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Les diagrammes sulvants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 \ 0f^fn$i^t. iiif fpip wf^sss^ mp "■f.f*^^*^\ 'w:w y=w#'" !Pf. ! / NARRATIVE / O F ^' J I.IEUTENANT GENERAL 4 Sir HENRY CLINTON, K. p. ii' \ : « ■ •WiJM rii 1 1<| » mub iii K . rt i ^ i' M' (*«-<*' '■•■»i; V rssm ^^mm SW==T=3=«" ''lM'-\ \:,- 1 'i ■■' t' '--i■^";,^;;-■'^,':■'- .. ■ii';, 0, ■.,.'-' ■■'•.>, ■■;',<;'l, :? ..•..T if;Hi. f 5l'i4'iH ^:mH f' »^»*-^ibi m i» » . ;-^^JMti iiti iai>ifilia*i ■■^^■^■^•■**-* N»..-'| ?T-^ mmmi NARRATIVE •M / OF /- LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K. B. RELATIVE TO HIS CONDUCT . ■.•'■', DiU RING ■ f ' ' ■ ■■ ^ ■' ' ' ■ PART OF HIS COMMAND OF THE KING'S TROOFS ■■-■■■■ IN- - ■ . ' - . . ; NORTH A M E R I C Aj '■ Particularly to tha^ which r^fpefts the unfortunate Iffue of the Campaign in i-jii. ' ;:A; .-^■- WITH AN , ■'; • V Z " -.- APPENDIX, CONl AININO Copies smd Extracts of thofe Parts of his Correfpondence WITH :";.■'•-•- ^'^-^^ ;,• LORD GEORGE GERMAIN, EARL CORNWALLIS, REAR ADMIRAL GRAVES, &c. Which are referred to therein. '^^^^ V \- . , o LONDON: Printed for J, Debrett (fucceffor to Mr. AtwON) oppofite Burlington-houfe, Piccadilly, 1783, \^^r' ■*(i1- V, , ■.•••»> mm 'A '>*• » I ^ ♦4. » » * ,■ .^.» «i .^ .,4 ^..^ .: i.- y, .■ i ,-■? ',■■/, i ' s ' , ^ ^ ■ ? '^f .^\ » ■ ' ::/' ^'■, f • -^ ' ■* -At \>. . yf::jt. 'i.: ' * < . li C) "/ , --f J^^ J*- ;> - : v.- ^ / ^^w ( , » «« V *. ,.' .-XT Fl r% ^ r 1 "■i,_'*-ty' ERRATA. > * •Page. Line. Iln tfic note, 8, .3, 1 78 1, vice 1 78a. 13, i2, «/Afr, vice McA. 24, i^j/rotcii/j' before ir, at the bcginnii^ ,' ' of the line. ^46, 16, tbeify y'lcc thus, ^2, ao, fcsff. after accampl't/htd, i I ): ■^'"■.fi-'Vip'J^^ ,mj»j i*Mi.. it ; and that many perfons had, in confe- ^iieiice, admitted impreffions to my preju- .,?oa B duce. .\i3^,itvi'«^^^„ [«p ■t ..V . l; > •■ '.'1, r> H.,, , J- .i -., ■ „ /^ . > rJ :..F ;v.^ ■.«'■, (Vfigt' v' "■* • .><:^' < v« <~^..^, -":■* ■,-■;,•,■: ■r-'K'/^y:-^'^*-:- --.'^i y- Tj^^Z ■ j"^™^ *^^ . trji* «?*<*■ :- » .*i ■..- -.M*iMi ; ) i*»iwi^»r»'^j^"if»»i^i»^rw^^p « > i», > r 1 N A R R A T I V E O F LIEUTENANT GENERAL 1- '•"f'<,'*i\'«i ' v«: Sir henry CLINTON, &c. :.=! (*:'« r T) EING confcious, that during my com- "■^ mand in North America, my whole conduct was actuated by the moft ardent zeal for the King's fervice, and the interefta of the public, I was exceedingly mortified, when I returned to England, after a fervice of feven years in that country, to find that cr'-oneous opinions had gone forth refpe6ling k ; and that many perfons had, in confe- quence, admitted impreflions to my preju- i B duce. I t^ I! J 'f-k-idf.-i f;,! ; I. ■>- „ ..;■,;•<.,* t^H'tr l But I arrived here fo late in the feffion, that I was advifed to defer it ; and it was judged that the gracious reception I had juft met with h^m my Sovereign rendered an immediate explanation unnecelTary. I was i^-'ilv^' ':, 4' . ' V,., , ,;, ■ . ., not, ',» ♦ J^ -^ ifl^ ■ . §^''~. ■■' ,l..,,*'^# J. . ■ ( 3 ) not, however, apprifcd to what degree the public prejudice had been excited againfl me elfe, I (hould probably have been In- duced to have taken an earlier opportunity of offering to Parliament what I have to fliy on the fubje£t. But the late change in pub- lic aiTairs, furniihing fo much more impor- tant matter for their deliberation, deprived me of the opportunity 1 thought I (hould . have had : and, as by the prefent recefs it is probable that I may not be able to exe- cute my intentions before a late period, when perhaps peculiar circumftances might force me through delicacy to decline it, I beg leave to lay before the public the following plain Narrative, which will, I truft, remove prejudice and error. I have much to regret that, when this bufincfs was dl. luffed in the Houfe of Lords laff: feflion of Parliament, the whole of my correfpondence, with the late American Miuiffer, Lieutenant General Earl Corn- B 2. . vvallis^ -^i < '^ J:-^',:,::' ■: '•I- I . ( ♦ ) : , V. wallis, and the Admirals commanding on the Weft-India and American ftations, was not produced, or at leaft fuch parts thereof as, being neceffary to explain my condud, might have appeared confiftently with ftate policy. Becaufe the letters which compofe that correfpondence, being written to the moment as events happened, are certainly the moft faithful records of my actions and intentions ; and arc confequently the clear- eft, faireft, and moft unexceptionable tefti- monies I can adduce in their fupport. I hope, therefore, I Ihall ftand exculpated from the neceflity of the cafe, for any im- propriety there may be in my annexing to this letter fuch of them as I may judge moft requifite for that purpofe. Three of , them indeed will, I prefume, be found very material, (Appendix No. IX.) as they con- tain my anfwers and obfervations upon Lord Cornwallis's letters of the 20th of Odober and 2,d of December on the fubjed of V the :,,■ ■: *•■: Wiil&i' \ the unfortunate conclufion of the liift cam- paign in the Chefapeak ; whiG|h latter I , am forry to obferve, were given to the public, while mine in anfwer were with- held from it ; — 1 hope without defign. . , Although I never dared promife myfelf that any exertions of mine, with my very reduced force (nearly on>third lefs than that of my predeceflbr) could bring the war to a happy conclufion ; yet I confefs that the campaign of 1781 terminated very dif- ferently from what I once flattered my- felf it would ; as may appear, by the fub- \ joined extrafts of letters, written in the be- ginning of that year, * and which were tranA »»?. :.'ir ' "^ •.',1'' :U . » V i ., '':!'■ ♦ " I am mod exceedingly concerned, my LoFd, at the very unfortunate affair of the 1 7th of January, (Cow- per's.) I confefs I dread the confequencc. But my hope is, as it ever will be, in your Lordfhip's abilities and cxcrti'^ns. I have much to lament, that P jadier- general Arnold's projcded move in favour of your Lordflnjj's • > ■»:' \"f7. . ( 6 ) tranfmittcd to the Minifter. I was led, however, into theie hopes, more by the . ijppavent dlftrefies of the enemy than any material fuccefles we had met with. The plan I had formed for the campaign of 1 78 1, (upon tlie expedation of a rein- forcement LordlTiip*f operations will have been ftopt by the appearance of the French (hips. Difcontcnt runs high in Connetlicut. In fliort, my Lord, there feems little wanting to give a mortal llab to rebellion, but a proper reinforcement and a permanent fuperiority at fea for the next campaign j without which any enter- prize depending on water movements muft certainly /ua great riik. Until Colonel Bruce arrives, I am uncer- tain what reinforcements are intended for this army. The Minifter has however aflured me, that every poffiblc e:icertion will be made." — Letter from Sir Henry Clin- . m to Lord Cornwallis, March 5, 1781. ** I cannot fufficiently exprefs my extreme joy at read- ing Wafliington's letter. It is fuch a defcription of diftrefs, as may fervc to convince, that with a tolerable reinforcement from Europe, to enable your Excellency to determine on an pflTenfive campaign, the year 1781 , may >A foVccment from Europe — from the Weft- Indies — and from the Southward Rafter ope« ration fliould ceafe in that quarter) — added 10 what I might be able to fpare at the time from the fmall force under my immediate command at New- York) was calculated to make a fair and folid effort in favour of our friends — in a diftridl where I had fome rea- (on to believe they were numerous and hearty; and where I judged it might be made with little danger, even from a temporary naval fupetiority of the enemy. This plan had been fuggefted to the Minifter in the year 1780, and more particularly ex- plained to him In 1781 ; notwithftanding 5vhich a preference was glvieii to another, (Appendix, No. I.) which feemed to be ■ .'fi|; ;?■•■■; !;i!3, fi. .";:.3iS^&i' '...ti ,:?;»,' forced may probably prove the glorious period to your conmaud In America, by putting an end to the reballion.'* — Letter from Major-general Phillips to Sir H. Clinton, Portfmouth, Virginia, April 16, 1781. ■!t»' ■ i j> ■">::'■;( i:> ft'^,.-V; , "■ '.^;- l:'^-^ 11 •'. ' :\ ••/•■ i r . y. . ■'•-«'" ■■■■■■,. ( 8 ) ■;-;■ '■.■■^■.-'■•^ forced (Appendix, No. II.) upon me by Lord Cornwallls*3 quitting the Caroiinas, where I had left him in the command, and marching into Virginia ; a meafure, I muft fay, determined upon without my approba- tion, and very contrary to my wiflies and intentions. The Minider dire^ed me to fup- port Lord Cornwallis and folid operation ia Virginia ; the danger of which, without a covering fleet, I had conftantly reprefentcd to him. He repeatedly and pofltively pro- inifed me a covering fleet ;* and when the Admiral • Extra£k» from Lord George Gctmain*$ letters to Sir Henry Clinton : April 4, i78|. "The htenefs of the feafonwilT, I imagine, prevent Monf. Dc Graffe^S undertaking any thing againd the King's polTelfions in the Weil Indies. But it is probable, as foon as he has thrown fupplies into the feveral iilands, he will proceed to North America^ and join the French forces at Rhode Ifland, and cnde^^ Tovr to reTiTQ tbc- eypiiing caufe of rebellion. But a^ > tfa ansa HTrr: :'• r,.^ ( , ) ■ :■ Admiral arrived with the naval reinforce- ment from the Wefl-lndies, he was clearly of Sir George Rodney's force is little inferior to liis, and he will be watchful of his motions, I am not apprehen- Cve he will give him time to do you any material in- , jury before he comes to your fuccour." May 2,1781. " And as Sir George Rodney will bring you three more regiments from the Leeward Iflands before the hurricane months, the augmentation of your ibrce muft, I (hould think, be equal to the utmofl of yourwifhes." July 7, 1781. ** The arrival of the reinforcement vriU, I hope, enable you to proceed immediately in the execution of your purpofe, without waiting for the three regiments from the "Weft Indies ; for I do not ex- * pe£k they will join you before the feafon for offcnfive operations there is over j when, I have reafon to be- lieve, the French fleet will pulh for North America, ' and Sir George Rodney will certainly follow them, to prevent them from giving you any interruption in your operations." July 14, 1781. "The purpofe of the enemy was long known here, and Sir George Rodney has been ap- prifed of it, and will certainly not lofe fi^ht of Monf. c I>e 1 Pi i .^■,>aJ*l.i-i isA;^ ( 10 ) of opinion himfelf, and of courfe convinced me, that he had brought that covering fleet. (Appendix, No. III.) Therefore, as Admi- ral Graves's fquadron was acknowledged to be fuperior to that under Monfieur de Barras, ■■' ' \ ".;; ,,, ... .: -. I..'