taking meafurec for complying. with .. . • .- the , ,. operations inVirgtma,-, 123 the requifition contained in your difpatch of the 15th inftant. Upon viewing York, I was clearly of opinion, that it far exceeds our power, confiftent with your pl.'.ns, to make fafe defenfive ports there and at Gloucefter, both of which would be neceflary for the protedion of Ihipping. , ;< -^ . ; .„.t.. .. The ftate of the tranfports has not yet been re- ported to me, but I have ordered the few that are at Portfmouth to be got ready j and as foon as I pad Jarnes River (for which purpofe the boats zrt col- ledting), and can get a convoy, they (hall be dif- patched with as many troops as they will contain, and fhall be followed by others as faft as you fend tranfports to receive them. When I fee Portfmouth, I (hall give my opinion of the number of men ne- ceflary for its defence, or of any other pofl: that may be thought more proper. But as magazines, &c. may be defl:royed by occafional expeditions from New York, and there is little chance of being able to eftablifh a poft capable of giving effe(ftual pro- teftion to fhips of war, I fubmit it to your Excel- lency's conflderation, whether it is worth while to hold a fickly defenfive poft in this Bay, which will always be expofed to a fudden French attack, and, which experience has now llicwn, makes no diver- lion in favour of the fouthern arm}% , Tarleton was lucky enough to intercept an exprefs with letters from Greene to La Fayette, of which • " R 2 ' the it • *■■ 'V.l ■WM i:-'-^^' ''■ MHl f+-.. ■i'' ■'■'■»' «i Ml IH Correfpondence relative to the m I' '' ■ '"^■M 4i H i- the inclofed are copies. By them you will fee General Greene's intention of coming to the northward, and that part of the reinforcements, deftined for his army, was flopped in confequence of my arrival here. As foon as it is evident that our plan is nearly defen five here, there can be littlt doubt of his returning to the fouthward, and of the reinforcements proceeding to join his army. I ftill continue in the mod painful anxiety for the fituation of South Carolina. Your Excellency will have received accounts of Lord Ravvdon*s proceed- ings previous to his arrival at Monk's Corner, and of his intended operations. My laft account from him is in a note to Lieutenant Colonel Balfour, dated the 9t:h inftant at Four Hole Bridge, and he was then in great hopes of being in time to fave Cruger. I have ordered Colonel Gould to proceed, as foon as convoy could be procured, with the nineteenth and thirtieth regiments to New York, leaving the third regiment and the flank companies in South Carolina, till your pleafure is known. I named the flank companies, ibecaufe they might be diftant at the time of the ar- rival of the order, and as a corps capable of exertion is much wanted on that fervice. Your Excellency well knows my opinion of a de- fenfive war on the frontiers of South Carolina. From the ftate of Lord Rawdon*s health, it is im- poflible that he can remains for which reafon, al- though the command in that quarter can only be at- tended '- operations to Virginia. 115 tended with mortification and dirappointnnent,yet,iis I came to America with no other view than to endeavooi^'' to be ufeful to my country, and as I do not think it pofTible to render any fervice in a defenfivc fituation here, I am willing to repair to Charles-town if you approve of it j and in the mean time, I ihall do every thing in my power to arrange matters here till I have your anfwer. I Major Craig reprefented fo ftrongly to Lord Raw- don his regret at leaving the diftreffed Loyalifts in the neighbourhood of Wilmington, and his hopes of a confiderable infurredion in the lower part of North Carolina, where the enemy have no force, that his Lordfhip gave him a conditional permiflion to poft- pone the evacuation of Wilmington -, but I have not yet learned whether he has availed himfelf of it. La Fayette's continentals^ 1 believe, confift of about feventeen or eighteen hundred men, exclu- five of fome twelvemonth's men, collected by Steuben. He has received confiderable reinforce- ments of mititia, and about eight hundred moun- tain rifle- men under Campbell. He keeps with his main body about eighteen or twenty miles from us; bis advanced corps about ten or twelve; probably witn an intention of infulting our rear guard v/bcn we pafs James River. I hope, however, to put that out of his power, by crofllng at James City Iflanr;; and if I can get a favourable opportunity of ftriking a blow at him without lofs of time, I will certainly try \ ' f 1-1 •'- :■ :'*;:'; » \'\t ■.'. 1,1 '\ ■; .If -'V .« ., wTmrnrnmim h'i I. '- 'Vv« .it'., Ill' 126 ' Correfpondence relative to the try It. I will likewife attempt water expeditions, if proper obje<5ts prefent thcmfelves after my arrival at Portfmouth. I inclofe a report made by Lieutenant Thomas Hagerly, who came with a Captain Fleming from Maryland to join us in North Carolina. I feel moft finccrely for the fufferings of the unfortunate Loya- lifts ; but being of opinion, that a detachment would not afford them fubftantial and permanent relief, I Ihall not venture fuch a ftep, unlefs your Excellency fho^ld think proper to diredl it. I have the honour to be, &c. ' ^ " C O R N W A L L I S. ■*i-t ':'(i fn?^ : -^^3 ^ NUMBER XL Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-Torkf June 28, 1781. [In Cypher.] - [Received July 8, 1781.] MY LORD, n-^ , la « VA 'i^ -^ \* *. HAVING for very eflential reafons come to a refolution of endeavouring by a rapid move to feize the ftores, Src. collefted at Philadelphia, and after- I wards ■|'> ii Operations in Ifirginja, ' tzj . wards tq bring the troops employed on that fervice to reinforce this poft, I anra to requeft, that if your LorcKhip has not already embarked the reinforce- ment I called for in my letters of the Sth, nth, 15th, and 19th indant, and (hould not be engaged in feme very important move, either of your own, or in con- fequence of my ideas rtfpe(5ting operation in the Upper-Chefapeak, you will be pleafed, as foon as poffible, to order an embarkation of the troops fpecified below, J and of ftores, &c. &c. Hated in the enclofed paper j — - or, in as full a manner as your Lordihip can v.ith propriety comply ; — • re- colledting, that whatever may have been taken too great a proportion of, will be immediately returned to you the moment the txpeditionis over. As it is poffible that your Lordihip may have fent Major-general LeQie to Charles-town, in con* fequence of what I faid to you in my letter of the 29th ult. I have thought proper to appoint General Robertfon to the command of the troops on this fervice, which I Ihould not have judged neccf- fary, could I have been certain of his being named by you to accompany the troops coming hither. Should that have been the cafe, your Lordihip will ■-<^i'\t,. ^:.\'-^:. -y •-■;.»-.• •/- X Second battalion of light infantry; forty-third regiment; fe- vcnty.fixth or eightieth ; two battalions of Anfpach ; Queen's rwi* gers, cavalry and infantry ; and fuch a proportion of artillcy as «an be fparcd, particularly men. , p.^j^r-:. • I" •/ •;■, xrM ■;. ':t m M- t\ ' \ m |,5i| t ;-Ht iii !■: I' ' ■ p>«r.i,it I, , i(« » ' * I V, i> mm 4\ ''-^ ^^Ml'r If ^J^ Correfpondence relative to the ■will be pleafcd, nevcrthclefs, to dircdt him to pro- ceed with the expedition. |. , I b^ve the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON, Inclofed In No. XI. "' ^^^;-^i' \Uft of CannBtti. Stores, ^c, to J>e fent/rom Virginiai A R T I L L E R Y, &c. f 'Two eight-inch howitzes, light, . . • • --^ .v r 'Two five and a half-inch ditto, ■ ^ <]}L\\hm.X ':;■■■ - 'Two medium brals twelve-pounders, '^^ r|^f".*^i » Four braft (ix-pounders, field pieces, -- ' i- '^ ^^ • Twelve waggons, without the bodies, for tranlporrlng * boats, &:c. &c. 'A proportion of carcaflcs. ' ' ' • *;.; "^ "> . jj I » ( f •»» (-•v.-, ■ » »■ " ;• i\ ' V E S S E L 3. ^^^-^ -i;"'^ ■ The flocp Formidable, ^ i '^r . .,..,//? i ••. ^Brigantine Spitfire, -' ol *'jJ: > .' ..., .//r iv ' Brigantine Rambler,' T» " ' The prize-(hip Tempeft, if Ihe can be unloaded and fitted without delaying the tranfports. As many horfes as are neceflary for the artillery and -; waggons. As many of theiirft twenty-four new boats as can be fpared. -— Thofe with platforms, to have ^ 'Cannon mounted in them, and eompleatly fit- ^ . ' ' ted, . Operations in Virginia, 129 ted, if it can be done without delaying the embarkation. — The cannon to be brought \n the tranfports, and the boats towed by them. '.,.'"'., Lieutenant Sutherland, of the Engineers, with in* '.\; .., trenching tools, &c. &c. for five hundred men. ', "4 ^ ..i4 t'. -Iv. ,v.7n::. NUMBER XII. . 'i. v; ;,1;/ Earl Cornivallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K, B, dated T ^'^ <--'^^ Cohbam, July^, 1781. •'"' ''V\-^ ST IJ ' r" ■■"■'" - -• \* '/-'_ r ■.":;■;-•■ ■,., ;:, . I WAS this morning honoured with your dit patch of the 28th ult. The troops are perfedly ready, and will proceed to Portfmouth to wait the ariival of the tranfports. 1 will give immediate orders about the artillery, ftores, &c. ;_q ,, The tranfports now at Portfmouth are fufHcient to carry the light infantry ; I had prepared them to receive that corps, and (bould have fent them to you , in a few days, if your laft order had not arrived. . I.I your cyphered difpatch, the fecond battalion of .light infantry only is mentioned, but I conclude that ;tobe a miftake, and ({lall keep both ready to em- bark. I take for granted that General Robcrtfon , will come with the- tranfports to cake the command i-'t i\ .!'■'' ). 't it> ''if mi'" m f ■ * : ,n ..■ * > 1 ' I.s ■k' .4-;! ,.!,■; •' *•'.■ ml i ''ij 130 Correfpomknce relative to the of the expedition, ■pcncral LeQie is ftill here, but as it was not my intention to have lent hinn with the troops to New- York, and, as he will be the propereft perfon to command here in -afe you fhould approve of my returning to Charles-town, I (hall not fend him on the expedition unkfs it fhall then appear to be your Excellency's deure that he fliould accomp.iny General Roberifbn, _ - v^-j I muft again take the liberty of calling your Ex- cellency's ferious attention to the queftion of the utility of a defenfive poft in this country, which cannot have the fmalleft influence on the war in Carolina, and which only gives us fome acres of an unhealthy fwamp, and is for ever liable to Dccome a prey to a foreign enemy, with a temporary fupe- riority at fea. Defultory expeditions in the Chefa- peak may be lindertaken from Kew-York with as much eafe and more fiifeiy,' whenever there is rcafon t-o foppofe that our naval force is likely to be fu- perior for two or three months. • .•^^ r ': The boats and naval afTiftance having been Itiit to me by Captain Hudfon, I marched on the 4th from Williamfburgh to a camp which covered a ford into the ifland of James-town. The Queen's Rangers pafled the river that evcnitrg^ On the 5th, I fent "over all the wheel carriages, and on the 6th the bat- horfesand baggage of everji kind, intending to pafs • with the ?rmy on the ych. About noon on the 6th, ^ information was brought mc of the approach of the *^* ' I ^ enemy, *'\ operations in Fir?inuu IJ' enemy, and about four in the afternoon a large body attacked our out-pofts. Concluding that the enemy would not bring a confidcrable force within our reach, unlefs they fuppofcd that nothing was left bu*; a rear-guard, I took every means to convince them of my weaknefs, and fuffcred my piquets to be in- fulted and driven back \ nothing, however, appeared near us but riflemen and militia till near fun-fet, when a body of continentals with artillery began to form in the front of our camp. I then put the troops un- der arms, and ordered the army to advance in two lines. The attack was began by the firft line with great fpirit ; there being nothing but militia oppofcd to the light infantry, the a6liou was foon over on the right, but Lieut. Col. Dundas's brigade, confiding of the forty-third, fcventy-fixrh, and eightieth regiments, which formed the left wing, meeting the Pennfylvania line, and a detachment of the Marquis de la Fay- ette's continentals, with two fix- pounders, a fmart a' NUMBER XIII. yEarl Ccrirjjallis to Sir Henry Clin ton ^ K. B. dated Vs. '■' ' "^ Suffolk^ July 12, 1 78 1. >,S I R. ^j . >•! i\CKNOWLEDGED in my letter of the 8th tVe receipt of your Excellency's difpatch of the 28th of June. I have fiivcc been honoured with that of the •1 •' ,» »• "S"/* -' I'r* Operations in llr^lnia,. '3 the ift, by the Orpheus, and of the duplicates of thofe of the 29th of May, 8th and 19th of June, by the Charon, the originals of which have mifcar- ricd. f . . . », I have only now to inform your Excellency, that every exertion fliail be made to fit out the expedition in the complcateft manner without lofs of time, an4 as by your letter to General Ledie you fcem to wi(h that he Ihould accompany it, I have fent him di- re^ionsfbr that purpolV. . , ^..,^^. ., , ,,^r^,rj^ '*: ^' .fiV. r-f** t. i:i\' .'^i/ 'i-. •1 ». I have the honour to be, &c. ')•♦••; :.*= »•:;•• .•»- J-. r-r .rpi' CORNWALLIS. NUMBER XIV. . . . '. Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B, to Earl' Cornwallis^ dated ,y, ' New-llsrk, yune 8th, 1781. -. *, ^ > » • '" • ' [Received July i2lh, 1781, from Lieut. Col. M*Pherfon.] ^i;. MY LORD, . i T ■»^.»^^;.r v:?^ life/ rffo*''^ I IIsTCLOSg to your Lordfhip copies of fomc intercepted letters : by thefc your Lordihip will .Ale that we are threatened with a fiege. The enemy have had bac) information refpefting my force ; ic is not, however, as your Lordihip know >, whit it ought to be. Your Lordihip will fee by Fayette's letwr, that you have little n>ore oppofcd to you r •' . than ^St fH K f ' \ • ' ''• *' ':MH\ m^ i^'iM '^' Kiiil 1 134 Correfpondtnce relative to the ''>'♦,' ■. )' s^ than his corps and an unarmed militia j for, we arc told here, that thePfnnfylvaiiia troops have revolted a fecond time, at York-town. Your Lord(hip can therefore certainly fpare twothoufand, and the fooncr they con^e the better ; without it fhould be your in- tention to adopt my ideas of a move to Uakimore or the Delaware Neck, and put yourfclF In nearer co-operation with us •, but even in that cafe ycu can fpare us fomething, I fuppofe. ,_ , I am naturally to expcd reinforcement from Eu- rope, but not having heard from thence fince Fe- bruary, I can L\y nothing pofitive as to when it failed. Ic is rumoured here (from what authority I cannot learn) that the three battalions from Corke are arrived at Charles-town, and that your l.ord- ihip has ordered them to Chefapeak. Should that have been the cafe, I have by this opportunity directed them not to difembark, but to join me here as foon as a convoy can be obtained for them j in the firft place becaufe I want them, and in the next, becaufe it would be death to them to afl in Chefa- peak in July. From all the letters I have fccn, I am of opi- nion, if circumllances of provifions, (lores, &c. turn cWt as they wifli, that the enemy will certainly attack this port. As for men, for fuch an objeft as this (circumftanced as they fuppofe it to be) it cannot be -doubted that thty can raife a fufficient number. I^y a commifTary of provifion's intercepted letter, he -i-v:., Opera! ions in Virginh, ' 1 35 now feeds (at Weft- point only) eight thoufand, and they are coming in very faft. My difpatchcs for your Lordfjip, and the (lores, &c. you fcnt for, have been waiting for a convoy thefc ten days. I hope it will fail immediaiely, but I difpatch this runner in the mean time, referring your Lordfhip to the bearer. Lieutenant Nairne, for particulars. " I requefl that the officer commanding at Portf- mouth may have pofidve orders to difpa:ch a runner once a week while they lad, whether he has any thing material to fay or not. Every circuaiftar;;,e in the prc- fent fituation of the corps of this army is of confe- quence to know. As your Lordlhip is now fo near, it will be unnecefTary for you to fend your difpatehes immediately to the Minifter; you will therefore be fo good to fend them to me in future. I am much in want of howitzes, &c. I think your Lordfhip can fpare foms ; if fo, I requefl: they may be fent, and a good proportion of artillery men with them. Captain Fage of the Artillery, and Lieutenant Sutherland of the Engineers are to return here, as I particularly want them ; and Lieutenant Fyers, if your Lordfliip cari poflibly fpare him. I Jikewife requefl: that your Lordfliip will fend General Arnold to me, ♦ . . - ,',■.■■» f ■ I ■ ■;— , •■"I fend by Lieutenant-colonel Macpherfon a corn- mi (Tion for Colonel Abercrombie to ad: as Brigadier- general until further orders i but I fear it will not be in my power to eftabiifli him in that rank, as I un- derhand hi '^M^^' m ^1 ifi^ ' ■*/ '■ ; MX ' ' J : i ' '/ ■ -M .'Vlill f^fi'ms m ■m.. ■■,'1 J ft ^*3ii' Tit " * fl 1 '1 Ifi. ■li Pi' J^^** 1 l| ■II t i '' '^'f ' 1 ( t I'V * ». J. * .l ■Mr|': f f3«-«« W' ij6 Correfpondence relative to the ^ • derftand there are fix older than him coming our* The commilTion will therefore be delivered to your LordQiip, to ufe or not as you may fee expedient. But at all events I imagine your Lordfhip will not think it neceflary to give thecommiflion to Colonel Abercrombie, whilft Major-general Leflie, or Briga- dier-general Arnold, remain \^ith you. I am perfuaded that I need not fay to your Lord- fhip how neceflary it is that I (hould be informed without delay of every change of ppfition in your Lordflilp's army j and I am fure you will excule me for obferving that had it been poffible upon the ar- rival of the lad reinforcement from hence (which I am told joined you the day after the date of your letter of the 2oth ult.) for your Lordfhip to have let me know your views and intentions, I ihould not now be at a lofs to judge of the force you might ■want for your operations. Ignorant therefore as I am of them, I can only truft, that as your Lordfhip will fee by the inclofed letters, my call for a rein- forcement is not a wanton one, you will fend me what you can fpare as foon as it may be expedient ; for (hould your Lordfliip be engaged in a move of fuch importance as to require the employment of your whole force, 1 would by no means wifh to ftarve or obftrudt it ; but in that cafe would rather en- deavour to wait a little longer, until my occafions grow more urgent, or your fituation can admit of your detaching; of which, however, I requefttobe informed (. .*• .». Operations in Virglma, 1^7 informed with all poffible difpatch. But with refpctfl to the European reinforcement, I muft requeft, that Ihould it arrive in the Chefapeak, it may be fent to me without delay, agreeable to the orders I have lent to the officer commanding at Portfmouth, and the requifition I make by this opportunity to Captain Hudfon, or officer commanding the King's ffiips. Should your Lordffiip not propofe to fend Major- general Leffie to command in South Carolina, I beg leave to mention that his affiftance may probably be wanted here, if he can be fpared from your army. I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. s\ "■'*■• § ¥ ....• "I L'l. ■' I ■ . .i ■ * -f ■''■.■"j'l ■'>!«,; ■;■■•; It I NUMBER XV. Sir Henry Clinton, K, B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated at New Tor ky i^th of June^ 1781. [Received July 12, 1781, from Lieut. Col. M*Pherfon.J MY LORD, THE intercepted letters, which I had the honour to tranfmit to your Lordffiip with my difpatch of the 8th inft. will have informed you, that the French Admiral meant to efcape with his fleet to Bofton, from Rhode Ifland; (from whence it is probable they T failed ■1* ,.,; '. ' ■ '*>-' m si 'I il „! lit* if 1 s^iE.;' !,,.' •!.