-. ->.. THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS i m m m '-'"'-' I ;'..'.-. - - ' .-'.'.'- :'-' .:"-'" - ^H ^| ' :>v :::;:..": -;-V'' ; ';"" H : K :''-:^- u NTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY THE CAMPAIGN IN VIRGINIA 1781. An exact Reprint of Six rare Pamphlets on the ClINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY with very numerous important UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT NOTES By SIR HENRY CLINTON K.B. And the Omitted and hitherto Unpublished portions of the Letters in their Appendixes added from the ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS With a SUPPLEMENT containing Extracts from the Journals of the House of Lords. . A French translation of papers laid before the House And a CATALOGUE of the Additional Correspondence of Clinton and of Cornwallis, in 1780-81 : about 3456 papers relating to the Controversy or bearing on Affairs in America IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL I Compiled, collated, and edited (with biographical notices in a copious index,) by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENS LONDON : 4 TRAFALGAR SQUARE, CHARING CROSS 1888 LIBRARY Copyrighted according to Act of Congress in. the year 1887 by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENS of Vermont, Temporarily residing in London, England. CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. ABBREVIATIONS . . . . . . . . . . pp. vi INTRODUCTION" . . . . . . . . . . vii to xxix SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE . . . . i to 58 EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER . . . . . . ,, 59 to 94 CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER .. .. 95 to 132 CORRESPONDENCE OF CLINTON & CORNWALLIS. . 133 to 136 THEMISTOCLES' REPLY TO NARRATIVE .. .. 137 to 172 PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY .. .. 173 to 206 CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE, 17 May 1780 to 31 May 1781 207 to 507 ABBREVIATIONS. AT, ALCALA ALS ARC BM CP DO EGA ELS ERNad ERTC ERTpg FEH FEU FG FM GW HO HL HSR LS MEMS AUTOGRAPH LETTER. ARCHIVO GENERAL CENTRAL, ALCALA DE HENARES. AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 4 VOLS. BRITISH MUSEUM, HALDIMAND COLLECTION. NARRATIVE OF CLINTON'S CO-OPERATION WITH SIR PETER PARKER AND VICE-ADMIRAL ARBUTHNOT. PRINTED. DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 6 VOLS. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, CAMBRIDGE, AUCKLAND MANUSCRIPTS. SHELBURNE MANUSCRIPTS IN LANSDOWNE HOUSE. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, ADMIRALTY RECORDS, ADMIRALS' DISPATCHES. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, BOARD OF TRADE, CANADA. RECORD OFFICE, BOARD OF TRADE, PLANTATIONS GENERAL. ARCHIVES DBS AFFAIRES ETRANGERES, HOLLANDE. ARCHIVES DBS AFFAIRES ETRANGERES, ETATS-UNIS. ARCHIVES DU MINISTERS DE LA GUERRE. ARCHIVES DE LA MARINE. WRITINGS OF GEO. WASHINGTON. BY J. SPARKS. LIBRARY OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. LIBRARY OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. RIJKS ARCHIEF TE 's GRAVENHAGE, SECRETE RESOLUT1EN. LETTER SIGNED. MEMORANDUMS RE TREATMENT OF THE ARMY RESPECTING PLUNDER. PRINTED 1794. PA PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF ENGLAND, AMERICA AND WEST INDIES SERIES. RI ROYAL INSTITUTION. RODNEY LETTERS FROM G. B. RODNEY TO H.M.'s MINISTERS, &C., 1/84. SAC SACKVILLE MANUSCRIPTS IN DRAYTON HOUSE. SIMANCAS ARCHIVO GENERAL DE REINO, SIMANCAS. SSI ARCHIVO GENERAL DE INDIAS, SEVILLE. INTRODUCTION These two volumes relating to the military contro versy between Sir Henry Clinton and Lord Cornwallis will be found a valuable contribution to the history of the American campaign of 1781, by which the independence of the United States was virtually secured. They comprise : 1 . Reprints of five exceedingly rare pamphlets on the Clinton-Cornwallis Controversy, published in Lon don in 1 783, and a sixth with the official correspondence between these commanders, privately printed at New York in 1781. These six pamphlets are of such rarity that only one library, that of the Department of State at Washington, possesses all of them, and of the ' PARTING WORD ' no other copy is known. All were purchased at the auction sales of two portions of Sir Henry Clinton's library in 1882 and 1884. 2. Innumerable important and hitherto unpublished Manuscript Notes made by Sir Henry Clinton in many separate copies of the pamphlets and in other books. 3. The full text of the omitted portions of the one hundred and eighty-three documents in the six pam phlets, now for the first time published, en tire whenever possible, from the manuscripts in the Public Record Office, the Royal Institution, the House of Lords, the bureaux des Affaires Etrangeres, de la Marine, and de la Guerre, Paris, and in the private collections of the Marquis of Lansdowne, Mrs. Stopford Sackville, and Lord Auckland. 4. A supplement containing : a. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Lords from 27 Nov. 1781, to 6 March 1782. b. The preface to a surreptitious viii INTRODUCTION French translation of the official correspondence laid before the House of Lords, with a list of the papers published therein, c. A Catalogue of the official cor respondence of Clinton and of Cornwallis in 1780 and 1781, numbering about 3456 papers, more or less relating to their controversy, and all bearing upon affairs in America. Before proceeding to a bibliographical description of the pamphlets, it will be convenient to give a very brief sketch of the campaign of 1 780-81, in order that the points at issue betweeen Clinton and Cornwallis may be distinctly apprehended. Sir Henry Clinton had been commander in chief of the British forces in America since 8 May 1778. His first act had been to evacuate Philadelphia, and concentrate his forces at New York, and he had after wards mainly carried on the war by predatory expedi tions, which had always been successful, but which could not possibly be attended by decisive results. Cornwallis had been so dissatisfied with this policy that shortly after Clinton's appointment he had sent in his resignation, which the King refused to accept. He had then returned to England on account of the illness of his wife, and arrived again at New York in July 1 779, as secon( l i* 1 command, and provided with a commission entitling him to succeed Clinton in the event of the latter's death or incapacity. He now urged his views more strongly, and in 1 780 Clinton consented to invade the Southern colonies. Charles- town was taken May n. Clinton then returned to New York, leaving Cornwallis in command. The latter maintained his ground until January, 1781, when he determined to march northward into Virginia, hoping to effect a junction with Clinton on the Chesapeake, and subdue the State. After various turns of fortune he successfully effected his junction at Petersburgh May 20 with a detach ment of Clinton's army under Arnold, the command having again devolved on him by the death of General INTRODUCTION ix Phillips May 13. Cornwallis still found himself too weak to attempt anything of importance. He urged the evacuation of New York, and the concentration of the entire British army in Virginia, to which Clinton would not listen. On August 2 he established himself atYorktown, was invested there in September by Wash ington, who had received large French reinforcements, and surrendered on October 1 9, exactly six years and a half after the first blood shed in the war by the skirmish at Lexington. On the very same day Clinton sailed from New York with seven thousand men to relieve him, and arrived at the Chesapeake on October 24, to find himself too late. Such a series of transactions evidently opens the way for abundant controversy and recrimination between the officers concerned. Was Cornwallis's march through the Carolinas and Virginia undertaken with Sir Henry Clinton's approbation or consent ? Upon his arrival in the Chesapeake, ought Clinton to have strongly reinforced him, even at the cost of aban doning New York ? or to have withdrawn his forces while there was time ? or, as he actually did, to have awaited events ? Was the unfortunate selection of York Town as headquarters the fault of Cornwallis ? or was he constrained by Clinton's instructions to occupy and fortify a good harbour ? Could the de fence have been better conducted ? and did Clinton use all possible expedition and diligence in coming to Cornwallis's relief? These were the questions chiefly agitated in the pamphlets of which I have now to give a bibliographical account. They are as follows. I . " NARRATIVE of Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clin ton, K.B. relative to his Conduct during part of his command of the King's Troops in North America ; Particularly to that which respects the unfortunate Issue of the Campaign in 1 78 1 . With an Appendix, containing Copies and Extracts of those Parts of his Correspondence with Lord George Germain, x INTRODUCTION Earl Cornwallis, Rear Admiral Graves, &c. \Vhicharereferred to therein. London: Printed for J. Debrett, (successor to Mr. Almon) opposite Burlington-house, Piccadilly, 1 783." Svo. Half title, title and ^.115, Slip of Errata. Six editions of the NARRATIVE were issued in 1783, a seventh edition in 1 785, and a reprint limited to 200 copies 8, 75, 4, and 25, f, by John Campbell, Philadelphia, 1865. The NAREATIVE was first published in January 1783. Earl Cornwallis received a copy on January 15. The Monthly Review for January 1783 p. 89 gives this notice: " It had been happy for this country [we are to write now in the preterpluperfect tense], that the conduct of our commanders had been so clear and decisive as to save them the trouble of penning narratives and defences. Ill success is the parent of accusa tion, exculpation, and recrimination ; and in this detail Sir Henry Clinton acquits himself of all share in Lord Cornwallis's misfortune ; leaving that general to answer for misconceptions of the orders sent him, and for the choice of the post which he was reduced to surrender. A counter representation may probably follow from the other side ; and such is all the satisfaction we have, and are likely to. have, for the loss of America ! " The Gentleman's Magazine February 1783 p. 147 says of the Narrative : " Painful is the detail of such a losing game as our American warfare. It is like tearing open a wound never to be healed. The principal view of the late com- mander-in-chief, like that of his predecessor, is to exculpate himself. For that purpose ' he contends, that a desultory war in Virginia, the taking possession of the posts of York and Gloucester (at least with out objection), the undertaking operations in the Chesapeak, without having a naval superiority, &c. were measures far from being advised, always disapproved by him. "To the latter (he says), ' Perhaps alone are we to impute our late misfortune (Lord Cornwallis's) in that quarter.' An impartial reader, on perusing this Narrative, will hardly think that Sir Henry Clinton has exculpated himself from directing the Earl to take post at York and Gloucester. His Lordship's Answer will be noticed in p. 155." 2. "AN ANSWER to that part of the Narrative of Lieu tenant General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. Which relates to the Conduct of Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, during the Campaign in North America, INTRODUCTION xi in the year 1781. By Earl Cornwallis. London: Printed for J. Debrett, (Successor to Mr. Alrnon,) opposite BurlingtonHouse,Piccadilly,M.DCC.LXXXiii." &vo. title, pp. xm.' y "Contents" 3 leaves, pp. 260, Slip of Errata. An edition of 200 copies 8, 75, 4, and 25, f, was reprinted in Philadelphia, 1866. The Gentleman's Magazine February 1783 p. 155 gives this notice of the ANSWER : " EARL CORNWALLIS has made as gallant a defence here as he did at York Town, with this material difference : he was there obliged to surrender an indefensible post to the far superior forces of his enemies ; but in this entrenchment, we think, he has been able to repulse the warm attacks of his commander in chief. In short, from an im partial perusal of the correspondence here exhibited, we are clearly of opinion (to adopt his Lordship's words in his Introduction) ' that our failure in North Carolina was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends, but by their timidity, and unwilling ness to take an active and useful part ; that the move to Wilming ton was rendered necessary from the distresses of the troops, and the sufferings of the numerous sick and wounded ; that the march into Virginia was undertaken for urgent reasons, which would not admit of his waiting for the approbation of the commander in chief ; that he did not establish the station in Virginia, but only reinforce it ; that he occupied the posts of York and Gloucester, and was induced to remain in them by the prospect of relief uniformly held out to him by the commander in chief; and that, during the considerable interval between his arrival at Petersburgh, and that of the French fleet in the Chesapeak, his corps was completely at the disposal of Sir Henry Clinton, either to be withdrawn, or employed in the Upper Chesapeak, or sent back to the Carolinas ; and, consequently, that his Lordship's conduct and opinions were not the causes of the catas trophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781.' That Sir H. Clinton is blameable, does not, however necessarily follow. Various other causes, which might be assigned out, and may be easily collected from this correspondence, contributed to the failure of our arms in that inauspicious war ; in which we constantly seem, under every commander, however successful on other occasions, to have swum, as it were, against the stream. The stars in their courses f ought against Sisera. One of these was the false hopes continually held forth by pretended or lukewarm friends. * I have experienced the distresses and dangers (says Lord Cornwallis from Wilmington) of marching some hundreds of miles in a country chiefly hostile, with out one active or useful friend.' In consequence of this his brilliant successes at Camden and Guildford were as unproductive and indeed ruinous as defeats. After the latter he says, l Many of the inhabi tants rode into camp, shook me by the hand, said they were glad to see us, and to hear that we had beat Greene, and then rode home xii INTRODUCTION again.' Another cause seems to have been the want of harmony and concurrence in the sea and land departments. ' Our Admiral,' says Sir Henry Clinton, ' is grown, if possible, more impracticable than ever : ' and afterwards he laments the want of * a co-operating naval chief,' mentions his 'strange conduct,' &c. When the General wanted him to escort troops to the Chesapeak, he was determined, it seems, to cruize off Nantucket, thus reminding us of what Shakespeare's Richard the Third says of his * cold friends ' : 'What do they in the North, ' When they should serve their sovereign in the West ? ' The sailing of another convoy with stores, &c. he stopped, 'without assigning any reason,' &c. &c. A third, and perhaps principal, cause of failure was the want of a naval superiority, which Sir H. Clinton had reason to expect, and was promised by the minister. Thus, in one letter, he says, ' Sir Geo. Rodney will of course follow De Grasse hither : ' in another, < I learn, from the minister, that three battalions are to accompany Sir Geo. Rodney, in case De Grasse comes on this coast.' Instead of which, Sir George went home, and detached Sir Samuel Hood with only fourteen ships, and two battalions, one of them serving as marines. Had he followed De Grasse (as ex pected) with his whole force, the disgraceful affair off the Chesapeak, and the consequent surrender at York-Town, would probably have been prevented. Adm. Digby also was expected in force. Instead of which, he brought only three ships, and that not till Sept. 24. The second sailing of the fleet too was strangely delayed. 'There is every reason,' says Sir Henry Clinton, ' to hope we start from hence the $th October. 1 Afterwards, ' I have reason to hope, from the assurances given me by Admiral Graves, that we may pass the bar by the 1 2th of October.' Lord Cornwallis did not capitulate tillifie I'jth. But the fleet did not sail till the igth. Too mean an opinion of the American prowess seems also to have prejudiced the commander in chief. Thus he speaks of ' a small body of ill-armed peasantry, full as spiritless as the militia of the Southern provinces.' But Lord Cornwallis, who knew more of those provinces, aptly replies, ' The list of British officers and soldiers killed and wounded by them since last June proves but too fatally that they are not wholly contemptible.' Other causes might be mentioned, independent of any misconduct in the Generals. And on the whole, of Earl Cornwallis, in whose sensibility, as a soldier and a man, we most sincerely sympathise, and of whose integrity and abilities we have a just opinion, we are dis posed to say, with Virgil's Hector, Si Pergama dextrd Defendi possent, etiam hoc defensafuissent." The ANSWER is also noticed in the Monthly Eeview March 1783 p. 266 as follows : " From the tendency of Sir Henry Clinton's relation of facts, the appear ance of an exculpatory state of transactions was naturally to be expected ; the claim of which to the public attention, is now, INTRODUCTION xiii alas ! merely on private considerations, that characters may, if possible, be fairly estimated. This answer consists of the chain of correspondence between the two Commanders, during the campaign referred to; which, as Lord Cornwallis has summed up the whole in his Introduction, is to shew, l that our failure in North Carolina, was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends, but by their timidity, and unwillingness to take an active and useful part, that the move to Wilmington was rendered necessary from the distresses of the troops, and the sufferings of the numerous sick and wounded, that the march into Virginia was undertaken for urgent reasons, which could not admit of my waiting for the approba tion of the Commander in Chief, that I did not establish the station in Virginia, but only reinforce it, that I occupied the posts of York and Gloucester by order ; and was induced to remain in them by the prospect of relief, uniformly held out to me by the Commander in Chief, and that, during the considerable interval between my arrival at Petersburgh, and that of the French fleet in the Chesapeak, my corps was completely at the disposal of Sir Henry Clinton, either to be withdrawn, or employed in the Upper Chesapeak, or sent back to the Carolinas, and consequently, that my conduct and opinions were not the cause of the catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781.' u So far from pretending to decide on the complicated circumstances of difference between these noble Commanders, we shall leave them to the judgment of their military Peers, with only this remark ; that the vicissitudes attending the joint operation of detached armies, will fre quently furnish occasions for ill-humour, that would never have discom posed their minds had their endeavours been crowned with success." 3. " OBSERVATIONS on some parts of the Answer of Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton's Narrative. By Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. To which is added an Appendix ; containing Extracts of Letters and other Papers, to which reference is necessary. London : Printed for J. Debrett, (Suc cessor to Mr. Almon,) opposite Burlington House, Piccadilly. M.DCC.LXXXIII." Svo. Half-title, title, pp. 35 & 1 1 3 and folding sheet " View of the Strength of the two Armies." A reprint limited to 200 copies 8, 75, 4, and 25, f , was issued by John Camp bell, Philadelphia, 1866. The Monthly Review April 1783 p. 362 contains this notice of the OBSERVATIONS : " After much rejoinder, about the times of sending orders, re ceiving dispatches, producing and withholding letters, &c. xiv INTRODUCTION which the parties concerned will understand much better than any of their readers ; Sir Henry Clinton repeats that Lord Cornwallis mis conceived his orders and intentions ; that * it will appear from the correspondence, that his Lordship's discretionary powers were unlimited from the first moment of his taking charge of a separate command : and it will, I believe, be admitted, that his lordship acted in most cases as if he considered them as such.' Upon this ground, Sir Henry declares, 1 1 will frankly own that I ever disapproved of an attempt to conquer Virginia, before the Carolinas were absolutely restored. However, when I saw that Lord Cornwallis had forced himself upon me in that province, I left him at liberty to act there as he judged best.' He closes these observations with the following paragraph : ' I shall now beg leave to conclude with an opinion, which I presume is deducible from the foregoing (I trust candid) review of circumstances : which is, that Lord Cornwallis's conduct and opinions, if they were not the immediate causes, may be adjudged to have at least contributed to bring on the fatal catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781.' " It is to be hoped, an altercation, from which the Public have nothing to hope, will not be any longer continued." The Gentleman's Magazine April 1783 p. 334 says of the OBSERVATIONS : "The former publications of these brave but unsuccessful warriors were reviewed by us in pp. 147 and 155. In this Sir H. Clinton com plains of three of his letters being with-held from the House of Lords and the publick, whilst those to which they were answers were long suffered to operate to his prejudice, and also of the publication of his secret and most private letter to Gen. Phillips, dated April 30. The want of co-operation, which Lord Cornwallis ex perienced from the Loyalists after the victory of Guildf ord, Sir Henry attributes to their past sufferings and disappointments, and to i the melancholy scene his Lordship's camp, encumbered with a long train of sick and wounded, exhibited to their view.' Lord C's l next object,' he thinks, * should have been to secure South Carolina.'' And this, he says, was his Lordship's own opinion, expressed in a letter of Dec. 12, 1780. In consequence, Sir Henry reprobates the march to Wil mington from Cross Creek, when Camden and South Carolina were so much nearer ; and even, when at Wilmington, the not retiring to Charles-Town, by Lockwood's Folly and the Waggamaw, which, he insists was practicable. And thus, he adds, Lord 0. ' would have saved South Carolina, and avoided the fatal catastrophe in the Chesapeak.' Lord C's occupying York and Gloucester, it is also here asserted, 'was entirely at his own motion and choice,' and not justified by his instructions. We shall wave entering farther in to this now fruitless and unavailing controversy, than to add, that Sir H. Clinton's deduction from the whole is, * that Lord Cornwallis's con- ' duct and opinions, if they were not the immediate causes, may be * adjudged to have at least contributed to bring on the fatal INTRODUCTION xv * catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781;' and to observe, that nothing is more easy, and at the same time more fallacious, than opinions formed by or from events." 4. " CORRESPONDENCE between His Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B/and Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis." [New York 1781] 8vo. pp. 70. In some copies a leaf is inserted between pages 54 and 55 and in some copies pages 71 to 76 are added by insertion. This CORRESPONDENCE has no imprint. Copies of it are in several Libraries, but I find no notices or reviews. 5. "A REPLY to Sir Henry Clinton's Narrative. Wherein his numerous errors are pointed out, and the conduct of Lord Cornwallis fully vindicated from all asper sion: including the whole of the Public and Secret Correspondence, between Lord George Germain, Sir Henry Clinton, and his Lordship ; as also Intercepted Letters from General Washington. Audi alteram partem . . Non fumum vendo, nee fucum facio. London : Printed for R. Faulder, New Bond Street, and J. Debrett, Piccadilly. MDCCLXXXIII." Svo pp. 109. [Signed at p. 61 " Themistocles," and so catalogued in the British Museum.] The author ship appears to be unknown ; it was certainly un known to Sir H. Clinton, as evinced by his annota tions. A second edition was issued in 1783. The Monthly Review February 1783 p. 183 thus notices the REPLY : " In this anonymous Reply, Lord Cornwallis is vindicated from the misconception of orders, and discre tionary conduct, stated in Sir Henry Clinton's narrative ; and Sir Henry is charged withholding out delusive promises of succour to his Lordship. It is not always easy, after reading both sides, in such complicated transactions, clearly to determine where the blame rests ; but it is easy to see who is best acquainted with decency ; and we cannot avoid remarking, that Sir H. C. relates his story in a plain modest stile, that gives dignity to his narrative : whereas every page in this reply is debased with such illiberal epithets and sarcastic turns of expression, as (whatever may be the concealed writer's intentions) are very far from doing any service to the cause he has undertaken." 6. " A PARTING WORD ; or, a Summary Review of the Controversy between Sir Henry Clinton and xvi INTRODUCTION Earl Cornwallis. Occasioned by the Observations lately published by that Gentleman on his Lord ship's Answer. London : Printed for E. Faulder, New Bond Street ; and J. Bew, Pater-noster Row. 31DCCLXXXIII." &VO. I have not been able to find another copy of this pamphlet in any Library, or any mention of it. It is here reprinted from the Copy in the Library of the Department of State at Washington. In these six pamphlets and their appendixes there are altogether 183 letters printed entirely or partially. Many are repeated fully or in extracts in two or more of the six pamphlets : and some of them, complete or in excerpts, are printed in one or more of the following three books, all of which contain many and copious Manuscript Notes by Sir Henry Clinton hitherto un published : 7. " CORRESPONDANCE du Lord G. GERMAIN, avec Les Generaux Clinton, Cornwallis & les Amiraux dans la Station de I'Amerique, avec plusieurs lettres interceptees du General Washington, du Marquis de la Fayette & de M. de Barras, chef d'Escadre. Traduit de 1'Anglois sur les originaux publics par ordre de la Chambre des Pairs. Je ne sais ou je vais; hu mains, faibles humains, Regions-nous notre sort? Est-il entre nos mains? Irene de Voltaire. Londres et Versailles, chez Poingot, 1 784." Sin. Svo. pp. xm. and 304; two folding tables. These papers were never published by order of the House of Lords as stated on the title-page. The active and intelligent collector of Secret Intelligence for France was so ingenious as to get access to and to copy, translate, and print many of the papers laid on the Table of the House of Lords. This book was probably printed by our Allies, the French, in 1 782 to in fluence the Peace Negotiations going on in Paris. It is not in the Library of Parliament, nor was I able to find a copy in any Library in London till one was very recently procured by the British Museum. Several INTRODUCTION xvii Libraries in America possess it. The State Library of Berne has it. The copy containing Manuscript Notes by Clinton, now in the Library of the Department of State at Washington, has the above imprint, and a por trait of Washington ; others bear the imprint Berne, Chez la Nouvelle Societe Typographique, 1782. 8. " A HISTORY of the Campaigns of 1 780 and 1 78 1 , in the Southern Provinces of North America. By Lieu tenant Colonel TARLETON, Commandant of the late British Legion. London: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand. MDCCLXXXVH." Quarto. Title, Con tents, pp. viii. and 518. With Maps and Plans. Colonel Tarleton in his ' Campaigns ' lays the blame on Lord Cornwallis, who in a letter to the Bishop of Lichfield, dated Calcutta, Dec. 12, 1787, says with reference to that work : " Tarleton's is a most malicious and false attack ; he knew and approved the reasons for several of the measures which he now blames. My not sending relief to Colonel Ferguson, although he was positively ordered to retire, was entirely owing to Tarleton himself ; he pleaded weakness from the remains of a fever, and refused to make the attempt, although I used the most earnest entreaties ; I mention this as a proof, amongst many others, of his candour." 9. "OBSERVATIONS on MR. STEDMAN'S History of the American War. By Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. London : Printed for J. Debrett, opposite Burlington House, Piccadilly, 1 794." 'Quarto. Title. Observations pp. i to 34. The title (reverse Hank) and pages 33 and 34 form the wrapper to eight quarto sheets pp. i to 32. Some copies were issued with a two page Preface, i.and ii.,inserted with wafers. Fifty copies were privately reprinted by F. S. Hoffman for presentation, Philadelphia 1864, 4- This Preface reads : u It has been a fashion with many (owing to what cause I will not pretend to say) to declare, that in losing America, we have neither lost commerce, military character, or consequence. Tho' T had differed in opinion respecting all these, I know full well that until this country felt some dire misfortune, in consequence of the loss of that, I should meet with few advocates for my opinion. Alas ! has not that dire misfortune now befallen us ? Notwithstand ing the zealous, officer-like, and successful exertions of our land and sea chiefs, and their gallant navies and armies, these last are reduced xviii INTRODUCTION by sickness to a debility the more alarming, as it cannot, I fear, diminish, but must increase. Had we possessed the continent of America, our fleets and armies might have retired to its ports during the hurricanes and sickly season, attended to their sick, recovered and recruited both navy and army, and returned to the West-Indies with the means of further exertion. Where have we now a healthy safe port ? Halifax is almost as far as Europe ; while in the American ports the tri-coloured flag flies triumphant, and scarcely a British ship is to be seen except as capture. If appearances are so unpromising now we are said to be in alliance with America, how it will happen, should we unfortunately add them to the number of our enemies, I need not predict. Altho' I had received my Sovereign's fullest ap probation of my conduct during that American war, as will appear by my correspondence with His Ministers, contained in my narrative, &c. published in 1783, and in the following pamphlet, yet, considering every person employed in so important a command as accountable at all times for their conduct, I conceive myself called upon by a recent publication, which has misstated material facts, whether from error, or a desire of courting a late Governor General of India,* I will not pretend to determine j but at a time when my services were actually called for, and these more than insinuations may make an impression on the public, it is my duty to refute them : I therefore submit the following observations on Mr. Stedman's History of the American War, to the candid and impartial public, who will, no doubt, give me credit for my forbearance in not troubling them on such a subject until forced into it by an unprovoked attack. H. C." I have reproduced the pamphlets in their present order because I think Sir Henry Clinton used them in this order in making his MS. notes ; and it was more convenient to begin with the Narrative. If arranged chronologically the contents of these two volumes would have run : Correspondence (New York, Dec., 1781). vol i. 133 Lords' Journals, Feb. and March, 1782. ii. 251 Correspondance du Ld. G.Germain, 1782. ii. 301 Narrative January 1783 i. i Eeply 1783 i. 137 Answer 1783 i. 59 Observations 1783 i. 95 Parting Word 1783 i. 173 Chronological Correspondence vol i. 207 to ii. 250 Catalogue of Additional Correspondence ii. 321 * Some copies read courting the Marquis of Cornwallis on bis return from India, and others courting A Govr General on his return from India. JB.F.S. INTRODUCTION XIX In the next place, an account must be given of the copious Manuscript Notes made by Sir Henry Clinton in various copies of the above-mentioned publications. Between 1783 and his death in 1795 ne tnus anno tated no fewer than eighteen copies of the Narrative ; four of the Answer ; six of the Observations ; eleven of the Correspondence ; nine of the Observations on Stedman ; and one copy each of the Reply, Parting Word, Tarleton, and the surreptitious French translation of the papers laid before the House of Lords. The same note is often found in several copies of the same pamphlet, and in other pamphlets. Sir Henry would appear to have lent these copies to persons interested in the Controversy ; for on the half-title of the copy of the Narrative which I have called the fifth, and marked e, is written " With S. H. Clinton's Compliments to Capt. Duncan this is the best Noted Narrative, June '86 ;" and other copies appear to have been lent to Gen. McLean, Major Taylor, and Colonel Goate. It is possible that other annotated copies may have been lent, and not returned: but this collection contains all that came to light at the sale of Sir Henry Clinton's library. All these were purchased by the Department of State at Washington, where they now are. It will be seen that it can have been no easy matter to present in a clear and intelligible form documents characterised by such repetition and intricacy. I have now to explain the steps which I have adopted to this end. I have collected and collated all of Clinton's Manu script Notes in the several copies of the six Contro versial Pamphlets, and I have added such of his Notes from the French translation of the House of Lords papers, and from Tarleton, and Observations on Stedman, as were made on any of the 183 letters that are in the six pamphlets. I have arbitrarily called the several copies of the Narrative a b c d e etc., and the same with the other xx INTRODUCTION pamphlets ; and I have printed Clinton's Manuscript Notes in double columns, and have numbered the notes on each page for convenience in reference. I have added to the number of the note the indicating letter of the pamphlet that contains it. When the same Manuscript Note is found in several copies of any pamphlet I have indicated which of the several copies a b c d e etc. contain it by adding the arbitrary letters to the number of the note. Thus note 5 on page 7, " Lord C's going to India," is written in the eleven copies of the Narrative called cfiklnopqrs. In a few cases it has been convenient to use the plus + mark in the pica text in conjunction with the arbitrary letter calling for the first book, and to set out only in the note all the copies containing the same note, as on page 8, note 10 f + in the pica text and lofiklmnopqrs in the note. I have carefully followed ' copy,' but in my reprint I have inserted head lines throughout the book, the pagination of the original pamphlets in square brackets, and I have interpolated superior figures and letters calling for Clinton's Manuscript Notes, which are always printed in two columns in bourgeois. When the text calls for foot notes with * f J c, such foot notes are printed across the page and come from the original pamphlets, but the words in italics are modifications by me. For instance, on page 9 the asterisk in the original edition calls for extracts of letters which I have printed in full in the Chrono logical Correspondence. The limits of the extracts are indicated where the letter itself is printed. There were tables of errata in some of the pamphlets: I have everywhere followed 'copy' as corrected by such errata. There were six editions of the Narrative issued in 1 783 and a seventh edition in 1 785, and perhaps more than the editions already indicated of some of the INTRODUCTION xxi other pamphlets; hence there may be variations in the text that I have not noted. In the Appendixes to the Narrative, to the Answer, to the Observations and the Reply, and in the Corres pondence and the French translation of the Lords papers, and sometimes elsewhere, I have given the heading of the document as it is in the original edition, and at the end of each title I have stated in italics where the letter is here printed. I have pnt the pagination of the original pamphlets in square brackets in these title headings, for greater convenience in referring to them. I have in this manner preserved the sequence of the pamphlets, and wherever the same letters are printed in two or more of them I have, by putting all the correspondence into one chronological arrangement, avoided the necessity of printing any letter twice. At the end of each letter I have given full particulars of duplicates &c. The next division of this compilation consists of the Chronological Correspondence, comprising the 183 letters in the six pamphlets, completed, where possible, from the original manuscripts existing in the public and private archives already referred to. I have carefully included the very numerous and sometimes extensive portions omitted in the pamphlets, and have indicated all additions. I have also indicated the pam phlet or pamphlets in which each letter occurs, and the text which 1 have followed. It has not been thought necessary to reprint the numerous duplicates in extenso, but all variations have been carefully noted in the mar gins; and I have given the endorsements and other memoranda found on the manuscripts. Clinton's Manu script Notes on each of the 183 letters in the six pam phlets and the other volumes annotated by him, are here repeated in conjunction with the letter itself. The Supplement consists of : I. Full extracts from the Journals of the House of Lords from November 1 78 1 to March 1 782, in so far as xxii INTRODUCTION they relate to the operations of Clinton and Corn wallis, vol. ii. p. 251. II. The preface, in the original French text with an English translation, of the very rare book " Corres- pondance du Lord G. Germain," together with the headings of the documents published in it, vol. ii. p. 301. This, it will be recollected, is a spurious pub lication in so far as it professes to translate docu ments published by authority of the House of Lords, the House having authorised no such publication, and the statement to the contrary on the title page is a deliberate untruth. The documents themselves are, nevertheless, perfectly genuine. Copies would seem to have been obtained by some agent of the French Government in England. III. Catalogue of Additional Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 321. As above stated, the Chronological Correspondence between Clinton and Cornwallis in the six pamphlets contains 183 letters. Some are covering letters without their enclosures, and some are enclosures without their covering letters. These letters are distributed as follows through the several pamphlets. The NARRATIVE Appendix contains Clinton's Correspondence with Lord George Germain, Earl Cornwallis, Rear Admiral Graves, &c. which is referred to in the Narrative. The ANSWER contains Correspondence between Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B., Commander in Chief, and Lieut. -Gen. Earl Cornwallis : Relative i, to the Cam paign in North Carolina; 2, to Earl Cornwallis's March into Virginia ; 3, to the Operations in Vir ginia ; 4, to occupying an Harbour for Line of Battle Ships ; 5, to the Defence of York in Virginia ; and 6, Letters from Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, delivered at New York a month after Earl Cornwallis's surrender. The OBSERVATIONS Appendix contains Extracts of Letters and other Papers to which reference is necessary. And the REPLY in cludes the whole of the Public and Secret Correspon- INTRODUCTION xxin dence between Lord George Germain, Sir Henry Clinton and Earl Cornwallis, as also Intercepted Letters from General Washington. The CORRESPONDENCE between Clinton and Corn wallis, privately printed New York 1781, seems to suggest that the entire Correspondence was then given; the NARRATIVE and OBSERVATIONS are stated to contain the Correspondence to which reference is necessary ; the ANSWER seems to cover a much wider field; and the KEPLY definitely states that it includes the whole Correspondence, &c. Notwithstanding these statements I have found in the European Archives., in the course of my search for the original manuscripts of the 183 letters printed in the six pamphlets, about 3456 additional letters to and from Clinton and to and from Cornwallis with enclosures, during the years 1 780 and 1781. All these papers more or less touch on the subject of the Con troversy, and all bear on affairs in America, The Catalogue of this Additional Correspondence forms part of the Supplement. I have attempted to include in this Catalogue all letters written by Clinton or Cornwallis and all letters written to either of them in 1780 and 1781 with all enclosures and sub-enclosures so as to chronologically indicate the information and papers in the possession of the respective authors. In cataloguing the letters I have stated where each of them is to be found, and if printed where printed. The value of this mass of historical information, now for the first time made accessible to the student, must be obvious. The contents of this Compilation and Supplement afford materials to assist in tracing the true origin of, and the growth and development of the strained relations between Clinton and Cornwallis in this Controversy, and to define the real responsibilities of each of them and of the Ministers. Earl Cornwallis, in writing to Lord Rawdon from d xxiv INTRODUCTION Portsmouth, Virginia, 23 July 1781, had said " C. is determined to throw all blame on me." Corn wallis arrived at New York 19 Nov. 1781, and met Clinton. The discussions were principally on : i, the policy of the March into Virginia ; 2, on whom rested the responsibility of the Chesapeake affair ; and 3, on the alleged promises to Cornwallis of succour. Cornwallis sailed from New York for England, 15 December 1781, on the ' Robust,' 3rd rate, 74 guns, 600 men, Capt. Phs. Cosby, convoying a fleet of 1 20 merchantmen. On Dec. 25 the Robust sprang a leak, and made for the West Indies. The Log of the Robust says: "Thursday 27 Dec. fresh gales and hazey, made the Sig 1 to bear up and bore up and made the Greyhounds Sig 1 to follow us . . . pumps constantly going . . . 