- I could '•\ ' De Graffc. The very proper ftcp you took of tranf- mitting him copies of the letters you had intercepted, muft confirm him in the refolution he had taken in con- fequence of the former intelligence. But a9 in a mat*, ter of fo great moment, no precaution (hould he omittedn' or poflible contingency unguarded againft, extracts of the intercepted letters will be fent to him from hence,, and precife inflruftions given to him to proceed diredlly to North America, whenever Monf. De Grafle quits the Leeward Iflands." July 24, 1781. « And I truft, that as Sir George ■Rodney knows De Grafle's dcftination, and the French . acknowledge his fliips fail better than their's, that he will get before him, and be in readinefs to receive hinj^, when he comes upon the coaft." September 25, 1781. "I truft, before the end of Auguft, Sir Samuel Hood will have been with you, and that after his juntSlion with Admiral Graves our fu- . periority at fea will be preferved." ^ WCTWW , ' -v ( " ) I could not but fuppofe that the arrival of Admiral Dlgoy (hourly expedbed) would give us a moft decifive naval fupcriority. — And here, perhaps, it may not be improper to remark, that though the Minifter diredts me» by his letters of the 2d of May, and 6th of June, to rtdopt folid operation in Virginia, he fignifies to me his Majefty*8 approbation of my own plan, in a fubfequent letter of the 14th of July, telling me at the fame time, that *• he has not the leall doubt Lord ** Cornwallis will have fully feen the rea- *' fonablenefs of it, and has executed it with " his wonted ardor, intrepidity, and fuc- «« cefs." • Under thefe circumftances, and with tTiefe p.iTurances, I never could have the moft diftant idea that Mr. Wafhington had the leaft hopes of a fuperior French fleet in the Chefapeak ; andl confequentlynever could fuppofe that he would venture to go there. But if he (hould, I was fatisfied from the rcafons already C % fiated ^' ;, ,'■ -■■■ ^ ■ ■■■- ' imnp \ ^ ( 12 ) ftated, that I fhould be able to meet hlai there with every advantage on my fide, by having the command of the waters of that bay — wit? out which he could not poflibly feed bis army. This opinion has been aifo fmce confirmed by a letter from him to Count Dc Graflc, dated 26th of September 1 78 1, (No. IV. Appendix) wherein he tells him, if he quits the Chefapeak, the enemy will certainly get poflefiion of it, and he muft dilband his army. Had my correfpondenee been produced. It would have appeared from it, and the re- turns accompanying it, that inftead of feventeen, tv/enty, nay twenty-four thouf- ■ and men, which it has been reported I had . at New York (after the very ample rein- forcements as the Minifter acknowledges (No. V. Appendix) which I had fent to the Southward) I had not 12,000 elFedlives, and of thefe not above 9,300 fit for duty, re- gulars and provincials. But had I had twice 4 >■« IV" ■HHM 5* ( '3 ) . twice that number, I do not know that, after leaving fufficient garrifons in the iflands and pofts depending (which it is ad- mitted by all would take 6000) I could, as has been inlinuated, have prevented the jun£lIon between Monf. Rochambeau and Ge- neral Wafhington, which was made in the highlands, at leall: 50 miles from me; or that I could have made any dire<5t move againft their army when joined (confifling then of at leaft 11,000 men, exclufive of militia, aflfembled on each fide the Hudfon) with ^AyCfcuu any profpecft of folid advantage from it. Or: if I had as many reafons to believe that Mr,. Wafhington would move his army into Virginia without a covering French fleet, as 1 had to think he would not; I could not have prevented his paffing the Hudfon under cover of his forts at Verplanks and Stoney Points. Nor (fuppofing I had boats properly manned) would it have been ad- vifeable to have landed at Elizabeth town, in ( «+ ) in the face of works which he might cafily have occupied (as they were only fevea miles from his camp at Chatham) without fubjeding my army to be beat, en detail. Nor could I, when informed of his march towards the Delaware, have pafled an army in time to have made any impreflion upon him before he crofled that rive^. But with my reduced force, any attempt of the fort would have been madnefa and folly in the extreme. With what might pofllbly be fpared from fuch a force, nothing could be attempted except againft detachments from Mr. Wafh- ington*s army, or (when reinforced in a fmall degree) againft fuch of it*s diftant ma- gazines as might occafionally happen to be unguarded. Two of the latter olFered, one againft Philadelphia, which I certainly fhould have attempted in July, had Lord Corn- wallis fpared me any part of 3000 men ; ^ut as his Lordihip f^emed to think he ui could ( "5 y could not hold the ftatlons we both thought eligible, if he fpared me any part of the force with him, 1 was obliged to relinquifli this defign. The other much more im- . portant, was againft Rhode Ifland. I had dllbovered by intercepted letters from all the French Admirals and Generals, that Count Rochambeau*s army had marched from Rhode Ifland to join Mr. Wafliington at the White Plains ; that their battering train and ftores for fiege were left at Providence under little more than a militia guard ; and that their fleet remained in Rhode Ifland" harbour with orders, as foon as repaired, to retire to Boflon for fecurity. By private in- formation, which I had at that time, 1 found alfo that the works at Rhode Ifland were in a great meafure dlfmantled, and had only a few invalids and militia to guard them, and that they were both there and at Providence' under great apprehenfions of a vifit from us. From other motives as well as my own knowledge of thefe pofts, I had the ftrongefl;-' reafott \* > '1 \ ,'i, >■ S 1- I Ha ( '6 ) reafon to cxpe£k the fulleA fucccfs to an at- tempt agalnd them, and I therefore immedi- ately propofed to Admiral Graves a joint ex- pedition for that purpofe ; which he readily confented to. It was accordingly agreed between us, that it ihould be undertaken as foon as he could aiTemble his fleet, and a fmall reinforcement (hourly expelled) (hould arrive from Europe. The reinforcement joined me on the nth of Augufl, and the Admiral (who had failed on a cruife) having returned to the coad on the 1 6th, I immediately renewed my propofal, (Ap- pendix, No. VI.) The Admiral inform- ed me in anfwer, that he was under the ne- ceffity of fending the Robufte to the yard to be reHtted, and that he ihould take the op- portunity while that was doing of (hifting a maft or two in the Prudente ; and when thofe repairs were accompliflied, he would give me timely notice, (Appendix, No. VII.) The (hips were not ready on the. 28th ; Sir Samuel Hood, however, arnving 4 ^ 4i> ( '7 ) Oil that day, I immediately ordered the troops to be embarked ; and going to the Admirals on Long Ifland, 1 propofcd to them that the expedition (houUl iudniitly tftkc place : but receiving intelligcucc that eveiung that Moniieur De Biirrns had failed Qt\ tiie 25th, It was of courfc ftoppccl. ThuSj to the Admirals great mortification and my own, was luH: an opportunity of making the moO; important attempt that had offered the "whole war. /biii iir:A « rnfflftio.! fc)'/•;« ?• Early in September, to my great furprlfe, (for I flill confidered our fleet as fuperlor) hearing that Mr. Waflilngton was decidedly marching to the fouthwaad, I called a couDtjlof all the general officers, who una- nimoTjfly fcdnCurred with me In opinion, that the only way to fuccour Earl Cornwallis was to go to him in the Chelapeak. Although I had every reafoa to difapprove of Eiarl Crrnwallis's march into VirgLtiia, without eoj^fulting me^ (at the rilk of en- D gaging iii?n ..v»> I ^1 » '.'I >V..M^ r: I .1 '( ■» ■) . ■«■ ""v J", "'.■'':'• '*^' - > i \ ■ /I - \ \ ' I ', ■ ',*- ,.- ^A.»- , ( '9 ) adopt. And that letter, which I did not re- ceive till September, fouud me deeply and dangeroufly engaged in the operation he had forced me into. ^,v*..^, fv . r > , vAnd here, perhaps, it may be proper to give the renfons which induced me to retortir ^0iA/^^.ypi • -.7 fUul-.,.., .';•. mend cefs of fome extraordinary entcrprlzc can give vigour and adlivity to their caufe *, and I confefs I am well pleafed that they have fixed upon New York as the objc£l to be attempted, as I have not the leafl doubt but that the troops you had remaining with you, after the ample reinforcements you fb judicioufly fent to the Chefapeak, would be fully fufficient under your com- mand to repel any force the enemy could bring againd you. I cannot clofe this letter, without repeating to you the very great fatisfa£lion your difpatch has given me i and my mod entire and hearty coincidence with you in the pUm you have propofed to Lord Cornwallis, for diftrefling the rebels, and recovering the fouthern provinces to the King's obedience. And as his Lord- fliip, when he received your letters of the 8th and 1 1 th of June, will have fully feen the reafonablenefs of it, I have not the lead doubt but his Lordfliip has executed it with his wonted ardor, intrepidity, and fuccefs. ii \ ! ■*» W m«nd to Lord (^ortiwallis to fecurc a tiaval ftation for larg* {hips, if one could be foKnd that was capable of being fortified and main- tained againfl s temporary fuperiority of the enemy at fea, agreeable t6 the inftrudions which I had before given to General Phil- lips, and which were of courfe to be now confidered as fuch to his Lordihip, (Ap- pendix, No. X.) ■ ; :,^li^'-:^ tst^f Although I ought not to have apprehend- ed that the enemy could have had a fuperi* ority at fea, after the aflurances I had re- ceived from the Minifter, L yet always wifhed to guard againfl; even a poffibility of it. Finding, therefore, by Lord Corn- wallis's letters, that on his arrival in th© Chefapeak, he had no plan of his own to propofe, and that he did not incline to follow the one I had offered to his con- q fi'deration, I recommended the taking a. r^% fpe^lable defenfive ftation either at Williamf- burg, or York {the latter of which his ^it^fimmr .f^^r ^7t» Lordfhip 'i 'Mt ■i-t:m:_ »«.--i-- -t wiim»'i iwtmfm sOi.^ *it .'.;v: \ ., ( " ) •:■ • „;; Lordfhip had informed me in a letter, . dated a6th of May, he was inclined, from thp repbrts which had been made to him, to. think well of as a nav^l ilation and place of arms) and left his Lordfliip at liberty to keep all the troops he had in Virginia, Ya^nounting to about feven thou fand men). But thinking that ho might well fpare three thoufand; I dcfired be woUld keep all that were - neceffary for a refpeftable defenfive, and defultory water movements^ and fend me of three thoufand men all he could. His Lordfliip mifconceiving my intentions (as will, 1 truft, be manifeft to whoever, reads our correfpondence) and confidering my call for three thoufand men as uncon- ditional, tells me that he could not with the remainder keep York and Gloucefter ; and that he fliould, therefore, repafs James- river and go to the ftation at Portfmouth. Which refolution (I confefs) furprifed me. .■4^-^iv \ a': ^''tS-j^fciC i9 I • I. I I !,*" i I j ■^■m.- h pp"i«p f» * 1 « ( " )' is he had a litlc before, in the letter above quoted, reprefented that poft as unhealthy, and requiring an army to defend it. On receipt of his Lordftiip*s letter, I inamedi- ately confultcd the Admiral, who was o£ of opinion, that a naval ftation for large ihips was abfolutely neceffary, and recom- mended Hampton-road. Therefore in my ktter of the nth July, I directed his Lordlhip to examine and fortify Old Point Comfort, which the Admiral and I thought would cover that Road, and in which there had been a fort for that purpofe for fifty years, thopgh probably then in ruips. But his Lordfliip informing me I'i his letter of the 27th of July, that it was the opi- niori of the captains of the navy, the engineers, and himfelf, that any works crefted on Old Point Comfort, " might ** be eaiily deftroyed by a fleet, and would " not anfwer the purpofe; and that " therefore, according to the fpirlt of my ** orders, • '«-/ ltd piiaM«a ^ ( 23 ) ^* orders, lie {hoiild fcize York and Glou* ** cefter, as the only harbour in which he •* coyld hope to be able to giveeff^£lual pro- " te< ( 24 ) nioh of York, and Gloucefter, after his cft« \ giiicer had made a moil exaft furvey, which he told me he was employed in, ?ak\ of which 1 cxpefted a copy, as his LordHilp had before lent me of the one taken of Old Point Com- fort. But not receiving theic from his Lord- fhip, I naturally concluded that the poll of York and Gloucefter was fuch as his Lord- fhip and the Commodore approved; efpeci- ally, as his Lordlhip, in his letter of the 22d of Auguft, was pleafcd to l^iy, "the '*■ engineer has iininied his furvey and exa- *' mination of this place, (York) and has '* propofed his plan for fortifying it ; which " appearing judicious, I have* approved, and ** direded to be executed.