• 'fWj 1 3 g Correfpoiideme relative to the failed the 13th inft. the wind being then fair j) and that it was propofcd the French army fhould after- wards join fuch troops as Mr. Wafhington could afTemble, for the purpofe of making an attempt on this poft. I have often given it as my opinion to your Lord- fhip, that for fuch an object as this, they certainly could raife numbers i but I very much doubt their being able to feed them. I am, however, perfuaded, they will attempt the inveftiture of the place. I there- fore heartily vvilh I was more in force, that I might be able to take advantage of any falfe movement they may make in forming it. Should your Lordlhip have any folid operation ill the Chefapeak to propofe, or have approved of the one I mentioned in my; former letters, I Ihall not, as I have already told you, prefs you for the corps I wilhed to have fent me, at leaft for the prefent. But if, in the approaching inclement feafon, your Lord- fhip Ihould not think it prudent to undertake ope- rations with the troops you have, (and you may eafily conceive I cannot poflibly fpare more,) I cannot but wi(h for their fake, if I had no other motive, that you would fend me as foon as poflible what you can fpare from a refpeftable defenfive. And that your Lord- fliipmay better judge what I mean by a refpeaabU defenfive, it is necefiary to inform you, that other intelligence, befides Monlieur Barras' letter, makes M' *:>•: Jt . \ operations in Virginia. ^39 it highly probable, that Monfienr de Grafle, will vifit this coaft in the hurricane feafon, and brino- with him troops as well as Ihips. But, when he hears that your Lordfhip has' taken poflefTion of York river before him, I think it mod likely he will come to Rhode Ifland ; arid, in that cafe, that their firft efforts will be in this quarter. I am, however, under no great apprehenfions, as Sir George Rodney feems to have the fartie fufpicions of De Graffe's in- tention that we have, and will of courfe follow him hither. For I think our firuation cai>not become very critical, uijlefs the enemy by having the com- mand of the Sound, fhould poflefs themfelves of Long Ifland ; which can never be the cafe, whilft we are fuperior at fea. * - ' What I faid to your Lordfhip in my letter of the 8th inft. refpefting the reinforcement from England was only occafioned by a report prevailing here, that you had ordered them from Charles-town to the Chefapeak. But as it is now probable there is no real foundation for the report, it is unneccflary to trou- ble your Lordlhip again on the fubjed, as they will of courfe remain in South Carolina, fhould they ar- rive there. In the hope that your Lordlhip will be able to fpare me three thoufand men, I have fcnc two thoufand tons of tranfports from hence; and what is wanting may he made up from thofe in Che- fapeakt The corps I named in my letter of the 1 1th, will, I imagine, amount to nearly that num- T 2 ber. • ' ,; '' ;v ■ft ■?,"■: ■' ^" 'iM 140 Correfpondence relative to the ber. But fliould your Lordfhip not be able to fparc the whole, it is neceflary to mention, that I expcdt the detachment of the feventeenth dragoons, as they happened to be placed laft in the lift. I likewile reqiieft, your Lordlhip will at the fame time fend me the twenty-four boatsi built by General Arnold, if you fliould have no particular call for them; as they will be ufeful here, and Ic is probable the ten, (which I underftand are now building in the Chefa- peak,) will bf fufficient for your Lordfliip's pur- po fes. But as your Lordfliip will be the befl: judge of this, you will fend them or not, as you pleafe. I have at laft had a perfonai conference with the Vice-admiral J and he has agreed, if he does not in- tercept the French fleet, to take his ftation between the Nantucket Shoals and Delaware, where his fleet is to cruife for the protection of this harbour, apd pur communication with the Chefapeak. f ;^' I have the honour to be, &c. i H. CLINTON. NU M. ■te(f Operations in Firginia, 141 NUMBER XVI. . Sir Henry Clinton, K. Bl to Earl Cornwallis, dated New Tork, July iji, 1781. [Received July 12, 1781, by the Orpheus.] ' MY LORD, FOR reafons which I think it unneceflary to mention to you by this opportunity, I requeft, that whatever troops, &c. your Lordfhip may have em- barked for this place, may fail forty-eight hours after the departure from the Chefapeak of the frigate which carries this letter, and which has orders to re* turn whenever your Lordfhip fignifies to the Captain of her, that the troops, &c. are all on board, and ready to proceed on the intended fervice. I have the honour to be, &c. ' H. CLINTON. ''Vi ■''\ » ilI'Vil ' 'I, • , ';«■. 1 !>,■■■■: ■■ . ■ ■- . .,'■. f\ V •■ "■ '■^ ''1 "'•? f ,',:*■ ■Ji; .*' ' \ 4 ' ^■M.i I', I 3': NUMBER wh ' w. ij *^ '■ hi •x%- 142 Correfpondence relative to the NUMBER XVII. it Earl ComwaUh to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. dated Suffolk^ i']tb July, I78i» SIR, I AM glad to hear from Portfmouth that the ex- pedition is almoft ready to fail ; and having given General Leflie full powers relating to the equipment of it, I hope it will be to your fatisfaftion. I have detained fix infatitry boats and four horfc boats for the fervice here, and have direfted all the others to go, if they can be carried. The twenty-third Light Company has done duty for fome time paft with the Legion, which is not yet returned from an ex- curfion to the upper part of the country ; I have^ therefore, in place of the twenty- third, fent the Light Company of the eightieth. The enemy's army having come fo low down the country, and we having, by the deftruflion of their craft, rendered it difficult for them to pafs James river below Tuckahoe, and the militia of the upper counties of this fide of the river being with them, I thought it a good opportunity to endeavour to de- ftroy the magazines between James river and the Dan that are dcftined for the ufc of their fouthern army. I accorcHngiy detached Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton wirh the Legion cavalry, and fomething 3 upwards '111. .1" m fyjfg Operations in Virginia, > 145 upwards of one hundred mounted infantry, on th^ 9th inlhnt, from Cobham, with orders to call, among oiher places, at Prince Edward and Bedford court houfts, where I was informed their principal military (tores had been colle(5ted.- This will be a fatiguing expedition ♦, but I fliall be able to crive them reft upon their return, as I fee little appearance of cavalry being much wanted in this quarter for fome time to come. In the mean time I fliall re- main at, or near, this place till he comes back, which I hope will be in a few days. I have de- tached Lieutenant-colonel Dundas with part of the eightieth, to deftroy the (hipping and ftores at South Quay i and, if poffible, I (hall fend a detachment to Edencon for the fame purpofe, before I^fall back to Portfmouth. Colonel Gould has not received my order for fen- ding two of the late- arrived regiments to New- York, the exprefs velTel with my difpatchcs having been taken by a rebel privateer. And as it appears by your Excellency's difpatch to me of the 19th of June, that you approve of the three regiments re- maining in South Carolina, I have notified this to Colonel Gould by the Amphitrite, which retook the exprefs vclTcl, and called here two days ago, in her way to Charles town, * The variety of fatiguing fervices for which pio- neers are conftandy wanted, obliged me to augment the detachment with this army to a company of fifty men. i .;j- •'.•*; ■pi ', .1. Jp-'. 144 Corrcfpondence relative to the Hi i 'I 1 (i il i men, and I appointed Lieutenant Brown of that corps Captain J and Mr. Jackfon, a North-Carolina refu- gee, Lieutenant. Mr. Brown is an old officer of pioneers, and in his own line a man of uncommon merit, 1 he r ^■;:crs of the guards having repeatedly re- prelv v:.: i i.l't very fuperior merit of Mr. Ru(h, their furgeoi , ant^ -lis unwearied and fkilful attention to their numerous Tick and wounded, I think it right to mention him to your Excellency, as a man highly worthy of a mark of favour. I received your Excellency's letter, with the inclo- fures relating to the tranfports intended" to be fent home by th'* Agent and Lieutenant-colonel Balfour. The refolution of lending all had been adopted after I left South Carolina, in confequence of the Minif- ter's Circular Letter, and which, if executed, I fiiould, no doubt, have difapproved of, being en- tirely of opinion with your Excellency, that it is with you to decide whether ferviceable tranfports can be fpared. But I am happy to find that Lieutenant- colonel Balfour returned to his firft refolution, which I approved of, only difpatching vifluallers and un- fcrviceable tranfports, and which I hope before now has been explained to your Excellency's fatisfaftion. It gave me great pleafure to learn from a Charles- town paper, lately brought in here, that General Greene had raifcd the fiege of Ninety-fix, after ha- ving been repulfcd in an attempt to carry it by afTaulc^ fn K uncommon Operations in Virginia, 145 afTaulr, and that Lord Rawdon had arrived there on the 20th ult. I have likewife been informed in this country that Greene was on his march on the 24th ult. towards Broad river. ,.t " ► ^ . • ;:y' i. ; * > * I have the honour to be, &c. COPuNWALLIS. NUMBER XVIIi. ^;> Henry Clinton to Earl CcrnwaVi ^.ited Htad- Quarter Sy New-Tor ky July i\th, 1781. [In Cypher,] / [Received from Brig. Maj. Bowes, July 2odi, at i A.M.] MY LORD, ^ * ♦, - I HAVE received your Lordfhip's letter of the 30th of June, and the Admiral has difpatched a fri- gate with his and my opinions in anfwer to it. I cannot be more explicit by this opportunity than to defire, that if you have not already pafled the James river, you will continue on tine Williamfburgh Neck, Tuntil ]Qie arrives with my difpatches by Captain Stapleton. If you have pafled, and find it expe- dient to recover that ftation, you will pleafe to do it, and keep pofleflion until you hear further from rnc. Whatever troops may have been embarked by ■ ' U ' , you .V *-* ::h a '■', .i. V ■■■'lit,' &k mm i^l ■■ :.rM rf I 146 f Correfpondenc'e relative to the you for this place, are likewife to remain until fur- ther orders j and if they fliould have been failed, ai.J within your call, you will be plealed to flop them. It is the Admiral's and my wi(h, at all events to hold Old Point Comfort, which fecures Hampton road. ?I. CLINTON. ''I ij<« . ■*:,, '|»s»t^ 1^4 I, W ^ .:i NUMBER XIX. Sir Henry Clinton^ K, B. to Earl CornwalliSf dated New-Tork, July i^, 1781. MY LORD, UNTIL I had the honour to receive your Lord- fhip's letter of the 8th i iftant, I had flattered myfelf, that upon re-con fidering the general purport of our correfpondence, and General Phillips's papers in your pofleffion, you would at leaft have waited for a line from me in anfwer to your letter of the 30th ult. be- fore you finally determined upon fo ferious and mor- tifying a move, as the re-pafTing James river, and re- tiring with your army to Portfmouth. And I was the more induced to hope that this would have been the cafe, as we both feemed to agree in our opinion of the propriety of taking a healthy ftation on the Neck, between York and James rivers, for the pur- pofe of covering a proper harbour for our line-of- battle operations in Virginia, 145^ battle fliips. And I am perfuadcd your Lordfliip will be fenfible, that in all my letters I clearly leave you at full liberty to detain any part, or even the whole of the troops I folicited you to fend me, fhould your Lordfliip have determined on any folid opera- tion of your own in Virginia, or elfewhere ; or fliould you have adopted the one I had recommended in the Upper Chefapeak ; or even fliould you have judged their continuance with you neceflary until the fta- tions you might think proper to take were rendered rcfpedably defen five. . • * • ..?•;..;. • Your letter of the 30th ulr. in which your Lord- fliip was pleafed to intimate this intention, did not leave ;he Chefapeak before the 5th inftant : and as foon as I confulted the Admiral at the Hoo'.c upon its contents, I lofl: no time in difpatching my anfwer tm your Lordfliip, both by a fliip of war and one of my runners ; but as I now find your Lordfhip has de- . cided, I ftiall fay no more upon the fubjefl : and I fincerely congratulate you upon the fuccefs of your well concerted plan againll the Marquis de la Fay- ette, hoping that amongft other good effeds which may be expefted from it, it will prevent his giving you difturbance in the execution of what I recom- mended to your Lordfliip in my letter of the nth infl:anr, a duplicate of which accompanies this. I likewife requefl: your Lordfliip will be pleafed to communicate to Lieutenant-colonels Dundas, Simcoc, and Tarleton (whom you have particularifed, the • -'- ■ £rft V V*'' ' A\ ' t,!'^ V| I ■ . f ri^. « 1 [ ...ii.'i ji ■ ^n I '.^i 1-49, Correfpondmce relative to the iSi'l-i ■:t .,; ,!■ firft for his conduft and gallantry in the aftion of James-town, and the two others for their adivc fcr- vices on your march through Virginia) and to all the other officers and foldiers under your command, the high fcnfe I have of their fpirit and good behaviour, for which I defire their acceptance of my thanks. As your Lordfhip is again pleafed to recall my fe- rious attention to the qucilion of the utility of a de- fcnfive poft in Virginia, which you fay cannot have the fmalled influence on the war in Carolina, and which only gives us fome acres of an unhealthy fwamj>> I muft in anfwer beg leave again to repeat to your Lordlhip, that it never was my intention to coi>- tinue a poft on Elizabeth river any longer than until the commencement of folid operation in the Chefa- peak, nor to have there more troops than what might be capable of defending a fmall work on that river ; and that all the creneral officers who have commanded in the Chefapeak have had my confent to change that ftation for one more healthy, if they judged it proper to do fo. To which I will moreover add, it ever has been, is, and ever will be, my firm and unalterable opi- nion, that it is of the firft confequencc to his Majefty's affairs on this continent, that we take poffeffion of the Chefapeak, and that we do not afcerwards relinquifh it. I beg leave alfo, my Lord, to difTcnt from the opi- nion you have given me of a dtfenfive poft in Chef*^ peak, and that defultory expeditions there may be undertaken from New-York with as much eafe and 2 • ■ more '*;.!;.! c!,.'-*' rj: |;>?vfr*.; ^■m •),'(: Opera i ions in Virginia, 149 more fafcty •, for I cannoc but fuppofc, that a dc- fcnfive iUtion in the Chcfapcak, with a corps of at lead four thoufand regular troops, for its protedioii and defultory water movements during the fummer months, wherein land operation may be impradlica- ble, would have the mod beneficial effects on more dirtant diftridls, for the reafons I have already had the honour to give your Lordlhip. Nor do I recoU ledl, that in any of my letters to your Lordlhip I have fuggcfted an idea, that there was a probability of the enemy's having a naval fuperiority in thcfe fcas for any length of time, much lefs for fo long a one as two or three months. But with refpedl to the unhcalthinefs of the ftation at Portfmonth, my let- ters to General Phillips on that fubject, (wherein I fay, God forbid I fliould wifh to bury the elite of my army in Nanfemond a;id Princefs Anne) will fa- tisfy your Lordlhip that we are both of one opi- nion, r "With regard to your Lord(hip*s returning to Charles town, for which you fay you wait my ap- probation, though I allow your Lordlhip to be the beft judge where your prefence may be molt re- quired, yet, as I cannot conceive that ofFcnfive ope- ration will be carried on in Carolina for fome months, I muft beg leave to r -^commend it to you to remairk in Cheiapcak, at leafl; until the (lations I have pro- pofed are occupied and e(labliil>ed, and your Lord- lhip favours me with your opinion of the nur: oer of ■> *• ,-r men ^ ■' a m 150 Correfpondence relative to ths men you can afterwards fpare from their defence until the firft week in Odtpberj about which time it is my intention, as I have before told your Lordfhip, to recommence operation in the Cheiapeak : but ■whether in Virginia, according to your Lordfliip's plan, or in the Upper Chefapeak, according to my own, I fhall then determine. If in the firft, I Ihall requeft: the favour of your Lordlliip to condudt it, as youmuft be a better judge than I can, from the local knowledge you have acquired in your march through great part of the country, and your being from thence capable of judging how far it is connedled with the fouthern provinces. If in the laft:, I fhall pro- bably afflime the diredion of it myfelf ; and I ftiall in that cafe be glad to have your Lordfhip's affiftance : but if you fliould prefer returning to Carolina, I ihall after that no longer rellrain your Lordfliip" from fol- lowing your inclinations. Now, my Lord, I have only to repeat, what I have already faid in all my letters, that you arc at full liberty to employ all the troops under your im- mediate command in the Chefapeak, if you are of opinion they may be wanted for the defence of the itations you fliall think proper to occupy, fecuring to ■us at Icaft a healthy one, from whence we may ftart at the proper time for beginning operation, and for the carrying on in the interim fuch defultory water expeditions as you may think of any utility. I fhould, indeed, have hoped, that even in the fealbn for ac- tive .!r ''I-? ^51 Cperatlons in Virginia, tive operation, fevcn thoufand men would have been quite fufEcient, confidering the force which the ene- nny can bring againft you ; in this, however, your Lordfhip leeins to think differently. Should nothing, therefore, happen to induce you to alter your opi- nion, or Ihould any objedl cafl: up of importance enough to be undertaken at this inclement feafon, you arc at liberty to keep the whole. But before you finally decide, I requeft your LordHiip will re- colleft the very bare defenfive I am reduced to in this poft ; whilft I have oppofcd to me Wafliington's army, which is already eight or ten thoufand men, the French four thoufand, befides the large reinforce- ment^ expecfled to them : and I fcarce need mention to your LordQi'p, who is fo well acquainted with their difpofition, the efFeft which fuch an appear- ance will have on the numerous and warlike militia of the fiv'e neighbouring provinces. ■■>m I ' '■' ■.■-'., ■^■ I,,"' ...1.'. . ^*'i I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. . r f NUM. »52 Correfpondence relative to the I^V': -""" W N U M B E R XX. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Earl Cormrallis, dated New- Tork^ July 26, 1781. MY LORD, I HAD the honour to receive your Lordfl)ip*s letter, of the 17th inftanr, by Major Damer, who arrived here the 22d, and as it is pofTible that my difpatches of the nth may not have reached you before the troops under General Lefiie failed from Portfmouth, and left any change of arrangement your Lordfhip may have judged proper in confe- quence may be thereby prevented, I immediately difpatched a runner to cruize for the fleet off the Delaware, with orders for the troops, in that cafe, to return immediately to you, and wait your further commands ; but if you had received my letters by Captain Stapleton before they failed, and had, not- withftandlng, direfted them to proceed according to their original deftination, they are ordered to come to the Hook to receive mine. What I faid to y9ur Lordfhip in my letter of the loth inftant, rcrpe■*/ (■f.;4;-' -jf ': ■'!', 'i^- ,-fc-. flA Ml. 158 Correfpondence relative to the *«::;) I » cerely concerned if your Excellency fliould be fo clr- cumllanced as not to be able to undertake the exe- cution of it in perfon ; for the event muft be of great importance 10 our country, and not only the military operations would be bed dire(5led by your fuperior abilities, but your \veio;ht and authority as commifiioner, might have the happicft effeds in the civil and political regulation of the country, "witnout which, military fuccefs would pot be at- tended with folid confequences. However, if your Excellency (hould find it neceflary to direct me to undertake the execution of any pJan that may be fixed upon by you, I fhall make the beft ufe in my power of the force put under my command. But as my a(5^ing differently from your ideas or wifhes, might, in many inftances, be attended with great detriment to the King's fervice, I fl:iall, if employed, hope to be honoured with explicit infirudions from your Excellency on all points that will admit of them. I (hall, by the firft opportunity, acquaint General LeQie, that if he can fpare troops from the fervice in South Carolina, you wifli thenci to be fent to New York. But being ignorant of the prcfent ftare of affairs, and knowing well th;K, fince the furrender of Charles-town, the feafons of the year have not occafioned military ina6livity in that quarter, I can- not judge whether your Excellency may expedt any reinforcement from thence. i •As Oper at wn in Virginia, 159 As there appears to be little chance of co-opera- tion from hence with the troops in that province, and as my communication with it is extremely pre- carious, I fubmit it to your Excellency's confidcra- tion, whether it would not be moft expedient to tranfmit your commands, relating to the affairs of that country, dircftly to General Leflie. I have the honour to be, &c, CORNWALLIS. C O R R E S- # + • i' ''I T i i t \ ^O' rJit r ■'■» t,'/M e^ " » 1 .1 » H• ■■■'•^'' ' . - , ■ RELATIVE TO OCCUPYING AN HARBOUR FOR. • ... - tINE OF BATTLE SHIPS. . I '1 ■ , NUMBER I. f • piHl , ._, '-r r S'ir //^;;ry Clinton, K. B, to Earl Cornwall^, dated Head-Barters y New-7'ork, July Stb, 1781. tReceived July 21ft, 1781, from Captain Stapleton.] MY LORD, ^ ' '"' I AM this moment honoured with your Lordlhlp's letter by Enfign Amiel of the 30th ultimo, and am very happy to be informed you have had an oppor- tunity of deftroying fuch a quantity of arms and public ftores, the lofs of which muft be very heavily felt by the enemy. Y By it: '^' 1^-. /< . ^^'■. .^ :.t: • it-'- ■ 'ii > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 lit 140 ■ 2.0 li ||l-25 IIU ||.6 ^ 6" ► P; 7# ^/: <^W A^ '/ /A Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y, 14S80 (716) S73-4S03 ^.^" i62 Correfpondence rchuive to occupying an '•{■ 'i r.i -.i't'. »l I,. I, 1 *. >:l By your Lord(liip*s anfwcr to my letters of the 1 ith and 15th ultimo, (which are the only ones you acknowledge the receipt of, and in which I made a rcquifition for fofme of the corps ferrmg in tl>c Chc- fapeak, if you could fpare them,) I am to underftand that your Lord (hip does not think, that with the re- mainder (which would have amounted to at Icaft four thoufand, fuppofing even that you fent me three thou- fand,) you could maintain the pofts I bad propofed to be occupied at York-town, &c. fo nccefiary in every refpedt to cover our fiect, and give us entire com- mand over tiie entrance of that bay. I therefcre tbink proper to mention to your Lordfhip, thiit whatever my ideas may have been of the force fuf- ficient to maintain that (lation, and the correfpond- ing one on the Gloucefter fide, your Lordfhip was left the fole judge of that fufficieoey to the whole amount of the corps under your imnncdiate orders in Virginia ; nor did 1 mean to draw a (ingle man from you until you had provided for a refjiedbable diefcn- fivt, and retained a fmall corps for dcfultory water expeditions •, for my rcquifition was made after the receipt of your Lordfhip's letter of the 26th of iVlay ; from which I apprehend that you had no im- mediate operation of your own to propofe, and did nor think it expedient to adopt the one I had re- commended to General Phillips, But I confefs I could not conceive you would require above four thoufand in a ftation wherein General Arnold had I reprcr Harbour for Line of Battle Slips, 163 reprcfcntcd to me (upon report of Colonel Simcoe) that two thoufand men would be amply fufficient ; and being (Irongly imprefled with the nccelTity of our holding a naval (lation for large (liips as well as fmall, and judging that York-town was of impor- tance for fecuring fuch a one, I cannot but be con- cerned that your Lordihip (hould fo fuddenly lufe light of it, pafs James-river, and retire wiih your army to the fickly pod of Portfmouth, where your hor&s will, I fear, be flarvedi and a hundred oti.er inconveniences will attend you : and this, my Lord, as you arc jUeafed to fay, becaufe you were of opi- nion that it exceeded your power, confident with my plans, to m^ke fafe defcnfive pods there and at Gloucefter. My plans, my Lord, were to draw from Chefapeak, as well for the fake of their health, as for a neceflary defenfive in this important pod, fuch troops as your Lordfliip could fpare from a refpe(fla- ble defenfive of York, Gloucefter, or fuch other fta- tion as was proper to cover line of battle fliips, and all the other iervices I had recommended ; but I could not poflibly mean that yonr Lordfhip Ihould, for this, give up the hold of a ftation fo important for the purpofes I defigned, and which I think La Fayette will immediately feize and fortify tlic moment he hears you have repafled James-river ; for though I am to fuppofe the enemy will be as little able to defend it with five thoufand as your Lordfliip judges yourfclf to be, and of courfc may be for the Y a fame ■■■.■. 1 • vi m ■ "■::i u ■ .t, •J- I '■-.It J 1^ '1 '■*<■; I f .j i< . :i« ,,. ■: -^ii- i\'X i' ■; ;I6 i f ill; p If • -1! 164 Correjpondence rdativs to occupying an fame rcafons difpoflefled, I fliould be forry to begin with a fiegc the operations I am determined to carry on in Chefapeak whenever the feafon will admit of itj 1 will therefore confult Rear-admiral Graves on this fubjecV, and let your Lordfhip have our joint opinion in confequence. With regard to Portfmouth, your Lordfhip will have feen ly my former letters and the papers in your pofleffion, that when I fent General Leflie to the Chefapeak, I only wifhed for a ftation to cover our cruifing frigates and other fmall fhips ; that General officer thought proper to make choice of portfmouth, and had, I doubt not, good reafons for fo doing. But it has ever been my opinion that if a better could be found, efpccially for covering line of battle fhips, it ought to have the preference ; and I think, if Old Point Comfort will fccure Hampton- Road, that is the ftation we ought to choofe ; for if Elizabeth-River is at all kept, a fmall poft for about three hundred men at Mill-Point, would in my opi- nion anfwer. But as to quitting the Chefapeak en- tirely, I cannot entertain a thought of fuch a mea- I'ure, but (hall moft probably on the contrary fend there, as foon as the feafon returns for afting in that climate, all the troops which can poflibly be fpared from the different pofts under my command. I there- fore flatter myfelf, that even although your Lordfhip may have quitted York and detached troops to me, that you will have a fufficiency to re-occupy it, or ■' - '■' that Harhtir for Line of Battle Ships, 1 65 that you will at lead hold Old Point Comfort, if it is pofllble to do it without York. I find by the intercer ted letters you fent me, that l.a Fayette's continentals, when joined by Stuben and Wayne, do not altogether exceed one thourmd tight hundred, and that if he could colleft a nu- merous militia, he had but few arms to put into their hands, and thofe your Lordfliip I fee has effec- tually deftroyed. It likcwife appears that although Greene may himfclf come to the Northward, liis corps is to remain in South Carolina. I therefore fuppofe your Lordfliip has recolleded this, when you fent orders to Brigadier-general Gould to bring the :9th and 30th regiments to this place, efpecially as you tell me you iViH continue in the mofl; painful anxiety for the fituation of that provirice. I am furry Lord Rawdon's health fliould oblige him to return to Europe. I think it is highly pro- per that either your Lordfliip, General Leflic, or General O'Hara fhould go to Charles-town, but I can by no means confent to your Lord fliip's going thither, before you hear further from me, for very elfential reafons which I fhall not now trouble your Lordfliip with. I am very unhappy to hear of the unfortunate move of our friends and its confequences, as re- lated by Lieutenant Haggartyj thofe under the in- fluence of Mr. Alexander were defired by me not to rife, and they Teemed contented to remain quiet un%il 'A'-'.,". i V ^11 f M''/' f' r . ■!:i / :tV^4,* . 1 . .Ill' ft r '?ll u ■» ill i66 Correfpondinct rtlative to occupying an until operation came to them. But It is probable they have no arms to defend themfclves ; 1 (hould imagine that if a Aation could be found in their neighbourhood, which was fafe and tenable, and arms could be given to them, it might be the means of faving many of them : your Lordfliip will, how. ever, as being upon the fpot be the bed judge how far this may be proper or pradicable, for as I know nothing of the diftrid^ where this is fuppofed to have happened, or what their numbers, I cannot fay how far it may be expedient to give them afll (lance. Your Lordfhip has, I believe, many fpare arms in Chefapeak, and there are likeivife a confiderabie number at Charles-town, but if any fhould be wanted from hence, 1 will fpare as many as I can. As your Lordfliip muft be fcnfible how neceflary it is I fliould have frequent and accurate returns of the ftate of the troops under my command, I am perfuadcd you will pardon me for requefting you to order that returns are prepared, and, if pofllble, fent to me every fortnight of the troops under your Lordfliip's immediate orders in the Chefapeak, and as accurate ones as can be procured of ihofc in Caro- lina, and the other fouthern pods, , • , By the letters brought to me from the Minifter by the lad packet, I underOand that three battalions originally deftined for this army, are to accompany Sir George Rodney in cafe Dc Grafle comes on this coaft, from whence I am to concluilc he will be cer- tainly Harlfour for Line of Battle Ships, 167 tainly followed by that Admiral. I am likewife told that nearly two thoufand two hundred German re- cruits and auxiliary troops may be hourly cxpe^ed to arrive here. ! '» 1 have the honour to be, &c. H. C L I N T O N. .«« . • am. W4| NUMBER II. Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B. to Earl Cornzvallis, dated Head-Barters, New-Tork, July 11, 178 1. -..V .' ■ . .. ; , • ' [Received July 21ft, 1781, from Captain Stapleton.] v^ MY LORD, ' i I am juft returned from having a conference with Rear-admiral Graves, in confequencc of your Lord- ihip*s letter of the 3cth ultimo, and we are botli clearly of opinion that it is abfolutcly ncceflary we fhould hold a (lation in Chefapeak for (hips of the line, as well as frigates ; and the Admiral feems to think that fhould the enemy poflefs themfelves of Old Point Comfort, Elizabeth River would no longer be of any ufe to us ds a ftation for the frigates, there- fore judges that Hampton-road is the fitted ftatioq for all ftiips, in which your Lordfliip will fee by the papers in your poffcflion, I likewife agree with him. It X' .* .' m ■ M I ■m 1 ■•;< Ti ■ ■■4 ■ iC?, Con-tfpon3ence relative to ouupyiug an It was moreover my opinion that the poflcffion of York- town, even though we did not pollefs Gloucef- ttrr, might give fccurity to the works \vc might hivc at Old Poim; Comfort, which I underftand fccurcs Hampton-road. . 1 had flaiteied myfelf that after giving me as nearly three thoufand men as you could fpare, your Lord- (hip might have had a fulficiency not only to main- tain them, but to fpare for defultory expeditions •, for I had no other plans in view than to draw for the defence of this pod, and operation in its neighbour- hood, fuch troops as could be fpared fronn your army, after If^^ving an ample defenfive to fuch Na- tions as yoij >rdfliip might judge proper to oc- cupy •, and a imall moving corps for defultory water expedicions during the fummer months, in which no other might be proper in that unhealthy cli- rnate. But as your Lordfhip feems to think that you can in no degree comply with my requifition for troops, and at the iame time eftablifli a pod ca- nahle ot giving protection to (hips of war, and it is probable, from what you write me, that you may have repaffed James-river and retired to Portfmouth ; 1 beg leave to requeft that you will without lofs of time examine Old Point Comfort, and fortify it j de- taining fuch troops as you may think neceflary for that purpofe, and garrifoning it afterwards. But if it fliould be your Lordfliip's opinion that Old Point Comloti Cannot be held without having poITcflion of ,t York, \k \ V'-^* Harbour for Line of Battle Ships. 169 York, for in this cafe Gloucefter may perhaps be not fo material, and that the whole cannot be done with lefs than feven thoufand men, you are at full liberty to detain all the troops now in the Chcfapeak, ■which I believe amount to fomewhat more than that number : which very liberal conceflion will, I am per- fuadcd, convince your Lordlhip of the high eftimation in which I hold a naval ftation in Chefapeak^efpecially when you confider that my whole force in this very extenfive and important poll, is not quite eleven thoufand effectives 5 and how far I may be juftifi- able in leaving it to fo reduced a garrifon, time will ftiew. I am as much mortified as your LordOiip can pof- fibly be at the neceffity there is at prefent for leaving you upon the defenfive in Chefapeak j and you Lord- Ihip will do me the juftice to obfcrve that I have for fome months paft been myfelf content with a ftarved defenfive, from the defire I had to give your Lordlhip as large an army for offenfive operations as I could. Therefore, until the feafon for recommencing opera- tions in the Chefapeak fhall return, your Lordlhip, or whoever remains in the command there, mud I fear be content with a flri£l defenfive ; and I muft defire that you will be pleafed to confider this as a pofitive requifition to you qot to detain a greater proportion of the troops now with you than what may be abfolutely necefiary for defenfive operations, 3cc. as before mentioned. When, therefore, your Z Lord- '■■- 1 ' * '• 'J ■ft*. •a -1 }' ' y^ .■H\ T r 170 Correfpondeme relative to occupying an Lordfhip has finally determined upon the force you think fufficient for fuch works as you Ihnll crc(fl at Old Point Comfort, and the nurubcr you judge re- quifite to cover them at York-town, and for the other fervices of the Chefapcak during the unhealthy feafon -, you will be plcafcd to fend me the remainder. Your Lordfliip will obiVrve by this that I do not fee any great nectflity for holding Portfmouth while you have Old Point Comfort : for, fliould a ftation on Elizabeth-river be judged neceflary, I think Mill- point will anfwer every neceflary purpofc of covering frigates^ &c, L''\ I have the honour to be, &c. h ■ ■!'' .,. f ) 1/ '1l H. CLINTON. :i M, . _N U M B E R III. ., >. , Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton, K, B, dated Port/mouthy Virpnia, July 26, 178 1. I RECEIVED your cj^hered letter of the nth inftant, on the 20th, in confequence of which the expedition was detained •," and on the 21ft I was ho- noured with your difpatches of the 8th and nth inftants, delivered by Captain Stapleton, the con- t . • t\i'J>%.M< ■ tents 1 ■• Harlour for Line of BattU Ships, U2T!\ 'W^H 171 tents of which, I wiJl coiifcfs, were to me aS unex- pected ?s, I trufl", they arc undcicrvcd. ; As a lal)oidlnare ofHc^r, I think it my duty to obey ])oruive orders, or in cxercifing dii'crctionary pDwcr.s, to aft as much as polFible conformable to the apparent wilhes ot my I'upcrior officer, com- bined with the evident good of the fervice ; and ia my late coudud I hope 1 have not deviated from thofe principles ; for, permit me to remark, that I cannot diicover in the inftruftions to General Phil- lips, and the fubftance of private convcrfation with him, (extracts of which I take the liberty to enclofc) to which I am refcrretl, nor in our former corref- pondcnce, any i ace of the extreme earneftnefs that now appears, to fecure a harbour for (hips of the line, and your aflcnt to my engaging in operations in the Upper Chefapeak, if I could have brought myfclf to think them expedient, would, if I had doubted before, have convinced me that fecuring a harbour for line of baitle (hips was not with you a primary and immediate objed:. Ia my letter of the 26th of May, I informed your Excellency, that after deftroying the ftores at Richmond and the ad- joining country, I fhould move back to Williamf- burg, keeping the army in readinefs to comply with your further inftru6tions. I arrived at that place, on the 25th, and on the 26th of June I received from Enfign Amiel your difpatches of the nth and 15th of the fame month, being the iirft letters that. . J at$nr) >? T l'^ Z 2 I had \\ 4 ' .'1 . '-,' 172 Correfpondence relative to occupying an I had received from you fincc my arrival in Virginia. In the firft you tell roc, that New- York is threatened to be attacked by a very numerous enemy, and, therefore, wilhing to concentrate your force, you re- commend to me to fend a body of troops to you, as I can fparc them, in the order mentioned in a lift, iinlcfs I have engaged in operations in the Upper- Chefapeak j and in the difpatch of the 15th, taking for granted that I have not engaged in thofe ope- rations, you require the embarkation of thofe troops may begin with the grcateft difpatch. After a full compliance with this requifition, the force left under my command would have been about two thoufand and four hundred rank and file, fit for duty, as will appear by the returns, which in a poft adapted to that number, I hoped would be fufticient for a defenfive, and dcfultory water expeditions. You mention Williamlburg and York in your letter of the nth, as defenfive ftations, but only as being fup- pofed healthy, without deciding on their fafecy, — Williamfburg having no harbour, and requiring an army to occupy the pofition, would not have fuited us. I faw that it would require a great deal of time and labour to fortify York and Gloucefter, both of which are neceflary to fecurc a harbour for veflTels of any burthen ; and to efFcft it, afliftance would have been wanted from fome of the troops then un- der embarkation orders, which, when New-York was in danger, I did not think myfelf at liberty to detain for any '''■' " '%''■ i t Harbour for Line of Battle Ships, 17 ^ any other purpofc than operations in the Upper Chel'i. peak, and fuppofing both places fortified, I thouahc they would have been dangerous defenfivc pods, cither of thcnn being eafily accelliblc to the whole force of this province, and from their fituation they would not have commanded an acre of country. 