28 Dec. (a.m.), left the Ship to Go on b d the Greyhound Lord Cornwallis. . . . cheer'd him. . . . Bearings at Noon, Bermudas 61 W, Dist. 113 Leagues." General Benedict Arnold accompanied Cornwallis, and took charge of Clinton's dispatches to Lord George Germain. It is curious to note parenthetically that the ' Greyhound ' was chased by a French priva teer and obliged to run into Penzance, so escaping capture by our allies, the French. Luzerne, the French Ambassador at Philadelphia, wrote 9 Jan. 1782 to Castries, Minister of Marine, that a Merchant fleet of 150 sail set out from New York the 15 th of last month, "it will probably arrive in Europe before this letter. A part of the vessels return in ballast according to custom, the remainder are laden with tobacco and merchandise from the islands, taken from prizes. A considerable number of Americans, partisans of England, have taken this opportunity of going over, the success in the Chesa peake having deprived them of the hope of recovering their confiscated possessions, and of being re-estab lished in their own country by the superiority of the English arms. This fleet is convoyed by the Robust INTRODUCTION XXV of 74 guns and two frigates. The Robust is in such a bad condition that it has been necessary to take out all the guns but 12." Castries, Paris, 24 Jan. 82, wrote to Hector, In- tendant de la Marine at Brest : " It appears that the Convoy from N. York, escorted by the Robust has been dispersed off the English coast, it is unfortunate that we were not able to profit by it." Isaac Corry, London, 22 Jan. 1782, wrote to Rt. Hon. William Eden: "Lord George is not yet formally disembarassed of his office, but the thing is to happen : he seems to cut not over graciously, & I believe it will appear that the King thinks so: Carleton it is concluded will immediately go out to America: Lord Cornwallis is expected to arrive this morning in town, & it is said will further as much as in his power an enquiry into the plann & the conduct of the southern campaign, in the former of which he was not consulted Sir Henry Clinton is hardly spoken of Lord Cornwallis very highly reported by Dundass, Tarleton, Lake, the post at Yorktown seems to have been in opposition to Lord C's opinions." Two copies of the CORRESPONDENCE between Clinton and Cornwallis, vol. i. 133, privately printed in America, were sent to the Right Hon. William Eden, at that time chief Secretary in Ireland. Clinton, New York, 7 Dec. 1781, wrote to Eden: " You will have heard of our Misfortune in Chesa- peak. . . I send you two pamphlets the CORRE SPONDENCE with L.C. . . we are most unfortunate! what can our Country now do ? Can you replace the Veteran army we have lost, where are your allies? the American M rs Conduct has been most un accountable, his treatment of me without example. Why did they not at first permit me to resign to L. C s? They drove me to the wall by in structions, & every sort of ill treatment, till June, & in July the tone was altered, without my being able to account for the one or the other. I was too xxvi INTRODUCTION late, & I was forced to the necessity of concluding my letter when I was starting to attempt to succour L.C. with telling the M r I should if I succeeded resign the command to his Lordship. I should have done so in June had I not reduced this place (at that time threatned with a siege) to a garrison very feeble indeed, nor have I ever repeated my wish to resign, for tis probable long before I could obtain leave, we shall have met our fates, good or bad. ... I doubt you being able to read my scrawl, perhaps tis well you do not, car je parle un pen trop a cceur ouvert" The distribution of this COKRESPONDENCE by Sir Henry Clinton presumably induced Earl Cornwallis and his attached friend Lord George Germain to urge a general enquiry in the House of Lords. The House of Lords, 7 Feb. 1782, resolved "to enquire into the causes of the great Loss which the Nation has sustained by the Surrender of the whole Army under the Command of Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis at York Town and Gloucester, in the Province of Virginia, as Prisoners of War." In February the House ordered to be laid on its table and referred to the Committee of the whole House Copies or Extracts of all Instructions or Orders from any of His Majesty's Ministers to Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton and Lieutenant General Earl Corn wallis in the Years 1780 and 1781 ; all Correspond ence between Sir Henry Clinton and the Earl Corn wallis, touching the Operations of the Army under the Command of the Earl Cornwallis, and particularly relative to his Lordship's taking Post at York Town and Gloucester, his remaining and fortifying himself there, and the Expectation of Relief ; all Instructions and Orders from the Admiralty to Admirals Rodney, Parker,Graves and Arbuthnot, touching the Reinforce ments intended to be sent to the Fleet in North America in 1781 ; all Correspondence between any of the Generals or Admirals employed in North America or the West Indies and any of His Majesty's INTRODUCTION xxvii Ministers and the Secretary of the Admiralty touch ing the giving succour to the Army under the Earl Cornwallis 1781 ; a State of the different Corps em ployed under Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis in 1781 ; and other papers. The Committee of the whole House was in Session on February 27 and 28 and on March i, 4 and 6. As the proceedings are frequently referred to in this Controversy and in Clinton's Notes, I have for ready reference given full Extracts from the Journals of the House of Lords of all particulars bearing upon this subject, vol. ii. 251. The Eight Hon. Welbore Ellis was, n Feb. 1782, appointed Secretary of State for American Affairs vice Lord George Germain, who was on that day created Viscount Sackville of Drayton and Baron Bolebrook. Viscount Sackville took the Oaths, 12 Feb., and was placed on the lower end of the Vis counts' Bench. Lieutenant General Sir Guy Carleton was appointed to succeed Sir Henry Clinton, as Com- mander-in-Chief, 23 Feb. 1782. He arrived at New York 5 May, and General Sir Henry Clinton left New York 13 May, arriving in London 14 June. Sir Henry Clinton had temporarily turned the com mand over to Lieutenant-General Robertson, who acted as Commander-in-Chief until the arrival of Genl. Sir Guy Carleton. On the 27th of March, 1782, Lord Shelburne became Secretary of State for Home, Irish, and Colonial Affairs, and relieved the Right Hon. Wel bore Ellis. The separate office of Secretary of State for America was not again filled. Cornwallis's reception at home was far better than usually falls to the lot of defeated generals. Neither the government nor the nation blamed him for the disaster that had overtaken his command : and in less than two years he was pressed to accept the office of Governor General of India, to which, after a year's delay, he in 1 786 reluctantly consented. He returned xxviii INTRODUCTION to England in 1793, was made lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1798, was again appointed Governor General of India in 1805, and died the same year at Ghazapore. No public censure was passed on Clinton either, and, according to his own account, which is fully trustworthy, he had a very kind reception from the King. He was not, however, again employed in the field, nor did he receive any command until, on the death of Sir Robert Boyd, he was made Governor of Gibraltar, 2 July 1794 (gazetted 22), at a salary of ^750 per annum, but remained in Eng land until his death, 23 Dec. 1795. The Lieutenant Governor, Lt. Gen. Charles O'Hara, was on the same day appointed to succeed him, (gazetted 26). The questions between Clinton and Cornwallis may be left to the determination of the readers of this collection, who are for the first time, provided with the most complete materials to be obtained. As regards their respective plans of campaign, it may be said that each was right from his own point of view. Clinton's was safe, and, so far as it went, successful : but it did not go far. Cornwallis was justified in his expressions to General Phillips : " If our plan is defensive, mixed with desultory expe ditions, let us quit the Carolinas and stick to our salt pork at New York, sending now and then a detach ment to steal tobacco." But his own bold and com prehensive plan could only succeed if undertaken with a much larger force than was at any time avail able, and its failure entailed the ruin of the British cause. The anonymous French editor of the " Corres- pondance du Lord G. Germain " seems to have judged fairly when he wrote : " L'un mettoit trop de lenteur dans 1'execution de ses plans, et 1'autre trop de vivacite dans la poursuite des siens." We may agree with him that things would have gone differently " si le comte Cornwallis avoit eu le flegme de Sir Henri Clinton," or "si le chevalier Clinton avoit eu 1'ardeur et 1'activite du lord Cornwallis." Considering, how- INTRODUCTION xxix ever, that the obstacles to be encountered were fully as much moral as military, some may question his opinion that " si les Anglois avoient eu un Washington a la tete de leur armee, il y a longtemps qu'il ne seroit plus question de guerre sur le continent de I'Amerique." In conclusion, I have to express my very great obligation to the authorities of the House of Lords, British Museum, Public Record Office, Royal Institu tion ; of the bureaux des Affaires Etrangeres, de la Marine, and de la Guerre, Paris ; of the Spanish archives at Seville, Simancas, and Alcala de Henares ; and of the Dutch archives at the Hague ; to the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice, Mrs. Stopford Sackville, Lord Auckland, Oscar Brown ing, Esq., M.A., and also to the Department of State at Washington, for the facilities and assistance accorded to me in my researches. In the copious Index many biographical notices are given, and for some of the facts 1 thankfully acknowledge my indebtedness to Ross's Cornwallis (by courtesy of Mr. Murray), to the Westminster Abbey Registers and various biographical dictionaries; but the bulk of information has grown out of my own memoranda and indexes of American correspon dence and documents in the European Archives. BENJAMIN FJIANKLIN STEVENS. I January 1888. N A R R A T I V E OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K.B. le with S. H. Clintons Compts 4n Major Taylor, who is re- to Capt Duncan this is the best quested to return it when he has noted Narrative June 86. perused it as there are private 2f Biron notes in it. H. C. 3g For my old Friend Col Goat's 5o Gen. McLean Reading 6d Sir H. Clinton need only refer to Lord Cornwallis letter in his Reply to prove that his Lordship came into Virginia without S. H. Clintons approba tion and advised solid operation there, pages 49. 51. S. H. C. narrative &c. 48. 49. L. C. Reply the letters pages 8 & 10 S. H. Clinton's Narrative are prooffs that the admiral in the West Indies had been positively, and repeatedly ordered to follow de Grasse & cover those opera tions ; & this is sufficient to prove that S. H. C. could be no ways responsible for the misfor tunes of the Campaign 81. but S. H. C cannot content himself barely with proving He is not to blame, he thinks it a duty to point out who is. 7e Some short queries in conse quence of the following fact. The Rebels having put the fate o both Carolinas on that of C. Town, and a fortnight after its surrender L. Corns informed S. H. C. there was no longer op position in S. Carolina, how came that province to be in the state it was at the close of Campn 81. 1st because his Lordship trusted the Malitia by themselves without regular support by which that brave officer Ferguson & his corps was lost, all the Militia dis heartened and disarmed, & the whole province thrown back in rebellion. 2dly because L. C. did not co operate with Tarlton at Cowpens which he might have done by a very short march and if he had Morgan was lost at his passage of Catawba. 3dly because when at Croscreek in March 81 instead of falling back upon S. Carolina as he was directed and had promised he went to Wilmington, and after wards into Virginia, contrary to the wishes of his Comr in chief, at the risk of Carolinas and Georgia (which nothing but Lord Rawdons gallantry & abilities saved for that moment) at the risk of all the corps concerned in the move, without a plan when he came there, & not chusing to follow that he found G. Phillips had been ordered to carry into execution. If it is necessary to explain how the fatal catastrophe of York Town was brought for ward, informed me his post would be f ortifyed after regular survey (and plans) in 6 weeks & when attacked in it 5 weeks and five days after, retires without firing a shot to Gloster which post had been surveyd or examined which was taken up in a hurry, after the french did arrrive in Septr and which was ill chosen, ill constructed, commanded, and infiladed & he was reduced to extremity in 7 days open trenches, if still another cause is wanted look for it page 193 to 197 incluve in L Cornwallis reply to my Narrative. NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K.B. RELATIVE TO HIS CONDUCT DURING PART OF HIS COMMAND OF THE KING's TROOPS IN NORTH AMERICA; Particularly to that which respects the unfortunate Issue of the Campaign in 1781. WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING COPIES and EXTRACTS of those Parts of his Correspondence WITH LORD GEORGE GERMAIN, EARL CORNWALLIS, REAR ADMIRAL GRAVES, &c. Which are referred to therein. LONDON: Printed for J. DEBRETT, (successor to Mr. ALMON,) opposite Burlington-house, Piccadilly, 1783. NABBATIVE OP LIEUTENANT GENEEAL SIB HENEY CLINTON, &c. BEING conscious, that during my command in North America, my whole conduct was actuated by the most ardent zeal for the King's service, 111 and the interests of the public, I was exceedingly mortified, when I returned to England, after a service of seven years in that country, to find that erroneous opinions had gone forth respecting it ; and that many persons had, in consequence, admitted impressions to my preju[ 2 Jduce. Anxious, therefore, to explain what had been misinterpreted or misrepresented, (as indeed might well be expected, from the publication of Lord C.'s letter of the 2Oth of October, 2ab.3d.4h.5c.ei.7k w ithout being accompanied lh which His Maj's. ministers (the most material of whch he had repeatedly ackd has acknowledged were not) but 2ab Which L4 George Germain that letter was published without was requested to Publish but did mine in answer, not. 61 which his Lordp had in his 3d Which the Minister was re- possession when he desired Lord quested to publish but did not Townsend to call in the house of 4h of 4 letters between L. Lords for his reply to it, to be Cornwallis and S. H. C. on the read altho the mine to which Subjt. of L. C. surrender at York it was an answer had not been Town those of L. C. they only read nor did his Lordship pro- were published duce my answer to the minister 5c All Lord Cornwallis letters after a letter which I sent to him were read in the House of Lords, in answer to that of the 2oth of and none of mine either, to the October of Lord Cornws altho I Minister or His Lordship were had requested it might be pub- produced, so that his letter of lished. the 2 oth October containg insinua- 7k Lord Cornwallis's letter of tions and assertions not founded the 2 oth of October giving an 6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY by my answer to it) lm I had proposed taking an opportunity, in the House of Commons, of saying a few words on such parts of my conduct as seemed not to be sufficiently understood : and I flatter myself I should have been able to make it appear, that I acted up to the utmost of my powers, from the beginning to the end of my command ; and that none of the misfortunes of the very unfortunate campaign of 1781 can, with the smallest degree of justice, be imputed to me. But I arrived here so late in the session, that I was advised to defer it; and it was judged that the gracious reception I had just met with from my Sovereign rendered an immediate explanation un- necessary. 2m ' 3b * 4a>5c * 6h ' I was [ 3 ] not, however, ap prised to what degree the public prejudice had been excited against me 7a else, I should probably have been induced to have taken an earlier opportunity of offering to Parliament what I have to say on the subject. But the late change in public affairs, 8a fur nishing so much more important matter for their deliberation, deprived me of the opportunity I thought I should have had : and, as by the present account of the loss of York -Town had succeeded or would have was read in the House of Lords, succeeded. while the letters I wrote in 4a who was pleased to approve answer to it both to the Minister my whole conduct and to say and Lord Cornwallis were not that " all my plans during that called for, but Lord Townsend war either had or would have strange as it may appear was succeeded desired by Lord Cornwallis, to 5c who approved of my whole call for his answer to those letters, conduct, and told me that all my to be read in the house of Lords. Plans during that war either had, 1m which L Gr G. had been de- or would have succeeded, sired to publish & had not done. 6h who had in the fullest 2m the K approved of my manner approved of my conduct, whole Conduct & told me " all and added that all my Plans my plans either had succeeded or either had or would have sue- would have succeeded." ceeded. 3b His M. Expression was that 7a owing to misrepresentation, all Sir H. Clintons Plans either 8a the Peace SIS HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 7 recess it is probable that I may not be able to execute my intentions before a late period, when perhaps lb+ peculiar circumstances 2 ^ 3 ^- 4 ^ 5 ^ 100 ?^ 8 - 611 might force me through delicacy to decline it, I beg leave to lay before the public the following plain Narrative, which will, I trust, remove prejudice and error. I have much to regret that, when this business was discussed in the House of Lords last session of Parliament, the whole of my correspondence, with the late American Minister, Lieutenant General Earl Corn[ 4 ] wallis, and the Admirals commanding on the West-India and American stations, was not produced, or at least such parts thereof as, being necessary to explain my conduct, might have appeared consistently with state policy. 7m ' 8d ' Because the letters which com- Ibfhiklmnopqrs peculiar circum stances underlined. 2a Lord Cornwallis talked of for India 3bm Lord Cornwallis going to India which was expected every day. 4d Lord Cornwallis had offered himself to go to India. Scfiklnopqrs Lord C'a going to India 6h Lord C. was going to India. 7m Instead of which such parts only were introduced as gave his reasons for coming into Vir ginia contrary to my orders & his own promises and the unfor tunate conclusion of that Cam paign witht a line of mine on either subject. 8d The Minister knew there was blame somewhere that it lay between Lord Cornwallis for coming into Virginia contrary to any orders, or the Cabinet for approving of that Plan till too late or the Admiral S. G. Rodney for not following de Grasse as he had been ordered he did not chuse to take his share of blame, nor did the Cabinet theirs he did not chuse to blame L. Corn wallis, because He was on the spot to retort nor S. G Rodney be cause his brilliant victory of the 1 2 April had made him too popu lar, altho he knew L C letter of the 2oth Octr contained insinua tions and assertions not founded in fact, he suffered it to go forth, without mine in answer depend ing on the old proverb qui les absens ont toujours tort ; not re collecting that on ne pouvent en donner a S. H. Clinton effective- ment. if all those insinuations and assertions had been as well supported as they were ill- supported no blame ought to fall to S H C share. He was forced into Operations in Vir- gina. He pointed out the danger of them without a fleet to cover them. We were pro posed one by Minister and Ad miral he had it not but notwg 8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY pose that correspondence, being written to the moment as events happened, are certainly the most faithful records of my actions and intentions ; and are conse quently the clearest, fairest, and most unexceptionable testimonies I can adduce in their support. I hope, therefore, I shall stand exculpated from the necessity of the case, for any impropriety there may be in my annexing to this letter such of them as I may judge most requisite for that purpose. Three of them indeed will, I presume, be found very material, (Appendix, No. IX.) lab as they contain my answers and observations upon Lord Cornwallis's letters 21 * of the 2Oth of October and 2d of December on the subject of [ 5 ] the unfortunate conclusion of the last campaign in the Chesapeak ; 3c which latter I am sorry to observe, were given to the public, while mine in answer 40 were withheld from it ; 5ab I hope without design. 6ab ' 7m - 8h> Although I never dared promise myself that any exertions of mine, with my very reduced force (nearly one-third less than that of my predecessor) could bring the war 9ab to a happy lof+ conclusion ; llfikln M rs - 12m yet did all that depended on him to of the Catastrophe of York Town succour L Cornwallis & relieve were produced in the House of him from a Galere his own impru- Lords by the then Minister but dence had embarked him in ; if not one of S. H. C. in answer, we consider this for a year we 9ab While that of the Enemy can say no more. was increased in Number & Dis- lab Page 71 cipline & afterwards assisted by 2b Both these letters were a French Army, occasionally called for & read in the House of covered by a French Fleet. Lords, but neither of S. H. Clin- lOfiklmnopqrs conclusion under tone in answer. lined. 3c [ ] both llfiklnopqrs While that of the 4c [answer] to them Enemy was increased in number, 5ab I hope to design underlined, discipline, assisted by a French 6ab But evidently with Design Army & covered by a French fleet. 7m But Sir clear with design 12m While that of the Enemy 8h such letters as contained his was encreased in Number Disci- Lordsps reasons for going into pline assisted by a French Army Virginia, for chusing York river in & covered by a French Fleet occa- preference to James & liis account sionally. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE g I confess that the campaign of 1781 terminated very differently from what I once flattered myself it would ; as may appear, by the subjoined extracts of letters, written in the beginning of that year,* lc ' 2c - 3 s- 4a and * Extract Clinton to Cornwallis, 5 March 1781, see Letters pp 331 and 341. Extract Phillips to Clinton, 16 April 1781, see Extract p 407. lc to Lord Cornwallis March 5th 8 1 2c This letter was delivered to Col. Balfour to be forwarded to Lord Cornwallis on the 6th April, but not sent for reasons the Col must explain, had his Lordship received this and others by the same conveyance he would not have marched into Virginia 3g This is one of the letters which were delivered to Col. Bal four on the 7th April but was not sent to Lord Cornwallis then at Wilmington had his Lordship re ceived it He Certainly would not have marched into Virginia while there was a doubt whether a British or a French Fleet was in Chesapeak Bay. 4a All were convinced there was much Blame somewhere. Mini sters did not chuse to blame Lord Cornwallis publickly for forcing Operations in Virginia lest Lord C. should retort on them who had once approved of it, and ordered me to adopt it, nor would they Both blame the admirals in the West Indies who had been ordered & had promised to cover it if necessary with his whole Fleet, lest He should retort on the Ministers in a manner His pamphlet now explains. They therefore, seem all agreed to pub lish L Cornwallis letter of the 20th Octr Cong both insns & assertions which He acknow him self since were unfounded witht any part of our correspondence to prove it, thus throwing respon sibility on the absent man, who in fact could be no ways concern'd respecting opns, He had always objected to, as dangerous before we had recovered N. Carolina, or were certain of a covering Fleet in a Climate the most unhealthy, and the worst season in which He had not the means of subsis tence, from whence He could not retire by land except under most serious losses in which he could not remain in safety unless covered by a Fleet or a Place of arms till that Fleet should arrive ; Opera tions that S. H. C. (as He had been ordered) did all in his power to support, to secure, by a well chosen station the admirals choice not in York River where L C placed himself but in James River, and to succour when in danger by embarking himself with 6000 men on board an inferior fleet (of 25 sail) to that of the Enemy of 37 sail of the line, nor was there notg a doubt in the naval chiefs, but that S. H Clinton would have joined & succoured L. C. had his Lordship defended his post, 6 days longer or the Fleet sailed six days sooner witht insulting the leaders understand ing. I cannot therefore ask him whether any possible blame can lay at S H Clinton's door. 10 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY which were [ 6 ] transmitted to the Minister. lc * I was led, however, into these hopes, more by the apparent distresses of the enemy than any material successes we had met with. 2bm>3d<4k - The plan I had formed for the campaign of 1781, (upon the expectation 5a of a 6m rein[ 7 Jforcement from Europe from the West-Indies and from the Southward (after operation should cease in that quarter) 7a ' 8k * 9d<101 added to what I might be able to spare at the time from the small force under my immediate command at New- York) was calculated to make a fair and solid effort in favour of our friends llk * 12m in a district 13a * 14c where I had some reason to believe they were numerous and hearty ; and where I judged it might be made with little lc by intercepted decypTiered letters proving the French would not assist america beyond that Campaign, by other intercepted letters from Washington, to Con gress, &c &c and others & from every symptom. 2bm or could in our reduced state expect 3d or that I with my reduced force could expect to meet with tho Washington in his letter to Congress in May 81 speaking of their distresses says " We are suffering more from the remnant of an Army than We did in their " &c &c. 4k or indeed could expect 5 a promise 6m promised 7a L Cornwallis had implyed it in all his letters previous to his marching into Virginia. 8k all which were positively promised. 9d if reinforced to make such Effort, if not reinforced or till I was to remain on respectable de fence, as at N. York having added the Chesapeak corps to such command from various causes that Campaign without effort would be the last of French assistance now too late the Cause and consequently of American resistance ! 101 if reinforced as promised I intended to carry on operations on Delaware neck, if not rein forced or till I was, assembled my whole force at N. York de fensible leaving only a small corps in Chesapeak in either case tis probable the Campaign 81 would have been the last of French assistance or of American resistance. Ilk from Baltimore to Delaware neck beginning our operations with Philadelphia. 12m after in the M. words I had sent such ample reinforcements to L. C. 13a perfectly healthy. 14c Delawares Peninsula safe, healthy well stocked with pro visions SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE n danger, even from a temporary naval superiority of the enemy. This plan had been suggested to the Minister in the year 1780, and more particularly explained to him in 1781 ;iac.2abd.3t>.4hi.5k notwith standing which a preference was 61 given to another, (Appendix, No. I.)7abdm W hich 8abm seemed to be 9ab [ 8 ] forced (Appendix, No. II.) 10abd upon me by Lord Cornwallis's quitting the Carolinas, ni - 12fiklmno W s - 13fr where I had left him in the command, and marching into Virginia; a measure, I must say, determined upon without my approbation, and very contrary to my wishes and intentions. 14ab ' 15d - 16c - 171 - 18m - The Minister directed 19c me to support Lord Cornwallis and solid operation in Virginia ; the danger of which, without a covering fleet, I had constantly represented to him. He repeatedly and positively promised me a covering fleet ; * 20ab ' 21d and when the [ 9 ] 22m * Extracts from Lord George Germain's letters to Sir Henry Clinton : see Letters 4 April 1781 p 379 : 2 May 1781^464 : 7 July 1781 ii. 42 : 14 July 1781 ii. 69 : 24 July 1781 ii. 91 : 25 September 1781 ii. 161. 23b-24d-25h- lac and approved 15d & contrary to my Order 2abd Page 95 which were not to make any 3b the Cabinet in most posi- move that could risk C. Town, tive terms approved of this plan, 16c And as I have heard since it till misled by L. C. this in April was done at a time Charles Town and May 81 they reject mine was open: (many of the old and order me to adopt L C's. works thrown down, to replace 4hl And appro vedtill May 1781 them, by others) I must add it 5k and was repeatedly ap- was done contrary to my Orders proved till May 81 "to make no move that could risk 61 after C. Town." Tabdm Page 49 N. 104. 171 the Minister forbid my with- 8abm was drawing a man from thence, how 9ab seemed to be run through. could I then send him back. lOabd Page 51. 18m all this he owns in his 111 & Charlston. reply. 12fiklmnopqrs which I had 19c A Cabinet order it was. ordered him & he had promised 20ab Vide Page 99. 105 & 108. to consider as the principal object. Vide also Pages 93 & 94. 13fr Carolinas underlined. 2 Id Pages 99. 105. 93. 64. 14ab and were contrary to my 22 m S. S. Hood orders & his own Promises. 23b These are all letters from 12 CLINTON-CORNWALL1S CONTROVERSY Admiral la arrived with the naval reinforcement from the West -Indies, he 2fiMmn P1 oab I could llab not have prevented his passing the Hudson under cover of his forts at Ver planks and Stoney Points. 12b - 13 s* Nor (supposing I had boats properly la had that been practicable it surely must have hapned during 5 W. Howe's Command when He had in the Field 15000, and before the French had joined. 2d the Genls in Council. 3c absur'd 4c not less so 5b nor. 6c which after what S S Hood told me I could not suspect 7k without underlined. 8k and to be convinced I should have one all the Genls concurred with me in opinion that the only way to assist Lord Cornwallis was to join him in York River, His Lordship repeatedly said no diversion would be of use that the only way to succour him was to join him in York River, had I therefore been in force sufficient to have engaged in any other operation it would have been wrong to have done so, as it would have arrested, nay pre vented a Plan which all approved, 6 which we waited only for the return of the Fleet (which till the 2nd of Sepr we supposed superior) to carry into execution. 9b could I not lOab I run through. llab not run through. 12b after I knew of his Army being assembled on the West of that River. 13g The short Fact is that when I found Lord C. threatned by such a superior armament I consulted all the admirals and Generals and it was their unani mous opinion confirmed repeat edly by that of Lord Cornwallis that the only way to succour him was to embark on board the Fleet and attempt to join him in York River (which He had fixed as a naval Station and fortified) in preference to Old Point Comfort in James River which he had been directed to fortify, to have engaged in any other move that might have retarded this would have been absurd. S. H C of course would not have done it if He could, but he had not the means if he would have done it. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 17 manned) would it have been adviseable to have landed at Elizabeth town, la [14 ] in the face of works which he might easily have occupied (as they were only seven miles from his 2b camp at Chatham) 3b ' 4k without subjecting my army to be beat, en detail. Nor could I, when informed of his march towards the Delaware, 5ab have passed an army in time to have made any impression upon him before he crossed that river. 6ab> But with my reduced force, any attempt of the sort would have been madness and folly in the extreme. 7b.8b.9d.10c-llf.12k. la If in force to oppose would have met me at my landing if not in force to meet me might have reached the Delaware before I could have debarked at Elizabeth Town my army &c &c &c. 2b camp underlined. 3b Strong Camp behind the Pisaick River. 4k within a few miles of his mid- dlebrook Camp, which S W. H. with 15000 thought too respect able to attack in 77. 5ab have to to underlined. 6ab not having the Means to doit. 7b Even if I had not expected a Superior Fleet to cover my Operations. 8b Lord Cornwalhs seems to have been so well convinced of this from his own experience of what hap'ned to him in 76 that he uniformly said no diversion will be of use the only way to succour me is to join me by sea in York River. 9d In short under the promises I had of a covering Fleet, and from S S Hood that he had brought one, I would not have engaged in operations in Jersey to prevent Washington going Southward if I had been in force sufficient but the fact is I was not in force sufficient to have done so if I wished to have done so. 10c In short the Generals agreed unanimously that the only way to succour L. Cornwallis was to join him, & L. Corns repeatedly says " no diversion will be of " use the only way to succour " me is to join me " I would not therefore have engaged in any other if I could ; but the Fact is I could not if I would. 1 If for if I had taken out my whole force 9300 I appeal to those who know the country what chance I had against W. with 10,000 regulars at least & the Jersey Militia in a Country where from the nature of it scarcely any victory could be compleat, and where defeat would have been too much 12k In short I would not have attacked Washington if I could have done it ; as my only motive must have been to prevent what I could have no idea he would attempt ; but I could not (tis plain) attack him if I would have done it. i8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY With what might possibly be spared from such a force, nothing could be attempted except against detachments from Mr. Washington's army, lm - 2h - 3a or (when reinforced in a small degree) against such of it's distant magazines as might occasionally happen to be unguarded. Two of the latter offered, one against Philadelphia, which I certainly should have attempted in July, had Lord Cornwallis spared me any part of 3000 men ; but as his Lordship seemed to think he [15] could not hold the 4k stations 5k we 6c both thought eligible, 7a * 8b<9c 10d if he spared me any part of the force with him, I was obliged to relinquish 1m all these reasons are totally unnecessary the short is S H. C. would not have engaged in ope rations in Jersey to prevent W. going to Virginia if he could & the fact is he had not the means if he would. 2h by all this detail is only meant to be proved that S H C would not have adopted any other Plan than that already de termined on if he had had a force sufficient, but the fact is he had not that force if he had been in clined to have Employed it in Jersey. & therefore S H had always said respecting operations in Jersey and under promise of having a Covering Fleet He would not have engaged in it if he could but he could not if he would. 3a I do these annonymous writers too much honor to answer all these absurd insinua tions. 4k stations underlined. 5k to garrison a,respectablepost, as Place d'armes and to cover large ships & sufficient also for de sultory expeditions in the bay. 6c both to eligible underlined. 7a Lord Cornwallis & I had both thought well of York River tho I had always preferred James river as a station for large ships, and a place of Arms but when He quitted it, and the Admiral was of opinion a naval Station was absolutely necessary and named James river from his own knowledge & the Commodores, I ordered his Lordship to take that of Hampton road & fortify old point Comfort in James river to secure it, my L. C. disapprov ing of James river took that of York for which He became therefore responsible. 8b before I by desire of the Admiral directed him to fortify old Point Comfort in James River. 9c we both agreed a healthy Station as a Place of Arms, & to cover the navy, necessary; and by the advice of the Admiral I afterwards ordered Lord Corn wallis to fortify old point Comfort in James river covering a naval station of Hampton road in that river. 10d a healthy station to cover large ship SL SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 19 this design. The other much more important, was against Rhode Island. I had discovered by inter cepted letters from all the French Admirals and Generals, that Count Rochambeau's army had marched from Rhode Island to join Mr. Washington at the White Plains ; that their battering train and stores for siege were left at Providence lc ' 2d under little more than a militia guard ; and that their fleet remained in Rhode Island harbour with orders, as soon as repaired, to retire to Boston for security. 30 - By private information, which I had at that time, I found also that the works at Rhode Island were in a great measure dismantled, 40 and had only a few invalids and militia to guard them, and that they were both there and at Providence under great apprehensions of a visit from us. From 5b other motives 65 as well as my own knowledge of these posts, I had the strongest [ 16 ] reason to expect the fullest success to an attempt against them, 7a ' 8b<9m lc Contrary to Rochambeaus with Howitzers & red shot from opinion commanding Heights and the 2d Much against Rochambeaus Capture of their Heavy Artillery consent or opinion tis needless to & Stores which would have effec- mention particulars. Suffice that tually defeated all their future the fullest success might probably Designs. have been the consequence of a 8b No less than at least the combined attempt of navy & annoying the Fleet with Howit- army ; Howitzers, Red shot &c zers & red shot from commanding from commanding heights, and Heights, and the Capture of against his train for siege at their Heavy artillery & Stores, Providence. The Admiral till he which would have effectually de- discovered the defects of his Fleet feated all their future Designs, had consented to go. S. H. C. instead of anoying I might say was embarking with 3000 Elite to destroying their Fleet at R. Is- attempt all that depended on him. land, all was ready the troops 3c their Fleet half manned and embark'd the admiral first con- in bad order, sented and then discover'd two 4c the works of Newport in of his ships hors De Combat, general thrown down a few 9m No less than the destruction militia guarding what remained. of that Fleet & Capture of their 5b other motives underlined. Heavy Navl stores &c in that all 6b private Inf ormn that can be done by Howitzers & 7a greatly annoying the Fleet red shot from Comg heighths. 20 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY and I therefore immediately proposed to Admiral Graves a joint expedition for that purpose ; which he readily consented to. It was accordingly agreed between us, that it should be undertaken as soon as he could assemble his fleet, and a small reinforcement (hourly expected) should arrive from Europe. la ' 2b * The reinforcement joined me on the nth of August, and the Admiral (who had sailed on a cruise) having returned to the coast on the i6th, I immediately renewed my 3k proposal, 4kt5a - 6c - 7h<8 (Appendix, No. la While there was the least probability of the Fleet and Army being able to attempt this Ser vice, Sr H. Clinton would not have been justifiable in engaging in any other Operation which might have delayed it. 2b While there was the least probability of the Fleet & army being able to attempt this ser vice, Sir H. Clinton would not have been justifiable in engaging in any other Operation which might have delayed it even had he had the means. 3k proposal underlined. 4k I found the admiral had assembled his Fleet, I offered myself the Instant he arrived. The admiral on his arrival in formed he was ready but in answer to my letter telling him I was he told me two of his ships, Robust <$f Altide wanted repairs. I still offered to go & attempt my part, asking only of the Admiral to mark the Harbour, with his line of battle while his frigates put me ashore but I heard no more Howitzers on very com manding heighths would have obliged their Fleet at 4 or 500 yds distance to have retired ; Ours would have Entered the harbour, & joined in operation with the army commanding heighths on banks of R. Island channel, beyond which the E. Fleet could not retire safely. 5a I offered to attend him in Person with 3000 men at a moments warning. 6c The Admiral assembled his Fleet imply'd he was ready, on seeing him arrive I began to em bark the troops & told him I was ready, He then examined his Fleet, & told me he could not go as two were disabled; as I asked nothing of the Admiral but to mark the Harbour while I landed with 3000 men having Howitz. & red shot to stir the Enemys Fleet, I offered still to go or risk 24 hours notice when he should be ready : 7h the short fact is the Admiral told S. H. C. he was ready. S. H. seeing him arrive, not only called upon him to proceed but embarked the troops, but the admiral on receipt of his letter examined the state of his fleet & informed as above that two were unfit to proceed. 80 The fact stands thus, when I heard on the i6th that the Ad miral was returned, I ordered the troops to embark & wrote to propose that we two should go to SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 21 yj^iaM.2m. The Admiral informed me in answer, that he was under the necessity of sending the Robuste to the yard to be refitted, and that he should take the opportunity while that was doing of shifting a mast or two in the Prudente ; and when those repairs were accomplished, he would give me timely notice, (Appendix, No. VII.) 3abt The ships were not ready on the 28th ; Sir Samuel Hood, however, arriving [17] on that day, I immediately ordered the troops to be embarked ; and going to the Admirals on Long Island, I proposed to them that the expedition should instantly take place : but receiving intelligence that evening that Monsieur De Barras had sailed on the 25th, it was of course stopped. 4m> Thus, to the Admirals great mortifica tion and my own, was lost an opportunity of making the most important attempt that had offered the whole War 5fikJmnopqrs.6o.7d.8d.9k. B Island immediately, the Ad miral wrote also to inform me he was arrived and ready; but letters crossed each other, but examining his fleet after he had received my letter, he informed me as above. labd Page 61. 2m It was so delicate the ad miral on his return told me he was ready, before I received this letter I told him I was & called upon him ; our letters crost & when he reed mine he answered back that two ships were hors de combat. Sab Pages 62 & 63 4m in short till the 28th this of course would have stopt me & after I had heard L C. opinion & taken that of a council of war 1 6 Sep. of going to Virginia I certainly could not concur in any thing wh might prevent my going there. 5fiklmnopqrs and while I had any hopes of carrying it into execu tion I could not have been justified in engaging in any other which might delay or prevent it. 60 I think I am not too san guine when I say that fleet, if not totally destroyed, would have been hors de combat. 7d with S S Hood fleet in ad dition there could not be the least doubt of our having the fullest success. 8d & this Lord C in answer to my first letter wh every other was of the same opn & therefore to have engaged in any other operation that might have retarded or prevented my embark ing when the Fleet was ready, would have been the height of folly, absurdity & misconduct. 9k tis my clear opinion founded on a very general one that If we could have sailed in time the French fleet & battering train at 22 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Early in September, to my great surprise, (for I still considered our fleet as lb superior) 26 hearing that Mr. Washington was decidedly marching to the southward, I called a council of all the general officers, who unanimously concurred with me in opinion, 3a - 4b ' 5c ' 6b that the only way to succour Earl Cornwallis was to go to him in the Chesapeak. 7ht Although I had every reason to disapprove of Earl Cornwallis's march into Virginia, without consulting me, 8a - 9b (at the risk of en[ 18 ]gaging me in dangerous operations, for which I was not prepared) lOa.iid y e ^ as j supposed he acted with at least the approbation of the Minister, 120 1 left him as free as air, when he arrived there, to plan and execute according to his discretion ; only recommending to him, in case he had none of his own, the plan i3fr.i4f.i5fikimno P qrs j had offered to the Minister ; 16b - 17d where he could not supply his army for any time, from whence he had no retreat, and where he could not remain in safety, unless protected by a Fleet, or by a respectable Place of arms till that Fleet should arrive. lid had Constantly show'd my disapprobation of, proving by the ministers letter to me that this plan had his Majesty's approba tion. 12c who had Ordered me to sup port him. 13fr plan underlined. 14f this plan Gen Phillips to whom L Corns succeeded had been directed to carry into execu tion. ISfiklmnopqrs the Minister not only approved but ordered me to support it extraordinary as that may seem. 16b viz. a Mo veto the Head of Chesapeak. &c &c. 17d One perfectly safe perfectly ecconomical. Rhode Island and Providence would have been destroyed or taken lb superior underlined. 2b from the assurances of the Admiral that it was. 3a in which Opinion Lord Corn wallis uniformly concurr'd. 4b and they fully approved. 5c and did so with the 17 or 1 8 6b read L. Cornwallis letters also page 197 and 204 Lord Cornwallis's Reply. 7h where Lord Corns had re peatedly called S. H Clinton saying no diversion could be of the least use that the only way to succour him was to join him in York river, & this even after He knew what S H. C did not know tiU the 23rd Sepr that the Enemy had 37 sail & we only 21. 8 a nay contrary to my orders. 9b and even against orders. lOa In the most inimical Pro vince, in the most sickly Pro vince at the worst season SIE HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 23 which, notwithstanding the lc opinion given in the Ietter 2d of July 14, before quoted,* I did not, how ever, find his Lordship the least inclined to (" 19 ] adopt. 3i - 4k - 5b - And that letter, which I did not receive till 6bd September, found me deeply 70 and dangerously engaged in the operation he had forced me into. And here, perhaps, it may be proper to give the reasons which induced me to recom [ 20 Jmend to Lord Cornwallis to secure a naval station for large ships, if one could be found that was capable of being fortified and maintained against a temporary superi ority of the enemy at sea, agreeable to the instruc tions which I had before given to General Phillips, and which were of course to be now considered as such to his Lordship, (Appendix, No. X.) 8bd< Although I ought not to have apprehended that the enemy could have had a superiority at sea, after the assurances I had received from 91 the Minister, iobm.iik.i2ij vet a i wavs wished to guard against even a ^'Extract Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton, 14 July 1781, see Letter ii. 69. lc Minister's visions on the Delaware in 2d I give only that part of the Philadelphia, for from there Letter I thought necessary. Washington subsisted in great 3i and after approves of my measure ; and even if the Enemys Plan (alas too late !) as appears Fleet had been superior in both by following extract. bays a thing utterly impossible, 4k and not to take a single He might have lived till the Fleet man from thence till Virginia was should be forcd to retire or I conquered. could have joined him from N. 5b It may however occur, that York. having no Plan of his own, it 6bd September run through became his Lordship's Duty at and October substituted. least to try this, for which every- 7c deeply underlined. thing was prepared on the Side 8bd Pages 93 & 94 of the Commander in chief and if 9i from the Minister under- his Lordship had done so, the lined. French naval Superiority would lObm the Admiral &c not have been so fatal as it after- Hk S G Rodney and S S Hood wards proved. His Lordship 12i read Extracts Pages 8, 9, would have found plenty of Pro- and 10. 24 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY possibility lara of it. 2d * Finding, therefore, by Lord Cornwallis's letters, that on his arrival in the Chesa- peak, he had no plan of his own to propose, 30 * 4 ^ and that he did not incline to follow the one I had offered to his consideration, 5 ^ 6a<7 s I recommended the taking a respectable defensive station 8f>9iklmno pq rs either at Williamsburg, or York 10b (the latter of which his [ 21 ] Lordship had informed me in a letter, dated 26th of May, he was inclined, from the reports which had been made to him, to llc think well of as a naval station and place of arms) 121 and left his Lordship at liberty to keep all the troops he had in Virginia, (amounting to about seven thousand men). But thinking that he might well spare three thousand ; I desired he would keep all that were necessary for a respectable 133 defensive, and desultory water move ments, and send me 14c of three thousand men all he could. 15bm * 16b * His Lordship 17a misconceiving 18a my in- lam possibility underlined. 9iklmnopqrs When Lord Corn- 2d & which was at last ap- wallis came into Virginia I left proved by the King, alas too late ! ! 