** And in the fame letter it was farther implied, that through the exertion of the troops, the works would jriroo^^f-t'^^^f y^^^ tolerably complete in about frix weeks from that period : and from his faying alfo in the fame letter, "'I will not venture to "^ takij .^ . -•io«r;r-ju:.>«f a ti «. J sis:, -=^-* ■■>•"' -rrra ( 2J ) '• take any ftep that might retard the efta- " biiihlng this poft. But I fetjueft that your " Excellency will p\6^{e to decide Whether ** it is mod inijJortarit for youf plaiis, that i *' detachment of a thoufand or twelve hun- '* dred men (which I think I can fpare from *• every other purpofe but that of labour) '* iliould (>e fent toyoufronl hence, or that the *r whole of the troops here fliould continue ** to be emJ)loycd in expediting the works,") I n^tu^ally concluded that his Lordihip had iiotonly fj^fficieht.to complete his works by the tinie he mentioned^, but that he could fpare that numiber froixl.the defence of them afterwards* His Lofd(hip*s letter of the 29th of September moreover told me, ** 1 have no »* dcfubt, "if relief arrives in any reafonable " time; that both York and Glouceftef will *« be in pofleflion of his Majcfty's troops;'* andagriiji, that of the 3d of Oaober, " My ** works arc in a better ftate of defence than E ** we f ;*t i ^ ■■■ ( 26 ) ^ «* wc had rcafoii to hope-" la ihort, I. thinfc hift I^rdi^lp. appears to h^ve. implied 'in alt l)is letters, (except tl^at of j ^hp i.7tb of Sep-* tember, the day be he«ri from Liev)ten0r>« Con\i^'ay of the navy, lliat Mowf. De Gr^ff^i by tbe ju/>aiou of Mpiif^^r 4«5aFf,aft,^ ha^ thirty-fiv.c or thirty-lix. fj^il<>f tjicline) that? he could hpld ©ot a& lotig ,a3 his pr6vifibi>a lailed'—- which was,' by his Lxjrdfhip*s owix calculation, to the endof Oj^ber st lea^^ Frrim allthefe cii^cumftances, T had fliat- tered myfelf, that the x^orfcs at^VrdCormvalliS at York, I was imdcr no apprehenlibiis for his Lordfhip before the latter end of that inonth; as l could not conceive th^t the enemy could' poUibly bring againft hin» fucb : ^ ■/ I .^^6^-i ^ji«^u..: V ^'^ ( ^7 ) fiich ft powerful battering train nft would de- molifli his defences (fuch as I had reafon to hope' they would be) in (o &ort k fpace of time as rtiA6 or ten days, • Although I never gave Lord Cornwallis affurances tjf the exertions of the navy before my letter of the 24th of September^ when I did it in cpnfequen.ee (if a council of war, c^m- pofcd jof f^ag and general officers ; I Certainly never gaye nis J^ordlhip the leaft reafon Co ■fuppofe they would not be made ; as I always took it for granted, before Admiral Graves's letter to me of the 9th of September, that our fleet was fuperior to that of the enemy, ^ Nor, indeed, did I know b«fore I received J^rd Cornwallis's letter of the 17th, (which was hot until the 23d of September) tjiat tire , tncmy had thirty-fix fail of the line, or tha^ Moniieur dc Barras had not already joined Monfietlr de Graflc before the adion of the 5th of September. But even againll this it was, the Admirals ipcnonty, great I : ? ■■m^n Si wer5 .( »8 ) ■ were c^ear^y of opinion, that a joint attempt ihould be made by us to fuccourthe fleet and army in the Chefapeak. I certainly, there- fore, never could h^ve hinted to his Lord- ship that; ^heir exer^ion^ y^P^M fiot be made. Tlie whqje of thfs matter may, J fhink, bo fummed up as follows ; . Lord Cornwallis*s march into Virginjjj, without confu|ting |iis Commander in Chief, forced us into fojid operation in that province. Beinjg th^re'^ as l)i^ lyordfliip pould not fub- lift his army withoijt [laving a pl^ce of arnas to cover his magazines, ^c. ^c .^c. it be- came abfohitely ncqeflary to fix 9n fonie healthy ^nci refpedable (lation^" that could be made fecure againil a temporary fuperj- ority of the enemy at fea j ' and York and (jloucefler fecm to have • {)een originally thought of by |!^r4 CornwaHJs, and ap- proved by me. for that purpofe. But by his Lordfhip's mifconceiving . pny orders, he Quitted the Neck of York, and copfequeutly % «■• '••ti >■ '.i' ( '9) •■i-,. fclin(iulj(h.e4 every idea of occupying thojfc pofts. §0011 afterwards, the Admiral think- ing a n«7y^l ^a^i.Qa for large (hips abfolutely ;ieccflary, a^id recom.mcnding Humptou ^oad, I dire<^ed Lord Cornwallis to examine and fortify Qld Po/nf Coijifort in James Ri- ver ; but l^s ^rdQiip not approving of that Ration; piad^ choice of York and Gloucefler. ^; I perfedlly agree with Lord Cornwallis, jthai to abandon }ii$ po0s, after he had once fixed himfe^f, (although by doing fo he might faye j^art pf hi$ <^fn>)y} would have j)eeii difgra|cef!4l, pay, perhaps fatal to our fd'ture prpfpej^j of ^abli(hment in the Chp- |apeak, wl>efi fi^h a ipeafure fhou^d ^e au- f horifed by a covering fleet, Bup eyen tliat misfortune, gf:eat ^s it may Ijp rcprefented, would have bceq preferable tq the one which }iappened; an4 therefore I told his Lord- ^ip, in a couverfation I had with him be- fore I fent his letter of the 20th of October ^^ ^e printed at New York, I had conceived ^1 I •> ?! ^! )' ( 30 ) h&pts, that between the time of the French ileet*s arriving in the Chefiipcftk, and his re- cxiiving information froni me that Sir Samuel Hood had joined Mr. Graves^ which was not until the I jth of September, or between that time and the jinvftion of Mr.'Walhingtou with the Marquis Dc la Fayette, when his Lordfhip heard from Lieutenant Conway of the navy, that the enemy were thirty^fix fail Df the line, he would have tried to efcapc with part of his army to the fouthward; a (lep which certainly would have been jufti- fiable, although in the converfation alluded to, his Lordfhip did not item to think it would, unlefs I had given him afluranCes that the navy could not attempt to fuccour him ; which slTurances, however^ I cer* tixinly could riot poflibiy have givfen him. If, therefore. Lord CornWallis's letter of the aoth of O£lob':r, giving ^n account of the unfortunate conclufion of the campaign, by the furr^nder of York Town, (Appendix, > f No, >■'■-■ — / ( 3« ) No. VIII.) could cv«r have bocn undcrftood to imply that the pofls of York and 01oa« ccftcr were not his Lordlhip's owa choice, ill preference to Old Point Comfort, which I h;id recommended to him ; or that I had ever received information from his LordHiip, that the ground at either was unfavourable, till the day before he had offered to capitu- late ; or that I had ever given him any affu- *ances of the exertions of the navy, before aiyi letter; to him of the 24th of September^ which he acljinowledges he did not receive till the a^h; or that any affurauces what* foever given by me could have prevented his attacking the Mafquis De la Fayette, before Mr. W^fljington joined rhat Gtneral, which waj.oni Uio 27th of September; I am per- fuad^d it will appear that thofe implications are not founded on any orders I gave hiti Lordlhip, and cannot be fupported by any part of our correfpondence. And as I took an opportunity of teUing his Lordfhip the *(x i " ' lame. h^ ] ^ \ II f T ( 32 ) r-: lame, in a Letter I fent him before he failed from New- York, dated the 2d and loth^ of December (which letter,' however, didP not appear when this part of our cbrre- ff)onclence wa^ produced before the Houie of Uords) I cunnot doubt his hordihxp U convinced that what I thereiii aflferted id rights -^ i-Ji^i^o bfiii ' • : . i * Lord Cornvi^allis was pleafed to tell ni6 that his letfer of the 20th of 0i;'; I 1,/f I have to lament that thefe exertions could not have been made in time. '^U « the Admirals feemed of opinion at the coun- cil of war of the 2J.th September that there was every reafon to hope rhat the fleet would be ready to fail on the jth of Odo- ber. The troops intended for tne expedi- tion had been for fome time in readinefs to embark, and did actually do fb early id October. It feemed alfo to be the general opinion of the Admirals, that tJie enemy, although fuperior in number, could not ob- ftrudt the channel to York-river, fo as to prevent the paflage of our fleet, much lefs both paflages of the Chefapeak. Could the froops, which embarked under my immedi- ate command, have been put on (hore on the Gloucefter fide, a jun»ftion with the part of Lord Cornwallis's corps on that lide '•,"'"'■■''■ ^■'•':F':-'':'. ■ was ' ; • ■ '■ Q •M I m :': TT; i,\tUil^ ..%r -rat .-tr!. ?»-«^»-*"; -'-^.M^ * 1 ') 1'."^ was eafy : but if they had been put on fhore, even in James River, although a jun£liort with his Lordfhip in York would have been Icarcely praO.icable, it might have been made in feme other part ; or at leaft fuch di/erfions might have been made by the troops under my command as might have faved part of his Lordfhip's corps, (Appen- dix, No. XI.) .« - I muft, therefore, repeat that I lament, and ever fliall, that thofe exertions could not have been made in time. Becaufe, from the profeffional merit of the Admirals who '^vere to conduct us, and from the zeal which appeared fo confpicuous when I pro- pofed the move to them ; and which, from their example was communicated to all ranks in the fleet ; and with which, it is to be. prefumed, tliofe of the army kept fully equal pace ; I have every reafbn to think we ihould have had moft complete fuccefs, • ,* • ■ i " •->■''' -■ ^'- ^ I 'd Rut it { li t m* » " But at the fame time, that truth compeld me to impute our misfortunes ultimately to the want of a covering fleet in the Chefapeak, i think it right to declare that, as a land officer, I do not feel myfelf a competent judge of the propriety and pradicability of naval operations. Nor can I, as a fervant of the State, entrufted with an important, but partial command, prefume to enter into the counfels of Minifters ; who, from a more elevated ftation, furvey and balance the whole fyftem of the campaign, and the general fafety and welfare of the empire.* F 2 , ^ ■^^'' : :• Upon * " 1 am, however, aware of the difficulties Admi- niftration mud neceflarily be expofed to, from the va- riety of important matters which demand its attention. i' nd far be it from me, my Lord, to impute the delays ^ huve experienced to any of the King's Minifters ; but I cannot avoid lamenting that they do happen, and I tremble for the fatal confcquences which may poilibly fome time or other enfuct — Sir Heary Clinton's letter to Lord George Germain, dated April 30, 1781. i^ \ ,{ i. \-\ 1 v t *l ■ w 11. . .• ( il : iij (36 ) Upon the whole, I am perfuaded, that bad I been left to my own plans, and a proper confidence had been earlier repofed in me, the campaign of- 1781 would not probably have ended unfortunately. But though that apparent want of confidence was at laft re- moved,* and the fulleft approbation 1 could * " Tiic uneafinefs yoa exprefs on a certain occaHon, mud have ceafed long befoie this reaches you, and, I trull, in full time to prevent your lefigning the com- mand to Earl Cornwallls. The meflage I font you by Lieutenant-colonel Bruce was taken in writing to avoid any miftakes : for, as I was confcious of your having every reafon to be fatisfied with the protedion fliewn to you by the King, and with the conftant defire of his Minifters to give you all poflible fupport, I could not help regretting that there fliould have been the leaft ap- pearance of that want of confidence between us, which might prejudice the public fervicc. Your explanation upon that fubjeft is perfe£lly fatisfaftory ; and you may depend upon finding every attention on my patt to thofe requifitions which you may have occafion to make. The variety of fcrvices now carrying on in different parts of 'v; .,;'.