1, therefore, under thefe circumftances,with the moftearneftdcfireto comply with what I thought were your prefent wilhes, and to facilitate your intended future operations in Pennfylvanir , did not hefitate in deciding to pafs James- rivei*, and to retire to Portfmouth, that 1 might be able to fend you the troops required. And I was confirmed in the propriety of the mcalbre, when upon pafling James-river, I received your difpatch, in- forming me that for cflcntial reafons you had re- folved to make an attempt on Philadelphia, and di- re of my going to South Carolina, I have fen t Gene- ral Leflie, who failed on the a5th inftant, in the Ca- rysfort, to take the command there. nO rVI v^^voi V , I have the honour to be, &c. ■ ' ' '' ' '* COPvNWALLIS. •.!./ W- Inclofcd Harbour for Line of Battle Ships, 1^5 <•<•*» ' D^ Inclofed in No. III. •/.•'; ExtraEl of the Infirutlkns of his Excellency Sir Henry Clint on^ to Major-general Phillips, dated New- . Tork^ March i o, J ; 8 1 . , ,....• *' If the Admiral, dilapprovinp: of Portflnouth, and requiring a fortified (btion for large fhips in the Chefapeak, (hould propofe York- town, or Old Point Comfort, if pofleQion of either can be acquired and maintained without great rifk or lofs, you are at liberty to take poiTeffion thereof, but if the obje(5tions are fuch as you think forcible, you muft, after flating thofe objedtions, decline it, till folid operation take place in the Chefapeak." '■ * •'■■■A ir.:: 1'- i .;■! 1 • ' A, Extra5l of the Subflance of feveral Converfations that his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton had with Major-ge- ^ neral Phillips ^ on the Subject of Operations in the Chejapeaky before his Embarkation on his Expedition thither y dated April 2G, 1781. *' With regard to a (lation for the protection ot the King's fhips, 1 know of no place fo proper as York-town, if it could be taken poffeiTion of, forti- fied, and garrifoned with one thoufand men, as by having one thoufand more at a pofl fomewhere in Elizabeth-river, York and James rivers would be ours. !' 1 176 Correfpondence relative to occupying an ours, and our cruizers might command the waters of the Chefapeak. Troops might likcwife be fpared from thefe polls to carry on expeditions during the fummer months, when, probably, nothing can be rifked in that climate but water movements. But if the heights of York, and thofe on Gloucefter fide, cannot be fo well and fo foon fortified as to render that pod hors d' infult before the enemy can move a force, &c. againft it, it may not be advifeable to attempt it. In that cafe, fomething may poffibly be done at Old Point Comfort, to cover large Ihips lying in Hampton-road (which is reckoned a good one, and not fo liable to injury from gales at N. E. as that of York, particularly in winter.) If neither can be fecured, we muft content ourfelvcs with keeping the Chefapeak with frigates and other armed veficls, which will always find fecurity againft a fupe- rior naval force in Elizabeth river. As our operations in proper feafon may re-commence in the Upper- James ; perhaps a ftation might be found at the en- trance of the narrows of that river that may be of ufe in future day, and held with a fmall force. James- town feems a proper fpot for fiich a ftation, as does the place where the narrows and windings begin" '•■:':■, ■■■:'.■, Inclofed ltd 111 \ ' yli Harhnvfor Lrnc 'of Bante ^Ips. /^^'i^: .»'//0'. ^.:n) llUKJ : .'>i i; 3j.'<''.. li' 1 v-: J 77 -ij _• Incbfed in No. III. ^■H3^., "i ■|h-' J ; Copy cf' thC' Report of Lieutenant Sutherland, Engineer ^ dated Hilly Ordnance Tranfport^ Hamp'ton Road, ■ ■ '■ .T:-A c *70 •r^v^.D -iijULU «.q::'. 'lO \i.:l: t v.-tJ r,. . Ai X L, O R I), ,f\ .1 -j^n f\v> ft,, jio ! 'i' » AGREE ABL!'^ to yonr orders, I have examined' the ground on Old Point Comfort with as much accuracy as I. poiiibly touid, an*puq hii^ltj ";. i beg. iqa.ve lo offer what appears to me refnet^ing this fituation of a work on that fpot. ■ • The ground where the ruins of Fort George lay ' IS the fitteil tor a worki but at the fame time mud ' be attended with many inconveniences. ' .■ * The level of the ground there is about two feet hi'^itr than the high water- mark, wjiich, from its verv (hort diilance to the deep water, mull foon be deftroyed by a naval attack. The great uidth and depth of the channel give fnips the advantage of paffmg the fort with very little riik. I apprehend fifteen hundred yards is too jjreat a dlfcance for batteries to ilop fnips, wliich is the-diflance here. Ships that wiih to pafs the fire of .the fort have no occafion to approach nearer. A a Nor (''it . ' f I •i>-;-:? 'i V 'i\ '^m ■ '-f '\ T ■ A 1 ■ :1 ■ «!• sM r* ;"! ■'■■ .; 178 Corufpondence relative to occupying an Nor do I imagine a fort built there could afford any great prote(ftion to an inferior and weak fleet, anchored near the fort, againft a fuperior fleet of the enemy, which muft have it in their power to make their own difpofltion, and place our fleet between them and the fort, the channel affording no bay for the fecurity of Ihips under cover of a fort. The time and expence to build a fort there, muft be very cunfidcrable, from the low iituatiqn of the ground, which muft neceflfarily caufc the foil to be moved from a great diftance, to form the ramparts and parapets ; and every other material muft be car- ried there, as the timber on the peninfula is unfit for any ufeful purpofe. ' " ^' • Thefe are the remarks which have occurred to me on examining the ground and fituation of a work on Old Point Comfort, for the protection of the har- bour and fleet, which I humbly fubmit to your Lord- fliip. -v/ .vtv5/,:»v.-.. "."" v^ 'i .'t^ r >tJ ' '-■? L Sh'fcTST,* * •-^ »*> ''«'><.; I have the honour to be, &cc, : . ALEX. SUTHERLAND, ■ ' o i!?r- Lieutenant of Engineers. ■v 1i'" {, .1 w Id afFord ak fleet, rt of the CO make between bay for rt. ere, muft n of the oil to be ramparts ft be car- a is unBc red to me a work f the har- &ur Lord- ILAND, engineers. Jnclofed Harbour for Line of Battle Ships, 1 79 Inclofed in No. III. Copy of the Opinions of the Commanders of bis Majeflfs Ships in Chefapeak, relative to Old Point Comfort^ dated Richmond^ Hampton Road^ July it ^ 1781. MY LORD, I N confequence of a requifition that your Lord- Ihip received from the commanders in chief of his Majefly*s troops and fhips, relative to a poft being eftabliflied at Old Point Comfort, for the protedWon and fecurity of the King's Ihips that may occaficfHally be fent to the Chefapeak : We, whofe names are hereunto fubfcribed, have taken as accurate a furvey of that place as poffible, and are unanimoully of opinion, from the width of the channel and depth of water clofe to it, that any fuperior enemy's force coming in, may pafs any work that can be eftablifhed there, with little damage, or deftroy it with the fhips that may be there, under its prote(5^ion. We have the honour to be, &c. CHARLES HUDSON, THOMAS SYMONDS, CHARLES, EVERITT, RALPH DUNDAS. A a z NUMBER 4il ym i'^n ■r' . m I •' .< ^1 .(•■ Ml t .v| If :1 1 v.<( ! ;l ■ ■■ ' 1 ! * :'•, I' IVl. : \\. 1.80 Correjpondcnce relaiive to. cccupymg an N U M B E P/ IV. Admiral Graves to Earl Ccrmvallisy dated London, ojj , .'\<'xSnndy Hook, iitb July, 17H1.'. MY LORD, „, .' ..^ I HAVE the honour to "acquaint your Lordfliii) that the Solebay, Captain Evcritr, carries Captain Stapleton, charged with his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton's dilpatches to your Lordfnip, and with my orders to the Gaptuins of ^the King's Ihips to return "with the troops under hisCvonvoy to the Chefapeak, and if not failed, for them 'to. remain, and to con- form to your Lordlhip's rcquifuions in the difpofal of them. . -T • -,.-. .•'. '. !i.j 5'v •.-'■-* r; '. i I need only fay to your Lordfhip, that there is no place for the great lliips during the freezing months on this fide the Chefapeak, where the great fliips ■will be in fecurity, and at the fame time capable of adtins; — and in mv opinion thev had better '^m to the Weil Indies than be laid up in Halifax during the winter. If the fquadron is necelTary to the ope- rations of the army — Hampton road appears to be the place where they can be anchored with the greateft fecurity, and at the fame time be capable of afting with the mofl crft;d- againft any attempts of the enemy. — To this end, Old Point Cdmfort fccms r.eccftary to be occupied by us, as commanding the entrance to the road — aiid if York can be fecured. * * -I It Ik > /. . Hnrhottr for Lijie of Ihitth Ships, 1 8 i :c will givtr ihe coro.uMnd oF the Tfiwcr or ].')iz:i- •bnth c.ou;:l;ry, and ("eprive the rebels of tlic; ufe of the two, belt ic'irlcd rivers of x\\c. ChefapenI:, nnd deter an cnemv from entering' the Chef'.pe-k whild v/c coinmand th.e ^cc* Is ro it — for wc! fhculd have ;ili his convoys and detachments expolH to our attempts. ... .... I h.we the honour to be, &c. ' " ' • '. .' ' ':■> • THO. GRAVES. • ' « -■ ^ — ~.«rocfiMBg)fci{gjaaigPB«?'Tyii-«.Miii — N U M B E R V. Earl Corncvallis to yldiniral Grr.-vesy daud Po-'lf- ' SIR, '^* . • • V I WAS lionoured with yonr letter of the 12th of July, by the Solebay, in which you mention a de- Cre of havinp- a harbour f-'cured in the Chelapeak for line of battle (hips. I immediately ordered the cnfrineer*? to examine Old F'oint Corriforr, and v/ent thither rnyfclf with the captains of the navy on this llation. ^'nu ^vill receive a copy of the engineer's report, with a iketch of the peninfula, and the opinion of the officers of the navy relative to the occupying and fortifying of that pofl. •. The Commander-in-chief having fignified to me in his letter of the nth inliant, that he thought a fecurc harbour for line of battle fhips of fo much •ja: importance "•■S ■'5 •:-^'.t v» VV1 ?«•$ d K\ '>i't\ ,.,'*!■ i82 Correfpondence relative to occupying an importance lii the Chcfapeak, that he wifhcd me to poflVfs one, even if it Ihould occupy all the force at prefent in Virginia; and, as it is our unanimous opinion, that Point Comfort will not anfwerthe pur- pofe, I fliall immediately fieze and fortify the pofts of York and Glouceftcr, and fhall be happy at all times to concur in any meafures which may promote the convenience and advantage of his Majefty's navy. I have the honour to be, &c. CORNWALLIS. ' ■■^t ML h' •" ■!«. !; I NUMBER VI. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B, dated Tork, in Virginia, Auguft 12, 178 1. SIR, I RECEIVED the inclofed letter laft night from Governor Bruere : one to the fame efFed arrived two days ago from him, diredlcd to the Commanding Officer of the Navy, and was innmediately forwarded to the Admiral by the officer ftationed near the Capes. I embarked the eightieth regiment in boats, and went myfelf on board the Richmond very early in the morning of the 29th ; but we were fo unfortu- nate in winds as to be four days on our paflage. The eightieth landed on the night of the ift at Glo- ceiter ; and the troops which wpre in tranfports on - a the I Habour for Line of Battle Ships. 113 the morning of the 2d at this place. I have fince brought the fevcnty-firft and the Legion hither, and fent the regiment du Prince Hcreditaire to Gloucefter. The works on the Glouceller fide are in feme fbr- wardnefs, and I hope in a fituation to refift a fud- den attack. Brigadier-general 0*Hara is haflenin^ as much as noffible the evacuation of Portfmouth : as foon as he arrives here, I will fend to New-York every man that I can fpare, confident with the fafety and fubfiftence of the force in this country. • ' I have the honour to be, &c. ' ^^ CORNWALLIS. ■.'■1' . NUMBER VII. ' Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated NeW'Torky Augufl ii, 1781. '...'',■■ ■"'■.'. . , [In Cypher.] • [Received Augufc 16, 1781.] ^ -I, ^ MY LORD, 1 AM honoured with your Lordfhip's difpatches of the 24th and 27th ultimo, which were delivered to me by Captain Stapleton on the ift inftant, which I Ihall defer anfwering to a fafer opportunity. I have the pleafure to inform you, that the fleet from Bremer-lehe is this day arrived with two thou- fand five hundred German recruits. I hope #4 , f * •* . ' ' ■• I m ^11 ■m fM m '/■J K,l! ?L )■ 11- J. ml IX fin i '.>l^' HI- : h ' '>" H< '. 2F4 Corrffpondcnce rdiitivc io dc'npymg'nn I hope before this mcscsiv^ur Lo;-(.lihip you rill io lar have cilabiifntcl '• -^clfon the W iihiiniiburg Ntck, as to have be. able to trmb-irl^ "the trbrn3g> you t.iiii I'ji.ire mc for operation here — In which c^^c I have no tloubt Cantain Mudron v/ill liave civcn 1 o every aililbuice to forward them to ns as loon as pol'-i fible. And if they arc not already failed, i beg that;, the (Xiieen's K;«n<»er-. innv be 'thelecond corns vou • Jend me ; and thnt j'our Lordlbip will pleafe to rev > collcLi. my.wiib to have fiich a proportion of (General ■ Arnold's boats, and iwiillery 'men ai)d (Ir^-res as you can fpare. And as yon h.nv tnree engineers, 1 bcf^ that .1 lieutenant Sutherlanvl may be fcnt to this place, as alio Captain Fagc of the artillery. The Frencli and rebels Ibewcd ihcmlelves the other d :y in front of cur lines to the amount of eleven tlioufand. A man gDcs fror.i hence through the country to- . your Lordfhip with a propofal to liberate the Con- vention troops — forvvhich'he fays he will only wan:, a frigate and fonie rrnnfporcs to rcicTtLV ib! i- it ,/ ,'.rr-'t\'. ■ 1 A^ f '^ K i~ . t Ivi 3 ' •» , //:;ni;iTC.':70 -vrivi no. .ft:Jr!l,:r' ' . t I ,>'\u">z\fx ri''wi^»J b'Viw.isJ.* ^1*1 ■•• '1 « Har hour for Line cf Baitle Slips, 1 85 ',u:\ uViA :.:...: f • ' NUMBER VIII. Uarl Cvrnzvallis to Sir Henry Clinton ^ K. B, datid Tork-town^ 16th Auguft, 1781. THIS morning I received your cyphered letter of the nth inftant, by the runner. I did not imagine that my letter of *^e 26th July would have given your Excellency reafon to be fo fanguine as to hope, that by this time any detach- ment could have beifn made from hence. The eva- cuation of Portfmouth has employed one engineer, ind a number of labourers and artificers j and with every exertion by land and water, I do not expefl that bufinefs to be completed befo e the 21ft or 22d inftant. Since our arrival we have beftowed our whole labour on the Gloucefter fide ; but I do not think the works there (after great fatigue to the troops) arc at prcfcnr, or will be for fome time to coroc, fafe againil a coup de main with lefs than one tboufaad men» After our experience of the labour and difficulty of conftruding works at this fcafon of the year, and the plan for fortifying this fide not being entirely fettled, I .cannot at prefent fay whether I can fparc any troops, or if any, how foon. But when the garrifun of Portfaiouth arrives, and the engineer*$ plan is completed, I fliall apply to Captain Hudfon for a frigate to carry my report of the ftace of things B b here, 4 ^•- . / 1 4' J ''I ^ '4 r.Jt .;v ■ -t: (•>•! /**' * . , I; im , . < ;; J* if/' r k -r : ,■ . 1 86 Coyrefpcndence reUttivi to occupying an Iicrc^ and to bring your Excellency's commands upon it. I have received ycur ExcclJcncy's difpatches ol the 15th and 26th ult. which I ftiall anfwcr by the firft fafc opportunity. , , . . , I beg that your Excellency will be pleafed to or- der it to be notified to the port of New- York that Portfmouth is evacuated, to prevent veflels going into that harbour. * ' ' '•■'■■ " '-" ' ' 'on l»iu I' I have the honour to be, &c. It M> CORNWALLIS. '•» la r...:. .;. ' - ''NUMBER IX. • •:'UTf p ".wj Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinfon, K. B. datid Tcrk town^ Virginidy lid /lugvjl, 1781, PORTSMOUTH having been completely evacu- ated without any interruption fronfi the enemy, Ge- neral OHara arrived here this day with the ftorcs and troops ; and a great number of refugees have accompanied him from the counties of Norfolk, Suf. folk, and Princeft Anne. ; •■ = ^i^^^'■f ^'^ ^-S The engineer has finilhed his furvcy and exami- nation of this place, and has propofed bis plan for fortifying it ; which appearing judicious, I have ap- proved of, and directed to be executed. • . •^.^./ '■■ .,.> V -, :*^ . The ' iun i^uj I WALLIS. - ■ • Harbour for Line of Uaitk Sli/s, 1S7 The works at Gloucellcr arc now in fuch forvvard- ncfs, that a fmaller detachment than the prcfent gar- lifon would be in fafcty againll a fufidcn attack; bu I make no alteration there, as I cannot hope that the labour of the whole will complete that poft in lefs than five or fix weeks. "■''' ' ' ' " ' My experience there of the fatigue and dilficulty of conflrufling works in this warm feafon, convinces me, that all the labour that the troops here will be capable of, without ruining their health, will be required at Icafi for fix weeks to put the intended works at this place in a tolerable Hate of defence. • And as your Excellency has been pleafcd to rommu- nicate to me your intention of re-commercing opera- tions in the Chefapeak about the beginning of Oc- tober, I will not venture to take any fiep that might retard the cftablifhing of this poft- : but I requefi: that your Hxrellcncy will be pleafed to decide whe- ther it is more important for your plans that a de- tachment of a thoufand or twelve hundred men, which I think I can fpare from every other purpofc but that of labour, Ihould be fcnt to you from hcnec, or that the whole of the troops here fliould be employed in expediting the works. My laft accounts of the enemy were, that the Marquis de la Fayette was encamped in the fork of the Pamunky and Matapony with his own detach- ment of Continentals, a confiderable body of eigh- teen-months men, and two brigades of n^ilitia under B b 2 Steven* ••'• ii f ■!, 1 ' •} . ■ ' at f-J I 'Ivi '9' ' -mi '■M 'l?? •A' ft.i mi i«8 Correfpondtnce, &c» ^j^ Stevens and Lawfon ; that he had armed four hun- dred of the feven hundred Virginia prifoners lardy arrived from Charles-town, and expected to be joined in a (hort time by General Small wood with feven hundred eighteen-months men from Maryland j and that Generals Wayne and Morgan having 'returned from the other fide of James river, were likewifc on their march to join him. There being only four eighteens and one twenty- foyr ponnder here, more heavy guns will be wanted for the fea batteries at this plice, and we are likewife in want of many other artillery and engineer's (lores, the returns of which I take the liberty to inclofe. It is proper to mention to your Excellency, that you may make your arrangements accordingly, that there are only about fix hundred (land of fparc arms ih the Chefapeak ; and that our confumption of pro^ vifions is confiderably inereafed by a number of rc- fug|ees lately come to us, and by negroes that are employed in different branches of the public fervicc, I have the honour to be, &c. >u • i ^q:. y.'] CORNWALLIS. y^- COR" '. rj'. ;., ft « •■ CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN ♦ Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AND r Lieut. Gen. Earl C O R N W A L L I S. . -',1 •'■:' f ^ PART V. RELATIVE TO THE DEFENCE OP YORK, IN VIRGINIA. ,.. ; , N U M B E R I. ' -Earl Cornwdlis to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. dated Tork'town, in Virginia, '^^fi Auguft, 178 1, ' , [In Cypher. 3 SIR, 1^ A FRENCH (bip of the line, with two fri- gates, and the Loyalift, which they hav^ taken, lie at the mouth of this river. A Lieutenant of the Charon, who went with an efcort of dragoons to Old Point Comfort, reports, -tliat there are between thirty and forty fail within the Capes, moilly (hips of war, and fome of them very krge. ^ I have the honour to be, &c. CORNWALLIS*- N U M' ■' '^\ ■..i"' U J i|o '/• Correfpondence reiaiive to the y .