3c at that season 4g at that advanced season in such a climate 5b G. Phillips had been ordered to follow it. Surely L. Cornwallis being in his place should have considered it as an order also. 6a and which the minister had at last approved, alas too late. 7g and which the Corps he joined in Chesapeak had been ordered to carry into execution. 8f When L. Cornwallis came into Virginia I left him to his own plan finding he had none to propose, I referred him to that I had ordered G. Phillips to pursue but as he did not approve of that I desired him to take a respectable defensive Station tell ing him what sort of attack he might expect in the hurricane season. finding him to his own Plan he had none to propose I re ferred him to that I had ordered Genl Phillips to pursue but as he did not approve of that I desired him to take a respectable defensive Station. 10b The Heights of which had been always represented as very defensible. He think well underlined. 121 which his Lordship as well as every other Person must have thought quite necessary. 13a preparing him for De Grasse's arrival with troops. 14c of three thousand under lined. 15bm spare 16b I positively assert, and the Correspondence proves it, that his Lordship never received any call of mine for 3000 men but only such part as he could spare from SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 25 tentions lc (as will, I trust, be manifest to whoever reads our correspondence) and considering my call for three thousand men as 2a unconditional, tells me that he could not with the remainder keep York and Gloucester ; and that he should, therefore, repass James-river and go to the station at Portsmouth. Which resolu tion (I confess) surprised me, [ 22 ] as he had a litle before, in the letter above quoted, represented that post as unhealthy, and requiring an army to defend it. 3a * On receipt of his Lordship's letter, I immediately consulted the Admiral, who was of of opinion, that a naval station for large ships was absolutely neces sary, and recommended Hampton-road. 4acd ' 5bm<6d ' 7c * Therefore in my letter of the nth July, 8h I 9i directed 101 his Lordship to examine and fortify llb Old Point Comfort, 12h - 13b ' 14d ' 15k which the Admiral and I thought the above services before he passed the James River 5th July 81. 17a misconceiving underlined. 18a as those who had will see. lc my orders 2a unconditional underlined. 3a it seems it could not have been much more unhealthy than that he finally chose in prefer ence, and it would have had this advantage that he might at all times have retired over the roanoke or by Albemarle sound, had he not stopt the building of boats (which I had ordered} owing to his mistaken oeconomy. N. B. we have suffered so much & so often from this sort of mis taken oeconomy that I dread the word in War. the best oeconomy in every war is to finish it as soon as you can. 4acd In James River 5bm Declaring that the Fleet had better winter in Europe than at Halifax. 6d declaring that the Fleet had better go to Europe than to Halifax 7c the first and only order I ever gave his Lordp to secure a Station for large ships. 8h The first order I gaveL Corn- wallis to occupy a place of arms covering a Station for line of battle ships was that of July i ith 91 directed underlined. 10i and as Genl Leslie had in formed me ordered him to prepare privately to abandon on that very account lib Old Point Comfort under lined. 12h in James River 13b which is the only Post his Lordship had positive Orders to occupy 14d Which is the only Post his Lordship had My Orders to occupy 15k the first & only order I ever gave him to take a Station for the purpose. 26 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY would cover that Eoad, and in which there had been a fort for that purpose for fifty years, though probably then in ruins. But his Lordship informing me in his letter of the 27th of July, that it was the opinion of the captains of the navy, the engineers, and himself, that any works erected on Old Point Comfort, " might be easily destroyed by a 111 fleet, " 2h - 3i -4a an d would not answer the purpose ; and " that therefore, according to the 5c spirit of my [ 23 ] lil fleet underlined. 2h Ships approach End on through a narrow channel a few transports sunk leaving room to warp in would have effectually stopt the passage it lay nearer the entrance of Chesapeak than Y. River, a retreat from thence by Portsmouth & Albemarle sound always practicable & as an Enemys Fleet could not lay in safety anywhere between it and the harbour ours could always go in and out even tho' inferior, 'tis plain the Station in York River was not safe for a fleet for the Enemy during the seige destroyed every ship above water. 3i which fleet however might easily have been prevented, by sinking in a narrow channel 3 or 4 transports within reach of our Guns leaving room for ships of our own to warp through tho' such obstructions could not be removed by an Enemy on his retreat that was soon done, but if a work on Old Point Comfort would not answer the purpose, there was reason to suppose that which Lord Cornwallis chose in preference at York and Gloucester would, or his Lordship should have said so ; instead of which read his letter of the 22<1 August page 24 and subsequent compare it with that of the 20 October written after his Capitulation, then say whether they could have been supposed to be descriptive of the same Post. 4a had these naval officers examined the Channel leading to Hampton road from sea, they would have found it narrow, & winding. & if 3 transports had been held ready in ballast to have been Sunk on the approach of the Enemy that would most effectually have stopt an enemys Fleet tho our own might have led in ship by ship, but I believe these naval Gentlemen thought it more comfortable to lay up at York Town, than at Hampton in James river & I suppose L. Corn wallis had received such positive assurances from the Cabinet that he should have a covering Fleet that he might have attended to convenience of situation more than to its safety or utility, for certain it is that tho I put him on his guard respecting probable attempts dn his post not a spade had been used to fortifye the ground He stood seige on till the French Armamt arrived, except one redoubt to cover his own quarter & another occupd by the 238k ' 9rn - And in the same letter Augt & subsequent by which it would seem the ground was judiciously chosen, the Plan for fortyfying it good, would be corn- pleat in about 6 weeks & from whose defence he could spare 1000 men. lb as he had done that of Old Point Comfort. 2a L. Cornwallis represents the naval Station he had chosen in preference in York River, as re spectable, has fortify'd by a Judicious Plan, after an exact survey, will probably be compleat about the 4th October & has more men than necessary from its defence. 3h after many days survey. In short that the post was well chosen to answer all purposes, that it would be soon and well for tified that he could defend it as long as his provisions lasted, and that the works would be com- pleated in about 6 weeks and when compleat ed he could spare 1000 men from. 4i York supposed to be forty- fied after a Judicious Plan which his Lordp approvd and ordered, compleated without great labour in six weeks or about the 2<1 of October many days before the Enemy broke ground and that he could spare 1000 men from the defence. 5b near 18 days making that survey a judicious Plan for forti fying it which his Lordship approves finished in six weeks without any great labour of troops, & when finished can spare 1000 men from its defence. 6k executed underlined. 7b How does this correspond with his Lordships subsequent Description of the Ground & Works in his Letter of the 2Oth Octr p "A successful Defence in " our situation was perhaps im- " possible, for the Place could " only be reckoned an intrenched " Camp, subject in most places to " infilade, & the Ground in " general so disadvantageous." 8k "it will be finished in six " weeks without any great labour " of the troops & I shall be able " to spare from its defence 1200 " men." 9m How does this agree with his description of the ground & works, he stood seige in as de- SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 29 it was farther implied, that through the exertion of the troops, the works would probably be tolerably complete in about six weeks from that period : u and from his saying also in the same letter, 2 ^ " I will not venture to " [ 25 ] take any step that might retard the establish- " ing this post. But I request that your Excellency will " please to decide whether it is most important for 64 your plans, that a detachment of a thousand or u twelve hundred men 3m (which I think I can spare " from every other purpose but that of labour) should " be sent to you from hence, or that the whole of the " troops 41 here should continue to be employed in " expediting the 5k works,") 6a ' 7b>8k I naturally con cluded that his Lordship had not only sufficient to complete his works by the time he mentioned, but that he could spare that number from the defence of them afterwards. His Lordship's letter of the 2Qth of September moreover told me, " I have no doubt, if "relief arrives in any 9abcm reasonable time, 10b6m - 70 that our fleet was superior to that of the enemy. Nor, indeed, did I know before I received Lord Cornwallis's letter of the lyth, (which was not until the 23d of September) that the enemy had thirty-six sail of the line, or that Monsieur de Barras had not already joined Monsieur de Grasse before the action of the 5th of September. 8a>9i * But even against this superi ority, great as it was, the Admirals [ 28 ] were clearly lob>llc of opinion, that a joint attempt should be made by us to succour the fleet and army in the Chesapeak. 12a ' 13b ' 14 s- 15h - 16i - 17k - 18m - 1 certainly, therefore, 15c as he asserts in his of the 2Oth October but in that of the 2d Dec acknowledges not to be true. IGflmnopqrs as he asserts in his of the 2Qth October 1 7g as he asserts I did 181 as he asserts in his of the 2Oth October, but acknowledges in that of the 23k - 4b although in the conversation alluded to, his Lordship did not seem to think it would, unless I had given him assurances that the navy could not attempt to succour him ; which assurances, however, I cer tainly could not possibly have given him. 5a * 6c * 7k>8b<9c ' If, therefore, Lord Cornwallis's letter of the 2Oth of October, giving an account of the unfortunate con clusion of the campaign, by the surrender of York Town, (Appendix, [ 31 ] No. VIII. lobd ) could ever have been understood 110 to imply 120 that 13c the posts of York and Gloucester 14bh were not his Lordship's own choice, in preference to Old Point Comfort, 15bh which I had 16h ' 17h recommended to him; 18h ' 19 or that 200 I had ever received information from his Lordship, that the ground at either was unfavourable, 2113 till the day before he had offered to capitulate ; or that I had ever given him 220 any assurances 230 of the exer- ld justifiable underlined. could join Lord Cornwallis, how 2d so says Washington to de could I. Grasse. 9c How. 3k read Washingtons letter to lObd Page 64. De Grasse Page 55. Ho to imply underlined. 4b read Washingtons letter 26 12o they Certainly do. Sepr to Degrasse respecting the 13c changing the naval Station propriety & practicability of his from James River to York River Lordships doing so, before he had or assembled his army & invested him 14bh in York River 5a I had often represented the 15bh in James River danger of opems in Chesapeak 16h recommended to run without a Fleet by minister and through. Admirals. S. S. Hood assured me 17h ordered him. he had it, how then could I give 18h to take L. Cornwallis such assurances. 19o or that underlined. 6c at any time. 20o that also 7k How could I after the assur- 21 b " the works liable to be ances I had reed of a covering commanded or infiladed." Fleet. 22o any assurances underlined. 8b after being assured we had a 23o this he positively asserts, in superior fleet or even with an his letter 20 October altho he inferior that we could force it -at acknowledges his mistake in that anchor, that I could be landed & of 2d Deer. 38 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY tions of the navy, lh before my letter to him of the 24th of 2k September, 31 * which he acknowledges 4bd he did not receive till the 2Qth ; or that any assur ances whatsoever given by me could have prevented his attacking the Marquis De la Fayette, before Mr. Washington joined that General, which was on the 27th of September ; 5c * 6a I am persuaded it will appear that those implications 713111 are not founded on any orders 8f - 9 s- loi - llh - 12b I gave his Lordship, 13d and cannot be supported by any part of our uk correspon- dence. 15k - 16m - 17b<18c - 19a - And as I took an opportunity of telling his Lordship the [ 32 ] same, 20a ' 21c in a letter I sent him before he sailed from New-York, dated the 2d and loth of December (which letter, 22bd lh or told him the Fleet would sail the 5th. 2k September underlined. 3k written in Council of Generals and admirals. 4bd Page 69. 5c all which he has either imply'd or asserted. 6a That he had not the least foundation for these implications or assertions. 7bm or assertions. 8f a civil way of telling his Lordship that many of his Insin uations & some of his assertions are false. 9g in other words, if such asser tions or implications are made, they are made without the least foundation. 10i In short in the language of a Gentleman if his Lordship has said so and his Lordship certainly has said so or implyed it, I say in the language of a Gentleman such assertions, such implications are not true. Hh in short are not True. 12b In short in the language becoming my high Station at the time, and in that of a Gen tleman I tell his Lordship that those insinuations, and assertions are false 13d this in the language of a Gentleman and Comr in Chief, but in other words, are Contrary to Fact I told him so in our Con versation togetr at New York & he either tacitly or formally owned it. 14k correspondence underlined. 15k does not this civilly tell his Lordship that if there are such assertions in his letter, that they are not true, 16m every Officer every Gentle man nay whoever reads this must conceive my meaning tho I avoid telling his Lordship grossly that he asserted what was false, it yet must be understood that I in the civilest way possible tell him so. 17b Consequently are not true. 18c in other words are not true. 19a indeed he now owns it 20a in Conversation & 21c first in Conversation at N. York then. 22bd Page 71. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 39 however, did not appear when this part of our corre spondence was produced before the House of Lords) la.2b.3fklopqrs.4m.5n.6i.7c.8h J cannot doubt Ms LoidsMp is convinced that what I therein asserted is right. 9b * Lord Cornwallis was pleased to tell me that his letter of the 2Oth of October, lobd was written under great agitation of mind and in a great hurry. lld ' 12a - 13d ' No man could possibly feel for his Lordship, and his dreadful situation, more than I did. And I will venture to say, no man could be more anxious, or would have gone greater lengths to succour him. Nor will this, I trust, be doubted, when it is recollected that the proposal first came from me for embarking I4acgi.i5fimnrs.i6k s j x thousand men for that purpose on la tho his Lordships in answer occur to their Lordships at the to it was called for and read in the House of Lords. 2b tho his Lordship forced the reading of his answer to it in the House of Lords, present himself & my letter in his Pocket. Sfklopqrs tho when he called for his to be read he had mine which was an answer to it in his pocket. 4m Tho' when he called for his to be read in Parliament he had mine which was an answer to it in his pocket. 5n Tho' when he called for his to be read he had two, one mine which was an answer to it & the other was not in his pocket. 6i Tho when he called for his to be read he had mine to which it was an answer to it in his Pocket, and which was not produced in the house of Lords, nor did the minister produce either that I wrote to him on the same subject and had desired him to publish. 7c on the Contrary he desired Lord Townsend to call for the answer to it in the House of Lords the impropriety of which did not time. 8h Lord Townsend called by Lord Cornwallis's desire for his Lordships answer to this letter to be read in the House of Lords but did not call f or S H C letter 9b His Lordship acknowledged it in the Conversation alluded to, said the conduct of the army under my command had been most honourable indeed. lObd Page 70. lid and he said further that if he " had in that letter " said I had " given him assurances of " the exertions of the Navy " before the 24 Sept which he " had received on the 29th only " he had done wroncj " / / / 12a His Lordship may add that feeling how very reprehensable his Conduct had been throughout this whole business, He had been advised by evil councillors to write this letter. 13d He does not of course deny it. But - 14acgi in Person with ISflmnrs myself with 16k with 40 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY board an inferior fleet of twenty-seven sail of the line, including two fifties, to thirty-six ; and thereby putting the fate [ 33 ] of the American war on the joint exertions of the fleet and army, to relieve that noble Lord and his gallant corps. I have to lament that these exertions could not have been made in time. All the Admirals seemed of opinion at the council of war of the 24th September that there was every reason lf+ to hope 21 ^' 30 ' 4 that the fleet would be ready to sail on the 5th of October. 5d * The troops intended for the expedition had been for some time in readiness to embark, and did actually do so early in October. 611 ' It seemed also to be the general opinion of the Admirals, that the enemy, although superior in number, could not obstruct 75 the 8c channel to York-river, so as to 9b prevent the passage 105 of our fleet, much less both passages of the Chesapeak. 11 ^ Could the troops, which embarked under my immediate command, have been put on shore on the Gloucester side, 12a a junction with 13b the part of Lord Cornwallis's corps on that side [ 34 ] was easy : but if they had been put on shore, even in Ifiklmnopqrs to hope underlined, the impracticability of, and as 2iknpq His Lordship says I had often requested to him to retire given him assurances that they from would sail about the 5th. 5d of this intended exertion & 3o his Lordship calls it assur- of the projected move to Rhode ances in his letter of the 20 octr Island his Lordship spoke highly 4m for tho it was the opinion at our first Interview, of the admirals that there was 6h unanimous, little danger in making the June- 7b the to as to run through. tion as far as regarded the fleet, 8c great. I might have contented myself 9b O r with sending the reinforcement 10b of to passages run through. but the fact is I notg the inf eri- 1 lg that in such a tide's way ority of our fleet thought that they could not avail themselves of after making a junction I should the springs on the Cables or pre- oblige W. to retire & when I had vent an inferior Fleet passing relieved L. C. I had resolved them. to go immediately to England, 12a where I was repeatedly quitting a command I had been invited by his Lordship to come, forced into, repeatedly held out 13b the part of run through. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 41 James River, although a junction with his Lordship in York would have been scarcely lk practicable, 2c ' 3a * 4k it might have been made in some other part; 51 or at least such diversions might have been made by the troops under my command as might have saved part of his Lordship's corps, (Appendix, No. XL) I must, therefore, repeat that I lament, and ever shall, that those exertions could not have been made in time. Because, from the professional merit of the Admirals who were to conduct us, and from the zeal which appeared so conspicuous when I proposed the move to them ; and which, from their example was 6c communicated to all ranks in the fleet ; and with which, 7c it is to be presumed, those of the army kept fully equal pace ; I have every reason to think we should have had most complete success. 8 s* 9d - [35 ] 10c+ But at the same time, that truth compels me to impute our misfortunes ultimately to the want of a lla covering fleet in the Chesapeak, I think it right to declare that, as a land officer, I do not feel myself a competent judge of the propriety and practicability of naval operations. 12 g- 13d - Nor can I, as a servant of Ik practicable underlined. forward the Catastrophe of York 2c after he had given up the Town, and lost America. Lord exterior Position Cornwallis for going into Vir- 3a after he had quitted his ex- ginia contrary to the orders of terior position, and given to the S H Clinton, and forcing opera- Enemy what commanded in a tions there, and Lord Rodney near advance all the rest of his for not going into Virginia and Works Vide Washn letter. covering such operations accord- 4k after he had retired from ing to orders. what he calls his Exterior posi- 9d wishing to keep the navy in tion & had given the Enemy the good humour I always gave them Key to that he held. their full share of merit on all 5i & had it been made it may occasions. be presumed that 13. or 14000 lOcghmno But at to the empire such troops had little to appre- (n lines) run through. hend perhaps something to hope Ha promised, against Wasns mottley army. 12g I was promised a covering 6c of course Fleet and a reinforcement. But 7c pace if the Minister had told me I was 8g a very few words will point neither to expect the one or the out the causes which brought other, I should have taken a 6 42 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the State, entrusted with an important, but partial command, presume to enter into the counsels of Ministers; who, from a more elevated station, survey and balance the whole system of the campaign, and the general safety and welfare of the empire.* li - 2a>3d - 4c - 5g-6h.7m.8h.9a.10b. *Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germain, 30 April 1781, see Letter p 446. respectable defensive at New York, at a Period of the war when negative Victory would have ended American Indepen dence. 13d But now that I know facts I do blame and highly blame that Cabinet who rejected the Plan of the Comr in chief which they had before approved and did again approve alas too late ! and forced him to adopt another which he represented & they knew the danger of without a covering fleet - li this paragraph is a cavil I. 2. 3 introduced by a friend of the Cabinet who revised my Narve it had been better left out, it appeared unknown to me. 2a This was slipt in witht my intention I think His Majty Cabinet highly culpable for forc ing the Plan of a Subaltern General made on partial Infor mation. I say our Fleet in the West Indies was equal to that of the Enemy, that it had been ordered, promised, and had it acted must have saved America. All this Lord Rodney acknow ledged to me. 3d this was put in by a friend of the ministers I did not object tis true. 4c nonsense 5g nonsense slipped in un awares 6h nonsense slipped in by a friend of the then Cabinet. 7m nonsense introduced by a friend to the minister. 8h I mean for Ever to declare that to the Cabinets having given a preference to the Plans of a second in Command made on partial information to that of a Comr in chief only as informa tion till too late serve in great measure to impute the loss of that Campaign & of America. Lord North, Lord G. Germain, Thurlow Lord Chancellor. Lord Sandwich, Lord Amherst, Lord Gower the last not least to these the thanks of the Nation are due in great part for the loss of America 9a The short Fact therefore stands Thus. Lord Cornwallis for going into Virginia, Contrary to the orders of S. H Clinton, the Comr in Chief, and forcing Operations where they could not be protected except by a Fleet, and Lord Rodney for not going to Virginia with his Fleet and protecting such operation as He acknowledges He had been ordered and had promised to do. I should insult the understanding of any man particularly that of a military man if I was to ask him whether S H Clinton can be responsable for operations He was ordered to support had SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 43 [ 36 ] Upon the whole, I am persuaded, that had I been left to my own plans, and a proper confidence had been earlier reposed in me, the campaign of 1781 would not probably have ended unfortunately. lb-2f * But though that apparent want of confidence was at last removed,* and the fullest approbation I could [ 37 ] w i sn given to the operations I had projected, my knowledge of the change happened too late to extricate me from the consequences of Lord Corn- wallis's ill-fated march into Virginia, and the orders 3 s they had probably occasioned. 4a>5d - Foreseeing many of the evils which would result from this fatal move the instant I heard of it, 6b I immediately at * Extract Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton, 7 July 1781,7*). see Letter ii. 45. represented the danger of witlit a Fleet & had been promised that Fleet, Operations, He did all he could, to render secure & succour when in danger. lOb by neglect of Govt I was 3 times within 3 weeks of Starving lb Had Lord Cornwallis staid in Carolina as I had ordered him & I had even assembled my Force at N. York & remained there with my arms across without affront, negative victory would have insured American Depen dence. 2f Till Lord Cornwallis Glorious and important Victory of Camp- den I had the most unreserved Confidence of ministers, but from the month of Octr 80 to July 81 they seemed by their conduct to transfer it to Lord Cornwallis & could I have resigned to him I certainly would have done so per haps he thought so himself, and was his only motive for not read ing my dispatches of the 20 & 21 March, and going contrary to every opinion but his own into Virginia to be near me, but L. G. G. letters 7th i 4 th July will show how soon the ministers repented the confidence they had placed in L. Cornwallis. 3g they had probably run through, and it had certainly substituted. 4a from his Majty Cabinet 5d I now say certainly occa sioned 6b and had read Rochambeaus intercepted cypher letter to Lu- zerne, inclosing to him his secret orders from the French King, to Cajole the Americans, says no more troops positively are to be sent, these then probably with drawn, & cautions Rochambeau from separating his army for reasons of distress after Arnolds detection and also on their finding New York & not Chesapeak was Washingtons & Rochs object, there is no doubt but that L. Corriws advised operations in Vir ginia, & gave false hopes to the Cabinet of success there and that in consequence of these hopes my CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY time communicated my 44 the American Minister. lbd - 2 g- And the 1 8th of July 1781 speaks other matters, of which I fear hitherto equally misinformed, I to conclude this Narrative with from it : 3a.4d.5i-6b apprehensions to the as my letter to him of very fully on this and the public has been shall take the liberty the following extract plan was rejected till too late & I was order to support Lord Cornwallis. 7b which S. H. Clinton re ceived in Sept. Ibd Page 107. 2g which he sent me word by Col. Con way He had laid before the King, with this opinion that many of my Prophecies had come to pass, & he feared they all would. 3a The K. in his closet, his con versation with the Duke of New castle, Mr. Gerard Hamilton what passed between Lord Lothian and him & Lord G. Germain's message to me of the- 4th De cember 8 1 by Col Conway with his letters of the 7th & 1/j.th July, all convince me that the whole of Lord Cornwallis Conduct from his march into North Carolina in January 81 to the Catastrophe of York Town and his loth, article of Capitulation had met with His Majtys fullest Disappro bation as well as that of His Minister Lord G. Germain nay finally that of the whole Cabi net. The good Earls Zeal, (I shall not call it ambition) often outran his Prudence. Thus it was in August 80 He invited the Loyalists of N. Carolina rise, promised to march and protect them, not recollecting the danger of doing so at that season, lost great part of his army by sick ness & Ferguson's Corps whom he had contrary to promise to me, left in an exposed situation unsustained was obliged to retire fo'mself all but disgracefully sacri ficed Friends in North Carolina, & Ferguson misfortune (who had commanded the Militia of S. Carolina) made, as his Lordship acknowledged to me, such an im pression in that Province & threw it back in Rebellion. Thus it was again in January 81. when having ordered part of the works of C. Town to be leveUed, & when that Place so very particu larly recommended to his care was open and exposed, & without reporting to me. When he had lost all his light Troops at Cow- pens and not withstanding he had assured me a month before that these poor people had not given sufficient evidence of their Zeal or numbers for him to risk S. Carolina had destroyed all his waggons and Consequently lost the means of making a solid move into N. Carona He proceeds loses half his army : gains a vic tory after which his own losses sickness and wants oblige him to fly before the beaten army nor does he fall back on South Carolina & C. Town, in its dis mantled state & which He had been ordered to consider as the " Primary object " but to Wil mington, & from thence as here SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 45 [ 38 ] lg " I can say little more to your Lordship's sanguine hopes of the speedy reduction of the southern provinces, than to lament that the present state of the war there does not altogether promise so flattering an event. Many untoward incidents, of which your Lordship was not apprised, have thrown us too far back to be able to recover very soon, even what we have lately lost there. For if (as I have often before suggested) the good-will of the inhabitants is abso lutely requisite to retain a country, after we have conquered it; I fear it will be sometime before we can recover the confidence of those in Carolina, as their past sufferings will of course make them cautious of publicly forwarding the King's interests before there is the strongest certainty of his army being in related, marches a third time into Virginia contrary to orders &c. &c. 4d Page 109 5i tis presumed the Majority of that Cabinet preferred L. Corn- wallis conditions to those of S.H.C. S. H. told them truths, some of them very disagreeable and did not give them hopes that with a reduced army he would conquer America without the assistance of friends ; tis presumed L. Corn- wallis did ; judging of the whole continent by those Gentry he had had opposed to him in the Carolinas : his Lordship who seems to have been willing to take more of the responsibility on himself than S H C could with consistency do. S. H. 0. called for reinforcements L. C. perhaps said he had enough. Lord Amherst of course tho he could not prefer L. Corns Plan preferred his Lord ship for strange as it may ap pear tho Lord Amherst refused to take the command unless he had 20000 addition & before the French had joined, after they had & instead of 20000 added S H C had been deprived of above i oooo this noble Lord wrote to L. G G. saying that it was his opinion that if proper attention was paid to the compleating the pro vincials we had troops Enough ; Lord Sandwich ever considered the american war as secondary after the French interfered, his Lordship liked also L C condi tions best, & perhaps he was not pleased that S H C should dare to disapprove of any admiral he had judged proper to send to the american Station Lord Chancellor & Lord Gower seem to have thought of nothing but the terms L C. is supposed to have offerd, & perhaps Lord Mansfield may have joined them sometimes, but it seems all agreed alas too late, in readopting S H Clintons Plan. 6b N 109 lg This letter was not produced in the House of Lords. 4 6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a condition to support them. I shall, therefore, most cordially join with your Lordship, in condemning the bad policy of taking possession of places at one time, and aban[ 39 Jdoning them at another; and in the opinion that the war should be conducted upon a lc permanent and settled plan of conquest, by securing and preserving what has been 2c recovered. 3b * 4d - But if these maxims have been, on any occasion, deviated from in the 5abc past progress of the war ; I must, in justice to myself declare, that it has never been warranted by my orders, except, only in the case of Rhode-Island. 6a - 7c ' 8h - 9ikr w This I doubt not will appear from the instructions I gave to General Leslie, and the other general officers, whom I sent on expeditions to the Chesapeak. For if Lord Cornwallis made a lok desultory lli>12k move into North Carolina, and, without a force sufficient to protect, or provisions to support them, invited by proclamation, the Loyalists to join him, and afterwards found it necessary to quit the lc permanent underlined. 2c recovered underlined. 3b is not this Idea totally relin quished by the Cabinet when they approve L. Cornwalhs march into Virginia at the cer tainty of losing every thing out of Charlestown (Lord Cornwallis own words) and at the risk I may add of that Capitol. 4d Lord Cornwallis was the first that broke through this system when he forced opens in Virginia before N. Carolina was restored 5abc Past 6a which was occupied in 76 at the desire of Lord Howe, as of the utmost importance to the Fleet, and quitted in 79 on the opinion of Adm.1 Arbuthnot that it was of no use, and when its garrison was wanted for impor tant service Elsewhere 7c which was occupied at the desire of one Admiral and given up with the advice of another, Lord Howe Adi Arbuthnot. 8h we took possession of R. Island because Lord Howe had at first considered it as a good harbour S H C quitted it when Admiral Arbuthnot declared it of no use, & S H C in his reduced state wanted the troops for service. 9iknpq At the request of the Navy R. Island was occupied at their request it was also Aban doned 10k desultory underlined. Hi instead of a solid move to give the Experiment a fair tryal which alone he was authorised by me to do. 12k instead of a solid establish ment among them to give the Experiment a fair tryal. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 47 friendly districts of that province, before he could have time to give them a la+ fair trial, 2b I am persuaded your Lordship will acknowledge [ 40 ] he did not act under my instructions : nor were his Lordship's retreat to 3k Wilmington, 4ikn w and subsequent move from thence to Virginia, in consequence of my orders : 5h on the contrary, as I foresaw all the unhappy consequences of them, I should certainly have endeavoured to have stopt him, could I have known his intentions in proper time. 6a - But though his Lordships movements, (which it must be confessed have been as rapid as your Lordship expected) have not to my sincere concern been successfully decisive ; I am convinced he is, as I hope we all are, impressed with the absolute necessity of vigorous exertions in the service of his country at the present crisis. If mine, however, have not been equal to my inclina tions, I have little doubt they will be found to be at least equal to my powers. 7ibl M-8d. " I shall now, my Lord, beg leave to conclude with labc fair trial underlined. 2b as he had promised 3k Wilmington underlined. 4iknpq instead of securing S: Carolina as he was ordered & had promised. 5h but contrary to them. 6a but so very determined was his Lordp upon this last move that tho he says one of his prin cipal reasons for making it was because he does not hear from me, tells you at the inst he makes it that he expects my dispatches from C. Town every instant. He moves witht them. Nay tho he announces to the army before he had passed the roanoke that Lord Rawdon had beaten Green, & consequently another principal reason for going into Virginia no longer existed. He tells Farther He still looks Northward. Tiknpq I had full one third less army than Sir W: Howe who was protected by a fleet com manded by his Brother Whereas Washingtons army during my Command increased in Numbers & Discipline, & was reinforced by 8 or 10 ooo french, & these generally covered by a french fleet. 8d I had not lay by so much as S. W. Howe had even before the French joined the Americans, the Minister speaks in flattering terms of my exertions with that inferior army till he affects to misunderstand Arnold's report to him, & Washington's intercepted letter to Congress, says, we are now suffering more from the remnant of an army than we did when in its fullest force. 48 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the strongest assurances, that no man can be more fervently desirous than I [ 41 ] am to see an honour able end put to this most burthensome war. And if I remain in the command, that no endeavours of mine shall be wanting to execute, in the fullest manner, the King's pleasure and commands. Of the 10,000 men I solicited, 11 only 4000 were even promised ; and no portion of these, except a few recruits, 2d has yet joined this part of the army. Your Lordship's last letters, however, give me hopes, that three 3d British bat tali ons 4b<5d and two thousand six hundred German troops may be immediately ex pected. If all these arrive, I shall then be able, at a proper season to reinforce the Chesapeak corps very considerably ; 6i and if a reinforcement 7h does not likewise come to the French armament already here, such operations may be carried on as may perhaps produce some advantages in the course of the Winter. But if our reinforcement does not arr i ve ^8a.9b.lOc.llfiklmnopqrs anc [ tne ^ re nch should receive [ 42 ] theirs, 12d I think we shall have every thing to apprehend. Before I close, however, I beg leave to say a word or two in explanation of two observations, in the Commissioners of Accounts Seventh Report ; in order to obviate any implied censure, they may be li these 10,000 were taken proceed with 3000 men on con- from me the first Campaign junct Expn to R. Island. 2d and such Recruits ! 6i as they had ordered me to SdBritish battalions underlined, carry on operation there. 4b the 3 Batns went to C. Town 7h not a Regt joined S. H. C. the German recruits such as they 8a our reinf orcemt did no arrive were arrived in August immedi- and that of the Enemy did. ately on their arrival I offered to 9b which unfortunately hap- embark with 3000 men for R pened to be the Case, as I feared Island & Providence. it would. 5d the three Batts went to C. 10c which was exactly what Town and arriv'd in time to save hap'ned that Capitol, & Province The llfiklmnopqrs Which exactly German Recruits such as they happened as I feared it would, were joined me the nth of 12d alas too true. August I immediately offered to SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 49 supposed to point against me as Commander in Chief of the army in North America. The Commissioners are pleased to say, " It appears " that the number of the forces decreased every year, "from 1778, but the issue for the extraordinary " services of that army greatly encreased, during the " same pe riod." la - 2b - 3d - 4h - 5i - 6a And again, " In the account of the issues to the " officers in the four departments, we find that the " warrants 71 ' 8 * issued to the Quarter-master's-general, la had these Gentlemen read directed the Comr of accounts to the report of a Board of Investi gation recommended to their President by the Secretary of Treasury they would not have been at a loss to account for this 2b Too true but fully accounted for. 3d Tis true but if the Comrs had read the report of a board of investigation, appointed by Sr H. C. a year before they made of theirs and which was offered to them by the Treasury, they would have found this Increase accounted for and every other Remark in their yth Report ex- pos'd as they deserved to be, perhaps this was the reason they would not receive those Papers they were in some hurry to make this Report immediately after it their Salary was established 4h True and if the Comrs had examined me as they had done S. W. Howe & L.Cornwallis they would have found it accounted for: 5i all accounted for & reported to the Treasury long before the date of this report offered to the board but not accepted. 6a nor this 7i There were two Reasons why final warrants could not be granted ; I had differing in that respect from other Comrs in Chief act, in auditing, examining, & reporting all such accounts before I gave final warrants, till he had done so it will appear obvious therefore that I could not grant final warrants, nor could I grant final warrants to any but the heads of Departments and it often hapned that these were separated for a considerable time, the Q. M. Genl was in England for one whole year on very im portant service ; and as money therefore could only be granted on temporary warrants, had that mode not been followed the service must have suffered with respect to the ceremony of a quarterly abstract that sauve la presence de Messieurs les Com- missionars is false. 8b a Commissary of Controul and accounts was appointed in Feby 79 at my request all these accounts were of course referred to him ; He would not act or report upon them, till he did no final warrant could be granted ; nor indeed if he had could any final warrant have been granted to the Dept of Q. Master General as he was in England on service ; nor indeed were any final warrants of the Comrs in chief necessary, for he could not pass accts. 7 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY since the i6th July 1780, and to the Barrack- master's-general since the 2gth June 1780, and to the Commissaries-general, since the 25th [ 43 ] of May 1778, have been all temporary, for sums on account ; and that no final warrant has been granted since those several periods. lb>2ht So that these sums have been issued, without even the cere mony of a 3b quarterly abstract, 421 and the con fidential reliance on the officer, that his vouchers are forth coming." 5d<61 - I arrived in London many days before the Com- lb this is not true & the Com missioners know it. 2h false & they would have been convinced on enquiry. 3b quarterly abstract underlined. 4a I had very early in my Command requested that a Com missary of accounts might be appointed, Col. Drummond was appointed in Feby 79. but tho frequently called upon would not act till July 81. expecting of course that he would, all these accounts were to be laid before him, nor could I with propriety grant final warrants except upon his report. 5d In short without taking the trouble to explain Article by Article suffice it to say that de claring as they do that they can obtain no information relative to Expenditures in America pointing out the only means by which such information can be obtained when such is offered by authority they reject it imply a censure of neglect in the Comr in Chief and give credit to a Lieut Genl serving under his orders at his expence and that of Truth. They men tion a certain suppd abuse exist ing and say the only orders they find striking at such abuse are those of Ld Cornllis 23rd Deer go whereas had they read the above reports and investigations they wd have seen that there were general orders of Sr H. Clinton of 1 8 months prior date to those Reports of Ld Cornllis presenting a possibility of such abuse and JL 7 therefore if they did exist as the Commrs declare they did when Ld Cornllis issued his orders. They must have existed by his Lordship's disobedience of Sr H. C's orders, issued part of them while his Ldship was in the same Camp with Sr H. C. and are to be found in his Ldship's orderly Book. This I told Ld Cornwal- lis, Mr Pitt and the Comr ofrs in form in 1785. H. Clinton 61 had all these implyed Charges of Negligence been as well founded as they are most of them ill founded it will be diffi cult to place blame on S H C. He informed the Treasury he had not leisure to look into expendi tures they answered that they could not expt & that at his de sire they had appointed a Com. of accounts to examine audit & report relative to them if that Genl would not act how is S H C to blame. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 51 missioners of Accounts delivered in their Seventh Report to the House of Commons. lb * Had those Gentlemen called upon me, as they did on Sir William Howe, and Lord Cornwallis ; had they examined certain officers of the different depart ments, who arrived in England at the time I did, and who announced themselves to them ; and had they read all the Reports of the different Boards of General Officers and Magistrates, that had been appointed by me at New York, to enquire into the expenditure of public money, 2fiMmn P ( i rs - 3a - 4c (all which reports had been sent to the [ 44] Lords Commissioners of the Treasury many months before) 5 ^ 01110 **! 