-) ' ■ ~ ■ ^Y.ti f' wmmKw^w^ ( 37 )- . . W'ifh given to the operations I had proje£l:ed, my knowledge of the change happened too late to extricate me from the confequences of Lord Cornwallis's ill-fated march into Virginia, and the orders they had probably occafione J. Forefeeing many of the evils which would refult from this fatal move the inftant I heard of it, I immediately at the time communicated my apprehenfions to the American Minifter. And as my letter to him of the i8th of July, 1781, fpeaks very fully on this and other matters, of which I fear the public has been hitherto equally mifinftJrmed, I fhall take the liberty r to conclude this Narrative with the foDow- ^ ing e,xtra<5t from it : p r "I can the world muft account for the (iifappointments you fotnetimes fufFcr, But you may reft affured, that every 4epartmcnt of Government is anxious to furnifli you with the moft efFedlual means of carrying on the war with honour to yourfelf, and with advantage to the State. — ExtraiS: from Lord George Germain's Letter t9 .Sir Henry Clinton, dated July 7th, 1781. v., :|i i '.I n ■ :'i nj I • \ If * ' \i ir a u : ■ ( 3S ) " I can fay little more to your Lord- fhip's fangulne hopes of tlie fpeedy reduc- tion of the fouthern provinces, than to la- ment that the prefent flate of the war there vloes not altogether promife fo flattering an event. Many untoward incidents, of which' your Lordfhip was not apprifed, have thrown us too far back to be able to recover very fbon, even what we have lately loft there. For if (as I have often before fuggefted) the good-will of the inhabitants is abfolutely requifite to retain a f itry, after we have conquered it ; I fear it will be fometime be- fore w*c can recover the confidence of thofe . in CaroUna, as their paft fufferings will of courfe make them cautious of publicly for- warding the King's interefts before there is the ftrongell; certainty of his army being in a condition to fupport them. I iliall, there-;^ . fore, moft cordially join with your Lord-'' , ihip, in condemning the bad policy of taking pofieffion of places at one time, and aban- ' :'K- 'i^ \--^f' ■ doniiig •wwrn^m 'W> m} >■' \ ( 39 )■ ,■ . doiihig them at another ; and in the ophiion that the war fhould be condudlcd upon a permanent and fettled plan of conqueft, by fee u ring and_ prefer ving what has been re-' covered. But if thefc maxims have been, on any occafion, deviated from in the paft progrefs of the war ; I muft, in jiiftice to my{df declare, that it has never been war- ranted by my orders, except, only in the cafe of Rhode-Ifland. This I doubt not will appear from the inftruftions I gave to General Leflie, and. the other general offi- cers, whom I fent on expeditions to the Chefapeak. For if Lord Cornwallis made a dcfultory move into North Carolina, and, without a force fufficient to protect, or pro- vifions to fupport them, mvited by procla- mation, the Loyaliils to join him, and after- wards found it necefiiiry to quit the friendly diflricls of that province, before he could have time to give them a £ur trial, I am pcrfuaded your Lordfnip will acknowledge :c*-j* .---v/..; .^•...^ ■.•,.-..:.-. , .; , . he V ii > i ^ A ■i. 'i 1^. ' ( 40 ) he did not acl under my inftru«flions : — nor were his Lordfhip's retreat to Wilming- ton, and fubfequcnt move from thence to Virginia, in confequence of my orders : on the contrary, as I forefaw all the unhappy confequences of them, I Ihould certainly have endeavoured to have ftopt him, could I have known his intentions in proper time. But though his Lordihip*s movements, (which it muft be confeffed have been as rapid as your Lordfhip expe£led) have not to my fnicere concern been fuccefsfully decifive; I am convinced he is, as I hope we all are, UTipreffed with the abfolutc ncceliity of vi- gorous exertions in the fervice of his country at the prefent crifis. If mine, however, have not been equal to my inclinations, I have little doubt they will be found to be at leaft equal to my powers. ** I (hall now, my Lord, beg leave to con- clude with the ftrongeft alTurances, that no man can be more fervently dcHrous than I am I V:... ■• .-_ ■< iiit:irt.'-v.sf;.*SPf'>». : r. am ttj'fee an honourable end pUt to this moft burthenfome war. And if I remain in the command) that no endeavours of mine (hall be wanting to execute, in the fulleft manner, the King^s pleafure and commands. Of the 10,000 men I folicited, only 4000 were even promifedj and ho portion of thefej except a few recruits, has yet joined this part of the army. Your Lordftiip*3 laft letters, however, give me hopes, that three Britilh battalions and two thoufand fix hundred German troops may be immedi- ately expe(Sted. If all thefe arrive, I fhall then be able> at a proper feafon to reinforce the Chefapeak corps very confiderably ; and if a reinforcement does not likewife come to the French armament already here, fuch operations may be carried on as may perhaps produce fome advantages in the courfe of the Winter. But if our reinforcement does not arrive, and the French ihould receivq theirs, i -••• C * •/■«#» ^M»-.- fc-^ ' a»v to ^ Hi M n ■t ' - • ( 40 • theirs, I think wc (hall have ever/ thing (0 apprehend* Before I clofe, however, I beg leave to fay a word or two in explanation of two obfer* vations, in the Commiflioners of Account^ Seventh Report ; in order to obviate any im* plied Cenfure, they may be fuppofed to point ngainft me as Commander in Chief of the army in North America. The Commiiiioners arc plcafcd to fay> •* It appears that the number of the forces " decreafed every year, from t778» but tho •* iffiie for the extraordinary fervices of that ** army greatly encreafcd, during the fame iiAnd again, " In the account of the iflues ** to the officers in the four departments, V we find that the warraiits iffued to the ** Quarter-mafler's-general, fmce the i6th *V July 1780, and to the Barrack- matter's-* *• general li nee the 29th June 1780, and to ** the Coramiflaries -general, fince the 25th . " of it ( 43 ) •* of May 1778, hivvc been all temporary, *' for furns on account ; and that no final ^* warrant has been granted iincc thoic fe- ** fevcral periods* So that thefc fums have ♦* been iflued, without even the ceremony ** of a quarterly abftrafl, and the confif *' dential reliance on the otHcer, that his ♦• vouchers are forth coming.** I arrived in London many days before the Commidioncrs of Accounts dc^Uvercd in their Seventh Report to ^he Hqufe of Commons. Had thofe Gentlemen called upon me» as ^hey did on Sir William Howe, and Lord Cornwallis ; had they examined certain offi- cers of the difTe '^nt departments, who arrivcci in England at the timp I did, and who an- nounced themfelves to them ; and had tliey read all the Reports of the different Boards of General Officers and ]Magiflrates, that had been appointed by ma at New York, to enquire into the expenditure of public mo^ oey, (ajl which reports Jiad been fctit to the . . ' " G 3 Lords ( 44 ) Lords pommiflioners of the Trcalury many months before) I am perfuaded that their Report would not have appeared on the table of the Houfc of Commons in the fliape it has done. For when they were informed (as they would have been by the means juft dated) that all the rum purchafed for the fupply of ihe army during the whole period of my command, was paid for in America by my warrants, whereas before then it ufed to be paid for in England ; that confiderable funis of money were paid on my warrants for expences incurred during the command of my prcdeceflbr, which could not be brought to account fponer ; that provifions to a very confiderable amount were purchafed in Ame- lica, and paid for in America on my war- rants, for the fupply of the army, which ipight otherwife have been expofed to the greateft diftrefs ; all which together amount- ed to nearly 1,500,0001. and that the in- ^rpjifc pf pqfts, during my command,, at r;;. . . :. \-> . Savannah, 4|> .1' ' ( 45 ) Savannah, Charles Town, Cape Fear, Portf- mouth, Penobfcot, &c. requiring each their rcfpcdive cftablifhmcnts, added of courfc to the cxtraordinaries of my army ; and that, befides thefe, and many others which I could enumerate, the peculiar circumflances of my command expofed me to many ex-' 4| > penccs unknown to my predecefTor; it »a prcfumed, thofe Gentlemen would have ad* mitted, that the incrcafe of the iffues for the extroardinary fervices of tlie an y un- der my comcftand, was accounted for. This matter, however, went, by my de- » fire, through a very full and formal invefti- gation, in Auguft 1781, before a Board of general officers and magiftratcs (of which Lieut^nant-jgcneral Robertfon was Frefident) under the title of a Comparative View of Expcnces incurred, from the 3ifl December,- 1775, to the 1 6th of May, 1778 (the time of Sir William Hpwe's command) and of yiih^ was paid by me, between the 26th of ''■'•' ■ ' ' •" May ;« 'A ■ A «*. 'I ! i r IH h u M "■ ! (fcurt-/ < 46 ) May 1778, and the 31ft of December 1780. Which produced the following report from thai: Board. - « *^V .c^i- . .; ** The great national expence in tho * firft period of Sir Willlani Howe's con?^- * mand, arofe from the whole navy, and * a very numerous fleet of tranfportf, be- * ing employed in attending the move-? ** ments of the army ; no part of which * appears in Sir William Howe^s war-» rants. *» ;•> S>:^'<'- *' The expence of the Quarter-m-^flert general, Barrack-martcr-gCwCral, ^nd En^ ginecr (departments, were ncceflarily fmall, while the troops were on boaxd fliips, or had thus fupplics from tranfports, ^vs^^ ** During part of the firft period, the great article ot expcncr rum, was pro» vided for by a contra£): made in Kng-? land, and paid for there. Whereas, duT ring the fecond period, the rwm was puri» t t - V - - - chafed m> fi> >ii I 1 1 . V<iiiv> i , ••/'jiu;:fi'pu ''.i-^i^VAr " But what deftroys a poffibility •f draw- 4m > ** ing any juft conclufion from a comparifon <* of the amount c^ the warrants in thefe " two periods, arlfes from this ; that a great fB) ** P*^^^ of the cxpence incurred by Sir Wil- *• liam Howe, was paid by warrants granted •« by Sir Henry Clinton." Hv? ,b'.H- -rf •^ )■ * This report having bt^en regularly tranf* trated to the Treafury, \ rauft fuppofe it was laid before the Conmifnoners of Ac* counts. Had it been read by thofe Gentle- men, it is prefumable it would have, at leafl, accompanied theirs. ■>■ ...v.... . : With regard to the fecond obfcrvition alluded to, refpeding my not granting final warrants to certain departments from certain periods ; t >« 'M Ml 1 :1 •ti ;i' ? ' '!' r; ;- SBI 1 I , f ■ I / C 48 J Jeiiods ; if the commiffioners'hadireadall thd above papers, 1 think it would have occurred to them ; : that as a Gdmmiflary of Accounts had been commiffioried, and was adiially employed in auditing the accounts of the different departments, I could not, with propriety,- grant final warrants to any of the departments upon their Quarterly ab- ftrafls (as had beeii before pradifed) un- till their aceouhts had been firft audited alid certified ; by the Commiffary. * • ' As to the mode of fupply which I foijnd eflabliflied, when I fucceeded to the com- mand of the array in North America, and which 1 uriderftood had been approved by Gotvernment, I certainly could not, iri pru* dence, have made any alterations or reduc* tion in it, as long as I had ofFenfive opera- tion in view. The inftant, however, that I received" orders to place the army upon a ftridl defenfive, I propofed fuch a reduction as could take place. And when 1 obtained hi% ^l^ •,. ■^^ ."'v.