* irw mi |i;,|if N U M B E R ir. -^ Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K. JB, dated Torky iji Sept ember y 1781, LWrittcn in Cypher on a Congrefs Note.] ft AN enemy's fleet within the Capes, between thirty and forty Ihips of war, moftly large, i . < ; * CORNWALLIS. £Cf i ' ■ i'' n i NUMBER III. £<;-/ Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton^ K, B» dated Torky in Virginia^ id September, 178 1. [In Cypher.] SIR, COMTE de GrafTe's fleet is within the Capes of the Chefapeak. Forty boats with troops went up James river yefterday ; and four fliips lie at the en- trance of this river. . \ ■Mi I have the honour to be, kc."'-- ^'--J »i^ CORNWALLIS. , 7 .1 ^i*'ii I N U M- Defence ofTork, in Ftrginitt, \ ■ . 191 V, NUMBER IV. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Ciintort, K. B, dated Tork-tozvn, Virginia, ^th September, 1781. ::--v,v. i. Lin Cypher.] ,;,./_ ji":- S I R, ,. .. , . .:■.'.' ^.-^-fi '- . -:' ■ .■';.. ■' , ., ■ COMTE de Grafle's fleet is within the Capes of the Chefapeak. Forty boats with troops went up James river on the ill inflant, which are landed, as I am informed, .at James-city Ifland ; and four fhips lie at the entrance of this river, i • t •;\*'..(r* I have the honour to be, &c. ! '' ;';r :'' '•''^•^'^'''-■'•^ CORNWALLIS. Is >;:;ii. » • 1 i.\ kr NUMBER V. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry CJinton, K, B, dated Tor k- town, in Virginia, Sth Sept. 178 1. J-." - < u ? [In Cypher.] ' .1 ■( .,:./■ .'i ".v.- S I R, I HAVE made feveral attempts to inform your Excellency, that the French Well-India fleet under Monfieur de Graflfe entered the Capes the 29th ult. I could not exadly learn their number j they report twenty- five t it 1 r "^ ■■''. V| ■ t ■ ' I 4. iti! , V; ml .^4 m 111 ";■ t^t Coirefpcndence relative to the twenty-five or twenty-fix fail of the line. One of feventy-four and two of fixty-four, and one frigate, lie at the mouth of this river. On the 6th, the fcventy-four and frigate turned down with a contrary wind i and yeftcrday the two others followed. My report, dated laft evening, frooi a point below, which commands a view of the capes and bay, fays, that there were within the cape« only feven (hips, two of which were certainly (hips of the line, and two fri- gates. Firing was faid to be heard o(F the capes the night of the 4th, morning and night of the 5th, and morning of the 6th. / • ii ' ^ yv syun ■■;:' 'i: y. The French troops landed at James-town are faid to be three thoufand eight hundred men ; Wa(hing- ton is faid to be (hprtly, expected, and his troops are intended to be brought by water from the head of Elk under protedioD of the French (hips. The Marquis de la Fayette is at or near Williamfburgh : the French troops arc expevled there, but were not arrived laft night. As my works were not i- a (late of defence, 1 have taken a flrong pofiiion out of the town. I am now working hard at the redoubts of the place. Provifions for fix weeks : I will be very careful of it. ] have the hononr to be, &c. CORN WALL IS. ('..' k . it* N U M. i> i X^",ll Defence of Tork^ in Virginia* ^93 ^ NUMBER VL Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B. to Earl Corntz-alliSf dated N^w-T'ork, Sept. 2, 1781. ■— [In Cypher.] [Triplicate^ — Received 15th September. ] MY LORD, ' " / BY intelligence which I have this day received. It would leeni that Mr. Waihington is moving an army to the fouthward, with an appearance of hade, and gives out that he expects the co-operacion of a con- fidcrable French armament. Your Lordlhip, how- ever, n[iay be affured, that if this (hould be the cafe, I fhall either endeavour to reinforce the army under your command by all the means within the compafs of my power, or make every poflible diverfion in your favour, r > :..:;n>-:, < - ■.'; Captain Stanhope, of his Majefty's (hip Pcgafus, who has juft arrived from the Weft Indies, fays, that on Friday laft, in lat* 38 deg. about fixty leagues from the coaft, he was chafed by eight fhips of the line, which he took to be French, and that one of the victuallers he had under his convoy had counted upwards of forty fail more. However, as Read-admiral Graves, after being joined by Sir Sa- muel Hood with fourteen coppered fhips of the line, failed from hence on the 31 It ult. with a fleet of C c nineteen ■III, .•■' . '■■'■«• •'■■'..Ki m ■t , 194 Correfpondence relative to the hill/ r'!' fi'iKSiBiS-''"* Iff . fr .,"* nineteen fail, befides fomc fifty gun (hips, I flatter myfelf you will have little to apprehend from that of the French. I have the honour to be, &c. H. C L I N T N, P. S. Wafliington, it is faid, was to be at Tren- ton this day, and means to go in veflcls to Chriflian Creek; from thence, by head of Elk, down Che- fapeak, in veflels alfo. If that navigation is not in- terrupted, he fhouid go by land from Baltimore. Your Lordf^ip can bed judge what time it will re- tjuire — I fhouid luppofe, at leaft, three weeks from Trenton. Wafhington has about four thoufand French and two thoufand rebel troops with him. . -i - . ..... . .. ^. ,,..' ^ ^-J^ [^^ September 4. -^ To this triplicate, and by this -vtry uncertain conveyance, X fhall only add to your Lordfhip, that I have had the honour to receive, this morning, a duplicate, and, this evening, a tri- plicate of your letter of the xifl ult. . ' -*V H. C. . >■' !r m ' I Hi" m N U M- \- I have the honour to be, hiC. H. C L I N T O N. P. S. I have juft received your Lordfhii>*s dil^ patch, by the Dundas galley, from Mailer Carey. < r, • . • T f : " ;V|;' I' I!!. 4' . f\,^ ^W'% :■ a- 1 1, NUMBER VIII. Earl CornwalUs to Sir Henry Clinton^ K, B, dated Tork 7'own, in Virginia , j6th Sej>t» 1781. ... t / [ In Cypher.]. . . ' SIR, I HAVE received your letters of the ad and 6th, The enemy's fleet has returned. Two line of battle Ihips, and one frigate, lie at the mouth of this river; and three or four line of battle Ihips, feveral frigates and tranfports, went up the Bay on the 12th and 14th. I hear Wafhington arrived at Williamiburgh on the 14th. Some of his troops embarked at head of Elk, and the others arrived at Baltimore on the 12th. If I had no hopes of relief, I would rather riik an action than defend my half-finifhed works; but 2 *« \- fei vait to re- aean time, c. TON. I(hiiv*s dif. • Cavcy. ■u ■ I.'. 781. d and 6th. le of battle this river; 2I frigates and 14th. gh on the ad of Elk, 1 2th. rather rifk storks; but Defence of Toi'k^ in Virginia, i^'j as you fay Digby is hourly expedted, and promife every exertion to alTift me, I do not think myfelf juftified in putting the fate of the war on fo dcfpe- rate an attempt. By examining the tranfports with care, and turning out ufelefs mouths, my provifions will lafl: at leaft fix weeks from this day, if we can preferve them from accidents. The cavalry mud, I fear, be all loft. I am of opinion, that you can do me no efFedual fervice, but by coming directly to this place. Lieutenant Conway, of the Cormorant, isjuft ex- changed. He affures me, that fince the Rhode Ifland fquadron has joined, they have thirty- fix fail of the line. This place is in no ftate of defence. If you cannot relieve me very foon, you muft be prepared to hear the worft. I have the honour to be, &c. " ' CORN WALL IS. number: IX. ; , Sir Henry Clintont K. B. to Earl CornwalliSi dated New l^ork. Sept. 24, 1781. — [In Cypher.] [ReceivedSeptember29, 1781.] MY LORD, I WAS honoured yefterday with your Lordfliip's letter of the iCth and 17th inftant, and at a m.eei- ing V ft ■ •, h VI w ■I1 "'t IM 19S Conefpondence relative to the h; ! ing of the General and Flag Officers Iield this daj', it is determined, that above five thoufand mep, rank and file, fliall be embarked on board the King's fhips, and the joint exertions of the navy and army made in a few days to relieve you, and afterwards co-operate with you. The fleet confifts of twenty-three fail of the line, three of which are three deckers. There is every reafon to hope we flart from hence the 5th 06tober. I have received your Lordfliip's letter of the 8th inftant. . , ' , I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. P. S. Admiral Digby is this moment arrived at the Hook, with three fail of the line. ' At a venture, without knowing whether they can be feen by us, I requeft, that if all is well, upon hearing a confiderable firing towards the entrance of the Chefapeak, three large feparate fmokes may be made parallel to it j and, if you pofifefs the poft of Gloucefter, four. I Ihall fend another runner foon. H. CLINTON. ■'V^'' NUM- Defence of Torky in Virginia, «>9 .'A NUMBER X. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Tork- ^own in Virginia , September 29, 1781. lo P. Mn -' • [In Cypher.] • • SIR, I HAVE ventured thefe laft two days to look , General Wafhington's whole force in the face in the pofition on the outfide of my works, and I have the pleafure to aflTure your Excellency, that there was but one wifh throughout the whole army, which was, that the enemy would advance. ' * I have this evening received your letter of the a4th, which has given me the greateft fatisfaftion. I fliall retire this night within the works, and have no doubt, if relief arrives in any reafonable time, York and Gloucefter will be both in poflcflion of iiis Majefty's troops. •• .. ^ I believe your Excellency mufl: depend more on the found of our cannon than the fignal of fmokes for informrtion ; however, I will attempt it on tho Gloucefter fide. — Medicines are wanted. • VI I' .} ',1 '. » , ^ '■1 t .4 I % i ■-? I have the honour to be, &c. - - CORNWALLIS. V '-* ' ' • ! NUMBER ' y^'\ 2 CO Correfpondence rcktive to the \- i: ? ; N U M B E R XI. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallisj dated Ncw- Tork, September 25, 1781. .■ , [Duplicate, — in Cypher. — Received Oflober 2.] MY LORD, • ' ^/lY letter of yefterday will have informed your Lorddiip of the number of (hips and troops we can bring with us. — It is fuppofcd the neceflary repairs of the fleet will detain us here to the 5th of Ofto- ber ; and your Lordfhip muft be fenfiblc that unfore- feen accidents may lengthen it out a day or two longer; I therefore intreat you to lofe no time in letting me know by the bearer your real fituation, and your opinion how upon our arrival we can bed aft to form a junfti . with you, together with the exaft ftrength of the enemy's fleet, and what part of the Chefapeak they appear to be mod jealous of. ■ ■ • '^ I hare the honour to be, &c. ■''■-■■ ■ »,••♦- H. CLINTON. • .j..-ik.*. fi »•*- P. S. As your Lordfhip muft have better intelli- gence than we can poflibly have, I requefl: you will fend a trufty perfon to each of the capes, about the 'A "11'. :'-- 7th Defence of York^ in Virginia* 2ci 7th of next month, with every information rc- I'pecfling the force and fuiiaiion of the enemy, you may judge necelTary, and dirc(ftions to continue there until our arrival, when fmall vcficls will be font to bring oflf any pcrfon they may find thcrff. • ir'yf <\\T .1. >. r . NUMBER XII. •'v K? Earl Cornwallis to Sir Ilemy Clinton, dated Tork .^--*>fn'; cf^,^^^ P'lrginia^ OMer ^y 1781.' ^^ '*' :.'. -j ' liiv [ In Cypher. ] '"' . »: ', ,, , t a: S I R, • ' - • • I RFXEIVED your letter of the 25th of Septem- ber lad night. The enemy are encamped about two miles from us. On the night of the 30th of Septem- ber they broke pTound, and made two redoubts about eleven hundred yards from our works, which, with fome works that had be.;n con- Itrufted to fecure our exterior pofition occupy a gorge between two creeks which nearly embrace this poft. They have finifhed thefe redoubts, and I ex- pect they will go on with their works this night. From the tim^- that the enemy have given us, and the uncommon exertions of the troops, our works are in a better ftite pf defence than we ha(i reafon to hope, , , • '. I) d lean 4 .J ■'1 , •v.V I" ■■I tic km m 202 Correfpondence relative tQ the I can fee no means of forming a junftion with tM. but by York river, and I do not think that any di- verfion would be of ufe to us. Our accounts of the ftrength of the French fleet have in general been, that they were thirty-live or thirty-fix fail of the line . they have frequently changed their pofition ; two Ihips of the line and one frigate lie at the mouth cf this river \ and our laft accounts were, that the body of the fleet lay between the tail of the Horfe fhocand York fpit. And it is likewife faid, t;hat four line of battle Ihips lay a few days ago in Hampton road. I fee little chance of my being able to fend perfons ' to wait for yoo at the capes, but I will if poflible. 1 have the honour to be, &c. ■i«>j>>v^">' ■"- ^j' :./U ' ■fv*,.;j /'I.J., .^_%|,rr; - nW < '.f'iti CORNWALLIS. ^f n:^ nVm B E R XIIL » 1 * . v< •*: Jf Sir Henry CUnion to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-l'ork, ■ - -^ ■■" ■' September 10, 178 1. r:-.'^^;^: ^.^ ; -,, [Duplicate, — in Cypher.} [Received Oflober 10, from Major Cockran.] ^ rr,v ^'-U MY LORD, ' " ' ' Y OUR Lordfhip may be aflured that I am doing every thing in my power to relieve you by a dired move. Defence of I'oik^ in P^irginuu 203 move, and I have reafon to hope, from the aflurances given me this day by Admiral Graves, that we may pelfs the bar by the 12th of October, if the winds permit, and no unforefeen accident happens : this, however, is fubjed to difappointment, wherefore, if I hear from you, your wiflies will of courfe diredt me, and I lliall perful in my idea of adirc6t move, even to the middle of November, fhould it be your Lordfliip*s opinion that you can hold out fo long ; but if, when I hear from you, you tell mc that you cannot, -^nd I am without hopes of arriving in time to fuccour you by a direft move, I will immediately make an attempt upon Philadelphia by land, giving you notice, if poflible, of my intention. If this (hould draw any part of Wafhington's force from you, it may poITibly give you an opportunity of doing fome- thing to fave your army ; of which, however, you can bell judge from being upon the fpot, . :-f m ■'MM ■'Si I have the honour to be, &c. '■**> \i- H. CLINTON. m ! /■- • ', Dd2 NUMBElt ^^ •ii ao4 Corrtffonimce relative to the \ '-■ NUMBER XIV. I, (• I it :V; llHi i.'; J^^r/ CortijpaUis to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. dated Tork-Tozun, Virginia^ 05Joher ii, 1781.-^12 iV/. • ■ ; [In Cypher.] "^ ' ' SIR, COCHRAN arrived yefterday. I have dniy to repeat what I faid in my letter of the 3d, that nothing but a direk *■■ H Il r ■ I ■■■;>■■♦ ■ ■ 'I . ■■n..% evening 208 Correfpondenc^ relative to the *J I- x. u ■ iV* evening of the 9th, again ft our left, and other bat- teries fired at the fame time againfl: a redoubt, ad- vanced over the Creek upon our right, and defended by about one hundred and twenty men of the 23d regiment and marines, who maintained that poft with inicommon gallantry. The fire continued inceflant from heavy cannon and from mortars and howitzes, throwing fhells from eight to fixteen inches, until all our guns on the left were filenced, our work piuch damaged, and our lofs of men confiderable. On the night of the nth they began their fecond parallel, about three hundred yards nearer to us ; the troops being much weakened by ficknefs as well as by the fire of tiie befiegers, and obferving that the enemy had not only fecured their flanks, but proceeded in every refpedt with the utmoft regularity and caution, I could not venture fo large forties, as to hope from them any confiderable effect ; but otherwife, I did every thing in my power to interrupt this work, by opening new einbrazures for guns, and keeping up a conftant fire with all the howitzes a.id fmall mortars that we could man. On the evening of the 14th, they alfaulted and carried two redoubts that had beer> advanced about three hundred yards for the purpoie of delaying their approaches, and covering our left flank, and during the night in- cluded them In their fecond parallel, on which they continued to work with the utmoft exertion. Being perfe(3Lly fenfible that our works could not ftand many hours Defence of 2^ork, in Virginia, 209 hours after the opening of the batteries of that pa- rallel, we not only continued a conftant fire with all our mortars, and every gun that could be brought to bear upon it, but a little before day break on the morning of the i6th, I ordered a fortie of about three hundred and fifty men under the direftion of Lieutenant- colonel Abercronibie to attack two bat- tcrits, which appeared to be in the greateft forward- nefs, and to fpike the guns. A detachment of guards with the eightieth company of Grenadiers, under thie command of Lieutenant-colonel Lake attacked the one, and one of Light Infantry under the command of Major Armftrong attacked the other, and both fucceeded by forcing the redoubts that covered them, fpiking eleven guns, and killing or wounding about one hundred of the French troops, who had the guard of that part of the trenches, and with little lofs on our fide. This aflion, though extremely honourable to the officers and foldiers who executed it, proved of little public advantage, for the can- non having been fpiked in a hurry, were foon ren- dered fiit for fervice again, and before dark the whole parallel and batteries appeared to be nearly com- plete, lit this time we knew that there was no part of the whole front attacked, on which we could fhow a fingle gun, and ouriliells were nciirly expend- ed ; I therefoie had only to chufe between preparing to furrenuer next day, or endeavouring to get off* with the greateft part of the troops, and I detv-r- E c mined III t^ ■'1 ■i'¥ ■..*■. I ■'..■'■ ' ii 210 Conefpondcuce relative to the !i)|j?|E'>i5 mm' -i^i M^*;* mined to attempt the latter, refleding that though it (hould prove unfucccfsful in its immediate objeft, it might at lead delay the enemy in the profecution of further enterprizes : (ixteen large boats were prepared, and upon other pretexts were ordered to be in rcadi- nefs to receive troops precifcly at ten o'clock. With thcfe I hoped to pafs the infantry during the night, abandoning our baggage, and leaving a detachment to capitulate for the town's people, and the fick and wounded ; on which fubje(5t a letter was ready to be delivered to General Wafliington. After making my arrangements with the utmoft fecrecy, the Light Infantry, greateil part of the Guards, and part of the twenty- third regiment landed at Gloucelter 5 but at this critical moment, the weather from being moderate and calm, changed to a molt violent ftorm of wind and rain, and drove all the boats, fome of which had troops on board, down the river. It was foon evident that the intended paflage was imprac- ticable, and the abfence of the boats rendered it equally impoffible to bring back the troops that had pafled ; which I had ordered about two in the morn- ing. In this fituation, with my little force divided, the enemy's batteries opened at day break ; the paf- fage between this place and Gloucefter was much ex- pofed, but the boats having now returned, they were orderea to bring back the troops that had pafled during the night, and they joined us in the forenoon without much lofs. Our works in the mean time were T)i fence of Torky in Virginia* 211 were going to ruin, and not having been able to ftrengthv*n them by abbatis, nor in any other manner but by a flight fraizlng which the enemy's artillery were demoliihing wherever they fired, my opinion entirely coincided with that of the engineer and prin- cipal officers of the army, that they were in many places available in the forenoon, and that by the eontinuence of the fame fire for a few hours longer, they would be in fuch a (late as to render it defperat« with our numbers to attempt to maintain them. We at that time could not fire a fingle gun, only one eight-inch and iitcie more than an hundred cohorn fliclls remained j a diverfion by the French (liips of war that lay at the mouth of York- river, wrs to be expcfted. Our numbers had been diminifh^^d by the enemy's fire, but particularly by fickne s, and the ftrength and fpirits of thofe in the works were much exhaufted by the faiiguc of conflant watching and unremitting duty. Under all thefe circum- ftanccs, ^ thought it would have been wanton and inhuman to the laft degree to facrifice the lives of this fmall body of gallant fbldiers, who had ever behaved with fo much fidelity and courage, by cx- pofing them to an afiliult, which from the numbers and precautions of the enemy could not fail to fuc- cced. I therefore propofed to capitulate, and I have the honour to inclofe to your Excellency the copy of the correfpondence between General Walhington and me on that fubjedl:, and the terms of capicula- E c tion ,■<■ p re } s .T'i :« >•>■, '•:>< ■^ V' .. VI ':ivv ■♦ ' i. 