13 I am persuaded that their Report would not have appeared on the table of the House of Commons in the shape it has done. For when they were informed (as they would have been by the means just stated) that all the rum purchased for the supply of the army during the whole period of my command, was paid for in America by my warrants, whereas before then it used to be paid for in England ; that considerable sums of money were paid on my warrants for expences incurred during the command of my pre- decessor, 6i * 7ab which could not be brought to account sooner ; that provisions to a very considerable amount lb A short Fact I told the ning of the war to nearly its Board when admitted to a private close. audience you say you have no in- 3a and were particularly recom- formation, can get none, that mended to the board by Mr the only means by which tis to John Robinson then the Secre- be obtained is in america, by per- tary of the Treasury, sons of rank & properly qualified, 4c and recommended to them such information I obtained by by order of the Lords of the a board of Genl officers & Magis- Treasury. trates a year since, their report 5fiklmnopqrs and which were was sent to the treasury & I am recommended to their Considera- informed by the Treasury it was tion by Mr Robinson Secretary offered to you before you made to the Treasury, your seventh report but you re- 6i I paid above 300.000 of jected it. debts contracted in S.W. H. time. 2fiklmnopqrs from the begin- 7ab 300.000 52 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY were purchased in America, la<2b and paid for in America on my warrants, for the supply of the army, which might otherwise have been exposed to the greatest distress; all which together amounted to nearly 1,500,000!. and that the increase of posts, during my command, at [ 45 ] Savannah, Charles Town, Cape Fear, Portsmouth, Penobscot, &c. 3a requiring each their respective establishments, 4 ^ 1 " 1110 ?^ added of course to the extraordinaries of my army ; 5a and that, besides these, and many others which I could enume rate, the peculiar circumstances of my command exposed me to many expences unknown to my prede cessor ; 6ikn pq it is presumed, those Gentlemen would have admitted, that the increase of the issues for the extraordinary services of the army under my command, Tiknpq was accounted for. This matter, however, went, by my desire, through a very full and formal investiga- tion, 811 * 11 !*! in August 1781, before a Board of general officers and magistrates (of which Lieutenant-general Robertson was President) under the title of a Com parative View of Expences incurred, 9a from the 3ist December 1775, to the i6th of May 1778 (the time of Sir William Howe's command) and of what was paid by me, 10i between the 26th of [ 46 ] May 1778, la 120,000; 500,000; etce- 7 months of my command or teras 500,000. with what view that was done 2b etceteras the rest, 90,000 Gen. Rob. and Col. Drumd must 3a & had recollected that a de- explain. Their Report proves the fensive war is more expensive impropriety of it and that the than an offensive one. last year of S. W. Howe and the 4fiklmnopqrs Solid works in- first of mine would have been the stead of light field works. fairest Comparative view, as will 5a as explained by the report appear to all who read the report. 6iknpq my Rum paid for by 10i Increase of Loyalist Secret me ^300,000. service one article of which cost Tiknpq Provisions ^100,000. (Arnold) .6300 & the whole Siknpq of Debts contracted in amount of secret service during Sir W : Howes time which were my command did not exceed paid by me ^300,000. ^18000 & not a sixpence ever 9a why this Comparative view passed through my hands I count was to take in 2? & 5 months I had not better opportunity of of S. W. Howe, and two years distributing on such occasions, SIB HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 53 and the 3 ist of December 1780. Which produced the following report from that Board. " The great national expence in the first period " of Sir William Howe's command, arose from the " whole navy, and a very numerous fleet of transports, " being employed in attending the movements of the " army ; no part of which appears in Sir William " Howe's warrants. " The expence of the Quarter-master-general, " Barrack-master-general, and Engineer departments, " were necessarily small, while the troops were on " board ships, or had their supplies from transports. " During part of the first period, the great article " of expence, rum, was provided for by a contract " made in England, and paid for there. Whereas, " during the second period, the rum was pur-[ 47 ] " chased by the Commissary-general, and paid for by " the Commander in Chief's warrants. A very large " quantity of provisions purchased also, during the " latter period, swells the amount of the warrants. " But what destroys a possibility of drawing any "just conclusion from a comparison of the amount " of the warrants in these two periods, arises from " this ; that a great part of the expence incurred by " Sir William Howe, was paid by warrants granted " by Sir Henry Clinton." This report having been regularly transmitted to the Treasury, I must suppose it was laid before the Commissioners of Accounts. Had it been read by those Gentlemen, it is presumable it would have, at least, accompanied theirs. With regard to the second observation alluded to, lb respecting my not granting final warrants to certain departments from certain [ 48 ] periods ; if the commissioners had read all the above papers, I think it would have occurred to them ; 2b>3c that one million properly applied early 2b I do not scruple in the least would have saved America. to assert that these Commis- lb offered to them but rejected sioners reported on exparte evi- 54 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY as a Commissary of Accounts had been commissioned, ifikimno P qrs.2c anc [ was actually 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 abstracts (as had been before practised) untill their accounts had been first audited and certified by the Commissary. 3fiknopqrs.41-5a.6a- As to the mode of supply which I found estab lished,^ when I succeeded to the command of the army in North America, and which I understood had been approved by Government, I certainly could not, in prudence, have made any alterations or reduction in it, as long as I had offensive operation in view. The instant, however, that I received orders to place dence when other might be had, & I told them so at their Board 3c These Commissioners inform the Treasury they can get no information respecting the extra- ordinaries of the Army in America, point out the means by wch that is to be obtained, & when they are told by the Treasury, that such means, had been employed a year since by Sir H. Clinton, and the report then laying at the Treasury, they neglect availing themselves of it, censure one officer commend an other without the least cause for either. Ifiklmnopqrs That Gentleman was Commissioned in Feb. 79, but T could not prevail upon him to act till July 1781. 2c by S W. Howe Sfiknopqrs That I did both the instant I obtained his certifi cate or was otherwise justified by another Board of Genl officers & whose proceedings were also sent to the Treasury before the Com missioners of Accounts made their 7th Report & was offered to their Inspection. 41 Same as note 3, adding together with the first. 5a the Commissary General Mr Weir objected to his accounts being audited in America & the Principal of the Q M Generals Department Col. Dalrymple, was in England from July 80 to Octr 8 1 so that no final warrant could be granted to that Departt in his absence. 6a the President of the board of Contract. 7a The Contracts of supply were all made by Sir Willm Erskine, & by order of S W. Howe, as I found them ; so I left them, if contract & Controul were in the same hands S. W. E. told me it ever had been the custom in America I told him it sounded odd that I should take no notice, but that we must be SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NAEEATIVE 55 the army upon a strict defensive, I proposed such a reduction as could take place. And when I obtained [ 49 ] his Majesty's permission to resign the com mand, I recommended it to General Eobertson, who was appointed to succeed me. (Signed) "H. CLINTON." lg.2h.3i. lg These Gentlemen the Com missioners of Accounts told the Secy of the Treasury that they could get no information relative to expenditures in America they recommend that proper persons may examine on the spot, they are informed their wishes had been anticipated a year before by S H Clinton, & the papers and reports recommended for their inspection and examination, but they reject them, & make their Report on exparte information censure some commend others without being founded in either. 2h The short fact is & I told these Gentlemen so at their Board, and further that the Sectry of the Treasury had in formed me that He had had a meeting with their President & told him on his complaining they could get no information, & pointing out the only means by wch it could be obtained that such had been obtained by S H Clinton & the Lords of the Trea sury wished them to acpt that re port (of the board appointed by 5 H C). but tho it was offered a second time to them through their Secretary it was rejected ; 6 that they had therefore made their report on exparte informa tion ; I said further that I would not have been guilty of such im propriety by them for all the world ; & as to Lord Cornwalhs he had declared upon Oath that an abuse had existed in the Com. Genl department when he issued his orders Oct 80 to re medy ; I would declare either that no such abuse did exist or if it did it must have been ow ing to L. C disobeying my orders most of them given many months before his, & while he was under my immediate Com mand. 3i The President of this board of accounts waited upon Mr Robinson then Secretary of the Treasury I believe in March 82 in company with Mr Mollison the then Secretary He informed Mr Robinson that it would be impossible for his board to give any information relative to ex penditures He pointed out the means by which that was to be obtained Mr Robinson informed him that S H C had long since anticipated their wishes obtained full information & reported it to the Treasury and that it was their Lordships wishes the Com missioner would examine it, but that notwithstanding they left it 55 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY out of their Precept sent to the tained, & when such is offered Treasury by Mr Mollison it was by the Treasury they refuse it, however altered by Mr Martin imply censure of negligence on Leak by desire Mr Robinson & S H C and give the Credit of an with the Consent of Mr Mollison, ecconomical system to Lord but on his returning with it to Cornwallis (which by the bye the Commissions He Mr Mollison his Lordship also seems to have was sent back with a Precept assumed.) & which belongs to still more confined than the first S. H. Clinton & which had been this I had from Mr Robinson established by the order of S. H. C himself In short the Board of of date 1 2 months prior to that Commissioners Complain they can order which L C seems to have get no information on american claimed the merit, & the Corn- expenditures point out the only missioners of accts have positively means by which that is to be ob- ascribed it to his Lordship. APPENDIX. Number I. [51] Extract of a Letter from Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton, dated May 2, 1781. see Letter p 464. Number II. [53] Extract of a Letter from Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton, dated June 6, 1781. see Letter ii. 13. Number III. [54] Copy of a Letter from Rear Admiral Sir S. Hood to Sir H. Clinton, dated off Cape Henry, August 25, 1781. see Letter ii. 140. Number IV. [55] Copy of a Letter from General Washington to Count De Grasse, dated Williamsburg, September 26, 1781. see Letter ii. 165. Number V. [61] Extract from Lord George Germain's Letter to Sir Henry Clinton, dated October 12, 1781. see Letter ii. 178. Number VI. [63] Extract from Sir Henry Clinton's Letter to Rear- Admiral Graves, dated August 16, 1781. see Extract\\. 126. Extract from Sir Henry Clinton's Letter to Rear-Admiral Graves, dated August 1 8, 1781. see Extract ii. 129. Number VII. [64] Extracts from Rear-Admiral SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE 57 Graves's Letters to Sir H. Clinton, dated 18 and 21 August, 1781. see Extracts ii. 129. Number VIII. [65] Extract from Lord Corn- wallis's Letter to Sir H. Clinton. York Town, Vir ginia, 20 October, 1781. see Letter ii. 205. Copy [68] of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated 30 November, 1781. (This letter was not produced in the House of Lords.) see Letter ii. 217. Number IX. [70] Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Letter to Sir Henry Clinton, dated New York, 2d Decem ber, 1781. (This letter was read in the House of Lords.) see Letter ii. 219. Number IX. [73] Copy of a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, 2d and loth December, 1781. (This letter was not read in the House of Lords.) see Letter ii. 240. Number IX. [82] Extract of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton, to Lord George Germaine, dated December 3, 1781. see Letter ii. 230. Number IX. [ 84 ] Copy of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton, to Lord George Germain, dated De cember 6, 1781. see Letter ii. 233. Number X. [95] Extract from Sir H. Clinton's Instructions to Major-General Philips, dated March 10, 1781. see Letter p 347. Extract [96] from the Substance of Conversations held with General Philips, sent to that General Officer for his Guidance, see Letter p 430. Number XL [97] Vide p. 7. 1. 15. Extract from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to Lord George Germain, Oct. 30, 1780. see Letters p 281. April 5, 1781 P 383- [103] April 30, 1781. p 458. [105] In closed in the above letter the following extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's letters to Major General Phillips. April 26, 1781. see Letters p 437. [106] April 30, 1781. p 450. 8 58 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY N.B. These two letters with other dispatches fell into Lord Cornwallis's hands on General Phillips's death and were opened by his Lordship ; and the expedition therein proposed recommended to his consideration. Number XII. [109] Vide p. 37. 1. 6. Extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to Lord George Germain. May 20, 1781. see Letters p 47 4. May 22,^478. Number XIII. [m] Vide p. 37. 1. n. Extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to Lord George Germain, July 18, 1781. see Letters ii. 82. [113] July 25, ii. 91. August 9, ii. 120. [From last leaf of Book i which is mutilated.] 26 Feb. 89 After reading this narrative perhaps it will be acknowledged that the original cause of the misfortunes of the Campagn 81 was Lord Cornwallis coming there (contrary to H C orders) and his ad vising the Cabinet [to ad] opt solid operation there, the second [cause] was the Fleet under Lord Rodney [not following] the French Fleet to Chesapeak [to cover] op erations as he had [been] ordered and had promised [to do] can S. H. C. be in the least [responsible ; in L. C. reply all he includes [at tempts to prove the] misfortunes of that Campaign [were] not the unavoidable consequences of his coming into Virginia or his ad vising the Ministers to adopt solid operation [there] he [in sinuates] further that if S. H. C. had disapproved of his being there he might have disposed of his Corps as he pleased, [His] Lordship might have recollected that the Cabinet letter page 5 1 & others clearly put it out of [S. H. C.'s] power to draw a man from chesa- peak if he had not been forbid to do so, under the [ass]urances of a covering fleet he should not [have] been anxious to have sent him back knowing [it was] the Cabinets and his wish to carry on operation [there] & having deter mined himself to quit the [com]- mand the instt he should think him self [at] liberty this obsn of his Lordship therefore [had] better been left out if his Lordship AN ANSWER TO THAT PART OF THE NARRATIVE O F LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K.B. Which relates to the Conduct of LIEUTENANT-GENERAL EARL CORNWALLIS, DURING THE CAMPAIGN IN NORTH-AMERICA, IN THE YEAR 1781. BY EARL CORNWALLIS. LONDON: Printed for J. DEBRETT, (Successor to Mr. Almon,) opposite BURLINGTON- HOUSE, PICCADILLY. M.DCC.LXXXIII, THE INTRODUCTION. THE feelings, which dictate this publication, have originated from the contents of a Narrative, signed by Sir Henry Clinton, late Commander in Chief in America. In which Narrative, events are attributed to my conduct lb during the campaign of 1781, which, I trust, it will appear, were by no means the unavoidable 2 * * 35 consequences of any part Of it. 4a '5c.6c.7a. lb and Councils my good Lord. 2ac unavoidable underlined. 3b Had Lord Cornwallis been as explicit in his Reply as he had been in his conversation with S H Clinton at K York, He would have said thus. I would not have come into Virginia, or advised the Cabinet to adopt solid opera tion there, if I had not had hopes and had expected a covering Fleet we were promised it we had it not in time; the Fate which met me there was not therefore the unavoidable conse quence of my conduct or my councils, such an explanation would have thrown great share of blame on the Cabinet & on the Navy to whom it belongs. 4a I acknowledge that If the promised covering Fleet had arrived, L. Cornwallis would have been safe. 5c Memm. Narrative Jany 25. my letter 5 march 81 expresses my opinion of operation in Chesa- peak witht the certainty of a covering Fleet. Tarletons His tory proves L C disregard of my orders, first by throwing down the works of C Town & then by marching into N. Carolina leaving it exposed. How different L C. opinion is when He in a conver sation we had says He did not think He could be justified in leaving York & escaping to S. Carolina unless I had assured him the Fleet would not attempt to succour him in his letter 20 octr He says if He had not had hopes of succour He would have tried to escape to N. York. 6c Sir Henry Clinton could not prevent Lord Cornwallis going into Virginia he was forbid sending him back, or employing his Corps anywhere else he did all that depended on him to 62 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY The materials, hitherto produced, cannot be deemed complete, either in form or substance. There were many deficiencies in the papers laid before the House of Lords ; lc in particular, four render his operations there secure all he could to succour him : & by the best Plan, all he could to strike at the Enemy's Combi nations before they were put in motion against his Lordship. Certain it is however(tho S H C. must ever disapprove of operation in Virginia beginning in June) yet if the promised Fleet had arrived in time L. Cornwallis could not have been attempted by the Enemy, tho in such a climate, at such a season he must have risked his army, as I had charg'd his Lordship with calling for letters in Parliament & pub lishing others witht my answers I suppose he judged it necessary to seem at least to retort. 7a once established in Virginia tis certain nothing could supply, succour or save you but a Fleet, but all must admit that if you had not (contrary to my original orders ; contrary to my opinions contained in dispatches (which if you had not received, if Col Balfour had done his duty you must have received) ; contrary to the united opinion of all the officers you called into Council) marched into Virginia you could not have been taken there. I never meant to be understood to say that Catastrophe was the unavoidable consequence of your march. We were promised a Fleet by Minister and Admiral if we had it not, it was not S H Clinton's fault, this your Lordship knew, acknowledged in private, & should have done so publickly. lc There were deficiencies tis true my good Lord and I have proved it in my narrative, and so clearly that your Lordship finds it necessary to meet it by a retort, but you unfortunately have pitched upon 4 letters which of all others are such as I could have wished to have published, particu larly the 3 last, as they describe the Post of York which you had chosen in preference to that of Old point Comfort in he James river very differently, rrom what you describe it in your letter giving an account of the Capitu lation. And the copies of the others in augt and Octr were sent to the Minister because the origi nals had been dispatched to your Lordship ; but had been taken, a circumstance not known to me at the time, but with respect to my charge it stands shortly thus, Your Lordship's letter giving an account of the Catastrophy which lost America is read in the House of Lords, & though it contained implications nay assertions reflect ing on the Comr in Chief some of which you acknowledge not founded, this letter to your Lord ship in answer is not read, (altho He had particularly requested the minister to publish it,) still more strange your Lordships reply to this letter is called for and read, & published, so that, of a Corres pondence of so much Consequence, your Lordships part of it only is read ! ! ! EAEL QORNWALLIS'S ANSWER my reasons march 3b ' 4d letters, dated July the 24th, August the i6th, 2Oth, and 22d, from me to Sir Henry Clinton, were wanting ; la<2a one of which contained at large for undertaking the [ ii into Virginia : This omission, as the Secretary of State informed the House, was owing to their not having been transmitted by the Commander in Chief. Four other letters (three of them dated the 2d, 27th, and 3Oth of August, and one the la as S H Clinton had not blamed your march to the Minis ter, it was not necessary for him to send your reasons for it, you had given them when you made the move, and as to your letters 1 6th 2Oth 22nd August, those of all others S H Clinton should have wished to send to the Minister, as they describe your Post of York so favorably, and so differ ently from your description of it in your letter 2oth October after your capitulation, read pages 185. to 1 88 of this book. 2a Having proved that these letters were of no consequence to Lord Cornwallis tho some of them were materially so to S. H. C. He must again repeat that of 4 letters giving an account of the catastrophe of York Town & the events which produced it, those only of Lord Cornwallis are called for in the house of Lords or Published. 3b As S H Clinton had never accused Lord Cornwallis to the minister there surely was no occasion for him to Vindicate his Lordships conduct Lord Corn wallis availing himself of the power S H Clinton had given him of reporting to the minister, not only did that but offered his plans, and, gave his reasons for every part of his conduct it therefore was not necessary for S H Clinton to send duplicates ; but Lord Corn wallis conduct was very different. He was in the House of Lords desired Lord Townsend to call for his Lordship's answer to S H Clinton page 68 of his appendix while his letter of the 3oth novr page 66, to which it was an answer, was not read in the House of Lords or called for. as to the 4 others : 4d As Sr Hy Clinton had never accused Ld Cornwallis to the minister it was not necessary to vindicate his Lordship. Lord Cornwallis when he marched into Virginia and advised solid opera tion there gave his reasons to the Minister and explained those also which had induced him to March into N. Carolina to Wil mington &c &c. The Letters of the 1 6th 2Qth and 22nd of August where left out by mis take of all others (read them) they were what I should have wished to have published as they describe the Post very different from what his Lordship described it on his surrender but his Ldship seems to think it necessary to meet my charge (of producing his Answers to my Letters without those to which they were answers) by something similar on my part. 64 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 1 4th, 1 5th, and i8th of October) from Sir Henry Clinton to me, were read to the Lords, according to the order of their dates ; although they were only delivered to me, by the Secretary to the Com mander in Chief, in the latter end of November, at New-York, above a month after my surrender ; and consequently, their contents could not influence my conduct in any manner. ld * I own I am perfectly aware of the impropriety of publishing official letters for private reasons ; but, since the measures with respect to America have now undergone a total change, I hope, I shall in some degree stand excused for producing the whole correspondence, in my possession, relative 2 * 1 to the principal transactions of that campaign; as it is the most candid and complete mode, in my power, of submitting them to the public consideration. The perusal of this Correspondence will, I think, render not only the military, but every other reader a competent judge of the proprie[ iii ]ty of my conduct, either when I acted under positive orders, pressing contingencies, or discretionary powers. 3a - 4a>5d * Id These others were sent by a not after your loss at Cowpens. Man of War but she was taken, You had positive orders not to that Sr H. C. could not know till make any move that might the copy's were gone to Europe. endanger Charles Town, you 2d even private Letters Yr notg. order part of the works to Lordship published and such as be levelled, & 3 times while that only could tend to produce alter- Capitol is in that exposed state, cation between the good Old (without reporting it to the Admiral and me and deliver over Comr in Chief) you move at the a whole district and a Chief by very probable risk of losing that Name to the resentment of Con- Capitol & a province, put under gress Vide Pages 105. ill. Yr your care: what the pressing con- Lordship's Reply. tingencies were which induced Sapositive to powers underlined, you to move into Virginia in 4a from the opinion I had of April 81 I am at a loss to guess. your judgment & exertions I the exertions were as likely to acquiesced in your Plan of opera- have been made to the North- tions in N. Carolina as long as ward, & probably to more ad- you had the means of making a vantage in the months of July solid establishment there, but &c & then in Virginia. EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 65 It is foreign to the present purpose, and I shall therefore not endeavour to enumerate the many diffi culties, which I had to struggle with, in my command of the Southern district, previous to the march into North Carolina, in the beginning of the year 1781. This measure was thought expedient not only by me, but by the Commander in Chief : lb I was princi pally induced to decide in favour of its expediency from a clear conviction, that the men and treasures of Britain would be lavished in vain upon the American war, without the most active exertions of the troops allotted for that service ; and, that, while the enemy could draw their supplies from North Carolina and Virginia, the defence of the frontier of South Carolina, even against an inferior army, would be from its extent, the nature of the climate, and the disposition of the inhabitants, utterly impracticable. The many untoward circumstances, which occurred during the four months succeeding the complete victory of Camden, had entirely confirmed me in this opinion. Our hopes of success, in offensive operations, [ iv ] were not founded only upon the efforts of the corps under my immediate command, which did not much exceed three thousand men ; 2b but principally, upon the most positive assurances, given by appar ently credible deputies and emissaries, that, upon the appearance of a British army in North Carolina, 313 a great body of the inhabitants were ready to join and co-operate with it, in endeavouring to restore his Majesty's Government. 4a * 5d Under one of these My disultory move such as he was good Lord you might have saved obliged to make after Tarltons part of your Army if you had at defeat and the destruction of his any time thought you could not waggons &c. be succoured by the Navy read 2 b he passed the Catawba 3560 Washington's Letter to de Grasse 3b he fought the battle of respecting the practicability of Guildford with 1306. your doing so. 4a such assurances were given lb I approved a solid opn to at that time but none after they give it a fair Tryal but riot a had been abandoned in Sept 80. 66 CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTROVERSY The disaster of the ryth of January cannot be imputed to any defect in my conduct, as the detach ment was certainly superior to the force against which it was sent, and put under the command of an officer of experience and tried abilities. la> This misfortune, however, did not appear irretrievable ;2a-3t>.4b an( j to have abandoned, without absolute necessity, the plan of the campaign, would have been ruinous and dis graceful : ruinous, by engaging us in a defensive system, 5a the impracticability of which I have already stated ; and disgraceful, because the reasons for the undertaking still existed in their full strength, the public faith was pledged to our friends in North Carolina, and I believed my remaining force to be superior to that under the command of General Greene. [ v ] That this opinion was well founded, the precipitate retreat of that General from North Carolina, and our victory at Guildford, after his return with Virginia reinforcements, are sufficient proofs. The unexpected failure of our friends 6a rendered the victory of Guildford of little value. I know that it has been asserted or insinuated that they were not sufficiently tried upon this occasion: But can any dispassionate person believe, that I did not la Tarlton tells us you promised you would have catched him to co-operate & did not. probably at his passage of Cataw- 2a have you so soon forgot baw Lord Rawdons letters 29 Octr 4b after the loss of all your 1780, written in your name. light troops how could you hope pages 37. 38 to 44 My Observa- to succeed in an operation de- tions. did not these reasons ope- pending so totally on them, rate stronger in Jany after you 5a Why was you to suppose had lost all your light Troops at that S H C was to be Idle or Cowpens, and destroyed your that his offensive in the proper waggons & had not the means season for him to act was not as of making a solid move into likely to be important and sue- North Carolina. cessfull as your Lordship's in such 3b Your Lordsp offered co-ope- a Province as Virginia and at ration, it was accepted and you such a season, promised it. had you co-operated : 6a or rather of your means of Morgan would have flown and protecting them. EARL CORNWALLI&S ANSWER 67 give every encouragement to people of all descrip tions to join and assist us, when my own reputation, the safety of the army, and the interests of my country, were so deeply concerned in that junction and assistance? All inducements in my power were made use of without material eifect ; and every man in the army must have been convinced, that the accounts of our emissaries had greatly exaggerated the number of those who professed friendship for us, as they must have observed, that a very inconsider able part of them could be prevailed upon to remain with us, or to exert themselves in any form whatever. lb - This disappointment, and the wants and distresses of the army, compelled me to move to Cross-creek ; but meeting there with no ma[ vi Jterial part of the promised assistance and supplies, I was obliged to continue my march to Wilmington, 2a ' 3b where hospitals and stores were ready for us. Of this move I sent information by several expresses to Lord Rawdon, but unfortunately they all failed. My intention then was, as soon as I should have equipped my own corps, and received a part of the expected reinforcement from Ireland, to return to the upper country ; 4a in hopes of giving some protection to South Carolina, and of preserving the health of the troops, until new measures could be concerted with the Commander in Chief. 5a * lb your Lordp ordered them to 2a why not to Campden my rise after Campden, they did so, good Lord. you marched to suppt them. 3b for these reasons Campden Fergusons defeat obliged you to was much nearer, in going there retrograde and leave them to be you had all these, you covered S. massacred you afterwards made a Carolina & obey'd the orders you desultory move instead of a solid had received, one to support them and when 4a and you had promised so to you invited them to join you, do. you had not 700 men to support 5a do you not my good Lord them ; no arms to give them, not in your letter to L. G. G. dated 2 days provision in your army, the day before you march into & actually in retreat when you Virginia say that you had heard caUed them ! ! ! 68 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY The march of General Greene into South Carolina, and Lord Eawdon's danger, made my situation very critical. 1 *' 20 * Having heard of the arrival of a pacquet from Europe, without any certain accounts of the sailing of the reinforcement, I thought it too hazardous to remain inactive ; 3a ' 4a and, as it was impossible to receive in time any orders 5b ' 6b or opinions' 8d from Sir Henry Clinton to direct me, 9c it became my duty to act from my own judg- my dispatches & orders were coining to you. la & yet tho' you announce to your army that L. R. with a 3d of your numbers had beaten Green you still proceed. 2c why did you not return to S. Carolina my good Lord, you knew of the dismantled state of C. Town, you had aprehensions for Lord Rawdons corps & Caro lina by going even by sea which you might have done in 1 2 hours, or by Waggamaw were you were invited by Col. Balf our you saved Lord E-awdon S Carolina & Charlestown, by going to Vir ginia you risked not only all these but Genl. Phillips corps which you had ordered to meet you at Petersberg. 3a the good Earl seems to think that no body's activity but his own could save America was it even True that S. H C. Zeal, ca pacity or activity did not Equal His Lordship's ; His Exertions to the Northward in the months of July &c. were more likely to bene fit the cause than any his Lord ship could carry on in Virginia at that season. 4a inactive underlined. 5b orders underlined. 6b those orders those opinions were lying at C. Town since the 7th. you knew it C. Balf our read this, & neglected sending them to you by the Amphitrite and Swallow, & finally sent you what was not the substance of those orders & opinions for they all tended to prevent your going into Virginia. 7bd opinions underlined. 8d Both were waiting at C. Town for yr Ldship from the 6th of April 8 1 to the 23d the day you marched for Virginia read them then ask yourself whether instead of inviting you into Vir- gina or inducing you to hope that solid operations might be adopted in that quarter they do not tell you the Enemys Fleet is in the Chesapeak that I had determined against solid opera tion there fixed on another Plan which yr Lordship by going there would counteract had you there fore read those Letters you would have saved the Provinces of South Carolina and Georgia pre served your Own Army in the back healthy parts of S. Carolina as I should the rest by taking the other part of it from that sickly Province of Virginia as sembled the whole at New York and saved America. 9c don't say my good Lord it was impossible to receive S H C. orders, your letter dated the day before you move acknowledges EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 69 ment and experience; I therefore upon mature deliberation, decided to march into Virginia, as the safest la and most effectual means 2a of employing the small corps, under my command, in contributing towards the general [ vii ] success of the war. 3c< I came to this resolution principally for the following reasons, I could not remain at Wilmington, lest General Greene should succeed against Lord Rawdon, and, by returning to North Carolina, have it in his power to cut off every means of saving my small corps, except that disgraceful one of an embarkation, with the loss of the cavalry, and every horse in the army : 4c From the shortness of Lord Rawdon's stock of provisions, and the great distance from Wilmington to Camden, it appeared impossible, that any direct move of mine could afford him the least prospect of relief : 5a in the attempt, in case of a misfortune to him, 6c the safety of my own corps might have been endangered ; or if he extricated himself, the force in South Carolina, when assembled, was, in my opinion, sufficient to secure what was valuable to us, and capable of defence in that province. 7c< I was likewise influenced by having just received an account from Charles-town of the arrival of a frigate with dis- patches 8d from the Commander in Chief, 9b the sub- that dispatches & consequently to do so, told you He had sent orders have been near 3 weeks at to occupy George Town. & gallies C. Town, & that they may be ex- & boats into that River for that pected every hour nay ought to purpose that unless you did 0. have been (had Col. Balfour done Town would be lost, his duty) with you long since. 6c risk a 3d of your Force He la safest underlined. relieved you from all apprehension 2a effectual means underlined. & you knew it before you had 3c it surely was safer to go marched 4 days, back to S. Carolina nor can 7c what say Lord Rawdon & there be the least doubt but that C Balfour to this, it was the most effectual, 8d if that was all that Coll 4c return by Waggamaw my Balfour sent yr Lordship he ought good Lord. to have been dismissed the ser- 5a you know my good Lord you vice. With respect to the rest might have passed the Bayernin I refer you to Number 5. that Coll Balfour intreated you 9b disobeys his orders which 7 o CLINTON CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY stance of which, then transmitted to me, la was, that General Phillips had 2c ' 3a been detached to the Chesapeak, and pat under my orders ; which induced me to hope, that solid operations might be adopted [ viii ] in that quarter : and I was most firmly per suaded, that, until Virginia was reduced, 4d we could not hold the more southern provinces ; and that, after its reduction, they would fall without much resistance, and be retained without much difficulty. 5 *- With these sentiments, I joined General Phillips's corps at Petersburgh on the 2Oth of May, a few days after his death ; but from his papers, and dispatches from the Commander in Chief, directed to him, which I received at that place on the 24th of May, I found there were other projects in contemplation, which to me were entirely new. 6d * 7c * 8c * The Corn- were to cover S. Carolina marches into the most sickly province at the worst of seasons & uncertain of having a covering fleet there ; Complains of not having orders & opinions & tho he knows they are coming to him does not wait for them, but at the risk of all these losses, and in direct disobe dience to his orders marches into Virginia as the safest and most effectual means &c. &c. la who ever did transmit that as the substance transmitted anything but the substance these dispatches did not inform your Lordship that Gen Phillips had been detached, but that he waited the Event of a Naval action to be detached, & the same dispatches informed you, I was determined to withdraw all but a Small Place of Arms in the sickly season, in short these dis patches all but forbid your going into Virginia, by telling you the French Fleet were there. 2c if Col Balfour sent your Lordship that substance He de ceived you. 3a had underlined. 4d you was as firmly persuaded you ought not to undertake the reduction of Virginia in the month of June and that if you succeeded you could not hope to keep it or remain in safety in that Province unless we had a permanent super iority at sea which at the time you marched you had not the least reason to hope for or expect. 5a own honestly my good Lord did you Ever think operations in Virginia safe, practicable or likely to succeed, without a covering Fleet did you expect one when you forced operations there ? 6d But which ought to have been considered as orders to yr Lordship (for such they had been to Genl Phillips) till you reed My Letters of the 29th of May by which your Ldship was left at Liberty to follow your own Plan if you had any. 7c how would your hopes of EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 7 1 mander in Chief having desired General Phillips to give his opinion concerning the scheme of opera tions in the Upper Chesapeak, and the design upon Philadelphia, I thought it my duty, as I was then in his place, to offer mine : which was, that I could not see sufficient grounds for approving of either of these schemes ; nor indeed could I bring myself to think any other plan, but the attempt to reduce Virginia, at that time either expedient or impor- tant. lb - But I informed Sir Henry Clinton that I should repair to Williamsburgh about the time when I should probably receive his answer, 2a in order to be in readiness to execute his com-[ ix ] mands ; and that I should employ the intermediate space in destroying such of the enemy's stores and magazines, as might be within my reach. the Comr in chief having adopted solid operation in Virginia at that unhealthy season have been founded you would have seen by these dispatches & a copy of his instructions to Gen Phillips that Genl waited the event of a naval action (which equally imported you to know) before he was detatched ; and that His corps was to be withdrawn to the northward in June leaving only a weak detatchment in Chesapeak during the unhealthy season, you would have done well to have recollected also that even if you could have succeeded in tak ing Virginia you must have been convinced it could not be kept without a Fleet ; till you were certain therefore of having that superior permanent Fleet you should not have risked it. doing it also by a move which lost you those very provinces you wish to secure is conduct which deserves a name I shall not give it. That which you would have been in formed of had you received his dispatches from C. Town before you quitted Wilmington. 8c I certainly ever did declare against it till I was sure of a permanent superiority at sea. lb I on the Contrary till then was perfectly assured we ought not to have attempted Virginia for whi of naval superiority could at the Carolinas & which you would not have been ignorant of had you read the dis patches being at C. Town. 2a my answer my good Lord was of course determined by the orders I had received to adopt your Plan of conquering Virginia, not to take a man from you, but after the Hurricane season to reinforce you to the utmost ; you knew from G. Phillips papers what had been my Plan if you had not broke in upon it, finding you not inclined to pursue your own, unless I removed the whole army from N. York to that bury ing ground you had plac'd yours 72 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY la Whoever reads the Correspondence will see, that, since Sir Henry Clinton had declared positively in his first, and in several subsequent dispatches, against the plan of reducing Virginia, 2d>3a no ex plicit alternative was left to me, between complying with the requisition (contained in his letters of the nth and i5th of June) of such troops as I could spare from a healthy defensive station, or engaging in operations in the Upper Chesapeak : 4a The choice 5a of an healthy situation was controlled by other material considerations ; 6a for, whilst he stated in such strong terms the imminent danger of New York, or the important effects, which he expected from the expedition against Philadelphia, I did not think myself authorized to detain any part of the troops he so earnestly required ; 7d merely upon my opinion of the difference of the quality of the air of Williamsburgh, York, or Portsmouth ; from the latter of which only, as it was already fortified, I could afford an immediate detachment. And with respect to the operations in the Upper Chesa-[ x ] peak, it will be remarked, that, although that plan in. I recommended my Plan, ority at sea for reasons too which you thought proper to obvious to him to need mention- disapprove ; I then apprehen- ing. sive of a visit of a French 3a against to Virginia underlined. armament from the W. Indies, 4a this blends a number of recommend a respectable Place of different subjects the first Requi- Arms & leaving as few troops as sition was not complied with ; possible in that sickly Province. nor the second at a distant period la from this Sir H Clinton from the first. did disapprove of the Plan for 5a what were those considera- reducing Virginia and his Lord- tions ? ship rather adopted His own 6a from the subject entirely which failed ; then sent a Part 7d Read it once more My good of the army to Sir Henry Clinton Lord You will find that till you after His Lordship had established had passed the James and gone a defensive Situation in the to Portsmouth I called for none Carolinas. except such as you could spare 2d Sir Henry Clinton was al- from a Healthy respectable defen- ways of opinion that until North sive &c. &c. On the Williams- Carolina was reduced and we burg Neck at Williamsburg or were sure of a permanent superi- York. EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 73 had been for some time under the consideration of the Commander in Chief, he did not seem inclined to take more share in the responsibility than barely to recommend it : la - 2b - 3d and many reasons, but particularly my recent failure in a similar attempt, deterred me from undertaking it, without an explicit instruction. Accordingly, that I might be enabled to comply with those orders of the nth and i5th of June, I passed James-river, (my remaining force being insufficient to fortify and maintain a post on the Williamsburgh Neck) and embarked the troops required with all possible dispatch. And it will be seen by the Correspondence, that the Commander in Chiefs opinion of the indispensable necessity of an harbour for line of battle ships only appears in his letter of the nth of July, 4d<5a after he had la to General Phillips I had ordered it, but to your Lordship I only recommended it in case you had no Plan of your own, or should think operation in Virginia at that season dangerous, after being ordered to adopt and sup port your Plan I could not with propriety direct another. 2b was not G. Phillips posi tively ordered to carry it into exe cution if L. C had not come was it not L. C duty to obey all orders he found in Virga on his arrival altho out of delicacy I did not repeat the order, but only recommended, referring him how ever to the orders he should find there. 