- ■> (49 ) vv::-: his Majefty*s permiffion to refign the com- mand, J recommended it to General Ro- bertfon, who was appohited to fucceed me. (Signed) H. C L I N T O N." -;■.;.-,.'!'■ ^>*« - 1- 1 ', '' ' 1 1 ■ t \j i f r. 4 ' -' I I. ^1 V% V •'fc.' H APPENDIX. I , I ^r\ m I H> i J. .i: > I . s .:! ■IP ■ •J 1 '.» 11 n \T: fl '" ^ sJJiW 1\ '- ;•'■• H- ^f ' 1 .i .X I ■',..- 5' ) appendix:. ■'ji. ?! * ;.' .*^*^ ■■•■;.i. ^L ^irHjWrt.,^^ UMBER I.--.'}-:.v.iv,,/ Extras of a Letter from Lord George Ger- --' main to Sir Henry Clinton, dated May •.i^n '^SX•^ ^: 2, 1 781, ';..,■ s v^-Ik; <," Conceiving therefore fo highly as ■il do of the importance of the Southern pro- ,.,. yinces, and of the vaft advantages which muft ^•/attend the profecution of the war upon the Ix prefent plan of extending our conqucfts from fouth to north ; it wast a great mortification to me to find, by your inftrudion to Major- General Phillips, that it appeared to be your intention that only a part of the troops he car- , ried with him (hould remain in the Chefa- H 2 peak i i- i T 1' I !: I «! K w .n : I. i^ntm' 5« APPENDIX. li' II I ill t ; h peak ; k^.nd that he and General Arnold fhould return to New York, leaving only a fufficient force to ferve for garrifons in the pofts they might eftablifli in Virginia. Your ideas, therefore, of the importance of reco- vering that province appearing to be fo dif- ferent from mine, 1 thought it proper to afk the advice of his Majefty's other fervants upon the fubjed ; and their opinions concur- ring entirely with mine, it has been fubmit- ted to the King ; and I am commanded by his Majefty to acquaint you that the reco- very of the Southern Provinces and the pro- fecution of the war, by pufliing our conqutfts ' from fouth to north, is to be confidered as " the chief and principal object for the employ- ment of all the forces under your command, which can be fpared from the defence of the places in his Majefty's pofleffion, until it is accompIifhed.A/ : :; ' *' The three regiments from Ireland, and the Britilh recruits that went with them, are, ' . ' I truft, «Vi •♦♦•^vy . A P P E N D I X. '^3 I truft, well on their way by this time to ' Charles Town ; and as Sir George Rodney ; will bring you three more regiments from the Leeward Iflands before the hurricane months, the augmentation of your force muft, I fhoiild think, be equal to the utmoft -^^^v^^^' r NUMBER 11. •\^Extra£l of a Letter from Lord George Ger- .,... mam to Sir Henry Clinton, dated June 6, :■■',: 1 781. '; *r-^ 't"' :X »Vi« % ** I SHALL therefore only obferve in ad- •'"iaiiion to all I have hitherto written upon the ■ the fubjea, that I am well pleafed to find ' Lord Cornwallis's opinion entirely coincides "With mine of the great importance of pulhing ' the war on the fide of Virginia with all the ■ force that can be fpared until that province is -tv reduced. t» --»'* -V'^ NUMBER T s I •1 '■ I ? 54 APPENDIX. NUMBER III. . Copy of a Letter from Rear Admiral Sir S. Hood to Sir H. Clinton, Jaled off Cape Henry, Auguji 2^, 1781. . ;•; '" "'■■• "SIR, ■''"'"••;':■:•;- " HEREWITH yor. will receive a dupli- cate of the letter I had the honour to write you by Lieut. Delanoe of the i\£live brig, in cafe any misfortune fhould have befallen her in returning to New York. I am now fteering for Cape Henry, in order to examine theChefapeak. From thence I (hall proceed ' to the Capes of the Delaware ; and not feeing, or hearing any thing of De Grafle, or any detachment of fhips he might have fent upon this coaft, (hall then make the beft of my way off Sandy Hook. This I have commu- nicated to Rear Admiral Graves, in order ■ that he may determine my anchoring or not, as the King's fcrvice may require. " • -• • V-^,'. * ' r^ i.i.. " I have ._,..,,, •«.. w*'*? • V APPENDIX. 55 " ** I have the honour to fend you my line of battle, by which you will fee the number and force of his Majcfty's fquadron under my command ; and, I truft, you will thinV it equal, fully to defeat any defigns of the ene- my, let De Graffe bring or fend what (hips he may, in aidtothofe under De Barras. ■'.HTV " I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) "SAM. HOOD.- NUMBER IV. ' ^ Copy of a Letter from General Wajlmgton to Count De Grajfe, dated William/burg y Sep- tember 26 ^ 1 78 1, -c, . , ^, " I AM unable to defcribe to your Excel- lency the painful anxiety under which I have laboured fince the reception of the letter you did me the honour to write me of th^ 23d in- V ft ant. The motions of the naval force under your command, which your Excellency fays may poffibly happen, lince the information A communicated -1 !■ • I, (/: ii . I 56 APPENDIX, communicated to you bj the Baron de Clozen, obliges me to point out the confe- quences that may follow ; and warmly to urge a perfeverance in the plan agreed upon between us. Permit nie, in the firfl place, to repeat to your Excellency, that the attempt upon York, under the proteftion of your (hipping, is as certain of fuccefs as a fiipcrior force and a fuperiorlty of meafiires can render any military operation ; that the duration of the iiege may be exactly afcertained ; and that the capture of the Britifli army is a matter fo important in itfelf, and in its confequences, that it muft greatly tend to bring an end to the war, and put our allied arms in certain poflef- lion of the moft ineftimablc advantages. ** If your Excellency quits the Bay, an ac- cefs is open to relieve York, of which the enemy will inftantly avail themfelves. The confequences of this will be not only the dif- grace of abandoning a defign on which are founded the faireft hopes of the allied forces, after APPENDIX. ^ after a nrodlgious cxpence, fatigue, and exer- tions; but the probable dilbanding of the whole army ; for tlie prcftnt feat of war be- ing fiich, as abfolutely precludes the ufe of waggon , from the great number of large rivers which interfeft the country, there will be a total want of provlfions, unlcfs this in- convenience is remedied by water carriage. This province has been fo exhaufted by the ravages of the enemy, and by the fupport already given to our force?, that fubfiftence muft be drawn from a diftance, and that can be done only by a fleet fuperior in the Bay. ' I earntftly beg your Excellency would confider, that if, by moving your fleet from the fituation agreed on, we lofe the prefent opportunity, we fhall never hereafter have it in our power to ftrlke fo dccifive a ftrokc, that the Britidi will labour without intermif- iion to fortify a place fo ufeful to their (hip- ping ; and that then the period of an honoura- ble peace will be farther diftant than ever. i > I .n 1 (( I'he I 58 APPENDIX. « The confidence 1 have in your Excellen- cy's manly fpirit and naval talents leaves me no doubt that the confideration of the confe- quenccs that muft follow your departure from the Bay will determine you to ufc all poffiblc means for the good of the common caufe. From the afl'urances of the moft expert failors, I am perfuaded that your Excellency may take fuch a pofition in the Bay as to leave no- thing to be apprehended from an attempt of the Englifh fleet ; that this pofition will at the fame time facilitate the operations of the fiege, fecure the tranfportation of our provifions by water, and accellerate our approaches by land- ing our heavy artillery and warlike neceflliries in York River almoft ciofe to our trenches, " The force faid to have arrived under Ad- miral Digby, as the news comes from the Bri- tifh tiicmiclves, may not only be exaggera- ted, but perhaps abfolutcly falfe ; but fuppo- fing it to be true, their whole force united can- not be fuch as to give them any hopes of fuc- I cefs n^ APPENDIX. c^ cc(t in the attacking your fleet. If the pofi- tion for your fhips to lie at an anchor, which we agreed upon, has fincc ippeared impra6li- cable, tl ere Is flill another mcafiire may be adopted ; which, though muj\\ inferior as to tlie fecurity and facility It will give to our land operations, may ftill be of advantage to our affairs. The meafure, I mean, is to cruife off the Bay, fo as to keep the Capes always In light, and to prevent any Englifh veflels get- tmg m. ..v|o r n; ncii'ira 'jdJ t.iiqu :.ui ** Whatever plan you may adopt, I am to prefs your Excellency to perfeverc in the fcheme fo happily concerted between us ; but if you Ihould find infurmountablc obftacles iji the way, let mc ultimately beg .of you not to relinqUini the laft mentioned alternative of preventing all vcfTels from the enemy entering thcBayof Chefapeak. .,., -iw '.ta. >f!.,x^ *• The Britifh Admiral may manoeuvre Ills fleet, and endeavour to d^aw you fi;oni the ipjjin objed we have in view ; but I can .^.Ur:hi I 3 • never ii ' i^».. i\ % 4 1 * ' s -w • -•> «''*'it^ ■ <^ <,*^„ -:„ ' iv i (?o APPENDIX. never believe, that he will ferioiifly wifli to bring on a general a£lion with a fleet, whofc force, I will anfwer for it, is fuperior to the moft exaggerated accounts we have of theirs. Paffed experience has taught them not to hazard ihemfelves with equal numbers ; and has drawn from them, though imwillingly, the moft refpeftful opinions of their enemy. • '■' ^* Permit me to add that the ablence of "your fleet from the Bay may friiftrate our de- iign upon the garrifon at York. For in the prefent fituatlon of matters, Lord Comwallis might evacuate the place with the lois of his artillery, baggiige, and a few men, ^actificfe^ ; which would be highly juftifiable from the (delire of faving the body of the army,^'-^' - »* " The Marquis de la Fayette, wl\(D-4oes me ♦he honour to carry this letter to your Excellency, will explain 't'6 you better than any other pierfon, or than I can do by lifter, many particulars of our p^fent pofition. Your Excellency is acquainted with Ins cand6ur and " • . talents, «^ " ■i APPENDIX. '^i talents, which entirles him to your confidence I have ordered him not to pafs the Cape for fear of accident, in cafe you (hould be at fea. If this be fo, he will inclofe thiadifpatch in a letter from himfelf, A »*.ji rttj *-i. ** I have the honour, &c. ^•; U-; .' H r " G. WASHINGTON." t 111 ■ • .:.ii > •/:; w:>ji;CJ.vj; •f •( f ►( .1 •!> ** IT is a great fatisfadion to me to find your ideas of the importance of fecuring a na- val ftationin the Chefapeak capable of giving protection to the King's fhips, appointed to intercept the navigation of that Bay, fo en- tirely coincided with my own ; and that the plan you had concerted for conducting the military operations in that quarter correfponds with 11 .1 * r^ M. ^ APPENDIX, with what I had fuggefted in my former letters to you on that fubje*^, I truft, there- fore that Lord Cornwallis will retain the whole of thfe troops you fo very properly fpared for the fervice in the Chefapeak ; or if he has fent you any part, that you will re- turn them to him. And as foon as the heats are abated, tr an f^x)rt a flrong detachment to Baltimore, &c. " The provilion you made for the fouthern fervice was certainly moft ample. And I have always confidered and fpoke of it as a circum- ftavice highly to your honour ; and as an evi- dence of your being aftuated by the purefk zeal for the public fervice. And though f la- ment exceedingly that from a concurrence of imtoward events, the fuccefs was not equal to the fanguine expeftations I had entertained^ I never imputed any part of the difappoint- ment to a deticiency in your fupplies." V^^'H^ J.:.... li h APPENDIX. 