'M }' » V a- l;;i ai2 Correfpondence reUtiae to tht tion agreed upon. I fincerely lament that better could not be obtained, but I have negle(5tcd nothing in my pow-r to alleviate the misfortune and diftrefs of both officers and foldiers. The men are well cloathed and provided witli ncceHaries, and I trufl will be regularly fupplicd by the means of the offi- cers that are permitted io remain with them. The treatment, in general, that we have received from the enemy fince our lurrender, has been perfe^^ly good and projier ; but the kindncfs and attention that has been ffievvn to us by the French officers in particular, their delicate fenfibility of our fituation, their generous and preffing offer of money both public and private, to any amount, has really gone beyond \vhat I can poffibly defcribe, and will, I hope, mi.ke an impreffion on the bread of every Britiffi officer, whenever the fortune of war ffiould put any of them into our power. Although the event has been fo unfortunate, the patience of the foldiers in bearing the greateft fati- gues, and their firmnefs and intrepidity under a per- fevering fire of ffiot and ffiells, that I believe has not often been exceeded, deferred the higheft admiration and praife. A fuccefsful defence, however, in our fituation was perhaps impoffible, for the place could only be reckoned an intrenched camp, fubjcdl in moft places to enfilade, and the ground in general fo difadvantageous, that nothing but the neceffity of fortifying it as a polt to protedl the navy, could hefence of Tork^ in Virginia, 2»3 have induced any perfon to cre(fl works upon ir. Our force diminilhecl daily by ficknefs and other lofTes, «;ul was reduced when we offered to capitu- late on this fide to little more than three thoufand two hundred rank and file fit for duty, including officers, fervants, and artificers; and at Glouccftcr about fix hundred, including cavalry. The cnemy*g army condfted of upwards of eight thoufand French, nearly as many continentals, and five thoufand mi- litia. They brought an immenfe train of heavy ar- tillery, mod amply furniflied wich ammunition, ani perkftly well manned. The conllant and univcrfal chearfulnefs and fpiric of the ofiiccrs in all hardfliips and danger, defervc my warmed acknowledgments j and I have been particularly indebted to Brigadier-general O'Hara, and to Lieutenant-coloneJ Abercrombie, the former commanding on the right and the latter on the left, for their attention and exertion on every occafion. The detachment of the twenty third regiment of Marines in the redoubt on the* right, commanded by Captain Apthorpe, and the fubfequent detachments commanded by Lieutenant- colonel Johnfon, defervc particular commendation. Captain Rochfort who commanded the art.llery, and indeed every officer and foldier of that diftinguillied corps j and Lieutenant Sutherland the commanding Engineer have merited \n every refpe6V my highelt approbation ; and I cannot fufficieatly acknowledge my obligations to . 4 Captain ■f ill i m m ¥' V ■ I ' "Of. . >H Correfpondence relative to the pl:.f Captain Symonds, who commanded his Majcfty's (hips, and to the other officers and Teamen of the navy for their afbive and zealous co-operation. * I tranfmic returns of our killed and wounded, the lofs cf feamen and towns people was likewifc confiderable. I truft that your Excellency will pleafc to haften the return of the Bonetta, after landing her paflcn- gers, in compliance with the article of capitulation. Lieuteuant'Colonel Abercrombie will have the honour to deliver this difpatch, and is well qualified to explain to your Excellency every particular re- lating to our pad and prefcnt fituation. - I I have the honour to be, &C4 - - CORNWALLIS. i' X- '•\ . ll 1 ' Um i <■ v\ t Inclofed in No. XVI. Cof^y o/Earl Cornwallis's Letter to General JVaJImigton, dated Tor ky in Virginia, OSiober i^thy 1781. ■''■ 'V*"".".. v ■'•.^"*> ■■■' ^ ■ ' ■ " . ■ ' SIR, I PROPOSE a ceflation of hoftilities for twenty four hours, and that two officers may be appointed by ea^ch fjde, to nneet at Mr. MQore*s houfe, to fettle terms for the furrender of the pods of York and Gloucefter. ^ : I have the honour to be, 3cc. -M 'y^i'^^ CORNWALLIS. ! . In- Defence of York, in Virginia, a 1 5 Inclofcd in No. XVI. Copy of General JVaJhington*s Letter to EarlCornwullis^ dated Camp before York, \^th Odlober, 1781. MY LORD, I HAVE had the honour of receiving your Lord- Ihip's letter of this date. An ardent defire to fparc the further effufion of blood, will readily incline me to liften to fuch terms, for the furrender of your pofts and garrifons at York and Gloucei^er as are admifTible. I wi(h, previous to the meeting of Commiflioners, that your Lordfhip's propofals, in writing, may be fent to the American lines; for which purpofe, a fufpenfion of hoftilicies, during two hours from the delivery of this letter, will be granted. I have the honour to be, &c. G. WASHINGTON. n •' 1 ,, .fjtl il;. 'II 111 U ' ,1' '1 '^ Inclofed in No. XVI. Copy of Earl Cornivallii's Letter to General Wajhlngton^ dated Tcrk, in Plrginia, I'jth 0th 1781. Half paft Four, P,M' S I R, I HAVE this moment been honoured with your Excellency's letter, dated this day. The ': 41 iifl i :fl i6 Correfpondence relative to the The time limited for fending my anfwcr will not ad- mit of entering into the detail of articles; but the bafis of my propofals will be, that the garrifons of York a. d Gloucefter (hall beprifoners of war, with the cuf- tomary honours. And, for the conveniency of the individuals which I have the honour to command, that the Britilh (hall be fent to Britain, and the Germans to Germany, under engagement not to ferve again ft France, America, or their allies, un- til releafed or regularly exchanged. That all arras and public (lores (hall be delivered up to you ', but that the ufual indulgence of fide-arms to o(Ecers, and of retaining private property, (hall be granted to officers and foldiers, and that the intereft cf fc- veral individuals, in civil capacities and connected with us, (hall be attended to. ' ' " If your Excellency thinks that a continuance of thefufpenfion of hoflilities will be neceflfary, to tranf- mit your anfwcr, I (hall have no objeftion to the hour that you may propofe. I have the honour to be, &c, CORNWALLIS. V • K Inclofcd Defence ofXork, in Vtighia, . inclofed in No. XVI. 217 Copy of General Wajhingtor^s Letter to Earl Cornzvallis^ dated. Camp before Tork, i%th O£lohery 1781. li MY LORD, , TO avoid unneceffary difcuflions and delays, I Ihali at once, in anfwer to your Lordlhip's letter of ycftcrday, declare the general bafis upon which a definitive treaty of capitulation may take place. The garrifons of York and Gloucefter, including the feamen, as you propofe, (hall be received pri To- ners of war. The condition annexed of fending the Britilh and German troops to the parts of Europe to which they refpec^tively belong, is inadmiffible. Inftead of this, they will be marched to fuch parts of the country as can moft conveniently provide for their fubfiftence, and the benevolent treatment of the prifoners, which is invariably obferved by the Americans, will be extended to them. The fame ho- nours will be granted to the furrendering army as were granted to the garrifon of Charles-town. The (hipping and boats in the two harbours, with all their guns, ftores, tackling, furniture, and apparel, ihall be delivered, in their prefent (late, to an officer of the navy, appointed to take poflTefTion of them. The artillery, arms, accoutrements, military chell, and public ftores of every denomination, (hall be delivered unimpaired to the heads of the departments to which they refpedivcly belong. - . Ff Thci .■■•* It 5 Si '¥ M 'M ^^fej !• I'^P^ . .', i:^,t.. f^l:'./^:' m'^m :''. « 218 Correfpofidence relative to the The officers (hall be indulged in retaining their (ide-arms, and the officers and foldicrs may prcferve their baggage and ciFcfts, with this referve, that property taken in the country will be reclaimed. With regard to the individuals in civil capacities, whofe intereft your Lordfhip wifhes may be attended to, until they are more particularly defcribcd, no- thing definitive can be fettled. I have to add, that I expe(5l the fick and wounded will be fupplied with their own hofpital ftores, and be attended by Britilh furgeons, particularly charged with the care of them. - -/' Your Lordlhip will be pleafed to fignify your de- termination, either to accept or rejed the propofals now offered, in the courfe of two hours from the delivery of this letter, that Commiffioners may be appointed to digefl the articles of capitulation, or a renewal of hoflilitics may take place. ^ :.>'^ - .^ 1 have the honour to be, &c. a WASHINGTON. "■-.'.*.'»•■ I • ,,'■ I - Inclofed in No. XVI. ;> ' , Copy of Earl Comwallis^s Letter to General PFaJhington, dated Tork in Firginia^ iStb O^ober, 1781. S I R, ' : V - '.. 1 AGREE to open a treaty of capitulation upon the baCis of the garrifons of York and Glouceilcr, • \ . . including • ■, V' ".'#1 Befence of 2'ork, in Virginia. 2 1 5 including feamen, being prifoners of war, without annexing the condition of their being fent to Europe; but I expeft to receive a compenfation ia the articles of capitulation for the furrender of Gloucefter in its prefent ftate of defence. I (hall, in particular, defire, that the Bonetta Hoop of war may be left entirely at my difpofal, from the hour that the capitulation is figned, to receive an Aid- de-camp to carry my difpatches to Sir Henry Clinton. Such foldiers as I may think proper to fend as paf- fengers in her, to be manned with fifty men of her own crew, and to be permitted to fail without exa- mination, when my difpatches are ready : engaging, on my parr, that the Ihip (hall be brought back and delivered to you, if (he efcapes the dangers of the fea, that the crew and foldiers (hall be accounted for in future exchanges, that (he (hall carry off no officer without your confent, nor public property of a.ny kind ; and I (hall likewife defire, that the traders and inhabitants may preferve their property, and that no perfon may be puniHied or molefted for having joined the Bririfh troops. If you choofe to proceed to negociation on thefe grounds, I ftiall appoint two field officers of my army to meet two officers from you, at any time and p'.ace that you think proper, to digeft the articles of capitulation. ■- . . ■ ' ' I have the honour to be, &:c, " :• CORN WALL (S. Inclofed m 'It m Ml n 520 Correfpondence relative to the »'. w Tit* >i^ ' W^ll Indofcd in No. XVI. - ' . o '*t'- MV or THE ■ .-'i .io ;)JJ. ii ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION, SETTLED between his Excellency (jcneral Wafliington, Commander inChief of the conjbined forces of America • and France — his Excellency the Count He Hochambeau, • Lieutenant General of the armies of the King of France, • Great Crofs of the royal and military order of St. Louis, . commanding the auxiliary troops A^: m The garrifons of York and Gloucefter, including the officers and Teamen of his Britannic Majefty's (hips, as well as other mariners, to furrendcr them- felvcs prifoncrs of war to the combined forces of America and France, The land troops to remain prifopers to the United 3tates~the navy to the naval ^rmy of his Moft Chriftian Majcftjrr Granted? ARTICLE 'i" ■11 -l ■ ■ ATIOKT, Wafhington, es of America Hochambeau, Ling of France, :r of St. Louis, Moft Chriftian y the Count dc armies of his the order of St. naval army of ; and the Right t-general of his ; the garrifons of onds, Efq. com« forces in York LV: > t^llH fter, including nnic Majefty's irrendcr them- incd forces of ops to remain i^y to the naval RTICLE De/ejjce of Tcrk, in Vimnia» ARTICLE II. 121 The artillery, arms, accoutrements, military cheft, and public (lores of every denomination, fhall be de- livered unimpaired ta the heads of departments ap- pointed to receive them. Granted, 1'.,. ARTICLE IIL At tvvelvc o'clock this day the two redoubts on the Ml flank of York to be delivered, the one to a detachment of American infantry, the other to a de- tachment of French grenadiers. Granted. The garrifon of York will march out to a place to be appointed in front of the polls, at two o'clock precifely, with fhouldered arms, colours cafed, and drums beating a Britifh or German march. They are then to ground their arms, and return to their encampments, where they will remain untii they are difpatched to the places of their deftinatiori. Two works on the Gloucefter fide will be delivered at one o'clock to a detachment of French and American troops appointed to poffefs them. The garrifon will march out at three o'clock in the afternoon j the cavalry with their fwords drawn, trumpets foun- ding, and the infantry in the manner prefcribed for the garrifon of York. They are likewife to re- turn to their encampments until they can be finally marched off, ARTICLE li^^ n\ •A ■'i L fi ' M 222 Correfpondence relative to the ■. .1 + V? if ARTICLE IV. » OfHccTs are to retain their, fide-arms. Both officers rind foldiers to keep their private property of every kind ; and :jo part of their baggage or papers to be at any time fubjed to fearch or infpedlion. The baggage and papers of officers and foldiers taken during the iiegc to be likewife prefervcd for them. Granted. J . It is underftood that any property obvioiifly be- longing to the inhabitants of thcfe States in the pofleffion of the garrifon, fhall be fubjeft to be re- claimed. ARTICLE V. The foldiers to be kept in Virginia, Maryland, or Pennfylvania, and as much by regiments as poffiL»ie, and fupplied with the fame rations of provifions as are allowed to foldiers in the fervicc of America. A field officer from each nation, to wit, Britiffi, An- fpach, and Heflian, and other officers on parole, in the proportion of one to fifty men, to be allowed to vefide near their refpe(^tive regiments, to vifit them frequently, and be witnefles of their treatment, and that their officers may receive and deliver cloathing and other neceflaries for them, for which paffporcs are to be granted when applied for. '5 Granted. - . ••;. y r. '■ - '\ "i\.-r - ■■■ ' ■ ^ •-" ARTICLE l.ii''l''U Defence of Tork, in Virginia, ARTICLE VI. 223 The General, Staff, and other officers not em- ployed, as mentioned in the above articles, and who chuofe it, to be permitted to go on parole to Europe, to New- York, or to any other American maritime pofts at prefent in the poflftflion of the Britifh forces, at their own option, and proper veflels to be granted by the Count de Grafle to carry them under flags of truce to New-York within ten days from this date, if pofllble, and they to refide in a diftrift to be agreed upon hereafter, until they embark. The officers of the civil department of the srmy and navy to be included in this article. PaflTports to go by land to be granted to thofe to whom veflels cannot be furniih^d. Granted. . \ ARTICLE Vli. Officers to be allowed to keep foldiers as fervants, according to the common pradice of the fervice. Servants not foldiers are not to be confidered as pri- foncrs, ind are to be allowed to attend th^ir mafters. Granted. .... - • • ARTICLE VIIL The Bonetta floop of war to be equipped, and na- vigated by its prefent Captain and crew, and left en- '1 ; .1 :• n ; \ (■.■-'. ,■ HI ■ a: ' V Ml i (\\ 14', >]^#,( -. ?. mm ^''' i -WW A-\ 2^4 Correfpondence relative to the tirely at the difpofal of Lord Cornwallls from the hour that the capitulation is figned, to rtceive an Aid de Camp to carry difpaichcs to Sir Henry Clinton; and fuch foldiers as he may think proper to fend to New-York, to be permitted to fail without exami- nation. When his difpatches are ready, his Lord- Ihip engages on his part that the fhip (hall be deli- vered to the order of the Count cle Grafle, if (he cfcapes the dangers of the fea. That fhe fhall not carry off any public ftores. Any part of the crew that may be deficient on her return, and the foldierg paflengers, to be accounted for on her delivery. A R T I C L E IX. The traders are to preferve their property, and to be allowed three months to difpofe of or remove them i and thofe traders are not to be conlidered as prifoncrs of war. The traders will be allowed to difpofe of their effefis, the allied army having the right of pre- emption. The traders to be confidered as prifoners of war upon parole. -Hi*. A R T I C L E X. i : ^ Natives or inhabitants of different parts of thi» .country at prefent in York or Gloucefter, are not to be punifhcd Qn account of having joined the BritilH army. * This m.4 ■■ Defence of Tor k, in Virginia, 22 c This article cannot be aflented to, being altogether of civil refort. ' A R T I C L E XL Proper hofpitals to be furnifhed for the fi':k and wounded. They are to be attended by their own furgeons on parole ; and they are to be furniihed with medicines and (lores from the Ancierican hof- pitals, . . The hofpital ftores now in York and Gloucefter (hall be delivered for the ufe of the Britifh fick and wounded. PafTports will be granted for procuring them further fupplies from New- York, as occafion may require ; and proper hofpitals will be furnifhed for the reception of the fick and wounded of the two garrifons. ARTICLE XIL Waggons to be furniihed to carry the baggage of the officers attending the foldiers, and to furgeons when travelling on account of the fick, attending the hofpitals at public expence. They are to be furnifhed if pofTible. V ARTICLE XIIL The (hipping and boats in the two harbours, with all their ftores, guns, tackling and apparel, (hall be delivered up in their prefcnt (late to an officer of the G g navy '^i I.; :i ■ ...V , rk\ w^ '.^^ ' 'f I ■■■If -it 22l Correfpondence relative to th^ navy appointed to take pofleflion of them, previoiifly unloading the private property, part of which had been on board for fecurity during the fiege. Granted. \ '. if ^ ■■ F.!f 11 . , ARTICLE XIV. No article of capitulation to be infringed on pre- tence of reprifals ; and if there be any doubtful ex- preflions in it, th^y are to be interpreted according to the common meaning and acceptation of the words, », . Granted* Done at York- town, in Virginia, Odober 19, CORNWALLIS. THQs. SYMONDS. Done in the trenches before York-town, in Vir- ginia, Oftober 19, 178 1. G. WASHINGTON. Lc Comte de ROCHAMBEAU. Lc Comte de BARRAS, £4 mon nom & celui du Comte de GRASSE. PiSyjj^ 3. «."