3d I had ordered Genl Phillips to carry it into execution. The Minister at first approved but the King afterwards disapproved and ordered me to adopt your Plan, not thinking it likely your L4- ship sd have any Plan in such a climate in that advanced season I took the Liberty to recommend that which I had before ordered and which was approved by the Kings Cabinet. A second time Alas too late. 4d It was then for the first time that the Admiral informed me that a Place of arms to cover a station for line of battle ships which was since your Lordship had forced solid operation in Chesapeak absolutely necessary According to the spirit of My or ders I am willing to acknowledge that not liking Old Point Comfort you did well in taking York and Gloucester in York River but you should have informed me of the defects if any as you had done of Old P. Comfort in Jame's River. 5a until the Admiral informed me that a Naval Station for ships of the line was absolutely neces sary, tis true I never gave your Lordship positive orders to occupy one. If you mean to insinuate (by what follows) an instance of my indicision others who read our correspondence will be more 10 74 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY been acquainted, that the troops, intended for the expedition against Philadelphia, would be soon ready to sail. Hampton~road la was recommended by that order ; but, as it was, upon examination, found totally unfit for the purpose desired, every person can judge, whether the order did not then, in its spirit, become positive 2b to occupy York and Gloucester ; 3a the only harbour in the Che[ xi Jsapeak, that I knew of then, or indeed that I have heard of since, in which line of battle ships can be received, and pro tected against a superior naval force : 4a and, as the harbour was the indispensable object, I thought it unnecessary 5d<6d to enter into a description of the disadvantage of the ground, against a land attack, since there remained no other choice. 7d * liberal I believe recollect my good Lord that of la in James river. 2b certainly not. read my letter to G. Phillips dated March loth 8 1 page Lord Cornwallis reply 175, does not this clearly imply that if he had forcible objects to the station required by the admiral as the above certainly was he must decline it, at least his Lordship should have waited my answer, but I am convinced of the necessity of a place of aims to cover large ships from the Admirals opinion, & convinced we should have the promised fleet to cover our operations I should have directed him still to take old P. Comfort notwithg the objections he made, for reasons obvious. 3a line of battle ships you had none with you but every ship you had with you except those you sunk were burned by the Enemys batteries, such effectual Protection you gave in York river which you had chosen in preference, when I recomd. 4a tho you might have saved part of your army any time before that of the Enemy was assembled, I never blamed you for not attempting it under such circumstances I repeat that nothing could save you but a Fleet or well chosen respectable Place of arms till that Fleet should arrive the Minister pro mised a covering Fleet, you implyed that your Post was re spectable had it not been so you should have said so. had you told me at first what you did at last I should have if I had had no hopes of joining you have advised you to save what you could your moving army ; 5d You cannot surely be in earnest My good Ld 6d unnecessary underlined. 7d My letter of the 2d August 8 1 explains all this, page 237 Lord Cornwallis reply. read my letters of 19 June. EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 75 When the arrival of the French fleet, and the approach of General Washington, were known to Sir Henry Clinton, it will appear by the Correspondence, that his promises of relief in person la ' 2a were uni form ; 3b - 4d without giving me the smallest particle of discretionary power, 5d<6a different from holding the posts that I occupied. Every reader will therefore be competent to judge, whether, under these circum stances, and as I could not but suppose that the Com mander in Chief spoke from a perfect 7a knowledge of his own resources, 8a ' 9b<10d and of the force of the enemy, it would have been justifiable in me either to abandon, by the evacuation of York, a considerable quantity of artillery, the ships of war, transports, provisions, stores, and hospitals, or, by venturing an action, without the most manifest advantage, to run the risk of precipitating the loss of them. llb * wherein I tell you that De Grasse will most probably come upon the Coast with a consider able armament. I rept a respect able Post. la by a direct move by sea when the Admiral would convoy or convey me. 2a Whenever the Fleet should convoy or convey me. 3b all depending on the fleet. 4d whenever the Admiral should convey him. 5d Under what power did your Lordship act, when you movd into Virginia contrary to orders when you quitted the Williams- burg Neck 5th July when you chose York and Gloucester in preference to old Pt Comfort wch you were ordered to take, either discretionary power of pressing contingencies, no further Com ment, my good Lord is I believe necessary 6a discretionary power under lined. 7a perfect underlined. 8a My own yes, but I did not know the event of the Naval action of the 5th Sept till the 1 3th or the number of the Enemy s Fleet till the 23*1 or whether the Navy would or could make an attempt to succour you till I had met the Admirals in Council on the 24th Sept. 9b I had informed L. C we had 2 1 sail. He knew what I did not tell E, that the Enemy had 37. lOd By my letter of the 2d and 6th Septr your Lordship was made acquainted with all my re sources those of the Enemy you reported to me in your answer of the zyth till I received that letter I knew not the great disparity of numbers in the two Fleets. lib Can his Lordsp be serious when he calls it venturing an action against St Simons Corps, or La fayettes or both. 7 6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY [ xii ] Although the Marquis de la Fayette ad vanced his light troops early in September to "Williamsburgh, he did not take post there with his army till reinforced with the French troops from the West Indies, under the command of Brigadier de St. Simon. I could, at that time, after leaving some slight guards in the works, have marched out a little more than four thousand men, partly composed of troops unaccustomed to action. la ' 2d<3b - The enemy were in a strong position, and considerably superior in number, but I should have attacked them without hesitation, if I had thought myself at liberty, after a victory, 4b to escape into the Carolinas, with the la I do not know a single ginia you had above 7000 men in the worst of Climates at the worst of seasons. I fear your sick List was long, you had 800 man of war sailors, many transport do. Loyalists in number & I have always understood thousands of poor blacks, in justice to these corps I must say they were under most perfect Prussian discipline, they had been repeatedly in fire Regt that had not acquired credit in action, if there were any such you would probably have left them in the works. St. Simon had 3000 sickly raw troops from West Indies La Fayette 2000. you had includg sailors & negros &c near 9000. you surely had more than 4000 to move with but that was quite enough, read Tarlton on this intended move, His Lordship had the Guards. 2. Btt Light Infy 2.Bt 17 Regt 23*1 33d 43d 71. 76th 8oth Ansp. 2 Battn Hess. P. Here. Bose. P. TOO. Q. Ranger & this Legion besides detatchments 1000 men, from artillery cavalry, &c &c which of all these His Lordship calls Troops unacus- tomed to action I am at a loss to guess, KB. He marched out after the siege near 8000 men. 2d look at the Return of your army once again My good Lord is there a single Corps except the two Batns of Anspach that had not repeatedly reed your lordships thanks on service. The day you took the command in Vir- & their own was such as had forced a superior Enemy to preci pitate retreat in Force, in June 80. 3b look at the Corps under his Comd is there a single Regt that had not served with eclat if there had been surely he would have left them in his works. what service had any of the French troops seen, what the general character of the Virginia Militia. 4b he who thought himself at liberty to march into Virginia contrary to the orders of the Com mander in chief at the risk of the Carolinas, and all the corps which he had directed to cooperate in that fatal march, should not have hesitated proving the great superi- EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 77 troops that were able to march. No other object appeared sufficient to justify this measure ; for our labour would have been materially interrupted la by an action, 2a and even a victory, unless it had extended to the annihilation of the Marquis de la Fayette's corps, without considerable loss on our side, (two events not to be expected) would not have enabled us to make a successful defence against the army then approaching, under the command of General Wash ington : 3d But a defeat 4a would probably have been followed with the immediate loss of our post, which, until the end of Septem[ xiii ]ber, was in a most defenceless state : and as I could never have proved, 55 that I should not have been relieved, I should have been exposed to public execration, as a man, who, having reason to expect the early arrival of the Com mander in Chief to supersede him in his command, had, in hopes of personal reputation from a victory, sacrificed the essential interest of his country. 6d - Far less could I have ventured an action without the most evident advantage, after the junction of General Washington ; a decision, which nothing could have justified, but a certainty that I could not be relieved: in that case, I should have fought before I was hemmed in by the enemy's works, believing a vic- ority of the Enemy's Fleet to would have been lost so very su- have saved what he could of that perior in Numbers and discipline army if La Fayette had been beat to those corps you could not ap- in such ground he was undone, if prehend defeat. he had averted action L. C. 4a defeat underlined. crossed the James & retired at his 5b note on this part mem book leisure. Ko. 2. la materially interrupted un- 6d Are you quite so sure My derlined. good Lord that something too 2a 12 hours of those troops who like that may not be said on went out. your breaking into the Comr in 3d to endeavour to beat an chiefs Plan for the Campaign 81 Army en detail which is coming forcing him into Operations to besiege you is generally thought which heed not be prepared for an object if La Fayette and St and without being certain of a Simon had retired you were but covering Fleet, had always de- where you were 24 hours only dared against. 78 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY tory, la over great disparity of numbers in the open field, to be possible ; but a successful defence, with out relief, in such a post, and against such an attack, to be impossible. 2b * My resolution at last, of attempting to escape with part of the army, could only have been dictated by despair. The enemy's immense train of battering artillery had now nearly reduced 3a our fresh earthen works to ruins : The attacks were conducted with so much caution, 4a that we had no opportunity of making any material impression upon them : 5d The batteries [ xiv ] of the second parallel, which I knew in a few hours would compel us to surrender at discretion, were nearly completed ; and I had then lost all hopes of relief, If the sudden gale of wind had not prevented our passage of the river, Brigadier de Choisy, who lay with a small corps a few miles from Gloucester, would have been attacked at day break by the greatest part of our force ; after which, being without baggage, I should have gained the upper country by rapid marches, 6a ' 7b mounting my infantry, by collecting horses on the way, and leaving my intended route doubtful, until I was opposite to the fords of the great rivers ; 8d I then intended to have turned off to the northward, 9d expecting la tho there are who say that Carte du Pays The Enemy seems the Enemy were so sickly &c &c to have respected you so much and that if you had attacked their to have advanced with so much whole army you must have beaten circumspection that it became them. I am not of that number. you to be cautious in yr sorties. 2b His Lordship is clearly 6a If any body could you right. could but you told me yourself 3a very true. Washington had scouted the Idea. 4a Washington knew he had 7b you told me yourself Wash- to do with an army of 8000 well ington laughed at the Idea of disciplined & commanded. your escaping to 1ST. York. 5d It has been I know insinu- 8d Alas I fear the Enemy was ated that yr Lordship did not nearer those fords than yr Lord- check the Enemys approaches as ship. much as you ought and might 9d To the Southward perhaps have done but as far as I cd pre- you mght have escaped My good sume to judge ignorant of the Lord with your Moving Corps. EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 79 that the enemy would principally take their measures to prevent my escape to the southward. The success of this attempt would, no doubt, have been pre carious ; and I cannot say that it would have been practicable to have reached New York ; but, in our desperate situation, I thought it well deserved a trial. I shall make no other remark upon the enumera tion that is made of the troops under my orders, than that a great part of them were dispersed in garrisons, totally out of my reach, la and that some regiments had hardly any ex[ xv Jistence, but in name. I am not in possession of the general returns of the southern district for the year 1781, but those of the corps under my immediate command, at different periods, are annexed to the Correspond ence. 2d During that campaign, I reckoned among the many other embarrassments which I had to encounter, that, on some important occasions, it was impossible to communicate with, or to receive instructions from the Commander in Chief, in time to enable me to act according to his wishes : 3a<4c But, I la I cannot pretend to say this instance your Lordship does what you had after the desertions, it without reason ; for you say sickness battles &c &c &c but I yourself a frigate with my dis- know what I left with you & patches was coming to you, from what I afterwards sent you. Charles Town, not 12 hours sail 2d I left 5000 Men with your from you. Lordship in 80, Genl Leslie 4c This was also your Lord- joined you with 3000 More I ships Complaint When you sent Arnold with 2000, 500 moved from Wilmington into more to Chesapeak to cooperate Virginia, those who read will with yr Ldship I sent Genl Phil- judge wher such complaint was lips to take the command and well founded, in that instance; with him 3000 more to these I you lament in your letter to the added 1500 Anspachs you had Minister you are about to make therefore acting with you and a desperate move, without the for you near 15000 Men. while Com. in Chiefs approbation, in I at New York had not more the same letter you say there is than 12 ooo including Provincials a frigate coming from Charles 3a we had both of us but too Town, (not 1 2 hours sail from much cause to complain, but in you) and expected every hour, 8o CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY trust, it will appear from the Correspondence now laid before the public, that our failure in North Carolina was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends, but by their timidity, and unwillingness to take an active and useful part, la * 2c that the move to Wilmington was rendered necessary from the distresses of the troops, and the sufferings of the numerous sick and wounded, 3a * 4c<5d that the march into Virginia was undertaken for urgent 65 reasons, 7d which could not admit of my waiting for the approbation of the Commander in Chief, 8a<9a<10c that I did not you say your army is in no state to move, & yet you march before those dispatches arrive ; & I now appeal to yourself, whether if you had received them you would have marched into Virginia. la reduced from 3000 to 700 by desertion, illness, and action not two days food and in actual retreat how could y L. expect them to risk. 2c how could you expect they should after you had sacrificed them 9 months before, & tho you obtained a brilliant Victory in March 81. it had all the conse quences of a defeat, you had not provisions or arms to give them ; you were reduced from 3 500 to 700 men, you were in actual re treat when you invited them to join you. 3a from Crosscreek you were not above 60 miles from Campden, 90 from Wilmington. 4c pardon me my good Lord for these very reasons you should have fallen back from Crosscreek to Campden, where Lord Rawdon would supply all your wants, it was the shortest & safest way, by doing so, you obey'd your Commr in Chief's Orders; you fulfilled your " own promises, to cover S. Carolina." 5d Camden was nearer. 6b urgent underlined. 7d every reason for going back to C. Town no good one I fear for going into Virginia what say the Cabinet in their Letter Page 49, 51. 8a All the urgent reasons were on the Contrary against your going. 9a had you waited a few hours more the arrival of the dispatches from Charles Town, you would have found all the urgent reasons were against your going. 10c on the contrary my good Lord, all the urgent reasons were against your going into Virginia, for by that move you exposed the Carolinas & Florida, and Charles Town, which "you had been ordered to consider " as the primary object," you risked your own Corps, that of Gen. Phillips, you broke in upon the C. in Chief Plan, you forced operations upon him which he was not pre pared for, and had alivays declared against, in the most inimical Province, in the most unhealthy EARL CORNWALLI&S ANSWER 81 establish the station in Virginia, but only reinforce i t? ia.2c.3b tfrnt j occupied the posts of York and Gloucester by order, 4a - 5b - 6d - 7c and was in- province, at the worst season, in a province where your army could not be supply'd from the country at least in a province from whence your army could not retreat, & where it could not remain iu safety unless covered by a Fleet, or a respectable Place of arms till that Fleet should arrive. la Tis true your Lordship did only reinforce it ; but tis Equally so that if you had not reinforced it, it would have been (except a small post to cover Frigates) have been withdrawn in the ex posed, & sickly seasons. 2c true my good Lord you did not Establish the station in Virginia, a small station was es tablished at your desire to favour your operations while the season permitted your acting in the Carolinas ; but meant to be with drawn when those should cease ; and consequently if your Lord ship had not come into Virginia, forced solid operation there ; re commended it to the minister, & the Comr in Chief had not in con sequence been ordered to support it, your Lordship will acknow ledge it would except a small post have been withdrawn in June. 3b S H Clinton never had an Idea of solid establishment in Virginia till the provinces to the southward were recovered, till then S H C had no other views than of a small station to cover frigates and troops for desultory expedition in the healthy season to cooperate with you, your Lordsp therefore did establish vide page 96 Observns. 4a no my Good Lord you were ordered to occupy old Point Comfort securing a naval station in James River, not in York River, you were permitted tis true to fortifye York as an addl security to O P Comfort ; but I did not disapprove of the choice you had made for the reasons you gave in your letter of the 24. August, when you took it : 5b read all my Corce with Genl Phillips, is there the least Idea of establishment in Virginia, merely a small station in Eliza beth river to cover frigates & desultory expeditions, during the season for operation in that un healthy climate ; I appeal whether I ever gave L. C. an order to occupy York & Gloucester : of the prospects L. C. could better judge than I. he knew the Enemy were 37 sail the 8th O f Sepr and that we had only 21. I did not know the E. number till the 23d Sep : 6d I can with more propriety say contrary to My Orders but I have never yet charged you publickly with disobedience. 7c by whose order I know not but certainly contrary to S H Clinton's order : read his order of the i ith July page L. C. reply 167. it orders L. C. to ex amine and fortify old point Com fort which covers Hampton road in James river, it permits L. C. to fortify York also as an additional security to old P. Comfort but his Lordship moving the naval Station to York river instead of James River and fortifying York II 82 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY [ xvi Jduced to remain in them by the prospect of relief, uniformly held out to me by the Com mander in Chief ia-2c.3d.4a ? _ and, that, during the considerable interval between my arrival at Peters- burgh, and that of the French fleet in the Chesapeak, my corps was completely at the disposal of Sir Henry Clinton, 5b * 6b either to be withdrawn, or employed in the Upper Chesapeak, or sent back to the Carolinas 7 a - 8c>9d ? an d consequently, that my 3d if I gave you hopes of relief it was from the Navy I reed them and if that Navy sd have sailed sooner or Yr Ldship could have defended yr Post longer you would have been succoured. 4a could I have conceived you would so soon alter your opinion & described that ground so differently as you do in that of the 20 Octr I should have ordered you at all events to remain at Old Point Comfort. 5b Lord Corns Corps ought to have been at S H C. disposal, but it was not, the minister ordered him not to take a man from Virginia, but to go there with all He could spare from N. York. 6b His Lordship is pleased to acknowledge he and his corps was under the orders of the Com* in Chief tis great condescension but the publick will recollect that the Cabinet disapproving of S H C plan of a reduced defensive post in E. river during the season of operation to the northward, had ordered S H C not to take a single man from Virginia other wise there can be no doubt but that S H C disapproving of L C march into Virginia would have sent him back, if he had not been ordered to support him there. 7a read again the Ministers and Gloucester to secure the Naval Station in York river is so far from being by order of S H C every body will agree that it was contrary to his order, tho S H C afterwards acquiesced in it. la Here your Lordship alters your tone ; assurances I certainly never gave you ; Prospect or hope you might have, & could you have held out longer, or the Fleet sailed sooner you might have been saved, but surely S H C. cannot be in the least responsable for either your con duct or that of the Navy. 2c No my good Lord, the only order you had was to occupy old point Comfort covering a naval station in James River in strict ness you acted contrary to orders by removing the naval station to York River ; I did not however blame it then because you told me that it was the only station in which you could hope to give effectual protection to line of Battle ships, tis true you had no line of Battle ships with you when you were besieged ; but the reader will judge of the sort of protection you could have given had they been with you : when they are informed, that all the ships during the siege which you did not sink were burned by the Enemy. EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 83 conduct and opinions were not the causes of the catastrophe, ld which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781. CORNWALLIS. MANSFIELD-STREET, Feb. 10, 1783.20. letter my good Lord, Page 49 my Narrative, & the Kings orders to me not to take a man from Vir ginia till that Province was Con quered : you surely will not then say that your Lordships Corps was at my disposal any time before I received the Ministers letters of the yth and I4th July disapproving of your Lordships Plan ; approving at last of that of the Comr in Chief, wch how ever He did not receive untill He had embarked to endeavour to relieve you from a Situation in which your ill timed, injudici ous, ill-fated march into Virginia had engaged us ; and therefore I must beg leave to repeat ; that your Conduct and Councils did, in the first instance contribute to the Catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate Campaign 81 ; His Majesty's Cabinet had also their share ; & the admiral in the West Indies His great very great share. S H Clinton S'en lave les mains 8c your Lordship has surely forgot the Kings order to S. H. Clinton not to take a man from Virginia till that province was conquered ; & that S H C could not under such orders dispose of your Lordships corps, & I flatter myself you will do him the Jus tice to believe, that, if He had thought himself at liberty to do so, He would have ordered your Lordship to have' followed his Plan ; or joined him at N. York ; or sent you back to Carolinas; in Either of which cases, the Catastrophe of York Town could not have hap'ned, nor could America have been lost. As it is S H Clinton has only to say that by Lord Cornwallis coming into Virginia contrary to S H C's orders, & forcing operation there ; and Lord Rodney's not bringing, or sending a Fleet to cover such operation according to orders the Catastrophe, which ter minated the unfortunate Cam paign, and put an End to British Empire in America has been produced; and of all which S. H. C. S'en lave les mains. 9d I must intreat you to read the Cabinet letter Pages 49. 51. once more then tell me if you really think Yr Corps was at My disposal or whether I was at Liberty at any time till I reed the King's Approbation of My Plan to have removed a Man from Virginia till that Province was conquered. Id Therefore your Lordship's Conduct and your Councils if not the only causes were at least the primary causes of that Cata strophe. 2c The Narrative was written, in the Hope that the charges therein contained (tho expressed in as moderate terms as possible) would have induced Lord Corn wallis to have desired a Court of Enquiry or Martial, among the CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY many implied charges it contained were misconception, Misrepre sentation, and Disobedience of Orders, neglecting under frivo lous, nay sometimes false pre tences opportunities of beating an Inferior Corps, and crushing an army en detail which He knew was coming to besiege him. For not occupying the naval Station He was ordered to take under pretext that it did not answer the purpose of protecting the Men of War, & then chusing another in preference under Idea that He could give "Effectual protection," altho it appeared afterwards none such could have been given, for every ship He did not sink, was burned by the Enemy. For telling his Comr in chief that the Plan for fortifying the Post had been judiciously chosen after examination & sur vey ; that it would be compleated in 7 weeks and that He could then spare from its defence 1000 men, & when attacked in it 8 weeks after to quit it without a shot, give to the Enemy " Ground which commanded in a near ad vance all the rest of His works," (Washingtons words) and which had been constructed in haste, were unfinished, Commanded, and infiladed, and in which He is re duced to extremity in 7 days open trenches, for saying He had only 400 intrenching tools when He began His works at York Town, altho He had by formal return of his Engineer 992, & had on his first arrival in Vir ginia sent quantities away, His asserting in his official letter that I had promised him the ex ertions of the Navy as well as army in all my letters, & that those assurances had prevented his attacking La Fayette before his junction with Washington, or His Escaping immediately upon that junction altho He acknowledges afterwards, I had not given him any such assur ances till 3 days after the Junc tion of the Combined Armies had taken place the mutulating my letter of the 24 Sepr & asserting I had told him in it the Fleet would positively sail about the 3<1 of October, & acknowledging after wards I had only said I had every reason to hope it would sail about that time, telling me his Engineer had made a regular survey of the ground wch He denied COEEESPONDENCE between Gen. Sir HENEY CLINTON, K.B. Commander in Chief, and Lieut. Gen. Earl COENWALLIS. PART I. EELATIVE TO THE CAMPAIGN IN NOETH CAEOLINA. Number I. [i] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Camp on Turkey-Creek, Broad River, Jan. 18, 1781. see Letter p 318. EARL COENWALLIS'S ANSWER 85 Number II. [5] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, March 5th, 1781. (Re ceived June, 1781.) see Letter p 331. Number III. [9] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Camp near Wilmington, April 10, 1781. see Letter p 395. Number IV. [13] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-York, April 30, 1781. (Re ceived, June, 1781.) see Letter p 441. Duplicate. [18] Inclosed in Number IV. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, April 13, 1781. see Letter p 405. Number V. [20] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Wilmington, April 23, 1781. see Letter p 424. Inclosed [22] in Number V. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 6, to Lord George Germain, dated Guildford, March 17, 1781. see Letter p 353. Inclosed [23] in Number V. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 7, to Lord George Germain, dated Guildford, March 17, 1781. see Letter p 354. Inclosed [34] in No. V. By the Right Honourable Charles Earl Cornwallis, Lieutenant- general of his Majesty's Forces, &c. &c. &c. A pro clamation, see proclamation p 327. Inclosed [35] in Number V. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Dispatch, No. 8, to Lord George Germain, dated Guildford, 1 7th March, 1781. see Letter p 363. Inclosed [44] in No. V. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Dispatch, No. 9, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 1 8, 1781. see Letter p 414. Inclosed [47] in IX o. V. North Carolina. By Charles Earl Cornwallis, Lieu tenant- General of his Majesty's Forces, &c. &c. &c. A Proclamation, see proclamation p 371. Inclosed [48] in No. V. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 10, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 1 8th, 1781. see Letter p 416. Inclosed [50] in No. V. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 1 1, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 23d, 1781. see Letter p 420. 86 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Number VI. [53] State of the Troops that marched with the Army under the Command of Lieutenant- General Earl Cornwallis. see p 376. CORRESPONDENCE between Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. Commander in Chief, and Lieut. Gen. Earl CORNWALLIS. PART II. RELATIVE TO EARL CORNWALLIS'S MARCH INTO VIRGINIA. Number I. [55] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Wilmington, April 24, 1781. see Letter p 426. (Inclosed [56] in Number I.) Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Letter to Major-general Phillips, dated Wilmington, April 24, 1781. see Letter p 427. Number II. [58] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, dated New York, March 2d, 1781. Eeceived by Earl Cornwallis in Virginia, see Letter p 341. Number III. [61] Copy of Sir Henry Clinton's Instructions to Major-general Phillips, dated Head Quarters, New York, March loth, 1781. Received by Earl Cornwallis in Virginia, see p 347. Number IV. [64] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Petersburgh, in Virginia, 2Oth May, 1781. see Letter p 476. Number V. [67] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, dated New- York, May 2Qth, 1781. (Received July 12, 1781, from. Lieut. Col. Macpherson.) see Letter p 493. Number VI. [74] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, Virginia, July 24, 1781. see Letter ii. 88. Number VII. [77] State of the Troops that marched with the Army under the Command of Lieutenant-General Earl Cornwallis. see p 457. CORRESPONDENCE between Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. Commander in Chief, and Lieut. Gen. Earl CORNWALLIS. PART III. RELATIVE TO THE OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA. Number I. [79] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 87 Clinton, dated Byrd's Plantation, James River, May 26, 1781. see Letter p 487. Number II. [80] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Byrd's Plantation, North of James River, 26th of May, 1781. see Letter p 487. Number III. [85] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major-general Phillips, dated March 14, 1781, half past Two. (Received at Petersburgh by Earl Cornwallis, May 20.) see Letter p 352. Number IV. [87] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major-general Phillips, dated New- York, March 24, 1781. (Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg, May 20.) see Letter p 373. Number V. [90] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major-General Phillips, dated New-York, April n, 1781. (Received by Earl Cornwallis, at Petersburg, May 24.) see Letter p 401. Number VI. [95] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major-General Phillips, dated New-York, April 26th, 1781. (Received by Earl Cornwallis, at Petersburg, May 24.) see Letter p 437. Inclosed [100] in No VI. Substance of several Conversations had with Major- general Phillips, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, before his Embarkation on his Expedi tion thither. (Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg, May 24.) see p 430. Number VII. [105] [Secret, and most private.] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major-general Phillips, dated New York, 3Oth April, 1781. (Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg.) see Letter p 450. NumberVIII.[i 1 1] Sir Henry Clinton,K.B. to Major- general Phillips, dated May 1 1 . (Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg, May 24.) see Letter p 474. Number IX. [112] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, da ted New- York, June 1 5, 1 78 1 . (Received June 26, 1781, from Ensign Amiel.) see Letter ii. 24. Duplicate [113] inclosed in Number IX. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, June n, 1781. (Received the 26th of June from Ensign Amiel.) see Letter ii. 18. 88 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Number X. [118] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Williamsburgh, June 30, 1781. see Letter ii. 31. Number XI. [126] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, June 28, 1781. (In Cypher.) (Keceived July 8, 1781.) see Letter ii. 29. Inclosed [128] in No XI. List of Cannon, Stores, &c. to be sent from Virginia, see ii. 30. Number XII. [129] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. Cobham, July 8, 1781. see Letter ii. 56. Number XIII. [132] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. Suffolk, July 12, 1781. see Letter ii. 66. Number XIV. [133] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, June 8th, 1781. (Received July i2th, 1781, from Lieut. Col.M'Pherson.) see Letter ii. 14. Number XV. [137] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated at New York, i9th of June, 1781. (Received July 12, 1781, from Lieut. Col. M'Pherson.) see Letter ii. 26. Number XVI. [141] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, July ist, 1781. (Received July 12, 1781, by the Orpheus.) see Letter ii. 41. Number XVII. [142] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. Suffolk, 1 7th July, 1781. see Letter 'ii. 79. Number XVIII. [145] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated Head-Quarters, New- York, July nth, 1781. (In Cypher.) Received from Brig. Maj. Bowes, July 2Oth, at i A.M.) see Letter ii. 61. Number XIX. [146] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-York, July 15, 1781. see Letter ii. 73. Number XX. [152] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-York, July 26, 1781. see Letter ii. 98. Number XXI. [153] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-Town, Virginia, 2Oth August, 1781. see Letter ii. 130. EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 89 CORRESPONDENCE between Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. Commander in Chief, and Lieut. Gen. Earl CORNWALLIS. PART. IV. RELATIVE TO OCCUPYING AN HARBOUR FOR LINE OF BATTLE SHIPS. lc ' 2e ' Number I. [161] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated Head-Quarters, New-York, July 8th, 1781. (Received July 2 1 st, 1781, from Captain Staple- ton.) see Letter ii. 49. Number II. [167] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl lc As Lord Cornwallis and his Friends assert that His Lord ship occupied York river as a Harbour for Ships of the line by the order of S H C. & his Lordship brings forward the fol lowing correspondence to prove it the reader must judge whether such assertion is founded. 2e Altho' as a Naval Station I always preferred Hampton Road, yet, from all the informa tion I had received prior to Lord Cornwallis's letter of the 2oth October, I had been induced to think well of York and Gloucester as a place of arms, securing a Harbour for Line of Battle ships. And the following Extract from his Lordship's letter of the 26th May shews that he himself had the same opinion of it. "I shall now proceed to dislodge La Fayette from Richmond, and with my Light Troops to destroy any Magazines or Stores in the Neigh bourhood, which may have been collected either for his use or for General Green's Army. From thence I purpose to move to the Neck of Williamsburg, which is represented as healthy, and where some subsistence may be procured, and keep myself unengaged from operations which might interfere with your Plan for the Campaign until I have the satisfaction of hearing from you. I hope I shall then have an opportunity to receive better information than has hitherto been in my power to procure relative to a proper har bour and place of Arms. At present I am inclined to think well of York. The objections to Portsmouth are, that it cannot be made strong without an Army to defend it, that it is remarkably unhealthy & can give no protec tion to a Ship of the Line." For, with respect to his Lordship's Letter of the 3oth June, wherein he says " Upon viewing York I was clearly of opinion, that it far exceeds our power consistent with your Plans to make safe Defensive Posts there and at Gloucester both of which would be necessary for the protection of shipping" it does not give an opinion that the Post was unfit for the purposes proposed, but that he should not have Troops enough to occupy it, if he sent me the 3000 men, which he understood my letter of the 1 1 th June positively called for. 12 go CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Cornwallis, dated Head-Quarters, New- York, July 1 1 , 1 78 1 . (Received July 2 ist, 1 78 1, from Captain Staple- ton.) see Letter ii. 62. Number III. [ 1 70] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, Virginia, July 26, 1781. see Letter ii. 104. Inclosed [175] in No. III. Extract of the Instructions of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, to Major-general Phillips, dated New- York, March 10, 1781. see p 347. Extract [175] of the Sub stance of several Conversations that his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton had with Major-general Phillips, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, before his Embarkation on his Expedition thither, dated April 26,1781. see p 4.30. Inclosed [177] in No. III. Copy of the Report of Lieutenant Sutherland, Engineer, dated Billy Ordnance Transport, Hampton Road, July 25, 1781. see ii. 95. Inclosed [179] in No. III. Copy of the Opinions of the Commanders of his Majesty's Ships in Chesapeak, relative to Old Point Comfort, dated Richmond, Hampton Road, July 26, 1781. see ii. 101. Number IV". [180] Admiral Graves to Earl Corn wallis, dated London, off Sandy Hook, 1 2th July, 1781. see Letter ii. 67. Number V. [181] Earl Cornwallis to Admiral Graves, dated Portsmouth, July 26, 1781. see Letter ii. 100. Number VI. [182] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York, in Virginia, August 1 2, 1781. see Letter ii. 124. Number VII. [183] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, New- York, August n, 1781. (In Cypher.) (Received August 16, 1781.) see Letter ii. 123. Number VIII. [185] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-town, i6th August, 1781. see Letter ii. 126. Number IX. [i 86] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York town, Virginia, 2 2d August, 1781. see Letter ii. 137. EARL CORNWALLIS'S AN^TER gi CORRESPONDENCE between Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. Commander in Chief, and Lieut. Gen. Earl CCRNWALLIS. IC ' PART V. RELATIVE TO THE DEFENCE OF YORK, IN VIRGINIA. Number I. [189] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-town, in Virginia, 3ist August, 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 146. Number II, [190] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clint on, K.B. dated York, ist September, 1781. (Writ ten in Cypher on a Congress Note.) see Letter ii. 147. Number III. [190] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York, in Virginia, 2d September, 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 148. Number IV. [191] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-town, Virginia, 4th Sep tember, 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 151. Number V. [191] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-town, in Virginia, 8th Sept. 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 154. Number VI. [193] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, Sept. 2, 1781. (In Cypher.) (Triplicate, Received I5th September.) see Letter ii. 149. Number VII. [195] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, New- York, Sept. 6, at Noon, 1781. (In Cypher.) (Received 1 6th September.) seeLetterii. 152. lc [On a separate sheet, sealed purpose required by the Admiral to page 189] & Comr in Chief & for which he read this correspondence who becomes responsable but S H pleases they will observe that if Clinton now asserts L. C. disobey- S H Clinton should admit for ed his orders in not fortifying argument sake that Lord Corn- old point Comfort in James wallis was justified in removing river, that he acted without his the naval station from James orders in removing the naval river to York river, without re- station to York river, & if S H ceiving fresh instructions from C admits that the occupying a the Commander in Chief, He station was by his order L C. certainly could not be justified must admit that of York river, on any other principle than that tho it did not meet his disap- station which he had chosen in probation had never received his preference would answer every fiat. Sir H. Clinton. 92 CLIXTOX-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Number VIII. [196] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York Town, in Virginia, i6th Sept. 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 156. Number IX. [197] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, New York, Sept. 24, 1781. (In Cypher.) (Received September 29, 1781.) see Letter ii. 159. Number X. [199] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated York-Town in Virginia, Sept. 29, 1781. 10 P.M. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 169. Number XI. [200] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, New-York, September 25, 1781. (Duplicate, in Cypher. Received October 2.) see Letter ii. 163. Number XII. [201] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated York-Town, Virginia, October 3, 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 174. Number XIII. [202] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-York, September 30, 1781. (Duplicate, In Cypher.) (Received October 10, from Major Cockran.) see Letter ii. 172. Number XIV. [204] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-Town, Virginia, October n, 1781. 12 M. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 176. Number XV. [205] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-Town, October 15, 1781. (In Cypher.) see Letter ii. 188. Number XVI. [206] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated York-Town, Virginia, October 20, 1781. see Letter ii. 205. Inclosed [214] in Number XVI. Copy of Earl Corn- wallis's Letter to General Washington, dated York, in Virginia, October I7th, 1781. see Letter ii. 189. Inclosed [215] in Number XVI. Copy of General Washington's Letter to Earl Cornwallis, dated Camp before York, i7th October, 1781. see Letter ii. 190. Inclosed [215] in Number XVI. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Letter to General Washington, dated York, in Virginia, 1 7th Oct. 1781. Half past Eour, P.M. see Letter ii. 191. Inclosed [2 1 7] in Number XVI. Copy of General EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER 93 Washington's Letter to Earl Cornwallis, dated, Camp before York, i8th October, 1781. see Letter ii. 193. Inclosed [218] in Number XVI. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Letter to General Washington, dated York in Virginia, 1 8th October, 1781. see Letter ii. 195. Inclosed [220] in Number XVI. Copy of the Articles of Capitulation, see ii. 199. Number XVII. [227] Sir Henry Clinton, to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, November 3Oth, 1781. see Letter ii. 217. Number XVIII [228] Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated New- York, 2d December, 1781. see Letter ii. 219. Number XIX [230] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, December 2d, 1781. see Letter ii. 240. Number XX. (To face p. 236) State of the Troops in Virginia, Under the Command of Lieu tenant- General Earl Cornwallis. see ii. 197. Number XXI. (To face p. 237) State of the Army in Virginia, Under the Command of Lieutenant- General Earl Cornwallis. October the i8th, 1781. see ii. 198. CORRESPONDENCE between Gen. Sir HENRY CLINTON, K.B. Commander in Chief, and Lieut. Gen. Earl CORNWALLIS. PART VI. LETTERS FROM SIR HENRY CLINTON, K.B., TO EARL CORN WALLIS. DELIVERED AT NEW-YORK A MONTH AFTER EARL CORN- WALLIS'S SURRENDER. Number I. [237] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, August 2d, 1781. (Received from the Secretary at New York, Nov. 19, 1781.) see Letter ii. 109. Number II. [251] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, August 27th, 1781. (Received from the Secretary at New- York, November i9th, 1781.) see Letter ii. 141. 