63 "•;; '•" :• :;rn: ::<> 1 r) .,.„;, ...NUMBER Vr. '"f Extras from Sir Henry CUntoris Letter fa Rear- Admiral Graves, dated Au^ujl 16, 1781. « I CANNOT fay I credit the reports of the French beuig upon the coaft. Should they prove falfe, and there was little probabi- lity of their coming for a week or ten days, I think thofe could not be better employed than in a vifit to Rhode-Illand. The recruits I have lately received enable me to mak*^ this offer, whenever you think it prudent to at- tempt it. If you determine, I requeft that Gap- tain Duncan may dired the water- movements of the army," '■■''■i ' '- .- ; ^^ w [ ♦ ExtraSl from Sir Henry Clintons Letter to Rear- Admiral Graves, dated Augufi iS, 1781. . ^ " WHENEVER, Sir, you think the fleet under your command is in number and ftate equal V • .1 f 4 64 APPENDIX. equal to the undertaking, and you will give me twenty-four hours notice, every thing fhall be immediately embarked ; and I fhall with pleafure accompany you myfclf on it." - . . NUMBER VII. Extradls from Rear- Admiral Graves's Lexers to Sir H. Clinton, dated 1% and 21 Augujl^ 1781. ■ ■■..-■■ .^ , ' ' >. ' - *' IN anCvvcr to your propofition, I can only afllire you by letter, what 1 had the ho- no.ir to declare in perfon, that I am ready to concur with your Excellency in any enter- prize where you found a probability of fuc- cefs; and that I would riik the fqnadron whenever you thought it advifeable to rllk the army. . . " The Robufte is fo leaky, I am forced to fend her to the yara for reparation ; and I fufpecl that her guns and heavy furniture niuft be taken out to enable the fliipwrights to 4 examine f| H APPENDIX, I) examine as much of her bottom as poflible. Whllft that is doing, the Prudent will change one of her mafts, if not two. By this ftate you will fee our naval capacity. 2 1 Auguft, 1 78 1. How foon the Robufte will be ready is yet impoiiible to form a judgement upon, as we cannot yet learn the extent of her de* fe&^s. The Prudent will, I am confident, be ready in much lefs time ; and fo will all tht other (hips, I have >iot a doubt. «* Your Excellency may reft alTured that timely notice (hall be given, and as early as poflible to determine upon the day the fqua- dron will be fit to a£t ; for I would not wi(h ''^ that a finglc day ihould be loft." NUMBER VIII. ExtraB from Lord Cormvallis's Letter to Sir H. Clinton. Tork Teww, Virginia^ 20 Oo tober^ 1781. " I HAVE the mortification to inform your Excellency, that 1 have been forced to '. fH give D^:. 6^ APPEND I.X. 1 :v' J: p ft give np thft f)6fl:s of York and Gloiiceller, tini to furrender the troops under my command, by capltiTiiitlbn, onthe 19th inftant, as pri- fonersof war to the combined forces of Ame-T rica and France. ^' ' "■ -'*^ "'•'"•' l i.-^'.i " I never faw this pdft in a favourable light; But, when I found I was to be at- tacked in It, ih f© Unprepared a ftate, by fo powerful an army lind ai^tillery, nothing but the hopes of relief would have niduced me td attempt 'Its >defcnctf» For -I would either have €ndeavoUfed to efcape to New York, by rapid marches from* the Glouccfter iide, itn*- mediiltely on the arrival of General Wafhing'' ton's troops at WiHiamlWurg", or I would, notwithftanding the difparity of numbers, have attacked them in the open field, where it might have been juft poffible that Fortune .would hayefavoured the gallantry of the hand- ful of troops under my command. But, being ,{iflured by ygiu: Excellency's letters that every Doflible.ojeaiis, would .be .tried., by tk? i?Ay/ and APPENDIX. <7 mid army, to relieve ns, T could not think myfelfat liberty to venture on either of thofe defperale attempts. Therefore, after re- maining two days in a flrong pofition, in front of this place, in hopes of being attacked, upon obferving that the enemy were taking meafiires which could not fail-of turning. my left flank in a (hort time ; and receiving, the fecond evening, your letter of the 24th Sep- tpnber, inforijiing me that the relief WQul.d fai\ ..^bout tl^e , ;5th. of 0<^ober, . I withdreyr within the works on the night of the 29th of September, hoping, by the labour and firm-. nefs of the troops, to protracl the defence un- til you could arrive. Every thing was to be expecled from the firmnefs of the troops. But every clif.idvanta^e attended their labour; as the works were to be continued under the enemy's fire'; ''anti buV ftock of intrenching- tools, which did not much-exceed four hun- dred when we began to work in the latter end of Augufl, was now much cVmiMiiOirrd. * K 3 a A I f'\ u « 6ft APPENDIX. « A fuccefsful defence, however, in our Situation, was perhaps impolTible; for the place could only be reckoned an intrenched camp» fubjed in mod places to enfilade ; 3nd the ground in general fo difadvantageous, that nothing but the necefiity of fortifying it as a poft to proted the navy could have indU'* ccd any perfon to crc^ works upon it.'* Cofy of a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Eari CQrnwalliSf dated ^o November^ 1781. ' * (This letter was not produced in thcHoufe of (iords.^ *f My Lord, «* AFTER the converfation I had with your Lordflhip before 1 fent your letter to be publifhed, in which we feemed fo pcrfeAly to agree, I muft beg your Lordihip*s pardon for again troubling you on the fubjeft. But, being informed, perhaps officioufly, that fome people here fuppofe there are paflages in \ that w^mmp^. to .'■!' A APPENDIX. h that letter which convey an idea that you had been compelled by my orders to take the poft of York, (though it was not your own prefe- rence ;) that you had reprefentcd the defc6^s of the ground; and were dctalneJ there con- trary to your own judgement; — and likewife that I hadpromifed the exertions of the navy before my letter of the 24th of September: I am perfuaded your Lordfliip will readily ex- cufe my requefting a more formal avowal of your fentiments, ieft I fhould have then mif- taken them. Becaufe, if that fliould unfor- nately be the cafe, I may perhaps be under the neceflity of taking meafures to obviate your letter being viewed in ;he fame light in pngland. .it <■ i :i.>'- •'»■ " I have the honour, &c. « H. CLINTON." } V 70 A P P E N t> I X. ♦ i.i I V. NUMBER IX. ^,„.^„^,: Cofy of Earl CornwaHis^s Leticr to Sir Henry Clinton^ dated N-^w Torh^ zJ December^ 781.^ - u ,■ -'Y.v .»n7 ;f.<7j/'nT? >ff» !• [Tliis letter was read in the Ho^fe of Lords.! i\t "SIR, « YESTERDAY afternoon I was ho- noured wMi your Excl. ucy's letter of the 30th of Noi'ember. ' . _ «» .1/ J a -.J: ** I do not recollect that any converfatlon pafled between us the other day, before the publication of my letter, relative to my rea-* fons for taking poflLflion of the pofts of Yprk and Gloucefter. But, in my anfwers toyour difpatches, dated the 8th and i ith of July, di- re^^ing me fo pofitively to poffefs a harbour in the Chefapeak for line of battle fliips, your Excellency will fee, tJiat, after finding that works on Point Comfort could not protect a naval \ \% underftood thefe as conveying a pofitivc order lo fend me three ihoufand men, (by which you fay your force would have been reduced to about t^wo thoufand fjur hundred rank and tile fit for duty ; — hr.ving, it is prefumed, above 1500 lick ;) and was pleafed to tell me, in your anfwer, thri you coukl not, confiftent with my plans, make fafe defenfive pofts ) V * \ > ;?* a,.. WIIVM 'appendix. 75 pofts at York and Gloucefter, (both of which would be neceflary for the protedlon of fhip- ping ;) and that you fhould immediately re- pafs James River, and t?ke meafures for com- plying with my requifition. " I own, my Lord, that n- 7 opinion of the obvious meaning of the letters referred to, * ■ ^ continues ftill the fame ; and lam exceedingly forry to find, by the letter you have now honoured me with, that it differs fo widely rB ) from your Lordihip's. It is plain, however, we cannot both be in the right. ' ::- * " My letter of the i ith of July direfis your Lordfhip to fortify Old Point Comfort, in the mouth of James River, with the intention of fecuring Hampton Road, which the Ad- miral reeorn mended as the heft naval ftation, and requefted I would occupy. But your Lordfhip 3 letter of the 27th of July informs me, you had examined Old Point Comfort, with the oiScers of the navy, and the engi- neers, and that you were all of opinion, a noft L 2 ^hcre Jl ivcs^RnBUjiiaui mmwmrt w 76 APPENDIX. ^ i f ' there would not anfwer the purpofe; and that you flioulJ, therefore, in compliance with the ffiirit of my orders, fcize York and Glouceftcr, being the only harbour in which you could hope to be able ;o give effediunl prote£llon to line of battle fliips. Suppofing, therefore^ of courfe, that your Lordfhip ap- proved, in every refpcdl, of York and Glou- cefter, from the preference you had thus given them to the poft I bad recommended, 1 did not oppofe the choice you had made ; having never received the ieaft hmt from your LordHiip that the ground of York was unfavourable, or liable to be entiLnded till after you had capitulated. '* Witia refpe6l to your Lordfhip's having been influenced in yourcondut.'vt, by the hopes of relief, (which you fav was uniformly Md out to you in ;ill my letters) your Lordfhip cannot be infenfible, that the poiTibility of ettciling it muft have f^tirely depended upon tre exertions of the navy; which, as I was not APPENDIX. 77 < fii not authorlfed to promife before the 24th of September, I am perfuaded your Lordftiip will readily acknowledge, that if your letter of the 20th 06lober implies I had done fo be- fore that period, the implication cannot be fupported by any thinj; I wrote previous to my letter of that date, which you received on the 29th. -.,.;, " As, therefore, my letters of the 2d and 6th of September, which promife only my own exertions, did not reach your Lordfliip before the 1 3th and 1 4th of that month, and you did not before then know of Sir Samuel Hood's arrival, or of Mr. Graves's having more than leven fail of the line to combat Monfieur De Grafle's force, which on the 29th of Auguft you had heard confifted of at leaft twenty-five fail of the line ; your Lord- ihip confequently could have no hopes of re- lief before that time. And with refpeft to your efcape to New- York, immediately on the arrival of General Walhington's troops at WilHamfburg, 'i. I ' S '3 Mi 1^ APPENDIX. i Willlamlbnrg, which your letter of the 20th of 0«5tober implies you were prevented from undertaking, by the receipt of mine of the 24th of September; I muft beg leave to ob- ferve, that if it had been ever practicable after the time your Lordftiip mentions (which I am free to own I do not think it was) it muft have been between that period and the time of the enmy*s force appearing before your lines. It m"y, therefore, be prefiimed, you could not have been prevented by any thing I faid in that letter, as you did not re- ceive it until after the latter event took place. But I readily admit, my Lord, that none of my letters could give you the leaft reafon to fuppoft^ that an attempt would not be made to fuccour vou. • . •- . * .» . • •' Your Lordfhip will, I am perfuaded, alfo forgive mc, if I again take notice of the too pofitive manner -n which you are pleafed to fpeak of the opinion I gave you about the failing of the fleet ; as my wards were, ** there APPENDIX. 