•' ■ ■•■ •• NUM- ^1 previoiifly which had jed on prc- nibtful ex- according on of the )t your letter to be publifhcd) in which we feemed lb perfedlly to agree, I muft beg your Lordfhip's pardon for again troubling you on the fub- jedt i but being infornncd, perhaps officioufly, that fome people here fuppofe there are paffages in thi\c letter which convey an idea, that you had been com- pelled by my orders to take the poll of York, though it was not your own preference ; that you had reprc- fentcd the defers of the ground, and were detained •there contrary to your own judgement ; and likewife that I had prom'fed the exertions of the navy before my letter of the :4th of September : I am perfuaded your Lordlhip wii! readily excufe my requeuing a more formal avowal of your fentiments, left I (hould have then miftakcn them ; becaufe if that (hould un- fortunately be the cafe, I may perhaps be under the neceffity of taking mcaifures to obviate your letter 'beii\g yiev^-cd in the fame light in England. J have the honour to be, j&c. H. C L I N T O N. ^f • M ■'■;! '. NUM- G g 2 N U'M- w> P^HJ ► »(' H, • 1 J"' '' 22» Corre/pondence relathe to ths NUMBER XVIII. EarlCornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B. dated Netff^ Tork, id December i i y 8 1 . SIR, YESTERDAY afternoon I was honoured with your Excellency's letter dated the 30th November. I do not recoiled that any converfation pailed be- twecu us the other day, before the publication of my letter, relative to my reafons for taking poflcfllon of the pofts of York and Gloucefler; but in my anfwcr to your difpatches, dated the 8th and nth July, diredling me fo pofitively to poflefs a harbour in the Chefapeak for line of battle fhips, your Ex- cellency will fee, that after finding that works on Point Comfort could not protect a naval force in Hampton Road, I thought that I acled in ftrid obe- dience to your orders by taking polTeffion of thcfe pofts. 1 thought it iinneceflary to enter into a mi- nute detail of the difadvantages of the ground, either on my firft examination of it in the month of June, or on my return to it in Augull: •, bccaufe on the firft occafion, as I have already had the honour of explain- ing to your Excellency, I did nor, after feeing it, tn- tertain, for a moment, an idea of occupying it, not thinking myfelf at liberty, by the inftrudions under which I then adted, to detain the greateft part of the force in Virginia for the purpofe of fecuring a harbour for > Defence of Tor ky in yirgir.ia, 22v> ftir fliips of tl'c line ; and on my return to it in Auguil I thought it then became my duty to make the heft of it I could, havinj^ no other harbour to propofc in its place. In regard to the promife of the exertions of the navy previous to your letter of the 24th of September, I can only repeat what I had the honour of faying to your Excellency in the converfation to which you al- lude, that without any particular engagements for the navy before that datCj all your letters held out uni- formly hopes of relief, and that I had no reafon from any of them to fuppofe tha«- you had Joft fight of the pofTibility of efflding it ; and inat under thefe hopes, after ferious reflev!tion, I did not think that it would have been juftifiablc in me to abandon thefe pofls wiih our numerous fick, artillery, flores, and (hipping-, or to rifK. an aftion which, in all probability, would, in in its confcqucnccs, have precipitated the lofs of them. My letter from York, dated the 20th of Otflobtr, was written under great agitation of mind, and in great hurry, being conflantly interrupted by numbers of people coming upon bufinefs or ceremony ; but my intention in writing that letter was to explain the motives that influenced my own condu6l, and to narrate the incidents that preceded the extreirjity that forced us to furrender. I have the honour to be, &c. C O R N W A L L I S. .^l I •iil m\ NUM- ■3^ Correfpondince rehtivg to the w NUMBER XIX Sir Henry Clinton^ K, B. to Earl Cornzvallis, dated New-Torkf December 2, 178 1. MY LORD, AS your Lordfhip is pleafed, in your letter of this day, to revert to the circumftance of your quit- ting the Williamfburg-neck, and re-pafTiog the James- river, fo contrary to the intentions I wiiKed to exprefs in my letters of the nth and 15th June, and thofe referred to by them, and which I thought they would have clearly explained, your Lordlhip will, I hope have the goodnefs to forgive me, if I once more re- peat, that I am of opinion, if thofe letters had been properly underftood by y-tDur Lordlhip, you would at leaft have hefitated before you adopted that mea- furc. For I humbly prefume, that it will appear upon a rc-perufal of them, that it was my defire to recom- mend to your Lordfhip the taking a healthy defen- five ftation, either at Williamfburg or York ; and, after keeping what troops you miglit want for the .ample defence of fuch a poft, and defultory move- inents by water, to fend me fuch a proportion of the corps (mentioned in a lift) as you could fpare, taking them in the fucceffion they arc there placed in. — ,Tour Lordfliip, on the coraary, underftpod thefe as % conveying -4 Deface of Tork^ in Virginia. 2ii conveying a pofidve order to fend me three thoufand men, (by which, you fay, your force would have been reduced to about two thoufand four hundred rank and file fit for duty, having, it is prefumed, above one thoufand five hundred fick) and was pleafed to tell me in your anfwer, that you could not, confiftent with my plans, make fafe defenfivc polls at York and Gloucefter, both of which would be neceflary for the proteftion of fliipping, and that you (hould immediately re-pafs James river, and take meafures for complying with my requifition. I own, my Lord, that my opinion of the obvious meaning of the lerters referred to continues ftill the fame ; and I am forry to find, by the letter you have now honoured me with, that it differs fo widely from your Lordihip's. It is plain, however, we cannot both be in the right. My letter of the i ith of July diredls your Lordfhip to fortify Old Point Comfort in the mouth of James river, with the intention of fecuring Hampton road, which the Admiral recommended as the beft naval ftation, and requefled I would occupy. But your Lordihip's letter of the 27th informs me you had examined Old Point Comfort with the officers of the navy and the engineers, and that you were all of opi- hion a poll there would not anfwer the purpofe, aft4 that you fhould, in compliance with the fpiritof my orders, feize York and Gloucefter, being the bnly harbour in which you could hope to be able to jgWe efFe^ud If:*;' MS' if hi 4 "V ■k1 232 Corre/po ndence relative to the effe(5lual protejflion to line of battle fliips. Suppofinp-, therefore, of coiirfe, that your Lordfhip approved in every relpedt of York and Gloucefter, from the pre- ference ycu had thus given them to the poll I had re- commended, I did not oppofe the choice you had made, having never received the lead hint from your Lorddiip that the ground of York was unfavourable, or liable to be enfiladed till after you had capitu- lated. With refpedt to your Lordihip's having been influ- enced in your condudl by the hopes or relief, (which you fay was uniformly held out to you in all my letters) your Lordlhip cannot be infenfible, that the poflibility of effeding it muft have entirely depended upon the exertions of the navy ; which, as I was not authorifed to promife before the 24th of Septem- ber, I am perfuaded your Lordfhip will readily ac- knowledge, that if your letter of the 20th of Odober implies 1 had done fo before that period, the implica- tion cannot be fupported by any thing I wrote pre- vious to my letter of that date, which you received on the 29th. • • ''■ As, therefore, my letters of the 2d and 6th of Sep- tember, which promife only my own exertions, did not reach your Lordfhip before the 13th and 14th of that month, and you did not before then know of Sir Samuel Hood's arrival, or of Mr. Graves having more than feven fail of the line to combat Monfieur De GrafTe's force, which on the 2.9th of Auguft you had I?' i Bef^nce of Tork, hi Virginia. 23^ had heard confided of at leaft twenty-five fall of the line J your Lordfhip, confequently, could have no hopes of relief before that time ; and, with refpe^ to your cfcape to New- York immediately on the arri- val of General WaOiington's troops at Williamlburg, which your letter of the 20th of Oe%ber implies you were prevented from undertaking by the receipt of mine of the 24th of September, I muft beg leave to obfervc, that if it had been ever practicable after the time your Lordfliip mentions (which I am free to own I do not think it was) it muft have been be- tween that period and the time of the enemy's force api^aring before your lines. It may, therefore, be prefumed you could not have been prevented by any- thing I faid in that letter, as you did not receive ic until after the latter event: took place. But I readily admit, my Lord, that none of my letters could give you the leaft realbn to fiippofe that an attempt would not be made to fuccour you. Your Lordfliip will, I am perfuaded, alfo forgive me, if I again take notice of the too pofitive manner in which you are pleafed to fpeak of the opinion I gave you about the Jailing of the fleet, as my Words were " There is every realbn to hope we fljajl fl.arc *' from hence abvout the 5th of Oflober." — And, in my letter of the next day, for fear that fnould appear too pofitive, I fay, ** it is fuppoicd tlie necef- " iary repairs of the fleet will detain us here to the ^ \, H h " 5th !|."1 ^ I ' M 'I \fi r tv < ; 234 Correfpondence relative to tke " 5th of next month ; — but your Lordlhip mud be ** fenfible, that unforefeen accidents may lengthen it ** out a day or two longer/' With regard to entrenching tools, the want of which your Lordfliip complains To much of, I can only fay, that by the returns made to me by the Adjutant-general, it appears that two thoufand five hundred had been fent to the Chefapeak by the engi- neer fince General Arnold's expedition inclufive ; and that the firft moment a requilition was made for more, (which was not before the 23d of Auguft) I ordered an additional fupply to be fent, which were prevented from going by the arrival of the French fleet. I own, however, that I was not at that time very uneafy on this fcore, as I fuppofed it poffible for your Lordfhip to have coUecfted a fufficiency from the neighbouring plantations any time before the invelliture was began. '•' * December 10. I had wrote thus far, my Lord, immediately after the receipt of your Lordftiip*s letter of this date j but, confidering that it was poflible you might not have adverted to the implications which your letter of the 20th of 0£lober may be thought to bear, from the great agitation of mind and hurry in wl>ich vou tell me it was written, I was unwiilins: to give you at that time more trouble on the fubje«5t, — in the honeft hope, that your Lordfliip's candour will induce you mod formally to difavow your having 4 any 1:1 Defence of Tork^ in Virginia, 235 «ny fuch intentions by writing that ietter, in cafe you find, on your arrival in England, that the paf- fages of it which 1 have taken notice of are under- ftood as I fufpe6t they may be ; — and I therefore intended to have fent this letter to a friend to be de- livered to }^ou in London. But, upon re-confidering your letter of the 2d inftanr, which I have had more leifure to do fince my public difpatches were clofed, I am of opinion that it is properer your Lordfhip (liould receive my anfvrr to it here. ,;;J ■.I-. 1 I have the honour to be he. H. CLINTON. P. S. Having forgot to fpeak to the part of your LordHiip's letter of the id inftanr, when you fay, " I do not recoiled that any converlation paffed be- ** tween us the other day, before the publication of *' my letter relative to my rcafons for taking pof- " fefTion of the potts of York and Gloucefter," 1 beg leave to ^0 it here. It is true, mv Lord, no converduion pafled from your Lordflup on that fubjed. But when, in the converfacion alluded to, I mentioned that I had di- reded you to examine Old Point Comfort and fortify H h 2 it» I \N\ If "W 236 Correfpondence, 6;V, ir, but that difapproving of that pod, you had feized York, — and that, thtretbre, York was your Lord- fliip*s preference ; as you were j)lcared not to make me any anfwcr, I took it for granted you agreed >vith mc/ 'j^^' ' - : n,*- ,{>ir;-: ■•,.. ■; t^vxa :^: b'.'.r , ; Wi 'J '»!'? •'". I-' C. ' • r, ;• ■ I. ,.f:.' » , < 1 • r ■'1 ■ ■ • ' ' ' I • >■ > J i 1 » - . 4 • . V . . J '. . rr o H . «. PART t- *• X ■' , 1&» r.i. STATE 01 i Under the COMMAND of L ^A' DATES. RANK A N I B R I T I S Light Infantry, Fiift Battalion. Light Infantry, Second Battalion. Brigade of Guards. Seventeenth Rifgiment. Twenty-tiiird Regiment. Thrty - third Regiment. Forty-third Regiment. •J June I, 1781. 465 417 33S ifio 165 186 «85 July i» 17S I. 472 404 337 »74 165 186 2S0 Auguft I, 17S1. 446 35» 33» 141 166 188 292 Sept. I, 447 3 34 3 54 124 »47 163 192 Oftob. 1, 1781. 429 326 365 12S 133 i6i 185 y V' 4 i ;M : f - >' ^' .5' \i, 1 =* *■ ••urn: • .-^w (•:* \ 'I '«,* N U M B I STATE of the T R O O I Under the C O M M A, N D of L I E U T E N A N T - ( • w h < RANK AND FILE PRESEN BRITISH. G E R M A Light Infantry, Firll Battalion. Light Infantry, Second Battalion. Brigp.dc of ^ Guards. Seventeenth R u De Seybo- then. Prnce He- reditaire. June I, 1781. r^? 417 338 180 165 186 *85 164 i6j 3Z0 377 43$ 4^7 383 July i» 1781. 472 404 337 »74 165 1S6 2S0 3ti 356 418 400 405 Auguft I, 1781. 446 35^ 33» 142 166 188 292 i6? 477 448 436 419 386 Sept. I, i7Sii 447 334 354 124 147 II 1 1 ■ 163 192 i6t 446 460 404 394 384 Oiftob. I, 1781. 429 3i6 365 laS '^3 162 i8s i6<> 3»3 455 385 369 337 ^i lU M B E R XX. [Tu face p. 23<. ROOPS in VIRGINIA 7 NAN T- G E N E R A .IE A R L c R N W A L L I S. PRESENT, AND llIT FOR D u S N T Y. • J GERMAN. PROVINCE L. DETACHMENT r INCLUDED. • < h h Anfpach. Heffian. • CO u u en ^5 22 21 21 •r rt -: a, 45 b &- ♦J — ' 1—1 36 32 36 35 u n 57 57 76 73 7» u rt w • > *-• =1 r* ^; 33 33 78 79 79 1 -0 (/! ;^ "3 54 54 54 5* 52 • Q .c h "3 > Q 1 i . Q n -a Ah •- u u 7 43 5 4^7 383 i05 317 173 220 475 53»* 6 418 400 405 204 3»5 173 1 1 i33 50 50 488 529 5^50 8 436 419 386 272 347 183 2X7 5580 404 394 384 250 307 168 1: t+l|7 218 1 ! 49 580 5316 5 385 369 337 i3c 282 168 218 570 4987 t\ STATE Under the C O I\I M A N D of 1 »ii-^ m ■■■ t if, j, O • Ui' w Seventeenth Re- irent. T wen tv- third Regiment Thirty-third Re- ment. 1 'bCi u ii U *-» u 1 n So 163 u U > u W3 127 3^3 577 74 67 141 94 427 RANK AND FILE.. 40 167 167 209 iM 97 164 37 T^S 65 «34 490 786 , 388 17R 26Z 2£8 161 i»H» ATE D of 1 D FILE O F U >. s O 163 i Cxi I r- u ^^7 FILE. CORRESPONDENCE B i: T WEEN • Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K. B. COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AND Lieut. Gen. Earl C O R N \V A L L I S. ; P A R T VI. LETTERS FROAT SIR HENRY CLIN'TON-, K. B, TO EARL CORNWALLIS. > DLLlVr.HED AT NEW -YORK A MONTH AFTER EA|IL, CORNWALLIS'S SURRENDER. NUMBER I. .^Vr Henry Clinton, K. B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New Tork, Juguft id, 1781. [Received from the Secretary at New York, Nov. 19, 1781.] MY LORD, IW A S laft night honoured with your Lordfhip*s letters of the 24th and 27th ultimo, by Cap- tain Stapleton ; and it gives me no fmall concern to obferve by the tenor of them, that you are difplea- itd with the opinions I took the liberty of giving I SjS Letters from Sir H. Clinton, K. B, •i^H A M .■> \' in my letter of the 29th May, rcrpe(5ting the pro- bable confcquenccs of your retreat from Crofs Creek to Wilmington, and march from thence to Petcrf- burg; and with what I faid to your Lordlbip in my letters of the 8th and nth of laft month, on your defign of abandoning the Williamfburg Neck, and retiring with your army to Portfinouth. Therefore, as it was not my intention to give offence, and is extremely my wifh to be properly undcrftood by your Lord(h:p, I requeft your attention for a few moments to the following elucidation of my fenti- jnents on both thole fubjeds. The high opinion I entertained of your Lordfhip's military talents, and the lefpeft I had for your fi- tuation as iecond to myltlf, induced me, from the moment you look charge of a fcparate command, to leave you at full liberty to ad in it as you judged beft for the King's fervice. And I am perfuaded your Lordlhip is not infenfible that I conllantly pur- fued this line of conduft towards you during all your operations in the Carolinas ; aiming at no otiier merit than that of diligently attending to your wants and fupplying them ; — whilfl: I was content to re- main here myfelf, upon the very confined dcfenfivc, to which I was reduced, by the large detachmt.its I had lent to the fouthward in fupport of your pro- greis. ' • • ■ , . : , Although your Lordfhip was, as you have obfer- ved fubje^ted by this means to a certain degree of anxiety the pro- Dfs Creek to Pticrf- lip in my , on your feck, and therefore, e, and is rftood by or a few my fcnti- ordfhip's your fi- from the [imand, to >u judged perfuaded antly pur- ]uring all t no other our wants :ent to re- defenfivc, tachmt. Its your pio- ave obfer- dfgrce of anxiety ■>♦< lo Earl Cornwallis, 239 anxiety and refponfibility ; it does not appear that I was exonerated of my Ihare of them. I could nor, therefore, but be perfonaliy and anxioufly intercfted in your fuccefTes and difappointments. And, though I have a refpcd for your Lordfliip's judgment, and am apt to doubt my own when it differs from it ; yet it is certainly a duty I owe to my ftation as Coin- inander in Chief, to exprefs my diflent from any meafure your Lordfhip adopts, when I apprehend that the confcquences may be prejudicial. This, my Lord, being the cafe with refpef Virgi» me for |tion you force ; which I that as ►pinions ,r, that or any id can- to con- trail trad with each other what I have faid, in this and my other letters, on the force of Virginia; and I re- qued your Lordfhip will be pleafed to point out the impropriety which gave rife to that obfervation. In the letter your Lordfliip quotes, I fay, *' I Ihould not have thought even t!ie one under Major- generai Phillips in fafety, at Peteiiburgh, at lead for fo long a time." In the one of June 8th, " Your Lordlhip will {ct by La Fayette's letter, that ytm have little more oppofed to you than his corps, and an unarmed militia." And in that of June iith, ** where, as appears by the iiucrcepted letters of Wafhington and La FaycLre, they are in no fitua- tion to Hand againil even a dlvifion of that army. And your Lordlhip may pofilbly have oppofed to you from 15CO to 2000 Continentals, and (as La Fayette obferves) a fmall body of ill armed peafantry, full as fpiritlefs as the militia of the Southern Provinces, and without any fervice." Ac the period alluded to in the firft letter, General Phillips was at Pcteriburg with only 2000 men, uncovered by works. P^iyette was oppofed to him vvich Ids own corps, Sieuben, •Muhlenberg, &c. and all the militia of the pro- vince, and expeded to be foon joined by Wayne with the Pennlylvania line. I therefore cercainly had caute to be apprchenfive for General Phillips'^ corps, in cafe Greene had, on hearing of your Lord- -fliip's move from Wihr.ingron, fallen back, and