94 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Number III. [253] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis dated New- York, August 3Oth, 1781. [Received from the Secretary at New- York, November 1 9th, 1781.] see Letter ii. 143. Number IV. [257] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, October 14, 1781. [Received from the Secretary at New- York, Nov. 29, 1781.] see Letter ii. 184. SIR HENRY CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON EARL CORNWALLIS's ANSWER. PRICE Two SHILLINGS AND SIX-PENCE. OBSERVATIONS O N SOME PARTS OF THE ANSWER O F EARL CORNWALLIS TO SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE. BY LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K. B TO WHICH IS ADDED AN APPENDIX; CONTAI NI NG EXTRACTS OF LETTERS AND OTHER PAPERS, TO WHICH REFERENCE IS NECESSARY. LONDON: Printed for J. DEBRETT, (Successor to Mr. ALMON,) opposite BURLINGTON-HOUSE, PICCADILLY. M.DCC.LXXXIII. 13 1 Notes marked thus are proved by our Correspondence. OBSERVATIONS ON SOME PARTS OF EARL CORNWALLIS'S ANSWER TO SIR HENRY CLINTON'S NARRATIVE. BY LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR H.ENRY CLINTON, K.B. WHEN I published a Narrative of my conduct during the period of my command in North America, which comprehends the campaign of 1781, I was in hopes I had said every thing that was re quisite to explain the motives of my own actions, and to convince [ 2 ] every unprejudiced person, that certain positions respecting them, advanced in Lord Cornwallis's letter to me of the 2Oth of October, had no foundation. But it gives me extreme concern to observe, that his Lordship's seeming to avow nearly the same sentiments in his Introduction to a late publication, styled, an Answer to that Narrative, lays ioo CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY me under the necessity of troubling the public again upon a subject, which they are probably tired of; and I sincerely wished to have done with. I hope, therefore, it may not be judged improper to request their attention to the following Observations on some of the opinions and assertions therein stated. Which (to be as concise as possible) I shall take according to the order in which they occur ; adding only, in an Appendix, the copies of such extracts from my corre spondence, and other papers, as appear necessary. I find upon enquiry that the four letters were omitted to be sent to the Secretary of State, which Lord Cornwallis mentions to have been wanting when the papers relating to this business were laid before the House of Lords. But the reasons for his Lordship's [ 3 ] march from Cross-creek to Wilmington, and from thence into Virginia (stated in the first of them) had been before given in his letters of the 23d and 24th of April, to the Secretary of State, General Phillips, and myself; and these stand the first of those letters from his Lordship's correspondence, read before the House of Lords ; the other three letters had been inserted in a pamphlet containing extracts from our correspondence, handed about at the time of the enquiry ; and one of those pamphlets had been presented, by my order, to Lord Townshend, as a man of honour, and a friend to both parties, previous (I believe) to his la noticing 2 *- 3 * this omission to the House ; and all the four missing letters were soon after published in the Parliamentary Register, along with those which had been read to the Lords. So that Lord Cornwallis could not well have sustained any injury by that omission. This, however, cannot be said to have been the case with la his underlined. to have published as they de- 2a by L. Cornwallis desire. scribe his Post of York as most 3a Indeed those of the i6th respectable very different from & 22. August 1781. were of all what he describes it in his letter others those I should wish most of the 2oth Octr 81 CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 101 mine of the 3Oth of November, and 2d of December to his Lordship, and of the 6th of December to the American Minister ; which were with-held, whilst Lord Cornwallis's letters of the 2Oth of October, and 2d [ 4 ] of December (to which they were answers) were suffered to operate, for a long time, upon the minds of the public, to my prejudice. 1 *- My letters of the 3Oth of November and 2d of December, were in Lord Cornwallis's possession, when his friend, Lord Townshend, moved for those of his Lordship, which he judged necessary to explain his conduct. The public will judge, whether mine were not, at least, equally so, to explain mine ; and whether, on finding that the Secretary of State had omitted to produce them to the Lords, Lord Corn- wallis ought not to have desired Lord Townshend to have moved for them. I declare, I would have done so, had I been in his Lordship's place. The four other letters, taken notice of by Lord Cornwallis, were certainly not delivered to him before November ; because the three first, having been committed to the charge of General Leslie, (who was in a manner embarked for the Chesapeak, from the beginning of August to the arrival of the French fleet) could not have been transmitted to his Lordship sooner; and the last (the substance of which, however, had been previously communicated [ 5 ] in the presence of a council of war, for his Lordship's information to Major Cockran, who joined him on the 9th of October) being sent by an advice boat, did not reach the Chesapeak before his surrender. But whoever will take the trouble of la tis time to speak out these Lord Rodney for not covering letters of mine were intentionally such Operation according to order, witheld from the Public. They & His Majtys Cabinet for adopting throw blame on Lord Corns on & forcing the Plan of a subaltern the Cabinet & on the Fleet. General, which Plan they after- Lord Cornwallis for coming into wards condemned approving of Virginia contrary to orders and that of the Comr in Chief alas forcing Operan there. too late. 102 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY perusing those letters, will perceive that his Lord ship's conduct (in the then state of matters) could not have been influenced by an earlier receipt of them. Every man of sensibility must lament that Lord Cornwallis has so indiscreetly availed himself of the liberty, he supposed was given him, by the late change in American measures. For as my secret and most private letter to General Phillips, dated April 30, contained nothing necessary for his Lordship's justification; the publishing it was highly impolitic at least, not to say more for reasons too obvious to need explanation. la * No person can be more ready than I am to admit the difficulties Lord Cornwallis had to struggle with ; and I shall always acknowledge that I expected success (notwithstanding) from his Lordship's abili ties. I left his Lordship in the Carolinas, 2f with every power, civil and military, which I could give him, to carry on [ 6 ] such operations as he should judge most likely to complete their reduction. 3f * Where I had hopes of success, I studiously sought to approve without reserve. And, as long as I imagined his Lordship to be in sufficient force, and in other respects prepared and competent to give the experi ment of supporting our friends in North Carolina, a fair and solid trial^' bQ I certainly approved. But after the unfortunate day of Cowpens, which diminished his Lordship's acting army nearly one fourth ; 6a<7b and after he thought proper to destroy la there were many more 5e a to trial underlined. letters of His not published, for 6a and those of his light what purpose the reader may troops which could least be spared Judge. in the move he was about to make 2f & gave him all he wished besides I find by Col. Tarlton's all he wanted of every sort. History a Circumstance which 3f with positive orders however realy astonishes me His Lordship to consider Charles Town as the it seems had ordered part of the principal object and to take no old works of Charles Town to be step wch could put it in danger, thrown down, & that place was 4e his own words. consequently open & exposed & CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 103 great part of his waggons, proviant train, &c. le (whereby he was reduced, I fear, to something too like a Tartar move) ; had it then been possible for him to have consulted me, he would have found that, could I have even consented to his persisting in his march into that province, that consent must have totally rested upon the high opinion I entertained of his Lordship's exertions, and not on any other flattering prospect I had of success. Major Ferguson's misfortune was one of those untoward circumstances, which Lord Cornwallis says, occured during the four months succeeding the battle of Camden. His [ 7 ] Lordship, immediately after the complete victory he there obtained, ordered our friends in North Carolina, to arm and intercept the beaten army of General Gates ; promising them at the same time, that he would march directly to the borders of that province in their support. About this time Major Ferguson was detached to a distance from his Lordship, with a body of militia (without being supported by regular troops) under an idea that he could make them fight ; notwithstanding his Lordship had informed me, some little time before, that it was contrary to the experience of the army, as well as of Major Ferguson himself. 2b * The conse quence was, that the Major and his whole corps were unfortunately massacred. Lord Cornwallis was, im mediately upon hearing of this event, obliged to quit the borders of North Carolina, and leave our friends in fact remained so from Janry to le to enable none to move May. this circumstance alone rapidly & to do after what he should have prevented his Lord- ought to have done before catch ships march, had I known it I Morgan at his passage of Catawba. should have forbid it as it was 2b read L. Cornwallis's letter contrary to my orders. to S H C page 2 2 how could S H I should have referred him also suppose L.C. would after that to Lord Rawdons letters to me risk Ferguson unsupported the written by his order, and before loss of Ferguson was the Benning- alluded to pages. ton of Burgoyne French Town of 7b and he lost all his light S. W. Howe troops. 104 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY there at the mercy of an inveterate enemy, whose power became irresistible by this necessary retreat. le * This fatal catastrophe, moreover, lost his Lordship the whole militia of Ninety-six, 21 * amounting to four thousand men, and even threw South Carolina into a state of confusion and rebellion. 3a - [ 8 ] How nearly the force I left with Lord Corn- wallis in the Southern district, and what I afterwards sent to him, might have been adequate or not to the success expected from it, I shall not now examine. 4e ' It was all I could possibly spare. But for the satis faction of the public, I shall give at the end of the Appendix, a view of the force first left with his Lord- ship, 5b of what was sent to him afterwards, and of what was finally under his Lordship's orders through out the whole extent of his command ; to contrast with which, I shall add also another view of the force left under my own immediate orders at New York, at different periods ; giving at the same time as near a calculation as I can make from the intelligence received, of the number of regular troops which the enemy had opposed to each of us. I beg leave like wise to mention, that before I sailed from Charles- le His Lordships own report all he wanted at first, on the as to the Consequences. arrival of Leslie he told me I 2b so he says himself. had sent more than he expected 3a one positive order I left & full as much as I could spare, with Lord CornwaUis not to 5b I left near 6000 with his make any offensive move that Lordship he thought he should might endanger Charles Town be able to send me 3000 of them which was always to be consi- instead of which I sent him as dered as a primary object, there is follows, therefore no doubt but circum- 3200 Leslie stanced as Charles Town then 35 Arnold was and continued months after 3000 Phillips His march into N. Carolina and 1500 Anspachs afterwards into Virga was con trary to my orders, as his risk- 11200 ing Fergusons with the Militia besides 3 Regts from Ireland unsupported was contrary to and recruits, in consequence the every opinion he had given me. minister says my reinforcements 4e I gave him all he wished were ample, that he had often CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 105 town, I offered to Lord Cornwallis all he wished, all he wanted, of every sort ; and that his Lordship expressed himself to be perfectly satisfied with the troops he had, and wished for no more, as will appear from the letters annexed. What the exact strength of the corps under his Lordship's immediate command may have been at any given [ 9 ] period, I cannot ascertain, as I had not regular returns of them ; but his Lordship did not make any complaint to me of the smallness of his force when he commenced his move into North Carolina ; and I always thought it to be full as large as I had rated it at. le - I cannot judge of the assurances of co-operation which Lord Cornwallis may have received from our friends in North Carolina, but from his Lordship's report; and his Lordship best knows, whether he received any after the effects of Major Fergusons misfortune were known?*' But his Lordship cannot forget that our friends, who had risen by his order, were left exposed to ruin by his retreat, and numbers of them actually massacred. I am therefore at a loss to guess what may have been his Lordship's reasons for being surprized that they failed to join him after the victory at Guildford ; as such 3b effort of loyalty could scarcely be expected from them after their past sufferings, when they saw his Lord ship's army so greatly reduced after the action, and so scantily supplied with provisions ; which, without doubt was very far short of that solid support which they had been encouraged to expect from his [ 10 ] Lordship's promises. And indeed his Lordship might have supposed that these were spoke of it much to my honour, full enough. & that with what remained 2b I fear not after Campden under my command at N. York L. Cornwallis had invited them lie hoped I should be able to to arms, promised to support defend it. them did so till called back by le it appears by Tarltons Fergusons misfortunes, & these letters &c that before the mis- poor people were left a sacrifice, fom of Cowpens His Lordp had 3b an. 14 io6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY their sentiments from what followed, as described by himself. " Many of the inhabitants rode into " camp, shook me by the hand, said they were glad " to see us, and to hear we had beat Greene, and " then rode home again ; " no doubt with aching hearts, from the melancholy secene his Lordship's camp " encumbered with a long train of sick and " wounded," exhibited to their view. But as this attempt 15 (such as it was) had failed, surely Lord Cornwallis's next object should have been, to secure South Carolina: 2 * and this appears to have been his Lordship's own opinion when he wrote his letter to General Leslie of the i2th of December,* 1 780 : 3e " We will then give our " friends in North-Carolina a fair trial. If they " behave like men, it may be of the greatest ad- " vantage to the affairs of Britain, If they are "as - - - - 4abf as our friends to the southward, we "must leave them to their fate, and secure what "we have got." Had I not consequently every reason to expect his Lordship would have done so ? To what purpose then did his Lordship [ 1 1 ] march to Wilmington from Cross-creek, 56 as he was so much nearer Camden and South Carolina ? Or, even when at Wilmington, (as he could not but be apprehensive for the safety of South Carolina, from General Greene's march into that province ; and even for Charlestown,f 6e " whose old works were in "part levelled, to make way for new ones, which were " not yet constructed ; and whose garrison was inade- * For December read November. t Vide Lord Rawdon's Letter to Lord Cornwallis, dated May 24, 1781. p 480. lb L. C had my positive orders, Car. & it the primary object not to risk Charles Town 4abf dastardly 2f as I had ordered and his 5e through a friends Country Lordship had promised. 6e this is an extract of Col. 3e I left positive orders with Balfours letter to L. Rawdon & L. Cornwallis never to risk Ca the same information Col. B of Town but always to consider S. course gave L. Cornwallis CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 107 " quote to oppose any force of consequence ;" u which material information it is presumed Colonel Balfour could not have failed communicating to his Lordship as well as to Lord Tlawdon, 2f ) why did not his Lord ship retire to Charlestown by the route of Lockwood's folly and the Waggamaw ? Which, it is the opinion of many others as well as mine, was practicable. 3c * For gallies might have secured him the passage of that river, and we then held the post of George-town upon its banks : it was, moreover, early in the month of April, long before the droughts set in, and it may therefore be presumed there was not much danger of the mills wanting water, as his Lordship seems to [12] have apprehended. Had his Lordship fortu nately done so, South Carolina would have been saved, and the fatal catastrophe which afterwards happened to his army in the Chesapeak avoided. Lord Cornwallis in answer to this says, " that he " decided to march into Virginia, as the safest and " most effectual means of emi^loying the small corps "under his command. 4e<5a . For the force in South la such had been the state of was he to go there, that he does Charles Town from Jany to May not own the receipt of them, 8 1 engages Balfour to be silent The fact is Thus, Major Barras also and marches into Virginia told me he had been sent from against the unanimous opinion Charles Town on the 6th April, of all the officers he had assembled to endeavour to get to Lord to consult, at the risk of losing Corns and inform his Lordship Carolinas intrusted to his care, of this circumstance & that if 2f Lord Rawdons was not he did not return to S. Carolina only an action most ably deter- immediately that province & mined on but most spiritedly con- Charles Town would be lost that ducted, but a victory one of the in the hope he would he had most important of the War, had occupied George Town & sent he not attacked Greene but stood Gallies into the Waggamaw. AH longer in Campden he must this convinces me that Col. Bal- have fell & for the reasons Balfour four did not only send him this gives the Carolinas Georgia & information by the many safe their with him. opportunities he had but my 3e I never heard a man but dispatches to his Lordship which L C say it was not absolutely all but forbid his going 4e when he reported to me into Virginia, but so determined 1 6 Sepr that the Enemy had 37 ic8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY " Carolina was in his opinion sufficient, when collected, " to secure what was valuable to us in that province." But his Lordship's letter to General Phillips, of the 24th of April, (written a day or two before he moved) so far from representing this march as a safe one, describes it as most perilous. And if there was a possibility that his Lordship's return to South Carolina (even by sea) might prevent any material part of that province or Georgia from falling into the enemy's hands, (as many of the posts there did, not withstanding his Lordship's opinion of the sufficiency of the force to secure them,) it may be presumed, that his Lordship's march into Virginia was not the most effectual means of employing the corps under his command, as the event has but too well proved to our cost. Lord Corn[ 13 ]wallis gives likewise another reason for this move. He says, "he was " influenced by having just received an account frcm " Charlestown of the arrival of a frigate with dis- " patches from me* The substance of which then "transmitted to him was, that General Phillips had "been detached la * 2a to the Chesapeak, and put "under his orders. Which induced him to hope " that solid operations might be adopted in that "quarter." I shall therefore take the liberty of saying a few words on this passage, which appears to me very necessary to be explained. The dispatches his Lordship alludes to, were my letters to his Lordship of the 2d, 5th, and 8th, of March, with a copy of my instructions to General sail of the line & had mov'd he Troops under his command ! knew from me we had only 21 he la If that was the substance perhaps according to this rule sent him those who sent it as should have done as here men- the substance of S H Clinton's tioned, march'd back into N. or S. dispatch to his Lordp sent any- Carolina & saved all he could. thing but the substance of S H 5a His own Corps Lord informd L. CornwaUis that Genl Bawdons Gen Phillips &c &c Phillips waited the Event of a &c &c as the safest and most naval action to be despatched, effectual means of employing the 2a had been detached underlined. CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER log Phillips. Captain Amherst, of the Sixtieth regiment, having charged himself with those of lb * 2b Lord Cornwallis, and other dispatches for Colonel Balfour, sailed from New- York on the 2Oth of March, in a merchant ship, called the Jupiter. 3e> And as Colonel Balfour acknowledged the receipt of them all, in his letter to me of the yth of April, it is presumable they were delivered to him on or before that day. This letter was brought to [ 14 ] me by his Majesty's ship Amphitrite ; which, having in her way called at Cape Fear, brought me a letter likewise from Lord Cornwallis, at Wilmington, dated the loth of April. 4e * It is therefore to be lamented, that neither the dis patches themselves, nor the substance of them, had been transmitted to his Lordship by that ship. 5f> The Speedy packet too, which was sent from Charles- town 66 soon after the Amphitrite, with letters to me of the 2Oth of April, called likewise in her way at Cape Fear, and brought me letters from his Lordship of the 22d, 23d, and 24th of April; but I am con cerned to observe, that safe opportunity of conveying my dispatches to his Lordship was also missed. Although Lord Cornwallis, in his letter to the American minister of the 23d April, and in his intro duction, intimates that the substance of those dispatches was sent to him on the 22d April; I should, notwithstanding, suppose, that what was sent lb for that I was in temper to resign 2b of run through. the command to him & that he 3e for I could never get a was blind to every other con- frigate to carry dispatches what- sideration, But Balfour knew this ever the consequence of them. & that the dispatches contained 4e proof that oppty was missed almost a forbidanse & therefore 5f why neither the dispatches he was too good a courtier to let nor the real substance of them them go to him, I do realy were sent to E. Corns by Col. believe there were certain men in Balfour, His Lordship & Col. B that Army that had rather an must settle between them, I some- should be lost than that I times suspect that E. Cornwallis should save or recover it. was determined to put himself 6e by Col Balfour first to C. within my reach, under the Idea Town no CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY to his Lordship as such must have been improperly stated. For by having recourse to the dispatches at large, it will be seen, that so far from inducing Ms Lordship to hope that solid operation might be adopted in Virginia, [ 15 ] (as he intimates the substance of them did) it is presumed, they would on the contrary have convinced him, that I had not even an idea of the sort (which, indeed, his Lordship might have already judged from my letter of 6th November) 16 and therefore, instead of influencing his Lordship's move into that province, they might have most probably prevented it. But when the Public have read my letters to Lord Cornwallis of the 2d, 5th, and 8th of March, and my instructions to General Phillips, they will be competent to judge in what manner they were most likely to influence his Lordship, had he received them, or even the substance of them, before he commenced his march into Virginia, as I think his Lordship might have perceived by the instructions that Generals Phillips and Arnold, with part of the Chesapeak corps, were to be drawn back to New- York for a particular service, after a certain time ; and ly the letters, that a considerable French armament was sailed from Rhode-island to the Chesa- peak. 2e * It is consequently presumable, that in the jfirst instance his Lordship would not have marched into Virginia, lest he should in\_ 16 ^t erf ere with my plans; and that in the other he would have been equally cautious of doing so, lest he should hazard the destruction of his own corps, should the troops in Chesapeak happen at the time to be invested at Portsmouth, which from those letters would appear very probable to be the case. 3a ' 4b * le which he had received long Amphi trite but it did not suit his before, purpose to obey them or own the 2e was at that inst in possession receipt. He resolved on a march of it into Virginia because He judged 3a As I said before I never in the humour I was at their not had a doubt but Lord Cornwallis changing the Admiral that I should received these dispatches by the if he came within my Reach re- CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER in I will frankly own that I ever disapproved of an attempt to conquer Virginia before the Carolinas were absolutely restored. le - However, when I saw that Lord Cornwallis had forced himself upon me in that province, I left him at liberty to act there as he judged best, as may appear by my letter to his Lordship of the 29th of May, 2e * 3f which was the first I had an opportunity of writing to him after my knowledge of his arrival at Petersburg, or of his intentions of coming there. 4b * Although Lord Cornwallis thought proper to decline engaging in the plan of operations which I had pro posed to him in case he had none of his own ; I am at a loss to guess what may be his motives for saying, " / did not seem inclined to take more share in the " responsibility than barely to recommend it ; " 5a arid indeed I cannot think his Lordship was really serious [ 17 ] in suggesting an insinuation so apparently groundless. For it is manifest that my letter to General Phillips of the 3Oth of April (published by Lord Cornwallis) conveys to him and General Arnold the most explicit instructions for carrying those operations into execution ; 6e and it can scarcely be doubted, that those instructions were equally explicit to his Lordship, the moment the corn- sign to him & which if he remd obvious I need not innumerate at Charles Town or in Carolina I them, could not do. 2e page 99. 4b the Fact is these letters so 3f page 99, & 102. & indeed far from inviting Lord Cornwallis throughout. into Virginia all but forbid his 4b by this letter I leave him coming there, and informs him totally at liberty to follow any that at that very instant tis prob- plan he might have of his own. able the Enemys Fleet are in pos- 5a I had ordered Genl Phillips session of Chesapeak, with this to follow this Plan, but under inforn his Lordship would not of the positive orders I was to course have judged it proper to follow that of Lord Cornwallis. have engaged in operations which 6e his Lordshp should have totally depended on a superior published that as well as that Fleet ! ! ! which he did le the reasons to me are so U2 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY rnand of that army devolved upon him. lb<2f * Be sides, though it may be admitted that I only barely recommended the move, in my letters on the subject to his Lordship (because it had been hitherto usual for me to leave him to his own discretion) yet I am persuaded a reference to my correspondence (as pub lished by Lord Cornwallis and myself) will shew that those recommendations were sufficiently explicit to fix responsibility upon me, had his Lordship adopted my plan, and afterwards f ailed. 3e * 4a - Lord Cornwallis is pleased to say, "that he " informed me he should repair to Williamsburg, " about the time when he should receive my answer, " in order to be in readiness to execute my commands ; " and that he should employ the intermediate space in " de[ 1 8 Jstroying such of the enemy's stores and " magazines as might be within his reach." The letter which is thus explained was dated the 26th of May, at Byrd's, a little more than twenty miles from Richmond, which is fifty from Williamsburg, and is expressed in the following words : " I shall now pro- " ceed to dislodge La Fayette from Richmond, and " with my light troops to destroy any magazines or u stores in the neighbourhood, which may have been " collected either for his use or for General Greene's " army. From thence I purpose to move to the Neck " at Williamsburg r , which is represented as healthy, " and keep myself unengaged from operations which " might interfere with your plan for the campaign, " until I have the satisfaction of hearing from you. " I hope I shall then have an opportunity to receive lb the fact is that standing in 3e by permitting it I became the Place of G. Phillips they as Com in chief responsible, ought to have been obeyed by 4a I could do no more than his Lordship recommend it, as to responsibility 2f in short Phillips had been there is no doubt but I was re ordered & L C did and of course sponsible for a Plan I had ordered should have considered himself as G. P. to execute, & had recom- bound to the orders he found in mended also to L. Cornwallis. Virginia when he came there CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 113 " letter information than has hitherto been in my " power to procure relative to a proper harbour and "place of arms. le ' 2f ' At present I am inclined to " think well of York. The objections to Portsmouth " are, that it cannot be made strong without an army " to defend it, that it is remarkably unhealthy, and " can give no protection to a ship of the line" From [ 1 9 ] the foregoing letter I naturally concluded, that, as soon as his Lordship had finished the service he was gone on, (which I did not imagine would have taken up above six or seven days at most) he would endea vour to obtain information respecting a proper har bour and place of arms-, and having found it, that he was actually employed in establishing a post there. For, not having received any letter from his Lordship between the 26th of May and 3Oth of June, I was totally ignorant of his having changed his design, (as described in his letter of the first date) and gone across the country towards Fredericksburg, by Hanover Court-house ; an operation which took his Lordship a complete month before he reached Williamsburg. But had his Lordship fortunately ex plained to me his instructions 3b ' 4b in that letter in the same manner he has now explained his letter, I should have seen that his Lordship had no idea of establishing a post on the Williamsburg Neck : and, when I found he had no plan of his own, would of course have sent early and explicit orders for that purpose, either to his Lordship, or in his absence to General Leslie, whereby much time might have been saved, [ 20 ] and the fatal catastrophe that followed at least retarded, by his Lordship being in a better le we all agreed in this Neces- Gloucester had not these den sity of a place of arms, tis plain ciencies, and the Idea of a harbour by this his Lordp did. for ships of the line if it did not 2f In his first letter after his originate with L Cornwallis at arrival he seems to have had an Idea least met his approbation of a harbour & place of arms & 3b Intentions thinks well of York & Gloucester 4b instructions run through. this also implies that York & 15 H4 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY state of defence than that in which the enemy found him. lf * For, though from his Lordship's letter to me of the 22d of August,* I had every reason to suppose that a proper survey of the ground had been taken, and a judicious plan fixed on for fortifying it; I very much fear that nothing material was done until after the arrival of the French fleet on the 2gth of August, as the engineer has since given me to understand (when I asked him for his survey) that he did not take one. 2dt There appears, therefore, 3f to have been a misapprehension somewhere respecting this matter, as well as the number of intrenching tools ; which, though computed by his Lordshipf to [ 2 1 ] be only about four hundred when he began to work on the York side, I find by his engineer's reports, in my possession, to have been 99 2 J on the 23d of August, the day on which (it is presumed from the letter before quoted) he began to break ground. 4 *' * Extract. Letter from Lord Cornwallis to Sir H. Clinton, dated York-Town, August 22, 1781. see Letter ii. 137. " The engineer has finished his survey and examination of this "place, and has proposed his plan for fortifying it ; which, appearing " judicious, I have approved of, and directed to be executed." t Extract. Letter from Lord Cornwallis to Sir H. Clinton dated York-Town, October 20, 1781. see Letter ii. 205. " And our stock of intrenching tools, which did not much exceed " four hundred when we began to work m the latter end of August, " was now much diminished." + Vide the return in the Appendix, ii. 250. If the fact is that L. C. did 3f What I can spare 1000 or not defend the ground he de- 1200 men from everything but scribed in his letter of the 2Oth labour Octr but stood siege in ground 4a Lord Cornwallis asserts in which that commanded in a near an official letter that his Engi- advance (Washingtons words that neer had made an actual survey it infiladed) & which works were of ground He has chosen in not thought of till the french preference to cover a naval arrived, chose in a hurry without Station for large ships in the a plan & his Lordship was reduced York River, that he has offered to Extremty in there in 7 days his Plan &c &c&cpage 20. when open trenches I call on His Engineer for this 2d The Engineerinformed me he Plan he tells me he never sur- had never examined the ground veyed it & when called upon CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 115 Lord Cornwallis is also pleased to say, " Whoever " reads the correspondence will see, that since Sir H. " Clinton had declared positively in his first, lf and " in several subsequent dispatches against the plan " for reducing Virginia, no explicit alternative was " left to me, between complying with the requisi tion (contained in his letters of the uth 2f and " 1 5th of June) of such troops as I could spare from a " healthy defensive station, or engaging in operations " in the Upper Chesapeak." 3f - But this conclusion does not, I presume necessarily follow ; for though it is admitted that the whole of my correspondence with the American Minister and Lord Cornwallis uniformly declare my sentiments, of the impracticability of re ducing Virginia by an operation solely there, without the good-will and aid of the inhabitants, and of the bad policy [ 22 ] of the measure from the unhealthi- ness of the climate; and I was equally uniform in expressing to his Lordship my wishes, that he would adopt my ideas of the move to the Delaware Neck, &c. against which there were none of those objec tions. Yet, when I found that his Lordship was averse to engage in the operations concerted with suddenly to fortify it on the what is not true, read my letter arrival of the French Fleet He of the 2Qth may page 99. & knew nothing of it, what does there I appeal whether I do not Lord Cornwallis say to this leave his lordship at full liberty again when his Lordship says he to carry on such operations in has not above 400 intrenching Virga as he shall judge proper tools on the 22d of August this & again p. 102 I had always same Engineer makes a formal declared & I still think without return of 992. at that very period a covering fleet it was not only what says Lord Cornwallis to impracticable but must be fatal, this also and I appeal to his lordship If the first letter his Lord- what would have been his fate ship reed was that of the 29- if he had ever reduced Virginia may page 99. and the Enemy had afterwards 2f which the Minister had arrived in the force & with the however not only approved of intentions they did. that his himself but had said he was whole covering fleet &c would convinced L Cornwallis would have been swallow up in a few also. hours had it not been secured by 3f Lord Cornwallis asserts here a place of arms n6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY General Phillips, and that he concurred with that officer respecting the propriety of changing the post of Portsmouth for one more healthy and defensible, I gave my consent to the change proposed, and referred his Lordship to my correspondence with General Phillips for my opinions thereon. His Lordship might have therefore judged that I ex pected he would immediately carry into execution this part of my plan, especially as his Lordship might have recollected that he told me in the letter before quoted, " That he hoped, when he got to the " Williamsburg Neck, he should have an opportu- " nity to receive better information than had hitherto " been in his power to procure, relative to a proper " harbour and place of arms." lbt Wherefore, as his Lordship was left at liberty by my letters of the nth and [ 23 ] 1 5th of June, to detain all the troops, if he had not finished the operations he was engaged in : and as his Lordship had not completed his measures relative to a proper harbour and place of arms, which appears from his letter to have been one of the operations he proposed engaging in ; it may be fairly concluded that an explicit alternative w r as left him. For the letter of the nth of June explicitly recom mends to his Lordship the taking a healthy defen sive station wherever he chose on the Williamsburg Neck ; and only calls for what troops he could spare from its ample defence and other purposes mentioned, after it was taken. And as his Lordship had not yet taken that station, the troops were without doubt to be detained ; because in that case only my letter requested them to be sent ; but though his Lordship might possibly have understood the letter differently at the time, we may at least suppose that, as it referred him to other letters of the 2Qth of May and 8th of June, for a further explanation of my wishes, and these letters had not then been received lb and from its being the danger of operation there witht most inimical Province and the a fleet to cover it CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 117 by his Lordship, he had very sufficient reason to suspend at least his intention of crossing James River, until [24] he either received them or heard again from New- York. Lord Cornwallis endeavours to invalidate this reasoning by saying, " that the choice " of a healthy station was controlled by other material " considerations, particularly the imminent danger of " New-York, and the important effects expected from " the expedition against Philadelphia" His Lordship will, however, forgive me if I cannot discover from whence those considerations arose ; as my letters of the nth and I5th of June (which were the only letters he had* then received) do not describe New- York to be in any sort of danger, and his Lordship by his answer to those letters seemed of opinion, that the project against Philadelphia was then become inexpedient. I am therefore sorry to be under the necessity of repeating, that it is my opinion, his Lord ship totally misconceived all my orders and intentions respecting this business, when he judged they war ranted his passing James Biver and retiring to Ports mouth; which 1 could not possibly suspect his Lordship would make choice of as a healthy defensible station, [25] after he had just told me in his letter of the 2 6 th of May, " that it was remarkably unhealthy, and (thour/h "fortified) required an army to defend it." But our correspondence is now before the public, and they will judge whether my orders authorized his Lordship to do so, and whether consequently six weeks at least were not lost in securing a place of arms, which we both seemed to concur in opinion was necessary. la< With respect to his Lordship's saying, " It will be seen " by the correspondence that the Commander-in-chief s " opinion of the indispensible necessity of a harbour " for line of battle ships only appears in his letter of " the nth of July, after he had been acquainted that * Vide his Lordship's letter of the 3oth of June. ii. 31. la without a covering Fleet, should arrive all agreed opera- or place of arms till that Fleet tion in Chesapeak was dangerous. n8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY " the troops intended for the expedition against " Philadelphia would be soon ready to sail," (thereby intimating that it was a new idea just then started) I presume it may be easily made appear from the same correspondence, that so far from being a new idea, the taking a station for large ships was one of the earliest and principal objects recommended to General Phillips's consideration and enquiry.* And I think it may be inferred, [ 26 ] from his Lordship's objecting to Portsmouth, in the letter of the 26th of May, " because it could not give protection to a ship of the " line" that he regarded it as such, and consequently went in search of a naval station as standing in that general officer's place, it being apparently from that letter one of the principal reasons which induced his Lordship to go to the Williamsburg Neck. Lord Cornwallis says, " Hampton-road was recom- " mended by that order ; but as it was upon " examination found totally unfit for the purpose " desired, every person can judge whether the order " did not then in its spirit become positive to occupy " York and Gloucester." To enable every person therefore to judge whether it did or not, I shall beg leave to transcribe the words of the order. " I " request that your Lordship will without loss of " time examine Old Point Comfort , and fortify it. " But if it should be your Lordship's opinion that " Old Point Comfort cannot be held without having "possession of York, for in this case Gloucester may " perhaps be not so material) and that the whole " cannot be done with less than seven thousand " men, you are at full liberty to detain all the " [ 27 ] troops now in Chesapeak, which I believe " amount to somewhat more than that number. " Which very liberal concession will, I am per- " suaded, convince your Lordship of the high " estimation in which 1 hold a naval station in " Chesapeak." If nothing else had been said to * Vide instructions of the loth of March. p 347. CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER ng Lord Cornwallis or General Phillips, upon the subject of a naval station, but what this order contains; there could not in my humble opinion be a doubt, that his Lordship was not at liberty to take any other than Old Point Comfort, except he should be of opinion that York was necessary to cover it, in which case he might take York also^ 3 - and as the two posts might probably require more troops than were intended to be left in Chesapeak, his Lordship was at liberty to detain the whole for fortifying and garrisoning them. I dare say Lord Cornwallis saw the order in this point of view ; but judging that Old Point Comfort was totally unfit for the purpose desired, he had recourse to the instructions and letters to General Phillips in his possession, to see whether they would authorise him to reject it, and look out for another. 2 *- And discovering that my instructions to that General officer gave him leave, " in [ 28 ] case the Admiral disapproving Portsmouth " should require a fortified station for large ships " in Chesapeak, and should propose York town or " Old Point Comfort, to take possession thereof, if " possession of either could be acquired and main- " tained without great risk or loss ; " his Lordship conceived he should act according to the spirit of my orders, by taking York and Gloucester. I am however humbly of opinion, that admitting the propriety of his Lordship's consulting other papers besides the order immediately before him, the order (even as explained by the instructions) did not become positive to occupy York and Gloucester. For it does not appear that the instructions authorised either la York being above old P. not have removed the station to Comfort & on the same neck. York river without first receiving 2a If Lord Cornwallis considers the Admirals & my approbation, the orders to Genl Phillips as I never blamed him for doing so affecting him in one instance they judging he was convinced He could do so equally in all, tho' in strict- there give effectual Protection to ness I think his Lordship disap- ships of the line the Responsi- proving of James River should bility remaining however in him. 120 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY General Phillips or his Lordship to occupy York or Old Point Comfort, unless they should have been proposed by the Admiral 1 * for a naval station. But the post of York and Gloucester never having been proposed by the Admiral either to his Lordship or me for a naval station, as Old Point Comfort was, but only barely mentioned to his Lordship by the Admiral, as likely to command one of the principal rivers if it could he secured ; and it at last appear ing by the letter of 2Oth October, to have been his [ 29 ] Lordship's opinion that it was incapable of being so ; it may be presumed that his Lordship did not act conformable to either the spirit or letter of the order in taking it, and consequently that his doing so was entirely of his own motion and choice. But, being probably aware of this con clusion, his Lordship says, " as the harbour was the " indispensible object, he took York, being the only " one in Chesapeak that he knew of." In which (no doubt) his Lordship would have been perfectly justifiable if the objections to it were not such as he thought forcible." 