79 " is every reafon to hope we (hall ftart from " hence about the 5th of Oaober." And hi my letter of the next day, for fear that (liould appear too pofitlve, 1 fay, *' It is fup„ *' pofcd the neceflhry repairs of the fleet will " detain us here to the 5th of next month; *' and youi Lordfhip mull be fenfihle that un- *' forefeen accidents msy lengthen it out a day " or two longer." With regard to entrenching tools, the vfant of which your LordHiip fo much complains 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 »' c Chefapeak by the Engineer, fince C v^c Arnold's expedition, inclufive; and that the firft moment arequifition was made for more, (which was not before the 23d of Aiiguft) I ordered an additional fupply to be fent, which were prevented from going, by the arrival of the French fleet. I own, howe\'er, that 1 was not at that time very uneafy on this fcore, ns 1 fup. i.Ai^&tiitLtAl7-- ■ ■ m 1 m i4 Po APPENDIX. I f'uppofed it poffible for your Lordfliip to have colle£^ed a fufficlency from the neigh- bouring plantations any time before the in- veftiture was begun. " December lo. 1 had wrote thus far, my Lord, immediately after the receipt of your Lordfliip's letter of the 2d inftant. But con- iidering that it was poffible you might not have adverted to the implications, which your letter of the 20th of Oilober may be thought to bear, from the great agitation of mind and hurry in which you tell me it was written, I was unwilling to give you at that time more trouble on the fubje£l ; — in the honcfl hope that your Lordfhip's candour will induce you lUolV formally to difavow your having any fuch intentions by writing that letter, in cafe you find, on your arrival in England, that the paflages of it (which I nave taken notice of) are underft<^>od as I fufpe(^l they may be. And I therefore intended to have fenl this letter to a friend to be dtlivcrcd to you in a London, APPENDIX. -01 London ; but upon confidering your letter of the 2d inftant, (which I have had moreleifure to do fincc my public difpatches were clofcd) I am of opinion, that it is properer your Lord- Ihip fhould receive my anfwer to it here. *' I have the honour, &c. (Signed) " H. CLINTON. " Pi S. Having forgot to fpeak to the part of your Lord(hip's letter of the 2d inftant, where you fay, ' I do not rc^ollcvl that any ' converfation pafled between us the other day, * before the publication of my letter, relative ' to my reafons for taking pofleflion of the * the pofts of York and Gloucefter,' I beg leave to do it here. *' It is true, my Lord, no converfation paiTed from your Lordfliip on that fubjeft. But when, in "he converfation alluded to> I mentioned that I had directed you to examine Old Point Comfort, and fortify it, but that, difapproving of that poft, you nad feized York, M and ^-^ . ■.,1 Lord Georire Ger//uiin, dated December 6, 1781. fi s is ^ o^ i^ .1 I f \ i f u 86 APPENDIX. which I hope the anxiety I muft naturally feel on this occafion, will plead my excufe for troubling yon with ; though they may not be necefl'ary to vindicate me with your Lordfliip, who is already fo competent to judge. " I am perfuaded that it will appear by my letters to Lord Cornwallis of the nth and 15th of June, and thofe referred to by rhcm, that I recommer'icu his taking a healthy, defenfivc ftation, either at Williamf- burg, or York ; and defired that, after keep- ing what troops he might want for its moft ample defence and defultory movements by water, his Lordfhip would fend me fuch a proportion of the corps (mentioned :n a lift) as he could fpare, taking them in the fuc- ceffion they are there placed. But his Lord- fliip, on the contrary, under/landing that thefe letters conveyed a pofitive order to fend me three thoufand men, (by which he fays his force would have been reds-iced to about two APPEND IX. «7 two thoufand four hundred rank and file fit for duty, having probably at that time a numerous lick) told me in his anfwer, that he could not, confiftent with my plans, make fafe defenfive pofts at York and Gloucefter, (both which would be neceffary for the proteiSllon of (hipping) arid that he (hould immediately repafs James River, and take meafures fot complying with my requifition. Finding* therefore, that his Lofdfhip had fo entirely mifconceivcd my intentions, I immediately \ eonfulted with Rear Admiral Graves upon the fubjeft of his letter; and the Admiral being of opinion that a iiaval ftation in Ghefapcak for large ihips was abfolutcly re* quilitC) and that Hampton Road appeared to be the fitteft for the purpofe, I defired •his Lordlhip, at the Adrniral's requeft, to exa- mine Old Point Comfort in the mouth of James River, and fortify it, upon the fup« politton that a work there would fecure that •• s harbour Ji '{ - 'J ^ I \ J ■ ■■ > * 88 APPENDIX. harbour ; and if his Lordfliip thought a poft at York neccH;iry to cover Old Point Com* fort, he was at liberty to take that alio. This order was font to Lord Cornwallii ill my letter of* the i ith of July, and hia Iwordfhip's anfwcr to it i? dated the 27th ; wherein he informs me, that having exa- mined Old Point Comfort with the Cap- tains of the King's fhips and the engineers, and btlng all of opinion a poft there would not anfwer the purpofe, he fliould, in compli- ance with the fpirit of my orders, feize York and Gloucefter, being tiie only harbour in which he conld hope to be able to give ef- fectual protcftion to line of battle fliips. Copies of thefe letters are inclofed for your Lordfhip to refer to ; and I truft it will ap- pear from them, that the poft at York was in this inftance entirely his Lordfh-p's choice' But never having received any r^prefentation ncm his Lordlhip, by which I could have I the t -•i«<"" t <..• I poft alio, walli^ id Ilia 27th ; exa- Cap^ ;ineers, ^ would lompli- York < )Our in [ive ef. : fliips. or your will ap- ork was > chokc' "entation lid have thq APPENDIX. 89 the Icaft conception he thought the ground dlfadvantageous and liable to enfilade, (as dated in his letter of the 20th of 0£tober) and, fuppofing from the preference his Lord- /liip had thus given it to the one I had re- commended, that he fully approved of York and Gloucefter, I own 1 did not oppofe his laying hold of them, as I could not enter- tain the fmalleft doubt of their being defen- iible, and luch a pofl as I had told his Lordfliip I wanted. And, indeed, if his Lord- fhip had not now informed me that it was a bad one, the eagernefs with which I under- ftand the French have fince feized and are for- tifying it, would incline me ftili to think well of it. ** With refpe£l: to his Lordfhip having been influenced in his conduct by the hopes of relief, (which he is pleafed to fay I uni- formly held out to him in all my letters) his Lordfhip could not be infenfible that the pof- N fibility 'f n ' /■ .\ , ** I have the honour, &c. M J* •'■7^. C:t-5 ■'- '■■ > « H. CLINTON.'* v. tr V *: ■ . ']'.', f\ r f. .-.^ ,^ ;.:.vv. • ■•.; ^ ■ *: i .' c'^r '"^'. ■-■'■ .' ■I. ■'Uk\$-/^>:y. r 1 .•^■^•nv?-- ■> ■-« •n ■■>f^i :;■;?■ . -'''' ;-.•?,. N U M- ri T-g: J > " * J..) * ^ ' L.tlP » M »i "*^- ' 4' W!!i^- ^^^ «» APPENDIX. >J U M B E R X. W Exfra^ from Str H, CUntotCs InftruSiions to Major-General Philips, dated March lo, • 1781. ■;/-;■ ■^■: . V • "IF the Admiral difapproving of Portf- moutb, and rctju'iring a fortified fkation for large (hips in the Chefapcak, (hould propofe York Town, or Old Point Contfort, if pof- feffion of either can be acquired and main- tained without great rifk or lofs, you are at liberty to take poffeffion thereof. But if the objtfftions are fuch as you think forcible, , you muft, after ftating thofc objeAions, de- dine it till folid operations take pl«ce in the Chefapcak." . \ r Extras •> * * APPENDIX. ExtraSl from the Suhjlance of Converfatiom held with General Philips, fent to thai General Officer for his Guidance* . '| ' «* BUT if the heights of York, and thofe on the Glouccfter fide, cannot be fo well and fo foon fortified as to render that ppft .hors d*in/uU before the enemy can move a force, &c. agalnfi it, it may not be advlfeable to at-* tempt it. In that cafe fomething may pof- iibly be done at Old Point Comfort to cover large (hips lying in Hampton road, which is reckoned a good one. If neither can be fe- cured, we muft content ourfclves with keep- ing the Chefapeak, with frigates and other armed veifels, which will always find fecu- rity agalnft a fuperior naval force in Eliza- beth River." >. ■' ■■, > '■ N U M- APPENDIX. 97 NUMBER XI. Vide p. 7- 1. 15. Extras from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to r- Lor J George Germain. OCTOBER 30, 1 780. «* I (hall in a few days fend to Charles-town, all the recruits belonging to the fouthern army, which will be about eight hundred. And then, includ- ing the corps under General Leflie, Lord Cornwallis will have full 11306 viffetiive rank and file under his orders. April 5th, 1 78 1. " After the rcduflion of Charles-town, Lord Cornwallis informed me, that he thought the force I left with him fully competent to the defence of South, and moft probably the reduf^ion of North Caro- lina. I had, therefore, at that time no other intention (threatened as we were, by the ex- pelled arrival of a French fleet and army in Rhode-Ifland) than to fend an expedition in- to Chefapeak, merely oy way of making a O diverfion :':A / t: ■4 Ill V 98 APPENDIX.. diverfion in his Lordfhip*s favor, until more iwlld cj)eration might take place. Which I was in hopes that adequate relnforcementg from Europe, would have enabled me to un- dertake early in the prefent year. Events, however, notvvithftanding the very glorious exertions which were made at Camden, al- tered Lord Cornwallis's lituation fo much as to make it ncceflary for him to call the corps I had fent to Chcfapeak with General Leflie, (and which I had put under his Lordftiip's orders) to a nearer co-operation. Being, therefore, fiill defirous to fee 11 re a poft in that bay to cover the King's frigates which might be a6ling there ; and at the fame time wifh'ing to give Lord Cornwallis every affift- ance in my power ; I fent thither another detachment, under the orders of Brigadier- general Arnold ; which, though not fo con- fiderable as the former met with the fulleft fuccefs, and will, I doubt not, have greatly aided the movements of the army in Caro- . : . una. 4 '\ A P P E N D I X. 99 lina. General Walhington having detached a body of troops to the fouthward, and the French having embarked in their fleet, ano- ther from their army at Rhode-ifland, with an apparent intention of interrupting our operations in Virginia, and the Carolinas; I was induced to fend to the Chefapeak ano- ther expedition (drawn principally from the elite of my army) under Major-general Phil- laps. All thefe feveral detachments, your Lordftiip will perceive are afting, either with or in favour of Lord Cornwallis. But, as General Wa(hington*s letter to Mr. Harrifon (a copy of which your Lordfhip will fee amongft the intercepted letters inclofed) inti- mates, that there will not be oppofed to his Lordfhip, above two thoufand continentals more than General Green had with him be- fore; 1 am led to hope that, when his LordOiip has eftablllhed himfelf in North- Carolina, a very confiderable portion of his army may be fpared to affift in carryin'j into ■ *: •• M O 2 execution I 100 APPENDIX. execution fuch further operations, as Lord Cornwallis may have to propofe; or the whole or fuch part as (hall be found pra6li- cable of thofe I had deligned, and accordingly explained to Major-general Phillips, in fonic converfations I had with him before his de- parture. V , , *' If an attempt upon the forts in the high land3 (hall not, on mature deliberation; be thought advifeable, and nothing clfe offers in this quarter ; I (hall probably reinforce Ma- jor-general Phillips, and dired him to carry on fuch operations as may moft effedtually favour thofe of Lord Cornwallis, until fome plan can be determined on for the campaign. For, until I know his Lord(hip*s fucqefs, the force he can, in confequence of it, fpare from the Carollnas, and the certainty of the arrival of the (ix regiments intended to reinforce us, it will be lmpo(iible to decide finally upon it. Your Lordfhip will, however, fee by the in- clofcd opinions, what were the operations I . .