cal« ling La Fayette to him, placed hirnlUf with their 1 i A - II un; 242 Letters from Su H, Clinton^ K. B, m ,-,'v I* tr«- >■ '{ >■ ,(. I united force between your Lordfliip's and the Peterf- burg army, ready to ftrike at either, as it fuitcd his purpofe. But when the other letters were written, my opinion of the Virginia force was formed from the Rebel letters juft intercepted, which fully de- fcribed the ftate of their arms and their numbers. I therefore cannot dilcover, that they fliew I thought at different periods more or lefs favourably of It, but as I was warranted to do by matter of fad, and the in* telligence I received. To give a full and fatisfadory anfwer to your Lord- fliip's letter of the 27th July, will perhaps take up more time than you or I can well fpare. But, as your Lordfhip appears to be greatly afFe(5ted by the contents of my letters of the 8th and nth ultimo, I think it a duty I owe to your feelings and my own, to fay fomething in explanation of them. I muft: therefore beg your Lord(hip's patience, while 1 ftate the fubftance of my correfpondence with General Phillips and yourfelf, concerning the ftations to be held, and operations to be carried on in Chefapeak, &c. which, I prefume, will at leaft prove, that I fpared no pains to explain my defires to your Lord- fliip, though I have, perhaps, unhappily failed in making them underftood. My inflrii6lions to General Phillips, as quoted by your Lordlhip, gave him a power to take polief- fion of York Town, or Old Point Comfort, as a fta- tion for large fliips, if the Admiral fhould difapprove of ii M.I ■^I,-"- ■ '1 I 'I ^0 Earl Cornwallis, 243 n the Peterf- it fuited his ere written, brmcd from h fully de- ir numbers. w I thought >ly of it, but ;, and the in- o your Lord- laps take up re. But, as Fefted by the ith ultimo, I md my own, em. I mud while 1 ft ate with General [lations to be n Chefapeak, prove, that I ) your Lord- jjly failed in as quoted by ► take poliei^ fort, as a Ita- lid difapprove of of PortfinoLuh, and require one. In my ktters to that General OfRcer, of 24th of March and nth of April, I defircd his opinion rcfpeding the poll of Portfinouth, and fuch others as he propol'ed to efti- blifh on James River; with their importance con- fidered, cither as afTilling your LordPnip's operations, or conne(^ed with thofe of the navy : and, after having received that opinion, I told him, *' that Portfmouth was by no means my choice •," and left him at liberty to change it if he faw proper. And the fubftance of the converfations with him, as ex- trafled by your Lordfhip, go more fully into the ad- vantage of a naval ftation, pointing particularly to the one at York — being led to the confideration of its utility by the French having, two winters ago, iheltered their fliips under works thrown up there. And, as I have already mentioned to your Lordfliip, General Arnold has fince told me, that from tiie defcription given him of it by Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe, he judged 2000 men uould be ample t'ox its defence. From hence, my Lord, I prefume it will appear, that I very early entertained thoughts of a Ration in Chefapeak for large fiiips •, and I referred your Lord*, fliip, in my letter of the 29rh May, to my corrc- fpondence, &c. with General Phillips, in your pof- feffion, for mv ideas on that and other operations which I had in view — leaving you at liberty, how- ever, to follow them or your own, as you judged J i 2 bell i'M^^W^'^ ■'- ■<^. ■ I lit' ' - ' ■-■•,, ... . ' [■ttY'.li.'fc< ; \Wt' a: wiiiiiir 1 ."^44 Letters fiCA)/ S'r IL Clinton^ K, Jh bell, for the KinG:'s fcrvce . laving therefore, after- wards icen by your LorJrhi;-'s difpatches of the 26th of May, that you had confulercd the papers refer- red to ; and thi.t, though you did not think it expe- dient to attend to Mr. Alexander's propofal, and the expedition againd the ftorcs at Philadelphia, you had the fame objedlions to Portfmouth which had been before dated, and was inclined to thi.ik well of York as a proper harbour and place of arms ; I na»- turally concluded that your Lordfliip had entirely concuired with me, not only as to the propriety of laying hold of a naval dation fomewhere on the Wil- liamftnirg Neck, but as to the place. And I of courle fuppoicd, thac yuvn Lordfiiip would fet about eftabliiliing yuuiillf there immediately on your re- turn from Richmond, which I expected would be ia three or four da}-s after the date of your letter. Wherefore, irnagiriing you \sere confiderably advan- ced in your works (for I had no letter afterwards fr:)::.. v'ur Lordihip until the one you honoured me v/i:h of the 3oi:h June) I ventured to folicit you for a part of your force to affilt me in the operations I propofed carrying on in this quarter during the fam- mer months — when thole of the Chefa^ e.ik muft have probably ceafed. And in doing this, as I was r(->ra]ly in the dark with refpect to \\hat was then do- ing in the Chefapeak, I endeavoured, as much as lay in my power, to avoid all pollibillty of interrupting rhc moVwS you miglu be eng.igcd in,, or any object you IS '*l w. I%^^^>p 1:1 cfore, afcer- of th-i 26th apers refer- ink it expe- »fal, and the elphia, you which had lii.ik well of irms i I na»- had entirely propriety of on the Wil- And I of lid fet about m your re- would be in your letter, bly advan- afterwards noured me icit you for aerations I gthe fam- \x.\k muft s, as I was as then do- nuch as lay uerrupting any objeft To Earl Cornzvc'^'j. ■ 2 -1 5 you m'glit have in view — as will, I doubr :■ r, ce nianifclt from the following extracts frco; iv.' ]l{j m to your Lordfliip, which I beg leave t > fubimt onc^ more to your confideration. May aprh. — " I would rather contc^r niyiclf with ever lb bare a dpfcnfive (^until there was an p.ppcarancc of fcrious operation againil mc) tb^n cramp yours in the IcaQ-." June Sth. — " You will fee by Fayette's letter, you have little more oppofed to you, 5cc. — Your l.otdfhip can therefore certainly fpare 2000, and the fooner they come the better, czc. Had it been pof- fiMc for your Lordfljip to have let me know your views and intentions, I fliould not now be at a lofs to judge of the force you might want for your ope- rations. Ignorant, therefore, as I am of tt; ^m, I cnr\ only truil, that as your Lordfnip will fee by the in- cl)rd intercepted letters, my c:'il for ? reinforce- ment is not a wanton one; you "in ic.d me wliat you can fpi're as foon as may be evped lent. For, iliould your l.ordfhip be cngiged in a n;o/c of lucli importance as to r uire the en"iployn,-nt of your whole force; I would by no menis w-fn to darve or obftiu6t it. But in that cafe, would rather endea- vour to wait a little longer, until n:y occafions grow more urgent, or your fituation admi'.s cf your de- taching. Of wifich, however, I requcd to be in- formed wi:.h .\l\ pofuble diipatch." you fSMMMMH«M« ■y>-^ V T^o Earl Cornwallis. 251 rranted, at >r repairing youT fitua- lation, my vas not my y^our Lord- fevere one. of a much ppily com- hc fmallert to comply lem. The ;cute what afterwards r in which convince efore only cen my in- inconveni- laps, was had been t I had no clearly un- is been the to prevent NTON. NUM. NUMBER II. Sir Henry Clinton, K, B. to Earl Cornwallis^ dated New-Tor ky Auguft 27th, 1781. [Received from the Secretary at New-York, November ""' • T9th, 1781.] MY LORD, I had the honour to receive your Lordlhip's letter in cypher of the 17th inltant, by the Swallow dif- patch boat, which arrived here the 23d. In anfwer to which, I muft confefs that I conceived your letter of the 27th ultimo, gave me reafon to fuppofe it was your intention to fend me the troops you could fpare, as foon as you finilhed the evacuation of Portf- mouth ; and I was impatient for their arrival for the reafons I have already communicated to you, as it is probable they would have been of infinite ufe had they come in time. For on the arrival of the two thoufand five hundred raw German recruits which I mentioned in my laft, and in the hope of reinforcement from your Lordlhip, I had aflembled my little army in fuch a manner as to be able to avail myfelf of any opportunity which might be given me by the enemy, who had foraged within ^\ts, miles of my lines on the 17th. This fmall move- ment was made on the 18th, they fell back on the 19th, and paiTed the Croton i afterwards croffed the K k 2 Hudfon *'i >i\ ^, ^?v^< IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // in 1.0 I.I 11.25 lis ^^ *■■ ■" lii 12.2 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STVieET WEBSTER, N.Y. HSSO (716) 872-4503 4^ 252 Letters from Sir H. Clinton ^K.B. Hudfon at KingVfcrry, and are now encamped in the neighbourhood of Chatham. I cannot well afccrtain Mr.Wa(hington*s real inten- tions by this move of his army •, but it is pofllble he means foriheprcfcnt to fufpend his offenfiveoperations againft this poftj and to take a defenHve flation at .1. old poft of Morris-town, from whence he may de- tacn to the fouchward. On this account therefore, and becaufe the feafon is approaching when operation may recCmmencc in the Chefapeak, I requeft your Lordlhip will be pleafcd to keep with you all the troops you have there, and I fhall fend you fuch re- cruits, convalefcents, &c. as can go by this fudden opportunity; which are all th?.t I can at prefent fpare ; as this move of the enemy may be only a feint, and they may return to their former polition, which they certainly will do, if De Gfaflfe arrives. But towards the latter end of next month, when the cfFefts of the equinox are over, (for I am perfuaded the Admiral will not approve of any water move- ments till then) if this poft (bould not be threatened, I propofe to reinforce thfc Chefapeak army with all • -the troops which can pofllbly be fparcd confiftently ^ with the fecurity of this important poft.si- ' * General Leflie has been here fome days, he will himfclf explain to yourLordlliip the caufe of his • '■ coming. I was much concerned to find him in fo * bad a ftatri of health on his arrival, but it is now much altered for the better $ he embarks to-morrow t to •'^ .'A To Earl Cornwallis, HI -fo prooefd w Chcrapeak on his way to Charles- town. If your Lordfliip from your knowledge of the -ilate of South-Corolina, (hould be opinion that any 'troops may be fpared from thence, I beg leave to >. ibggtft that th? fooncr you give orders for their 3 joining you the better. V. < ..i/I have the honour to be, &c. ,qiri:hi»\I -^ 1 r 3i,.- ft CLINTON. ."•1 .■\% If m^wd,..;J^.l^, M B E R III. . Sir Henry Clinton^ K. B, to Earl Cornwailis dated . NfW'Iorky yiugujt 20tb, 1781. ^•CRcccivcd from, the Secretary at New- York, November X _^ . . .• nCi J' 19th, 1781.3 fi», .-, . - I . -{« ' J « » ' T • •( I ■ : t '. • . f* *»i 1 • ■ - 1 "-I • r» •»•■/; -» Jl^' j./k * . * t . , • ,.,,<■ , MY LORD, i,..;iuuai . . . ^ .; '•' ' t anrt this moment honbbrcd with your Lordfliip's • tlifpatchcs of the a6th, 22d, and a4th inftant, - which -were delivered to mt by Lieutenant-colonel ■ Du Buy i and as my letters of the 2d and ayth, - 'have already fpoken very fully to the fubjeft they - chiefly treat of, it becomes unneceffary for me at pre- i^'* » 3 a fcnt Jl i 1' 254 Leiters from Sir H, Clinton^ K. B. fent to give your Lordfhip any further trouble thereon. > • * ' General Leflie will have the honour to communi- cate to your Lordftiip my wiflies refpefting Caro- lina, as I have given him fuch inftruftions relative to the fervice in that quarter, as my prcfcnt limited in- formation enables me to do. However, as I cannot but iiippofe that the operations in Virginia and Ca- rolina, will iVill have a confiderablc connexion with each other, and that your Lordlhip, by applying to the officer commanding the King's (hips, will have the fame means of communication that I (hall -, I muft requeft that you will ftill retain the diredlion of the fouthern diftridl, until I can determine upon it, or fliall find it expedient to comply with your Lord- Ihip's wiihes, which I Ihall not fail to pay the earlieft attention to. For your Lordlljip having hitherto had the entire management of the civil and military tranf- • a<5))Qns in the Carolinas, and being in confequence better qualified than any other perfon to judge of what may be hereafter proper to be done there, it will be neceflary I fhould receive your opinions upon them, btfjorc any cljiange takes place, or 1 can V frame definitive orders for General. Lcflie's guidaijice. , , Your Lordfliip will be therefore pleafcd in ,;hc iiiean time to make fuch additions to the in^ruc- tion!> I have now ^givei^ h^ a^ yogJl^ijH ^iijc- I am • E To Earl Ctrnwallis, 255 ^:> I am concerned to find your Lordfliip under the neceflity of employing \o many troops in working on the fortification ; having entertained hopes that you were lupplied with a fufficient number of Ne- groes for that and other drudgeries. Mr. Wier having informed me that the Commif- fary with your Lordlhip has received your orders to buy rum for the troops ; I have the honour to ac- quaint you, that as there is a confiderable quantity of that article in the (lores here, a fupply of it will be fent you from hence, which will of courfe come cheaper than any that may be purchafed in Vir- ginia. I hope your Lordfliip will find every thing you want fent you by this opportunity, except money, ' of which only ten thoufand pounds can poflibly be fpared at prefent. But, a confiderable fum being '.xpeded by the firft fleet from England, I Ihall on its arrival fend your Lordfliip a further fupply. Sir Samuel Hood arrived here from the Leeward- iflands on the 28th, with fourteen fail of the line, three frigates and a fire fliip -, and has brought with him the fortieth and fixty-ninth regiments to rein- force this army: the latter of which continues to do duty on board the fleet. On the evening of the fame day I received undoubted information that Monfieur Barras' fleet failed from Rhode- ifland the morning of the 25th, their deliination not known. Mr. Wafliington's force (till remains in the neigh- bourhood 25^5 Letters from Sir H Clinton, K. B, bourhood of Chatham, and I do not hear that be has as yet detached to the fouihward. [u:* ^.i ', .'ii I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. P. S. September ift. As your Lordfhip informs me in your letter of the 22d, that the works you have thought proper to conftruft at York, will not pro- bably be finiflied before the expiration of fix weeks, I am to fuppofe you will not think of commencing folid operations before that time. Therefore unlefs Mr. Walhington (hould fend a confidcrable part of his army to the fouthward, I (hall not judge it ne- ceffary until then to detach thither. I (hould wi(h, however, in the mean time to be informed from your Lx)rG(hip what number of troops you think will be required for the defence of your works, what force you will afterwards have to take the field with, and what you will want in addition j fup- pofing that you (hall not have a greater force afting againft you in Virginia, than what may be expected from thcprcfent appearances. ' '' ' ^^ '^ *''- ' il^«> *»ik' , " » :"'.'. . ! '. -r-it \ Vh.> ilViA 1 • r ♦ I ' .. ; ; v.. :" N y M. -fif 'r.r 'J'"' • * ' • 1 . ' -\ .■.^.^^^, tr ; . , :^t Y .:Pi f. .<>! ... • io Lord CorftzVall'iJ, ^S7 N U M B E R IV. Sir Henry Clinton^ K, B. to Earl Cornwallis, date! New-Turk^ OQober 14, 178 1. [Received from the Secretary atNcw-York, Nov. 29, 1 78 r. j MY LORD, I HAD the honour to receive your Lordihip's letter of the 29th ult. on the 8th inftant, and that of the 3d on the 12th inftant, and am happy to hear that mine of the 24th and 25th have reached you. At a council of war of the General officers, held on the loth inftant, it was rcfolved I (hould fubmit the three following plans to your Lordfliip's confi- deration. They occurred to us as fccondary obje^is only, (in cafe we (hould find it abfolutely impradbi- cable to go dircftly up to York ; or, by landing at Monday's point, effe<5^ a junftion with you by the Gloucefter fide) and be thereby obliged to try James river. R T, To land at Newport-News, and the troops to ad- vance from thence on the James river road to fome favourable pofition, in communication with that river, when we are to wait until we hear from vour Lordfliip, or circumftances may make it proper for L I ' U5 1' 258 Letters from Sir H, Clinton , K, B. us to co-operate with you in efFe<5Hng a junfbion of the two armies, which we at prcfcnt think will be beft clone without your lines, in preference to an ar- tempt of doing ic within, for reafons we think ob- vious. SECOND. To attempt a jundion with you by a combined move, — we moving up James river to James town, and your Lordfhip up the York river to either Queen's creek or Cappahofick ferry, and effe^b the jun\5^ion as near Williamfburg as we can ; thereby putting ourfclves in a fituation to attack the enemy, fhould it be thought adviieable. fi I R D. To fave as great a part of your Lordfliip's corps as jx)flible, by bringing them off to James town, and a naval force will be ready to protecfl them. This we think may be done by our fjivingjcaloufy to the enemy from Newport News or Mulberry ifland, whilll your Lordlhip moving up the river with as many troops as your boats will carry, or marching up the Gloucefter fide, crofles the river, and lands either at Queen's creek or Cappahofick, and makes the beft of your way to James town. The above is our opinion of what is beft to be done in cafe we do not hear from your Lordftiip. Bur, fhould we receive other ideas from you, we ihall of courfe be governed by them. By # to Earl CornwalUs, 259 By this your Lordflilp will perceive, our wiflu's are to efFcdt the jundtion firft by York, — next by Gloucefter, — and, in cafe cither of ihefvi are abfo- lutely impracticable, by the James river. — Firft landing at Newport News, and taking a pofition ready to co-operate with your Lordlhip, in cafe you fhould recommend a combined effort to effedl -a junction that way ; or to endeavour to effe6t it near Williamlburg, the two armies moving up the James and York rivers about the fame time, we landing at James town, and your Lordfliip where you judge belt ; and when our junction is formed, bring on a general action with the enemy, fhould that on confulration be thought ad- vifeable. But in cafe all thcfe Ihould fail, our laft objeft will be to fave as many of your Lordfliip's troops as we can, and leave the poft at York after* wards to make the beft terms they can for them- felves. The Torbay and Prince William having arrived on the nth, our fleet at prefent confifts of twenty- five fail of the line and two fifties, with a lacge number of frigates. They are now ready, and \ cxped we Ihall certainly fail in a day or two. P. S. Od. 15. — Had the wind been fair to- day, the fleet would have fallen down to the Hook, but J expeifl the whole will fail to-morrow, Ft S. By # iT 26o Later i from Sir H. Clint on » K, B. ^c. P. S. By the duplicate, London, at the Hook, Oc^l. 1 8.— The fleet is aflertibled, the troops cm- barked on board, and the whole will go to fea, if the wind continues fair, to-morrow morning, as the tide will not fuit before. The Admiral and I in- treat that we may receive all pofTible information from you and the Commodore, of your fituation, and the exa(5l pofition of the enemy's fleet, to meet us off cape Charles. I was honoured with your Lord(hip*s letter of the 11th on the i6th inftant. 1 have the honour to be, &c. I W H. 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