■■■■■',.... AJ: . .:-,... hat" riy^<^>- APPENDIX. 101 r Ihc ti- sly [me Ide- (igh be had planned for the enfulng campaign, upon the fuppofitlon, that Lord Cornwallis fuc- ceeded in the Carolinas, and was able to fpare a confiderable force from thence. With the ten thoufand men I requeued, I fhould not have had a doubt of fuccefs. But in my prefent reduced ftate and profpefts I dare not flatter myfelf with any. And if the French fiiould ftill be reinforced, your Lordfliip will, I am perfuaded, judge our lituation to bo even critical. For with regard to our efibrtt in the Chefapeak, your Lordfhip knows how much their fuccefs and even the {afcty of the armament there, will depend upon our having a decided naval fuperiority in thefis feas. And I, therefore, cannot doubt that every precaution will be taken, to give me, . at leaft, timely notice of the contrary being likely to happen; as my ignorance of fuch an event, might Li mcft fatal in its confe- quences, ' • . ' ., m The f i' {.' ■■ m «92P ' ! • 102 APPENDIX. ; ** The reinforcement I afkcd for, was only what I judged to be barely adequate to the fcrviceu required ; and I moft fincerely wifh it had been pollible to have fent it in the full extent of numbers, and in the time I requeued* However, the prefent reduced ftate of General Wafhington, the little probability there is, I hope, of an augmentation to the French armament, and the certainty there is, I likewife hope, of the fix Britilh regiments, and one thoufand recruits joining me in a ihort time, together, with the expectation I have of Lord Cornwallis's fuccefs in Caro- lina, enabling him to fend me a confiderable reinforcement from thence, render the ap- pearances of my fituation lefs critical. And I (hall, therefore, only add, my Lord, that while the King does me the honour, to truft me with the command of this army, I will employ it to the utmoft of my poor abilities, for the promoting his fervice ; — taking the liberty, however, to reprefent / • ( as v«t >. « With thefe 5000, however, my Lord, 1 may poffibly determine to rifle, even by defultory movements, the trial of this ex- periment, fhould I find, the report given tne of our friends in that country properly founded. If it fucceeds as fully as our fan- guine friends w^uld perfuade us to hope, we «jay poflfibly be able to maintain ourfclves there With a fmall force ; but if we are in k Situation to give the experiment a fair trial, and it then fails, I fhall, I confefs, have little hopes afterwards of re-eftablifhing order on this continent ; which I am free to owh. J think can never be effefted without the cor- dial afliftance of numerous friends, &c. A ' 401J r Inchjed ♦ .,/ et- of, iree APPENDIX. 105 • tnclojed in the above letter the following exfra£fsfrom Sir Henry Clinton* s letters to Ma* jor General Phillips, ' ';;;7;:^-' -. ' * • ■AoL'i-j. v-- ♦ .-: M- ' V..;'" y^r^/ 26, 1781. »■ *' Lord Cornwallls's arrival at Wilming- ton has confidcrably changed the complexion of our affairs to the fouthvvard ; and all ope-» . rations to the northward miift probably give 4 I k place tp thofe in favour of his Lordlhip, which at prefent appear to require our more immediate attention. I know nothing of his Lordfhip's iituation, but what I have learnt from his lettef to me of the loth, which you have read. I had great hopes, before I re* ceived this letter that his Lordfliip would have been in a condition to fpare me a confide- rable part of his army from Carolina for the operations in Chefapeak ; but you will obferve from it, that inftead of fending any part of his prefent force thitherj he propofes to detain a part of the reinforcement coming from Eu- rope for his more fouthern operations, even though they fhould be defenfive. I (hall P therefor^ 1 \ si \1 \ , ri • T 'v; 'ii i»V" i ■f > I K 106 APPENDIX* therefore take the opinions of the general of* ficcrs near me, upon the prcfent ftatc of our affairs, and afterwards fend you fuch a rein- forcement from this army, as we may judge can be done with tolerable fecurity to this poft, at leaft, while we remain fuperior at fea. ,j, April 30, 1 3 1 . To the fame. " If Lord Cornwallis propofes no operation to you foon (that is, before the month of June) and you. fee none that will operate for him direSlly. I think the beft indlreB one In his favour will be what you and General Arnold have propofcd to me in Number 10 of your joint letter of the i8th inftant. The only riik you run is from a temporary fuperiority of the enemy at fea ; it is, however, an impor- tant move, and ought, in my opinion^ to be tried even with fome rifk. Give me timely information of your intended move, and if poffible I will follow you into ■■ with fuch a fmall reinforcement as 1 can at the time fparc. ' '»i' ! j; rj /. " If of- OUlf rein- idge Jf APPENDIX. 107 ** If the next packet docs not fatisfy me in ■ .1 I (hall probably retire and leave the command to Lord Cornwallis ; to whom it will be my advice to try the only experiment that in my opinion can operate, if the one in Carolina has failed. For as to Virginia, I know none which can redlice that province in one campaign. 1.-: ^ I ^ "As you feemed to think, before you re- ceived Lord Cornwallis's letter that all direft operation in favour of his I^ordfhip would ceafc by the end of May, &c. pray let me receive General Arnold's, and your opinion as foon as poiiible ; I confefs, I am not fan- guine, but if the experiment can be tried with- out any other rilk than from the enemy's fu- periority at fea I ftiould wi(h to do it. " Sould Lord Cornwallis determine on a defenfive in the Carolinas, he furely cannot want any of the European reinforcement, and will of courfe, feqd it to you, and all fiich other as fliall arrive j thus reinforced, if after ' P 2 leaving I . H .f U) (V y^' I: if 108 A P P E N D I X.' leaving a fufficlent garrifon in Elizabeth Ri- ver, you can proceed to »- 1 think we fliall be in force to give this a fair trial ; and I may Jeave you in the command there, unlefs things (hould take a more favourable turn in the Carolinas, and Lord CornwaHis*s prcfence ihere be no longer ncceffary. For until they do, I fhould imagine he will not quit them, ; N. B. Thefe two letters with other diU patches fell into Lord Cornwallis's hands on General PhiHips's death and were opened by his Lordfhip ; and the expedition therein pro- Bofed recommended to his confide ration, f ■* f • , ' ■ ■ v ■ ■ - , ■ ■ i " I - 1 )!*; i.ii ■^m , NUM- ' r • ■ ■ , - r r - ■ ? '■ r, I i \iv f ■' I ■■^1. APPENDIX. 10^ LI- lall lay fngs the mce they NUMBER XII. Videp. 37. 1. 6. ' Extrdils from Sir Henry Clinton s "Letters td fvjm* ( ■ Lord George Germain^ '.Tifti;,-/ v 1* • I »i J'(t.;i.» V ...I VfJ iC'vi k M n'Aii- May i2o, 1781. " B U T (houtd Lord ComwaHIs perfift in his intention of joining Major-general Phil- lips, as mentioned in his letter to that General Officer, I (hall be under fbme apprehenfioni for every part of South Carolina, except Char* les-town, and even for Georgia,' unlefs the fpeedy arrival of the reinforcement expe(fled from Europe, may cnjible the offifcer, com- manding in South Carolina, to take poft in force in fome healthy ftation in the back coun- try ii yet in hopes, from 3 me of the 24th, lay 22. Notwithftanding the pur* port of thefe letters, I ar Lord Cornwallis's letter that his Lordfhip will not perfift In attempting ajunftion with Major-general Phillips, as I I am -4.^ no APPENDIX. Hi am apprehenfive it may be attended with fome rifle, not only to his own Cf ps, but to that of General Phillips, (hould that General Of* ficer not have been joined in time by the re- inforcement I Lave fent him. A^W even have my doubts whether his Lord(hip*s march to the northward will draw after him, as he expels, the rebel General Green; who, I lear» will endeavour either to inveft Camden, or» by Rationing himfelf between that place and Charleftown, render Lord Rawdon*s iitu« ation very hazardous. I am therefore induced to flatter myfelf, that Lord Cornwallis, when he hears of Lord Rawdon*s fuccefs againft Green, will rather march into South Carolina either by the direft route of Crofs Creek and Camden, or by that of George Town ; or even by embarkation, though he fhould be obliged to leave his cavalry behind until veilels can be fent for them, than attempt the propofed junc- tion with General Phillips in the way he men- tions ; " - ■ . ^ - ,. ■ i. ^ , . ^ -, . y 1 1 i I \ APPENDIX. lit tions ; which 1 muft freely own appears to mc, for the reafons I have dated, not only dangerous to both corps in the attempt, but replete with the worft confcquences to our fouthern Provinces in their prefctit ftate." '\ ) NUMBER XIII. Vide p. 37. 1. ii. iU . 1 1 ' Extract from Sir Henry ClintotCs Letters to .'Astij . Lord Georgg Germain, July 1 8» 1 78 1. •* The cxtrafts from my correfpondence with Earl Cornwallis, which I have had the honour to tranfmit from time to time to your Lordfhip, will (hew, that I left in Carolina a very fair proportion of my army, and fuch as his Lordfhip thought fufii- cient to fecure South, and recover North Ca* rolina. With what was left for me to a£t with in this quarter, I took the field imme- diately upon my arrival here. General Leflie*s expedition .L. • -> f xpcdition to the ChefapCak took plade aftei*'» wards ; and feme unfortunate events in Caro^ : lina callli\g for ftill fai'ther'l'etnforcenient and co-operation, foon reduced this part of ray nrmy to a defenfive, almoft as low in numbet-s "as Sir William Howe left me in 1777. If our ' fufcefies, therefore, in the foutherti Frovincies ' have not anfwered your Lordfhip's expefta- ». tions, it cannot, I am certain, be imputed eithef to the fmallnefs of the numbers I left there, or the tardinefs or fcantinefs with which I have fince fupplied the exigencies of that fcr- vice. Though I am ftrongly imprefled with ' the importance of recovering Virginia, I fear the entire reduflion of fo populous a prc*'«nce is not to be expefted from an operntion folely there ; unlcfs our friends in it were more nu- merous, and were heartily inclined to affift us not only in conquering, but in keeping if* Hi' ■■•^■^m J"iy : • 1 ' m m^m ^^ S-'-r APPENDIX. "3 » July 25. *' No man, my Lord, laments more fincercly than I do, the long continuance of the wefterly winds, which prevented the failing of the Warwick's convoy ; and 1 hope your Lordflilp will pardon me for again re- peating, that had the reinforcement failed as early as was promifed, and the three battalions not been detained In the Weft Indies, I fhould perhaps by this time have made fiich move- ments as would have obliged the enemy to be apprehenfive for their own pofleffions, in- ftead of meditating the attack which they now threaten againft this poft,'* Auguft9. *' I am entirely of your Lord- ihip's fentiments with refped to Lord Corn- wallis having done as much in North Caro- lina as could have been eflfe