2b< But it appears from his Lord ship's letter of the 2Oth of October, that the objections to that post were such as he thought forcible. It may therefore be a matter of some surprise, that, as his Lordship thought proper to avail .himself of the latitude of choice he supposed given him by the in structions to General Phillips, 3b it did not occur to him that the same instructions directed him to " decline li taking either York or Old Point Comfort ', if his " objections were such as he thought forcible" And as Lord Cornwallis never stated his objections to the post of York either to the Admiral or me, as those la Admiral underlined. ter as he did favorably I should 2b so very difft from that of the under the assurances I had re- 22. Augt ceived of a covering fleet, con- 3b at least till he had repetd vinced of the necessity of a place them to me & had reed my orders of arms to cover large ships have but I confess if he had spoke as ordered him to take the best he unfavorably of York and Glouces- could find. CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 121 instructions directed him to do, if he had any ; it may be [ 30 ] asserted that his Lordship alone is answerable for whatever impropriety there may have been in taking the post of York and Gloucester ; as it is I presume, clear from the foregoing reasoning, that, having under the sanction of the instructions to General Phillips, declined taking possession of Old Point Comfort (which his Lordship was positively directed to occupy by the order of the iith of July,) lb his Lordship had the same authority for declining to take York or any other naval station, " could they not be acquired and maintained without " great risk or loss, and so well and so soon fortified " as to be rendered hors d' insulte before the enemy " could move a force, &c. against them ; "* which his Lordship's letter of the 2Oth of October intimates to be his opinion the post of York could not be from the disadvantageous nature of the ground?*' Having represented to the Minister for the American department the danger of operations in Chesapeak 3f without a covering fleet ; and having been in consequence promised that I should have it; and being told by Admi[ 31 ]ral Hood upon his arrival that he had brought me a sufficient one ; 4b I gave Lord Cornwallis of course all the hopes I could, and " certainly promised to succour " him in person, by moving into Chesapeak with four " thousand troops," the instant the Admiral should inform me the passage to him was open, or would undertake to convoy me. But as his Lordship did not receive these hopes (such as they are) before the * Vide the instructions p 347 and substance of conversations with General Phillips p 430 ; as quoted by Lord Cornwallis in his letter dated July 26, 1781. ii. 104. lb the only order I ever gave 3f which I had been ordered to take a naval station to cover to engage in in support of L. large ships. Cornwallis. 2a very different from the dis- 4b & S G. Rodney having pro- cription he gives of this ground mised to follow de Grasse & cover in his letter 22 HARLEY-STREET, April 3, i783-3a.4b. la principally 2a and lost that Continent. 3a I should realy think I in sulted the understanding of any Man (particularly that of a Mili tary Man) if I should ask him whether He thinks S H Clinton can be Responsable for operations forced upon him by a subordinate General which he does his utmost to render the secure, and when in danger to succour by every means in his Power 4b pages 8 & 9. & 7 Lord Cornwallis for coming into Vir ginia contrary to the orders of his Comr in Chief, the Cabinet for rejecting the Plan of the Comr in Chief (which they had approved till May & did again approve in July too late !) and ordering him to adopt that of H. CLINTON. a Sr Genl serving under his orders. S G. Rodney for pro mising to obey the orders he had received to follow De Grasse & cover our absurd operations in Chesk & for not doing it. & S S H f or so positively asserting he had brought a covering fleet. Blame who they will S H Clinton S'en lave les mains. S H C thought his Narrative would have induced L. Cornwallis to have demanded an Enquiry he could have had no doubt but that his observations would at least, he was mistaken. does not S H in the language of a Gentle man accuse L C of having re peatedly disobeyed his orders, misrepresented and of asserting in an official letter what was not true ! APPENDIX. PART I. CONTAINING extracts from the Correspondence with Earl Cornwallis, la respecting the Force left with his Lordship, and the Instructions given him upon his taking the Command of the Southern District. la To prove that S H C left with L. Cornwallis all he wished all he wanted 126 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Extract [i] From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn- wallis, Charles Town, May 1 7, 1 780. see Extract p 209. Copy [2] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Manigolds, May 18, 1780. see Letter p 210. Extract [4] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Manigolds, May 19, 1780. see Extract p 211. Extract [5] From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, Charles-town, May 20, 1780. see Extract p 211. Extract [5] From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, Charles-town, May 20, 1 780. see Extract p 212. Extract [6] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Lenews, East Side of Santee, May 21,1 780. see Extract p 212. Extract [6] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, Charles-Town, June i, 1780. see Extract p 213. Extract [8] From Instructions to Lieutenant- General Earl Cornwallis, dated Head-Quarters, Charles-town, June i, 1780. see Letter p 215. Extract [9] From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, Romulus, June 8, 1 780. see Extract p 220. PART II. CONTAINING Copies and Extracts from Letters, relative to the entire Submission of South Carolina, and the progressive Operations proposed in Conse quence, for the Reduction of North Carolina. Extract [n] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Charles-town, June 30, 1 780. see Letter p 221. From the same. [12] see Letter p 221. Extract [13] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Charles-town, July, 14, 1 780. see Letter p 231. Extract [14] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Charles-town, Aug. 6, 1780. see Letter p 235. PART III. CONTAINING Extracts from the Correspondence with Earl Cornwallis, respecting the Events which CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 127 occurred between the Battle of Camden and Major Ferguson's Defeat. Extract [19] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Camden, August 23, 1780. see Letter p 257. Extract [20] From Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Camden, August 20, 1780. see Letter p 241. Extract [21] From Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Camden, August 21, 1780. see Letter p 249. Extract [21] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Camden, August 29, 1780. see Letter p 261. Extract [22] From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New- York, September 20, 1780. see Extract p 269. Inclosures. [23] Copy. Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germain, dated Charles-Town, June 3, 1780. see Letter p 218. Extract [24] From Lord G. Germain to Sir H. Clinton, Whitehall, July 5, 1780. see Letter p 229. Instructions [25] to the Hon. Major-general Leslie, dated Head-Quarters, New-York, October 10, 1780. see Extract p 2 "jo. Extract [26] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, New- York, November 6, 1 780. see Extract p 287. Second Instructions [27] to the Hon. Major- general Leslie, dated New-York, November 2, 1 780. see Letter ^285. Extract [29] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Waxhaw, September 22, 1 780. see Extract p 269. Extract [30] From Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Camp at Waxhaw, Sep tember 19, 1780. see Letter p 264. PART IV. CONTAINING Extracts from the Correspondence with Earl Cornwallis, &c. from Major Ferguson's Misfortune to his Lordship's second Move into North Carolina. 128 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Extract [31] From Major-general Leslie to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Portsmouth, Nov. 7, 1780, eight at Night, see Extract p 289. Copy [32] From Lord Rawdon to Major-general Leslie, dated Camp, near the Indian Lands, West of Cattawba river, South Carolina, Oct. 24, 1780. see Letter p 271. Copy [38] From Sir Henry Clinton, to Major- general Leslie, dated New York, November 12, 1780. see Letter p 294. Extract [38] From Major-general Leslie to Sir Henry Clinton, on board the Romulus, dated Hamp ton Road, November 19, 1780. see Letter p 297. Copy [39] From Lord Rawdon to Sir Henry Clinton, camp between Broad River and the Catawba, October 29, 1780. see Letter p 277. Extract [43] From Lord Rawdon to feir Henry Clinton, dated Camp between Broad River, and the Catawba, South Carolina, October 31, 1780. see Letter p 284. Extract [45] From Earl Cornwallis to Major- general Leslie, dated Camp at Winnesborough, between Broad River and Wateree, November 12, 1780. see Letter p 295. Extract [45] From Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, without date, to Major-general Leslie, see Letter p 301. Copy [46] From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, December 13, 1780. see Letter p 310. Copy [49] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Wynnesborough, December 3, 1780. see Letter p 302. Extract [52] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Wynnesborough, Dec. 22, i j^o. see Lett erp^i 2. PART V. CONTAINING Extracts from the Correspondence ; between his Lordship's second Move into North Carolina, and his Arrival at Wilmington. CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 129 Extract [54] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, Wynnesborough, Jan. 6, 1781. see Letter Extract [56] From Major-general Leslie to Sir Henry Clinton, Camden, Jan. 8, 1 78 1 . see Letter p 317. Copy [56] From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, dated New- York, March 2, 5, and 8, 1781. (Sent by Captain Amherst, in the Jupiter Merchant Ship.) see Letter p 341. Extract [61] From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, January 23, 1781. see Extract p 322. Extract [63] From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to General Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, February 5,1781. see Extract p 324. Extract [64] From Sir H. Clinton, K.B. to Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, sent by Captain Amherst, in the Jupiter merchant ship, dated New York, March 9, 1781. see Letter p 346. Extract [64] From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir H. Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, February 1 3, 1781. see Extract ^324. Extract [65] From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir H. Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, February 25, 1781. see Extract p 328. Extract [67] From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Brigadier-general Arnold, dated New York, February 1 8, 1781. see Extract p 326. Extract [67] From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir H. Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, February 2 7, 1781. see Extract p 3 29 . Copy [68] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Brigadier- general Arnold, dated New York, March i, 1781. see Letter ^330. Extract [69] From instructions to Major-general Phillips, New York, March 10, 1 781. see Letter p 347. Extract [71] From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Portsmouth, March 8, 1781. see Extract p 339. 17 I 3 o CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTROVERSY Extract [72] From Admiral Arbuthnot to General Arnold, Chesapeak, March 1 9, 1 78 1 . see Extract p 372. Extract [73] From Major-general Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Chesapeak, on board the Royal Oak, in Lynhaven Bay, March 26, 1781. see Extract P375- Extract [73] From Sir Henry Clinton to Major- general Phillips, dated New York, March 24, 1781. see Letter p 373. Extract [75] Major general Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, April 3, 1781. see Extract p 377. Copy [79] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major- general Phillips, dated New- York, April 5, 1781. see Letter p 392. Extract [80] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major- general Phillips, dated New- York, April 13, 1781. see Extract p 405 . Extract [81] Major-general Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Portsmouth, in Virginia, April 15, 1781. see Extract p 40 7. Extract [81] Major-general Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Hampton Road, on board the Maria, April 19, 1781. see Extract ^412. Extract [82] Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, received by the Amphitrite man of war, Charles-Town, April 7, 1781. see Letter p ^2. PART VI. CONTAINING Extracts from the Correspondence ; between Lord Cornwallis's arrival at Wilmington, and his entering Virginia. Extract [84] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, received by his Majesty's ship Amphitrite, Camp, near Wilmington, April 10, 1781. see Letter P 395- Copy [85] Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-York, April 30, 1781. see Letter p 44 1 . CLINTON'S OBSERVATIONS ON ANSWER 131 Copy [90] From Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, received by the Speedy packet, which called at Cape Fear, dated Charles-Town, April 20, 1781. see Letter p 418. Extract [91] of a letter from Lord Eawdon to Lord Cornwallis, May 24, 1781. see Letter p 480. Copy [92] Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Ger main, Wilmington, April 23, 1781. see Letter p 4.20. Copy [94] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton,Wilmington, April 24, 1781. see Letter p 426. Copy [95] From Earl Cornwallis to Major-general Phillips, dated April 24, 1781. see Letter p 427. Copy [97] From Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Charles-town, May 6, 1781. see Letter p 471. PART VII. CONTAINING Extracts from the Correspondence from his Lordship's entering Virginia, &c. Extract [99] From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Lord Cornwallis, dated New York, May 29, 1781. see Letter p 493. Extract [105] From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Bird's Plantation, North of James-river, May 26, 1781. see Letter p 487. Extract [i 08] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Lord Cornwallis, New-York, June 1 1 , ijSi.see Letter ii. 1 8. Copy [in] Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Lord Cornwallis, New- York, June 15, ijSi.see Letter ii. 24. Extract [112] Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Williamsburg, June 30, 1781. see Letter ii. 31. Return [114] of intrenching Tools in the possession of the Engineers at York Town, in Virginia, on the 23d of August, 1781. see ii. 250. [At End] Table of British and American Armies opposed to each other at different periods in 1 780 & 1781. see ii. 226. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K. B, AND LIEUTENANT GENERAL EARL CORNWALLIS lb No, 29 2b Colonel Mordaunt CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, K.B. AND LIEUTENANT GENERAL EARL CORNWALLIS. [Clinton [3] to Cornwallis] Head-Quarters, New York, July 8, 1781. see Letter ii. 4Q. [Clinton [6] to Cornwallis] Head-Quarters, New York, July 10, 1781. see Letter ii. 62. Extract [9] of a Letter from Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis to his Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. dated Cobham, July 8th, 1781. see Letter ii. 56. [Clinton [10] to Cornwallis] Head-Quarters, New York, July 15, 1781. see Letter ii. 73. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis [15] to his Ex cellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. Portsmouth,Virginia, July 2 7th, 1 78 1 . see Letter ii. 1 04. Extract [19] of the Instructions of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, to Major General Phillips, dated at Head-Quarters, New York, March 10, 1781. seep$tf. Extract [19] of several Conversations that His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton had with Major General Phillips, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, before his Embarkation on his Expedition thither, see p 430. Copy [20] of a Letter from Lieutenant Sutherland, CORRESPONDENCE OF CLINTON $ CORNWALLIS 135 of the Engineers, to Lieutenant General Earl Corn- wallis. Billy, Ordnance Transport, Hampton Road, July 25th, 1781. see Letter ii. 95. Copy [22] of a Letter from the Captains of his Majesty's Ships, to Lieutenant General Earl Corn- wallis, Richmond, Hampton Road, 26th July 1781. see Letter ii. 101. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [23] to his Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. & c.York, Virginia, August 1 2th, 1781. see Letter ii. 124. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [24] to his Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, in Virginia, August 16, 1781. see Letter ii. 126. [Clinton [25] to Cornwallis] New- York, August 2, 1781. see Letter ii. 109. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [37] to his Ex cellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, Virginia, August 20, 1781. seeLetterii. 1 30. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [42] to his Ex cellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, Virginia, August 22,1781. see Letter ii. 137. [Clinton [44] to Cornwallis] New- York, August 3Oth, 1781. see Letter ii. 143. [Clinton [46] to Cornwallis] New- York, September 2, 1781. see Letter ii. 149. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [48] to his Ex cellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York, in Virginia, August 31, 1781. see Letter ii. 146. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [49] to his Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, Virginia, 2d September, 1781. see Letter ii. 148. [Clinton [49] to Cornwallis] New- York, September 6th, at Noon, 1781. see Letter ii. 152. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [50] to his Ex cellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, Virginia, September 8, 1781. see Letter ii. 154- 136 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [52] to his Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, Virginia, September 16, 1781. see Letter ii. 156. [Clinton [53] to Cornwallis] New- York, 24th Sep tember, 1781. see Letter ii. 159. [Clinton [54] to Cornwallis] New- York, September 25, 1781. see Letter ii. 163. Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, [55] to his Excellency General Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c. &c. &c. York-Town, in Virginia, 2gth Sept. 1781. 10 p.m. see Letter ii. 169. [Clinton [Facing 55] to Cornwallis] New York, 3 as his Lordship could not subsist his army, without having a place of arms to cover his maga zines, &c., &c. it became absolutely necessary to fix on some healthy and respectable station, that could be made secure against a temporary superiority of the enemy at sea ; and York and Gloucester seem to have been originally thought of by Lord Cornwallis, and approved by me for that purpose. 1 * But by his Lordship's misconceiving my orders, he quitted the neck of York, and consequently, relinquished every idea of occupying those posts." Now, would not any man of ordinary understanding, who had read nothing more than your Narrative, Sir Henry, sup pose from this passage, that a fixed and solid plan 1 Lord C. on his first coming was natural for Sir H. to suppose into Virga told Sir H. Clinton that the Idea of possessing it had that he had read his Instructions also originally struck his Lord- & Letters to Genl Philips looked ship especially as his Lordship upon himself as bound by them, expressed in very strong Terms his & should follow the Ideas then Disapprobation of Portsmh suggested. The Securing a But this is really trifling the Naval Station different from Insinuation is totally unworthy Portsmh (which had been con- of Repetition Besides it may be demned by that General Officer) also worthy of Remark that the being therefore one of the Mea- Idea of taking a Place of Arms sures thought on, & York was certainly originally his Lord- judged proper for the purpose ships as he had not received the and Lord C. having said in his Thought from Sir H. before his Letter of 26*. May that from Lordship mentioned it to him in Report he thought well of it It his Letter of 26^ May. THEMISTOCLES' EEPLT TO NARRATIVE 147 had been concerted between you and his Lordship, for occupying the posts in question, previous to his quitting the neck of York ? He would certainly suppose so. But [21] were he to adv x ert to the letters about that period, he would quickly perceive, that light and darkness are not more opposite, than such a supposition, and the reality of fact. Out of this chaos, let us try to draw some order. Immediately on Lord Cornwallis's arrival at Peters- burgh, in Virginia, on the 2Oth of May, 1781, he found General Phillips dead, and, of course, added the command of that officer to his own. But on account of the information conveyed by you, Sir Henry, to General Arnold, relative to the probable movements of the French army, his Lordship, in his letter of the above date tells you, he was restrained at that time, from any material offensive operations ; but as soon as he could hear any satisfactory accounts of the two fleets, he would endeavour to make the best use in his power of the troops under his com mand. On the 26th of the same month, he writes to you thus*: I shall now proceed [22] to dislodge La Fayette from Richmond, and, with my light troops, to destroy any magazine or stores in the neighbourhood, which may have been collected, either for his use, or General Greene's army ; from thence I purpose to move to the neck at Williamsburgh, which is represented as healthy, and where some subsistence may be procured ; and keep myself unengaged from operations, which might interfere with your plan for the campaign, UNTIL I have the satisfaction of hearing from you ; I hope I shall then have an opportunity to receive better information, than has hitherto been in my power to procure, relative to a proper harbour, and place of arms ; at present I am inclined to think well of York." Here, then, Sir Henry, we develope, what you style, " Lord Cornwallis's original thought of York and * See extract of this letter, Appendix, No. VI. ^487. 148 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Gloucester." Let us now look, for what you style, your approbation. It is very probable we will find it built on materials as little so lid,* as the thought you so gravely [ 23 ] tell us, it was given as a sanction to. In your letter of the nth of June, 1781, (before quoted) we read the following advice to his Lordship : u I beg leave to recommend it to you, as soon as you have finished the active operations you may be now engaged in, to take a defensive station in any healthy situation you choose, (be it at Williamsburgh or York Town)" Why this, Sir Henry, is recommendation, not appro bation! 1 And there is no small distinction between the terms. The former precedes measures, the latter follows them. But the strife of words is as foreign from your honourable profession, as it is from my honest inclination. In compliment, therefore, to your careless way, I will, for a moment, suppose (contrary to fact) that you did approve of his Lord ship's original thought, in favour of York and Glou cester. On what was that approbation (as you are pleased to term it) founded ? Had you [ 24 ] yourself any idea of the situation, but from hear-say, and consequent conjecture ? 2 Not an atom. You were every whit as much in the dark respecting it as his Lordship And a passage in your letter, of the 6th December, 1781, to Lord George Germain, clearly evinces this to be the case. Speaking of the post of York Town, you there say, " And indeed, if his Lordship had not now informed me, that it was * In truth, Lord Cornwallis shews, by the preceding words of his letter, that he had not sufficient information of the situation of the place, to speak decidedly in its favour, as a good post, though Sir Henry would insinuate, he did give an opinion of that nature. 1 Does not his Lordship say that Letter approve of his Intention, he is going to the Neck of Williams- and concurring with his Lordships burg to look out for a proper Idea about York, recommend that Harbour & place of arms & that orWilliamsburg-whicheverhe may he is inclined to think well of find the best defensive Station ? York? And does not Sir Hs 2 Granted THEMISTOCLES' REPLY TO NARRATIVE 149 a bad one, the eagerness with which I understand the French have since seized, and are fortifying it, would incline me to think well of it" So that ihejfirst part of this grave charge of yours, Sir Henry, 1 " that York and Gloucester seem to have been originally thought of by Lord Cornwallis, and approved by you for that purpose," turns out, after all, to be nothing more or less, than a mere creature of the imagination there was neither solid thought* [ 25 ] of the matter, nor solid (or indeed any) approbation. But the conclusion, and more weighty part of this second charge, Sir Henry, is still to be examined. After asserting, " that York and Gloucester seem to have been originally thought of, by Lord Cornwallis, and approved by you for that purpose," you continue, " Hut, ly his Lordships MISCONCEIVING my orders, he quitted the neck of York, and consequently relin quished every idea of occupying those posts!' 2 Here are two things, Sir, which, in your usual loose manner, you very roundly assert, without one tittle of proof for their foundation. The first point is his Lordship's misconception of your orders, and [ 26 ] * So far was Lord Cornwallis from thinking of these posts in a favourable light, that although (as has been before set forth) previous to his mewing them, he was inclined to think favourably of them, on mere hearsay, yet, when he had examined them himself a few days afterwards, he speaks of them in this manner : " Upon mewing York, I was clearly of opinion, that it far exceeded our power, consistent with your plans, to make safe defensive posts there, and at Gloucester, both of which would be necessary for the protection of shipping." Extract of a letter, dated at Williamsburgh, 1 3th of June, 1781. ii. 31. 1 If it is a charge it was cer- proposed to Genl Phillips his tainly not intended as a criminal being engaged in none of his own one. It was only to show that or having any in contemplation the thought struck Lord C as and his having secured a healthy well as Sir H. Clinton. defensive Station for the purpose 2 Lord C certainly miscon- of possessing a Harbour in the ceived the orders relative to Chesapeak the latter therefore sending Troops. Because the im- not having been accomplished plied Conditions under which they his Lordship was warranted in not were to be sent are incontestably complying with the Requisition & the following His Lordship not ought not to have quitted the inclining to adopt the two Plans neck until further Orders 150 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the next is, his relinquishment of those posts in consequence of the misconception. To get at the fact, we will inspect the orders themselves, and we will then take a view of the construction .of his Lordship. But, as a preliminary step to the perusal of the orders, let us cast an eye over some passages of your letters, which preceded them. On the 2Qth of May, 1781, we find you talking thus, in one of them, addressed to Lord Cornwallis : " It is possible, that the additional corps your Lordship has brought with you, may enable you to return something to me for this post : But I beg your Lordship will, by no means, consider this as a call ; for I would rather content myself with ever so bare a defensive, UNTIL there was an appearance of serious operation against me, than cramp your's in the least." Here, Sir Henry, you cannot help remarking, that although you forbear to call for the present, yet, there is the fullest implication, which words can convey, of your intention to demand the succours from his Lordship, which you afterwards did, when you [27] fancied " the appearance of a serious operation against you" And on the 8th of June following, are these words in another letter. " Your Lordship will see, by Fayette's letter, that you have little more opposed to you than his corps, and an unarmed militia ; for we are told here, that the Pensilvania line has revolted a second time at York Town, your Lordship can, therefore, CEKTAINLY spare 2000 men, and the sooner they come the better, without it should be your intention to adopt my idea of a move, and put your self in nearer co-operation with us. But even in that case, you can spare us something, I suppose : " and a little lower you say, " should your Lordship be engaged in a move of such importance, as to require the employment of your whole force, I would by no means wish to starve or obstruct it ; but in that case would rather endeavour to wait A LITTLE LONGEK until my occasions grow more urgent, or your situation can TIIEMISTOCLE& REPLY TO NARRATIVE 151 admit of your detaching, of which, however, I request to be informed, with all possible dis[ 28 Jpatch." Your affairs, it seems, growing more urgent, on the nth of June, you write thus to Lord Cornwallis : " By the intercepted letter, inclosed to your Lordship in my last dispatch, you will observe that I am threatened with a siege in this post ; my present effective force is ONLY 10,931, with respect to what the enemy may collect for such an object, it is pro bable they may amount to AT LEAST 20,000, besides re inforcements to the French, (which, from pretty good authority, I have reason to expect,) and the numerous militia of the five neighbouring provinces. Thus circumstanced, I am persuaded, your Lordship will be of opinion, that the sooner I can concentrate my force the better. Therefore, (unless your Lordship, after the receipt of my letters of the 2Qth of May, and 8th instant, 1 should incline to agree with me in opinion, and judge it right to adopt my ideas respecting the move to Baltimore or the Delaware Hook, &c.*) I [29] beg leave to recommend it to you, as soon as you have finished the active operations, you may be now engaged in, to take a defensive station in any healthy situation you choose, (be it at Williamsburgh, or at York-Town) and I would wish, in that case, 2 that after reserving to yourself such troops, as you may judge necessary for an ample defensive, and desultory movements by water, for the purpose of annoying the enemy's communications, destroying magazines, &c. the following corps may be sent to me in succession * How poor an opinion his Lordship had of that expedition, may be seen in the extract of his letter of the 26th of May, already quoted. see Letter p 487. 1 These three Letters are to be his reasoning but indeed the considered as one because the Extract he has given from the last refers to the other two and last fully proves what I said in this writer ought to have given the last note, the whole three, that we might be 2 I to case underlined. able to judge of the Propriety of 152 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY as you can spare them. Two battalions of light infantry forty -third regiment seventy-sixth or eightieth two battalions of Anspach Queen's rangers cavalry and infantry. Remains of detachment of I'jth light dragoons, and such a proportion of artillery as can be spared, particularly men" And the urgency of this requisition, you will observe, Sir Henry, is increased in your letter of the 1 5th of June. In this you say. "And as I am led to suppose, from your Lordship's letter of the [30] 26th ultimo,* that you may not think it expedient, to adopt the operations, I had recommended, in the Upper Chesa- peak and will, by this time, probably, have finished 1 those 2 you were engaged in ; / request you will IMMEDIATELY embark a part of the troops, stated in the letter enclosed, f beginning with the light in fantry, and send them to me with all possible dis patch ; for which purpose, Captain Hudson, or officer commanding the King's ships, will, I presume, upon your Lordship's application, appoint a proper convoy. I shall likewise, in proper time, solicit the Admiral to send some more transports to the Chesapeak, in which your Lordship will please to send hither the remaining troops, you judge can be spared from the defence of the posts you may occupy, as I do not think it adviseable to leave more troops in that un healthy climate, at this season of the year, [31] then what are absolutely wanted for defensive and desul tory water expeditions." The requisition is repeated in still stronger terms, in your letter, to his Lord ship, of the i Qth of June, 1781 : Then you tell him, " that you are persuaded the enemy will attempt the investiture of New York, and, therefore, heartily wish, that you were more in force, that you might be * This letter has been before quoted, seep 487. t Meaning a duplicate of the above recited letter of the 1 1 th. see ii. 1 8. 1 which certainly implies a August in Debrets Parliamentary fnsive Station Register No 41. Vide Sir H. Clintons letter of 2 coast of America. Nay, they will say something still more grating than all this they will revive an old prophecy, broached a lon^ time before the unfortunate issue of the campaign in 1781, "that the triumph of Charles Town, portended the disaster at \'ark\ and that, from the LAWRBLS of Comdex, would be extracted the BANE of the British Empire on the Continent. THEMISTOCLES. P. S. Having, in the correction of your charges against Lord Cornwallis, necessarily rendered your Narrative, Sir Henry, almost one entire blot, I would consider it an unmanly triumph, to proceed imme diately to another score. For this reason, I leave * See extracts of General Washington's letters, in Appendix, No. X, j>p 500, 502, 503, and 505. 170 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY you and the Commissioners of Accounts, to settle the [ 62 ] matters mentioned in the conclusion of your pamphlet, in the best mode you may. And, for the same reason, I shall not enter upon the examination of those charges, which you have conjured up against yourself, in pages 13 and 14; but sincerely hope, in that business, you have regarded the rule of (I think it is) Quintilian. " Never to raise objections, which it is not in your power to suppress." I cannot, however, take my final leave of you, without giving you one humane piece of counsel : Henceforward, discard sycophancy and take honour and common sense as your secretaries. This done, your friends will never blush for the productions of your bureau. APPENDIX. Number I. [63] Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant- General Earl Cornwallis to Major-General Phillips, Wilmington, 24th April, 1781. see Letter p 427. Number II. [66] Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, Wilmington, North Carolina, 23d April, 1781. see Letter p 420. Number III. [69] Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Wilmington, 24th April, 1781. see Letter p 424. Number IV. [71] Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Wilmington, 24th April, 1781. see Letter p 426. Number Y. [72] Extract of a Letter from Lord George Germain to Earl Cornwallis, dated Whitehall, March 7th, 1781. see Letter p 337. Extract [74] of a Letter from Lord George Germain to bir Henry Clinton, Whitehall, 7th March, 1781. see Letter p 334. Number VI. [76] Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated at Bird's Plantation, North of James Eiver, 26th May, 1781. see Letter ^487. Number VII. [77] Extract from Sir H. Clinton's THEMISTOCLES' EEPLT TO NARRATIVE 171 Instructions to Major-General Phillips, dated March 10,1781. see Instructions p 347 . Extract [78] from the (Substance of Conversations held with General Phillips, sent to that General Officer for his Guidance. see p 430. Inclosed [79] in the above letter the following extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's letters to Major General Phillips, April 26, 1781. see Letter p 437. [80] April 30, 1781. p 450. Number VIII. [82] Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Williams- burgh, 3oth June, 1781. see Letter ii. 31. Extract [88] of a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated Head Quarters, New York, 8th July, 1781. see Letter ii. 49. Extract [95] of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated York-town, Virginia, 2Oth August, 1781. see Letter ii. 130. Number IX. [103] Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated York Town, Virginia, i6th and I7th of September, 1781. see Letter ii. 156. Number X. [105] Extract of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to General Sullivan, dated New Windsor, 29th May, 1781. see Letter p 500. From General Washington [106] to Mr. Lund Washington, 3ist May, 1781. see Letter p 502. Copy [107] of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to the Marquis De la Fayette, dated Head Quarters, New Windsor, 3ist May, 1781. see Letters pp 503 and 505. A PARTING WORD; OR, A SUMMARY REVIEW OF THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN SIR HENRY CLINTON AND EARL CORNWALLIS. OCCASIONED BY THE OBSERVATIONS LATELY PUBLISHED BY THAT GENTLEMAN ON HIS LORDSHIP'S ANSWER. LONDON: PRINTED FOR R. FAULDER, NEW BOND-STKEET; AND J. BEW, PATER-NOSTER-ROW. MDCCLXXXIII. A PARTING WORD. As there cannot be a more unequivocal proof of magnanimity, than a generous confession of error, when it has been evidently disclosed, so on the other hand, there is no circumstance in life which more clearly exposes the narrowness of the human mind, than an obstinate maintenance of wrong, when a choice of right is placed within one's grasp. Those who have read the controversy between Sir Henry Clinton and Earl Cornwallis can be at no loss for the application of these remarks. To a narrative published by Sir Henry Clinton, late Commander in Chief in America, arraigning the con duct of Lord Cornwallis, as accessary to, if not the immediate cause of " the fatal catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781," His Lordship replied with the intent of shewing, that the events attributed to his conduct during that campaign were by no means the consequences of any part of it. And in order to do this with all the perspicuity and candour that integrity and common sense could suggest, the whole* of the correspondence relative to the principal actions of the campaign were sub mitted to public consideration, that from so impar tial a view, as impartial a judgment might be formed of the propriety of his Lordship's proceedings, " either when he acted under positive orders, pressing con tingencies, or discretionary powers." If Lord Cornwallis's success on this occasion wanted any aid to render it more conspicuous than a bare perusal of his answer makes it, Sir Henry's observa- * In Sir Henry's Narrative, extracts only were given : Which was the more candid mode of publication, every one will readily decide, who knows in what a different light the context oftentimes throws a partial quotation. 176 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY tions have furnished that aid. The strength of truth stands never so confessed as when rage and imbecility assail it. The sole question of the controversy is very clearly nothing more than this Did or did not the conduct and opinions of Lord Cornwallis bring on, or con tribute to bring on the fatal catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781? The consideration of any transaction subsequent to that period, is consequently totally foreign from the sub ject. Of course, whether certain letters of Lord Cornwallis, or certain letters of Sir Henry Clinton were or were not produced at the time of the parlia mentary enquiry, is matter of as little relation to the business in discussion, as an investigation of the merits of Katterfelto and his cat would be. This being premised, the next point to be settled is the time at which the review of Lord Cornwallis's conduct should commence. His Lordship assigns his march into North-Carolina in the beginning of the year 1781 for that purpose, and in so doing Sir Henry appears to join issue with him. " As long (says he) as I imagined his Lordship to be in sufficient force, and in other respects prepared, and competent to give the experiment of supporting our friends in North Carolina, a fair and solid trial I certainly approved. But, AFTER the unfortunate day of Cowpens, &c."* Now, it is evident from this passage, that UNTIL the unfortunate day of Cowpens, which was it seems the i7th of January, 1781, Sir Henry certainly approved of Lord Cornwallis's design to march into North Carolina, and of course our examination of the conduct of his Lordship, with regard to the campaign of 1781, must begin from that period. But before we enter upon this task we will clear away all extraneous matter, and with this view take into consideration an observation which Sir Henry * P. [6] 1 02 of Sir Henry's OBSERVATIONS on Lord Cornwallis 's Answer. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 177 has made on his Lordship's publication, of what he is pleased to style his (Sir Henry's) secret and most private letter to General Phillips, dated April the 3oth, of which act he thus speaks:* "Every man of sensibility must lament that Lord Cornwallis has so indiscretely availed himself of the liberty he supposed was given him, by the late change in American measures. For, as my secret and most private letter to Gen. Phillips, dated April 3Oth, contained nothing for his Lordship's justification, the publishing of it was highly impolitic at least, not to say more for reasons too obvious to need ex planation." This is a curious sort of argument truly ! If the impolicy of publishing the letter arose merely from its containing nothing for his Lordship's defence, by a parity of reasoning, there could be no impolicy in doing so, if its contents could have done that service. Now, if we take the word impolicy in its most extensive sense, as an act of imprudence, hurtful to the community, certainly in that case the letter ought not to be published on any account whatever and it is, therefore, puerile in the last degree to make any distinctions with respect either to its hurt or benefit to an in dividual. On the other hand, if the word impolicy be taken in its contracted sense, as meaning an act of imprudence, detrimental to the interests of the particular person who commits it, it appears (with great deference to refined conceptions) downright nonsense to apply it here, where there is no other reason given for the application, than solely, " that the letter contained nothing for his Lordship's justi fication. Oh ! but then we are told by Sir Henry, that it was his secret and most private letter. Pray how does this appear ? The wording of this remark conveys an imputation of so ungentlemanly a nature, that a man of honour ought to have well considered his ground before he had dared * P. [5] 102 of the OBSERVATIONS. 23 178 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY to hazard it. It was a rash assertion to advance, <; that the letter in question, merely on account of the indorsement, was a secret and most private one. Can Sir Henry say that there was essen tially any distinction by which this letter could be discriminated from others, which he had written officially to General Phillips ? No such thing is pretended On the contrary, Lord Cornwallis gives us to understand in his letter to Sir Henry of the 26th of May, 1781, that he took the only guide which the strictest delicacy could suggest to him, in getting at the contents of such part of the correspon dence with General Phillips, as it was absolutely necessary he should see, upon his standing in the place of that officer. " I opened all your dis patches to poor Phillips, says his Lordship, marked on his Majesty's service!'* Lord Cornwallis there fore justly considered the letter in question, bear ing as it did this character of publicity, a sub ject no way improper for public inspection, and especially as " the measures respecting America, have now undergone a total change ; "f and he was the more confirmed in this opinion, on observing, that Sir Henry himself had quoted a part of it in his narrative, with the intent of throwing his Lordship into a culpable point of view. From this candid review of facts, the idleness, rash ness, and indelicacy of the insinuation conveyed in Sir Henry's Observation on the publishing of this letter, appears beyond all controversy. Whether his Lordship was so weak (as is farther insinuated) to publish it, though a matter that " contained nothing necessary for his Lordship's justification," will be seen presently, when we come to enquire into the nature of those instructions, which the Commander in Chief in this secret and most private letter gave General Phillips for his future public conduct. But before * See P. [80] 487 of his Lordship's Answer, f See Lord Cornwallis's Answer, p. [2] 64. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 179 we dismiss this subject, we cannot forbear remarking from what we have as yet observed of this private mode of giving public orders ; that it appears to us exceedingly curious, indeed, and we were just on the point of giving the originality of so eccentric a thought to the Commander in Chief, when we re collected the famous pantomime scene of politics in the Rehearsal, when King Phyz. and King Ush. are introduced by the ingenious Mr. Bayes, as holding a sort of dumb conversation on state affairs, and this the Poet did, for the purpose of shewing his excellence at " penning a whisper." Now it is very possible that Sir Henry might have taken the hint from this wonderful contrivance, and by admiring the poet's happy knack of rendering mysteries as notorious as manifestoes, conceived the amazing thought of com municating public orders in the manner of impene trable secrets. But whether our conjectures in this respect be right or wrong, we cannot, in justice to the genius of Sir Henry, refrain observing, that his idea of whispering public instructions, is not a whit less new and surprizing than the art of Mr. Bayes in publishing a whisper. Having cleared away every thing that appears foreign to the subject, we will now commence our examination of the matter really in question. Lord Cornwallis, from as plain and candid a state of facts* as was, perhaps, ever submitted to the judg ment of the public, thinks himself warranted in drawing the following inferences : (we will take them in his Lordship's own words :) " That our failure in North Carolina was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends; but by their timidity, and unwillingness to take an active and useful part ; - - - that the move to Wilmington was rendered necessary from the distresses of the troops and the sufferings of the numerous sick and wounded; - - - that the march into Virginia was * See his Lordship's Answer, pp 59 94. I8o CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY undertaken for urgent reasons, which could not admit of my waiting for the approbation of the Commander in Chief; - - - that I did not establish the station in Virginia, but only reinforced it ; - - - that I occupied the posts of York and Gloucester by order, and was induced to remain in them by the prospect of relief held out to me by the Commander in Chief - - - and that during the considerable interval between my arrival at Petersburgh, and that of the French fleet in the Chesapeak, my corps was com pletely at the disposal of Sir Henry Clinton, either to be withdrawn or employed in the Upper Chesapeak, or sent back to the Carolinas. And from these premisses his Lordship concludes, in opposition to the assertion of Sir Henry, that his conduct and opinions were not the causes of the catastrophe, which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781. Now the truth of these deductions must be con sidered as established, should the observations which Sir Henry has ventured to make for the purpose of invalidating them, prove inadequate to that end. We will examine them separately, The first in order, is, " That our failure in North Carolina was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends , but by their timidity and unwilling ness to take an active and useful part" Now, let us see what observations Sir Henry has made any way relative to this position. It cannot be forgotten that Sir Henry acknowledged he " certainly approved " * of Lord Cornwallis's march into North Carolina, and yet so wayward and con fused is he in all his motions and opinions, that he immediately retreats several months back to haul in " the misfortune of poor Major Ferguson by the head and shoulders," a misfortune which he was well acquainted with longf antecedently to the move he so approved of. That disaster had therefore * OBSERVATIONS, p [6] 102. t See Sir Henry's OBSERVATIONS, p. [34] 294 and [42] 310. PARTING WOED ON CONTROVERSY 181 just as much relation to the present business, as the affair of Bunker's Hill, which happened at the be ginning of the troubles in America. However, as it affords a very remarkable specimen of the CANDOUR of Sir Henry, as well as his pertinence, we conceive it would be deemed a piece of injustice to him to suffer it to pass without some comment. We will first give the passage in Sir Henry's own words * " Major Ferguson's misfortune was one of those untoward circumstances, which, Lord Cornwallis says, occurred during the four months succeeding the Battle of Camden. His Lordship after the complete victory he there obtained, ordered our friends in North Carolina to arm and intercept the beaten army of General Gates, promising them, at the same time, that he would march to the borders of that province in their support. About this time Major Ferguson was detached to a distance from his Lordship with a body of militia, (without being supported by regular troops) under an idea that he could make them fight-, notwithstanding his Lordship had informed me, some little time before, that it was contrary to the ex perience of the army, as well as of Major Ferguson himself. The consequence was, that the Major and his corps was unfortunately massacred. Lord Corn wallis was, immediately upon hearing of this event, obliged to quit the borders of North Carolina, and leave our friends there at the mercy of an inveterate enemy, whose power became irresistible by this NECESSARY retreat. This fatal catastrophe, moreover, lost his Lordship the whole militia of Ninety-Six, amounting to some thousand men, and even threw South Carolina into a state of confusion and rebellion. Here is candour with a witness ! as an indignant public will judge from the following real state of the business, supported by facts : Lord Cornwallis, after the complete victory at Camden, very justly conceived, that if we had any well * OBSERVATIONS, p. [6] 103. 182 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY wishers in North Carolina, as had been reported, the manifest superiority of our arms in their neighbour hood would have inspired them with sufficient firm ness to avow themselves open and active friends to the cause of loyalty. In consequence of this opinion, he sent persons well instructed in his Lordship's expectations and intentions among the inhabitants of that province, whom he had been persuaded by friendly emissaries to rely on, in order to incite them to take a decisive part at this favourable crisis. And the more to stimulate them, his Lordship promised to march [not (as Sir Henry has so very candidly stated) directly, 1 ' 2 but without " loss of time,"] * to their support. Lord Cornwallis was at this time weakened and incum- bered by his sick and convalescents, whom yet he hoped soon to behold in so recovered a state as to enable him to support the friends he expected to find in North Carolina. But the restoration of his people's health keeping no pace with his Lordship's zeal for the public service and the dread of disheartening such as should have been, in consequence of the fore going encouragement, inclined to act in concert with his Majesty's forces, determined him, in order to support whatever loyalty there might be in North Carolina, to yield to the solicitations of Major Ferguson for permission to enter that province with a chosen party of militia [The FLOWER of the militia of Ninety -six the very militia which Sir Henry * The discerning reader will, at a glance, perceive how wide the distinction is between these two phrases. If one says, he will go directly to a place, he implies that there is no obstacle to prevent the immediate execution of his promise But if one says, he will go without LOSS of TIME, he certainly means it should be understood, that he is not so disengaged as directly to set out however, the party he promised might be assured he would not delay more than was necessary that is to say he would go without loss of time : and this was the exact situation of Lord Cornwallis, encumbered with sick, whom yet he hoped soon to have so recovered as to enable him to support his friends. 1 I shall take the liberty to quire it thus, mark such parts as I think re- 2 directly underlined. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 183 affects now to consider as so very heavy a loss] and the remains of his own corps. [Sir Henry, in his usual strain of candour, says he had no regulars were not the major's own corps regulars ?~] And his Lordship took this measure not (as Sir Henry, so artlessly and so fairly states it)," under the idea that he (Major Ferguson) could make them fight; notwithstanding his Lordship had informed him (Sir Henry) some little time before that it was contrary to the experience of the army, as well as of Major Ferguson himself " No but under the ideas before mentioned, and under the positive injunction that the Major should retire before the face of a superior foe ; and also under the previous assurance which the Major himself had given his Lordship of his dependance upon this chosen party for doing their duty and fighting well* An assurance sanc tioned by the antecedent superintendance and favour able report of a brave and judicious officer f an assurance by no means destroyed by past experi ence, however repugnant that experience might be to it: for, the "great attention and diligence" of a man high in rank, and military fame, as Colonel Balfour was, supported by the " active assistance" of a veteran, so skilful and so in defatigable as Major Ferguson,^ may well be supposed, to have given any men under such care and such instruction, a degree of adroitness in the use of their arms, and of course a confidence in their own strength, which, without similar cultivation, it would have been almost a miracle that they should have in times past the possession of. These were the ideas of Lord Cornwallis, when he permitted Major Ferguson to move into Tryon County. But at the same time, lest Sir Henry should have imagined, from this permission, that the party of militia were * See his Lordship's letter, p. [22] 263 of Sir Henry's OBSERVATIONS. t See OBSERVATIONS p. [17 22] 239, 263. ibid, p, [20] 241. i ibid. 184 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY (however improved) adequate to the service of regulars, he tells him that former experience is against such a supposition, and therefore he thus in his letter to him, of 2Qth August, 1780, expresses his hopes, " that nothing can happen to prevent your Excellency's intended diversion in the Chesapeak," and if unfortunately any unforeseen cause should make it impossible, he then hopes " that you will see the absolute necessity of adding some force to the Carolinas."* Thus we behold, upon a fair state of facts, this seemingly wonderful contradiction, of send ing men to fight contrary to former experience, nothing more or less than the child of fancy and mis representation. Well, but then Sir Henry tells us, that the con sequence of detaching Major Ferguson and the militia, was, " that the Major and his whole corps was unfor tunately massacred." And, from this way of telling the story, he would have the public to suppose that the permission to detach was the cause of the Major's fatality. Sir Henry is indeed a genius. This is something like the reasoning of a remark able flighty fellow, who kept a button-maker's shop in St. Martin's-lane, and could never be prevailed to go beyond St. Paul's, otherwise than by water, because a neighbour of his had a son killed on Ludgate-hill by a mad ox from Smithfield, IN CONSEQUENCE (he used to say) of his being sent that way into the city. But the fact is, that the misfortune of the Major was no more the consequence of his being detached, than the boy's death was the consequence of his being sent into the city. It was an accident and not an effect, as the word consequence properly imports. But that the matter may appear in the clearest light, the following extract of a letter, dated Dec. 3d, 1 780, from Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry, is recommended to the attentive perusal of the public.f * OBSERVATIONS, p. [22] 263. t See OBSERVATIONS, p. [49] 302. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 185 " Lord Rawdon during my illness, informed your Excellency, in his letters of the 28th* and 3ist of October, of the various causes which prevented my penetrating into North Carolina. I shall not trouble you with a recapitulation, except a few words about poor Major Ferguson. - - - I had the honour to inform your Excellency, that Major Ferguson had taken infinite pains with some of the militia of Ninety-six. He obtained my permission to make an incursion into Tryon County, while the sickness of my army prevented my moving. As he had only militia, and the small remains of his own corps, without baggage or artillery, and as he promised to come back if he heard of any superior force, I thought he could do no harm, and might help to keep alive the spirit of our friends in North Carolina, which might be damped by the slowness of our motions. The event proved unfortunate, without any fault of Major Fergusons. A numerous and unexpected enemy came from the mountains. As they had good horses, their movements were rapid. Major Ferguson was tempted to stay near the mountains longer than he intended, in hopes of cutting off Colonel Clarke on his return from Georgia. He was not aware that the enemy was so near him ; and, in endeavouring to execute my orders of passing the Catauba, and joining me at Charlotte-Town, he was attacked by a very superior force, and defeated on King's Moun tain." It would be an affront to an intelligent honest- hearted Reader to add a single word of comment on this passage. Still this massacre Sir Henry talks of, is not the whole of the CONSEQUENCE of the unfortunate Major's move. " His Lordship was immediately, it seems, according to Sir Harry's account, upon hearing of this event, obliged to quit the borders of North Carolina, and leave our friends there at the mercy of an inveterate enemy, whose power became irresistible * [For 28th read 29th.] 24 186 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY by this necessary retreat. Moreover this fatal catastrophe lost his Lordship the whole militia of Ninety-six, amounting to four thousand men, and even threw South Carolina into a state of confusion and rebellion." After what we have already re marked, with respect to the pitiful sophistry of calling that a consequence, which was in fact nothing more than mere accident, men of sense will doubtless think it a work of supererogation, to comment upon any thing stated to be a consequence of any thing so unconsequential . . But since, besides false reason ing, Sir Henry has here committed gross misre presentation, no man of feeling, surely, would wish any part of such a statement to pass undetected. The truth is, that not one of these assertions of Sir Henry are founded in fact. We left our friends (if they can be called friends, whose contemptible pusil lanimity was continually betraying a brave and com passionate army, into difficulties and disasters) exactly in the same state we found them. Before we moved / into their province, we had no more than their wishes. Neither was our condition an atom meliorated after. If they had risen as they promised to do, they never could have had a more favourable opportunity, than after the complete victory at Camden, when all the force of the enemy in that quarter of the continent was broken to pieces, and in a manner annihilated. But their miserable fears would not suffer them to rise. If they had risen, poor Ferguson's little handful would not have been massacred. But Lord Corn- wallis's letter, dated iQth September, 1780, to Lord George Germain, on this very subject, will render it unnecessary to observe more. " I had the honour to inform your Lordship, in my letter of the 2ist of August, that I had dispatched proper people into North Carolina, to exhort our friends in that province to take arms, to seize the military stores and maga zines of the enemy, and to intercept all stragglers of the routed army. PARTING WOED ON CONTROVERSY 187 Some parties of our friends, who had embodied themselves near the Pedee, disarmed several of the stragglers. But the LEADING persons of the Loyalists, were so undecided in their councils, that they lost the critical time of availing themselves of our success, and even suffered General Gates to pass to Hills- borough with a guard of six men only. They continue, however, to give me the strongest assurances of support, when his Majesty's troops shall have pene trated into the interior parts of the province."* So much for the declaration of our friends. Now for the loss of Ninety-six. This assertion is amazingly venturous, indeed especially as Sir Henry has been so careless as to give, in the Appendix to his Observations,f a letter of Lord E-awdon's to him,J dated 24th Oct. 1780, in which are words as con tradictory to it as light is opposite to darkness. In this letter, after mentioning the circumstances of Major Ferguson's defeat, his Lordship proceeds thus : " By the enemies having secured all the passes on the Cattawba, Lord Cornwallis (who was waiting at Charlotteburgh for a convoy of stores) received but confused accounts of the affair for some time : but at length the truth reached him ; and the delay, equally with the precautions the enemy had taken to keep their victory from his knowledge, gave Lord Cornwallis great reason to fear for the safety of Ninety-Six. To secure that district was indispensible for the security of the rest of the province ; and Lord Cornwallis saw no means of effecting it, but by passing the Cattawba river with his army, for it was so weakened by sickness, that it could not bear detachment. After much fatigue on the march, occasioned by violent rains, we passed the river three days ago. * OBSERVATIONS, p. [30] 264. See also Lord Rawdon's account, ibid. p. [37] 277. tP. [34] 27 1- J \see letter to Leslie of this datej] 188 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY We then received the first intelligence, respecting the different posts in this province, which had reached us for near three weeks ; every express from Camden having been way-laid, and some of them murdered by the inhabitants. NiNETY-Six is SAFE the corps which defeated Ferguson, having, in consequence of our movements crossed the Cattawba, and joined Smallwood on the Yadkin."* With respect to the enemies force being irresist ible, and South Carolina's being thrown into a state of rebellion these assertions are just as weakly and unfairly grounded as the rest. In fact, the disturbance in South Carolina had no manner of relation to the disaster of Ferguson. They arose a considerable time before on account of a rumour, " industriously propagated in the province of a large army coming from the northward,"'}* and were con tinued by means of the outrages and violences of a rebel Colonel, one Marion, who, as Lord Cornwallis describes it,J " had so wrought on the minds of the people, partly by the terror of his threats and cruelty of his punishments, and partly by the promise of his plunder; that there was scarcely an inhabitant between the Santee and Pedee that was not in arms against us. Some parties had even crossed the Santee, and carried terror to the gates of Charles- Town." Such was the real cause of the confusion in South Carolina, and as to the irresistibility of the force of the enemy, the honest foundation of that part of Sir Henry's story, appears equally plain with the fairness of the rest of his observations, from the few subsequent lines, which are a continuation of the same letter. " My first object was to reinstate matters in that quarter, without which Camden could receive no supplies. I therefore sent Tarleton, who * This account is confirmed by Lord Cornwallis in p. [46] 302 of the OBSERVATIONS. f See OBSERVATIONS, p. [15] 236. Ibid, p. [47] 304. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 189 pursued Marion for several days, obliged his corps to take to the S \vamps, and by convincing the inhabi tants, that there was a power superior to Marion's, who could likewise reward and punish, so far checked the insurrection, that the greatest part of them have not dared to appear in arms against us since his expedition." As the insidious misrepresentation of Major Fer guson's defeat, has not in reality any sort of con nection with the question respecting that part of Lord Cornwallis's conduct, which has been arraigned by Sir Henry as the cause of the catastrophe of the campaign of 1781 Sir Henry himself having owned, that he did approve of the march into North Carolina, which was the beginning of that campaign,* "until the unfortunate day of Cowpen's," which was the 1 7th of January in that year. It may very naturally be asked, how a matter so extraneous has been so minutely refuted? But is not the answer obvious? By fully exposing the arts and fallacies of a sophister in the beginning of his discourse, you render the remainder of your task the lighter, since by putting the byestanders on their guard, future impostures are in a great measure anticipated and detected. But to return to the subject now properly before us, Lord Cornwallis's first inference from facts, is, as we have already mentioned " that our failure in North Carolina was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends, but by their timidity and unwillingness to take an active and useful part." Here is a candid acknowledgement that his Lordship was supplied by the Commander in Chief with sufficient force for his expedition into North Carolina, had the promises of rising, so fre quently made by our friends in that province, been in a sort fulfilled. But what a miserable contrast do the Observations on this head form, thrown to- * Observations, p. [42] 310. Sir Henry speaks thus in a letter to Lord Cornwallis, dated Dec. I3th, 1780 It remains to be proved. igo CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY gether, as they are in that chaotic fashion, which the Commander in Chief peculiarly delights in.* The evident purpose of his first attack the express design of his Narrative, was to place the conduct of Lord Cornwallis is a censureable light ; and in this attempt, from the rank and profession of the assai lant, instead of inuendo or pitiful insinuation, the least we could have expected, was open manly and soldierly charge. But much as expectation was disappointed in his Narrative, it is in his Observations infinitely more. If Lord Cornwallis had not made a proper use of that force, which his Lordship candidly acknowledges to have been entrusted to him, what hinders Sir Henry from standing forward, and honestly accusing him for the mis-use of it? Why does he not speak out ? Is it owing to a tenderness for the reputation of his Lordship ? Let the complexion of his Narrative and his Observations answer. Why does Sir Henry declare, " How nearly the force I left with Lord Cornwallis in the Southern district, and which I afterwards sent to him, might have been adequate or not to the success expected from it, I shall not now examine ? "f --- And why? --- Oh ! perhaps a fit of compassion had seized his gentle nature he had been too severe on the character of the inexperienced, the inactive, unenterprising, and in glorious Cornwallis ; and he, therefore, by a sort of pious fraud, would snatch him from absolute per dition, by handing him over, in this respect, to the judgment of the public, who being less conversant than himself in the military operations in America, in point of skill as well as fact, would, of course, seeing the lenity and modesty with which the Commander in Chief declined the examination, conduct themselves with similar benignity, and conscious of their in ability to judge, refrain from the pleasure of passing sentence. What a despicable farce ! Every man of * Observations, p. [7 8] 103 104. t Observations, p. [8] 104. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 191 spirit burns with indignation at the view of it. This is to pilfer away that good name, of which direct and undisguised attack has been found unequal to despoil his Lordship. But a candid and discerning public will see through the wretched artifice. And when a man, who has shewn so sincere a will to depreciate the claims Lord Cornwallis has on the applause of his country, declines to examine a part of his Lordship's conduct, which yet he darkly hints to be culpable they will spurn with due contempt so pitiful an insin uation, and justly conclude, that if examination would have answered the purpose of his wishes, examination would have not been declined. To what purpose does Sir Henry make such a pompous parade of all the vast force which from time to time he sent to Lord Cornwallis u throughout the whole extent of his command"* Does he imagine that the public will be deceived by the formidable appearance of this paper army, and lose sight of the actual force which his Lordship had at different periods under his command a force which, all the world knows, was continually diminished by death in every shape in which it could have assailed a brave and enterprising soldiery. This puerile parade seems not unlike a piece of puppet shew humour we have remembered to have laughed at in our juvenile days when madam Joan, in her usual strain, is repre sented scolding her husband Mr. Punch for his debaucheries, and neglect of his poor little ones who, she tells him, are absolutely starving " Starving, woman, replies the wag what the devil is become of the quartern loaf I bought for them a month ago ! " In the same facetious manner does Sir Henry boast of the force he sent Lord Cornwallis, affecting to for get that sickness and repeated actions as necessarily consumed that, as the appetites of his family did the loaf of Mr. Punch. But instead of his drollery, it would be more consistent with the grave character of * OBSERVATIONS p. [8] 104. IQ2 CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTROVERSY the Commander in Chief to have shewn either that the force which Lord Cornwallis states to have been (not on paper but) actually in the field with him, was more than what his Lordship states or (if the state ment be right) that such actual force ought to have performed more than it did : for every other observa tion is either trifling or foreign from the question. Lord Cornwallis tells us that his force "present and Jit for duty" on his move into Carolina on the I5th of January in the beginning of the campaign of 1781, was no more than 3224 troops a force that mouldered away so rapidly that in the April follow ing it was reduced to a mere handful only 1723 men. And, by the way, from this rapid diminution, no very inaccurate conjecture may be formed of the reduction of his Lordship's force in past times. Be that how ever as it may, the only points of enquiry here are what we have above laid down. Now as Lord Cornwallis candidly declares that he had sufficient force to give the experiment of supporting our friends in North Carolina a fair and solid trial, and as Sir Henry has not shewn that his Lordship did not make the best use he could of that force which he owns to have had under him of course his Lordship's position must be taken for granted, " that our failure in North Carolina was not occasioned by our want of force to protect the rising of our friends, but to their timidity and unwillingness to take an active and use ful part " Indeed Sir Henry endeavours to excuse this timidity and unwillingness of our friends, but it is only to make bad worse, like the drunken tinker who, for every hole he mended, made ten. He tells us that* " he cannot judge of the assurances of co operation which Lord Cornwallis may have received from our friends in North Carolina, but from his Lordship's report, and his Lordship best knows, whether he received any after the effects of * OBSERVATIONS, p. [9] 105. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 193 Major Fergusons misfortunes were known." How weak and how insidious is this insinuation ! Sir Henry here would have the world to suppose, that Lord Cornwallis had misinformed him respecting the disposition of our friends in North Carolina. Cui bono? For what purpose should his Lordship have misinformed him ? Could a false report have bettered Lord Cornwallis's condition in any one respect under heaven ? On the contrary, would it not have been in every point of view injurious and destructive to him ? If his Lordship had not received the strongest * assurances of support from the Loyalists to reduce him to a second attempt to favour their rising, by penetrating into the province, would it not have been the height of madness to have made it ? Can any unprejudiced cool-headed man imagine his Lordship would in such a circumstance have acted so diame trically opposite, not only to all his great military knowledge, but even to common sense ? " But, says Sir Henry, his Lordship cannot forget, that our friends who had risen by his order, were left to ruin by his retreat, and numbers of them actually massacred." This dismal picture has been already shewn to be nothing more than the offspring of an Hypochondriac fancy ; and, indeed, it is for the honour of Sir Henry that it should be so deemed, since, if he really viewed the defeat of Major Ferguson and its consequences in the same gloomy colours then, that he appears to do now, he would have been in the highest degree culpable in giving his assent, (as he owns he did) to the second move into North Carolina. " I am therefore at a loss, continued Sir Henry, to guess what may have been his Lordship's reasons for being surprised, that * OBSERVATIONS, p. 30 Extract of a Letter from Earl Corn wallis to Lord George Germaine, dated Sept. I9th, 1780. "They continue, however, to give me the strongest assurances of support, when his Majesty's troops shall have penetrated into the interior parts of the province. see Letter p 264. I9 4 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY they failed to join him, after the victory at Guild- ford." Poor Sir Henry has, through the whole of this controversy, evinced such a fondness for conjec ture, that it would be cruelty to see him so lost, for a guess, as he seems to be, and not afford him some relief. Though in truth, his loss on the present occasion deserves rather our laugh than our compas sion. The shatter-brained fellow, who for a whole winter's day, amidst frost and snow, sought the very horse he was riding on, sustained just as ludicrous a loss of his beast as Sir Henry does of his conjecture. To guess at the reasons of Lord Cornwallis's surprise, what has he more to do, than merely to recollect the reasons which induced him to approve of his Lord ship's march to give our good friends in North Carolina, a fair trial? And then let him ask him self, whether the gaining a complete victory over their enemies, was not such a trial, as might well warrant a surprise at their dastardly conduct on that event, after all their former mighty promises of sup port in case his Lordship came among them ? However, Sir Henry, with his usual good sense, apologizes for this backwardness of our worthy friends, by ascribing it "to the melancholy scene of his Lordship's camp, incumbered (as it was after the battle) with a long train of sick and wounded " a scene, which so shocked their tender nerves, that they rode away from it, " no doubt (as their kind apologist gravely tells us) with aching hearts," com muning with themselves, like Falstaff on the sight of the field of battle after Prince Henry had defeated Hotspur. It was a sad spectacle for men, more remarkable for their wishes than their spirit. Facetious Jack liked not " grinning honour ; " neither, it seems, did our promising friends of Caro lina. But is not this way of excusing the conduct of the Seceders, something like the funny mode of helping the lame dog over a stile, by giving the poor brute a kick on the posteriors, or a lugging of the PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 195 ears, which, though meant possibly to quicken his exertions, only exposes his infirmity? To dwell longer on this topic, would be the idle task of holding a taper to the sun. Lord Cornwallis s declaration, " that the timidity and unwillingness of the North Carolinas in fulfilling their promises, was the sole cause of the failure of his Majesty's arms in that province," far from being weakened by Sir Henry Clinton's observations, will doubtless be con sidered by the intelligent reader, as confirmed irre futably ; we shall therefore proceed to the review of the next article. " But as this attempt (such as it was*) had failed, continues Sir Henry, surely Lord Cornwallis's next object should have been to secure South Carolina." What ! whether he could or not ! Must not every man of common sense see, that when his Lordship told General Leslie, (according to the words quoted by Sir Henry) " that if our friends in North Carolina were as as our friends to the southward, we must leave them to their fate, and secure what we have got," his Lordship could only mean to speak con ditionally; that is to say, as futurity should unfold itself ? It is thus he explains himself, in his letter to the Commander in Chief, dated 3d December, 1 780. " Whenever our operations commence, your Excel lency may depend on hearing from me as frequently as possible and it is from events alone that any future plan can be proposed" But " Why did his Lordship march to Wilmington from Cross-Creek, says Sir Henry, "as he was so much nearer to Camden and South Carolina ?"f His Lordship has shewn, that absolute necessity caused this move ; and has detailed the matter in so clear and satisfactory a manner, in pages 6 and 7 of his ANSWEE, that- one * It would have been candid in Sir Henry if he had here opened his vast stores of military lore, and for the good of posterity, told us the faults of the attempt, and how it might have been made better. t Observations, p, [n] 106. 196 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY would imagine the querist had never read it. But there are many people who talk, solely for talk sake. And this seems the foible of Sir Henry on more occasions than the present. In the instance now before us, he resembles strongly the Irishman, who, when he lost a race, by the slipping of his horse's shoulder, used as often as he dressed the diseased part, to put a number of judicious interrogatories to the poor beast, and among the rest this pointed one. " Arrah, Coppul cree, when you fiiided that your collar-bone vas breaked, phy vasn't you after jump ing over Paddy Mooney's Pallysaids, and galloping through dhe mill-race viddhout boddering yourself about dhe big mastiff on todher side - - - you knows grah ! dhat vas dhe short cut to dhe winning posht ? Well, but, continues Sir Henry, " even when at Wilmington, why did not his Lordship retire to Charles Town, by the route to Lockwood's Folly, and the Waggamaws ? which, it is the opinion of many others, as well as mine, was practicable ? " A hungry quere betrays an empty skull. It is a great pity that, Sir Henry has not drawn up his argumentative forces with greater skill. One fact has more force than a dozen questions, or a score presumptions, The Com mander in Chief has forgotten, that he has over and over again told the public, and told Lord Cornwallis, that as he was at so great a distance from the scene of action, he left his Lordship " as free as air, both to plan and to do according to his best discretion. Arid now all on a sudden he loses all idea of his distance calls his Lordship's discretion in question - - - and affects to put his own opinion in competition with that of a General on the spot. But the public will find but little difficulty in perceiving, that this same favourite route of Sir Henry's, by Lock- wood's Folly, would have been a foolish route indeed ; - - - for if it had been otherwise - - if it had been at all practicable - - - if it had not pre sented insurmountable obstacles to his Lordship, PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 197 it is not in candour to suppose that, with all the circumstances of choice placed in a manner under his eye, by means of his situation, he did not make the wisest one possible. Nor is this all the mischief Sir Henry has done himself by hazarding this observation - - he has at the same time unwittingly gotten himself into a very awkward dilemma either of being ignorant of the nature of the route he speaks, and consequently of being deemed the invidious retailer of old gossiping intelligence, or, on the other hand, of being well acquainted with the route, and of course a bad Commander in Chief, inasmuch as he continued Lord Cornwallis in power, notwith standing his culpable neglect of that route, by which (Sir Henry now insinuates*) a whole province and an army were lost. But there is a story of old Partridge the astrologer, which hints at a way by which Sir Henry may be extricated out of his present misfortune. The poor almanack-maker was one night gazing at the stars, and his legs having thus lost their guide, brought him headlong into a ditch. The fall stunned him, but recovering himself, " It is happy for me," quoth he, as he scrambled out again, " that all the falsehoods with which I have aspersed their highnesses, has had no effect upon their splendour, else for want of light, I might now perish in a disaster, which I cannot say but I have merited." Sir Henry too has had his fall: let us see whether Lord Cornwallis will not afford him such relief, as the stars afforded Partridge. His Lordship tells us, that " The disappointment he met with in his second move into North Carolina, and the wants and distresses of the army, compelled him to move to Cross-Creek ; but meeting there with no material part of the promised assistance and supplies, he was obliged to continue his march to Wilming ton, where hospitals and horses were ready for him. His Lordship then goes on to describe his other views * Observations, p. [12] 107. ig8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY and intentions in going to Wilmington ; and proceeds to state his reasons for quitting that place. " I could not remain at Wilmington, lest General Greene should succeed against Lord Rawdon, and by return ing to North Carolina, have it in his power to cut off every means of saving my small corps, except that disgraceful one of an embarkation, with the loss of the cavalry and every horse in the army. From the short ness of Lord Rawdon's stock of provisions, and the great distance from Wilmington to Camden, it appeared im possible that any direct move of mine could afford him the least prospect of relief. In the attempt > in case of a misfortune to him, the safety of my own corps might have been endangered, or, IF HE EXTRICATED HIMSELF, the force of South Carolina, when assembled, was, in my opinion, sufficient to secure what was valu able to us, and capable of defence in that province. I was likewise influenced by having just received an ac count from Charles Town, of the arrival of a frigate with dispatches from the Commander in Chief, the substance of which then transmitted to me, was that General Phillips had been detached to the Chesapeak, and put under my orders, which induced me to hope, that solid operations might be adopted in that quarter; and I was most firmly persuaded, that, until Virginia was reduced, we could not hold the more southern provinces, and that after its reduction, they would fall without much resistance, and be retained without much difficulty."* Such were the motives which caused Lord Corn- wallis to reject, not only Lock wood's Folly, but all other routes into South Carolina. And his Lord ship's statement, supported as it is, by "lettersf * ANSWER, p. [6, 7, 8] 69-70. t See Letter, p. 92, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, subjoined to the Observations', and p. [50 i, 2. 5, 6, 7] 420, 426, 427, Appendix to the ANSWER, and particularly a letter written by Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry, July 24th, 1781, wherein the madness and folly of a move from Wilmington into South Carolina, as stated by Sir Henry, is exposed in the plainest and strongest manner. This Letter occupies pages [74, 5, 6,] ii. 88 of the Appendix to his Lordship's Answer. PARTING WOED ON CONTROVERSY 199 written at the moment as events happened, which, as Sir Henry says in his Narrative, are certainly the most faithful records of actions and intentions," throw so clear a light upon the subject, that Sir Henry, unless he wishes to remain in the error he has fallen into, will earnestly make use of it. A handsome Palinode may retrieve his credit. At present every one must imagine that he has committed one of those blunders called bulls, for which a neighbouring country is so famous. Nothing else can now be sup posed, but that he first writ his observations, and then (if at all) perused the Answer, on which they were meant to operate as a criticism ! After the failure of two attempts in favour of the Loyalists in North Carolina, which on the one hand disclosed such a fund of disaffection, not only in that province, but in South Carolina, and on the other hand evinced too clearly for even credulity any longer to doubt it, that the timidity of our friends was unconquerable, is it not astonishing beyond measure to find Sir Henry declaring, " I will frankly own, that I ever disapproved of an attempt to conquer Vir ginia, before the Carolinas were absolutely restored ? " And this he says, though he well knew that every means which could be supposed equal to the quash ing of rebellion, and inspiring loyalty with courage, had been tried by Lord Cornwallis. At the battle of Camden, his Lordship's complete victory had humbled all the hopes of the disaffected to the dust, and presented a golden opportunity to the Loyalists ; yet, our trembling friends, like the wretched people to whom the Romans proclaimed liberty, had not the spirit to seize the offered blessing. Still however, they besought another effort in their favour another effort was made, and at Guildford, Victory once more unbarred the gates to Freedom ; yet again our miser able friends, with more than female fears, declined to enter, and fled not from an enemy, for their enemies were trodden under foot No, but from 200 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY their victorious champions. Their pusillanimous natures stood aghast at the streaming wounds of their benefactors. And what ought to have inflamed their just resentment against their oppressors, and drawn forth their spirit to glorious enterprise, served but to damp every generous ardour of the soul. They shrunk into their lurking holes, and thus in famously proclaimed to all the world, that they dared not to be free. After such trials had been made of the stamina of the Loyalists, does not the obstinate adherence of Sir Henry to his former opinions, respecting the plan of restoring the Carolinas, savour exceedingly of that blind enthusiasm, which caused one of the primitive fathers, instead of combating the errors of infidelity with the weapons of good sense, to vindicate his faith in terms of the greatest absurdity. " Credo, said the holy zealot, quia incredible est." Seeing then that Sir Henry has thought fit to oppose the well-founded experience and solid reason ing of Lord Cornwallis, on the article now under examination, 'with nothing more than speculation, assertion, hypothesis, conjecture, insinuation; in short, with nothing more than mere chimera, there are few, (if any) of our readers, we may rationally presume, who are not impressed with a conviction of the truth of his Lordship's well-supported asser tion, " that the march into Virginia was undertaken for urgent reasons, which could not admit of his waiting for the approbation of the Commander in Chief." If, however, it is possible that a doubt can rest on the mind of any one, we refer him for perfect satisfaction to his Lordship's answer. His Lordship's next position is also fully proved from the correspondence annexed both to his and Sir Henry's observations. * The impossibility of doing any thing serviceable in the Carolinas, after the fair trial which had been made by Lord Cornwallis, of the * See his Lordship's Answer Appendix, p. [12] 395. PARTING WOED ON CONTROVERSY 201 spirit and friendship of the Loyalists on his complete victory at Guildford, induced him to take the only step that common sense would have dictated on the occa sion. General Greene had left the back part of Virginia open; his Lordship therefore seized the opportunity of attempting to form a junction with General Phillips, in order the more powerfully to effect the purposes for which Sir Henry had directed General Phillips, to establish posts in Virginia* And here let it be remembered that his Lordship was totally in the dark as to Sir Henry's plan of operations for the summer. This uncertainty Lord Cornwallis speaks of in his letter to Sir Henry of the loth of April, 1 78 1, who, instead of removing it in his answer on the 3Oth of the same month,f leaves his Lordship exactly in the same state ; and of course under the guidance of his own discretion. That discretion urged him to move into Virginia, as his Lordship very truly states, not to establish but only to reinforce the station in that province. We are now come to what appears, from the whole complexion of the controversy, to be the point most contended, namely, whether his Lordship occupied the posts of York and Gloucester, and was induced to remain in them, by the prospect of relief, uniformly held out to him by the Commander in Chief. And here we cannot forbear observing, that if the open generous nature of Sir Henry was not well known, one of the greatest distresses Lord Cornwallis had to endure, through the whole course of his secondary command, arose from that artful, Jesuitical garb, worn by most of his directions to his Lordship. Con ditional measures for his Lordships conduct were constantly pointed out If they were adopted with success, of course the merit fell to the lot of the * See his Lordship's Answer Appendix, p. [62] 347. t Ibid. p. [i 6, 1 7] 441 . His Lordship must have otherwise remained till he should have heard from Sir Henry, either shamefully inactive, or absurdly and ruinously employed. 26 202 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY director But at the same time to guard against the plan of a miscarriage, his Lordship was generally left to his own discretion, for this and similar plausible reasons, " as they will have the advantage of being formed on the spot, and upon circumstances which at this distance I cannot of course judge of."* Now, though no one, at all acquainted with the disposition of the Commander in Chief, can suspect artifice at the bottom of all this, yet every one must perceive that Lord Cornwallis, acting under directions of this nature, must have experienced sensations far very far, from pleasing. The correspondence before the public is full of these Janus looking directions, iiowever, sometimes Sir Henry (perhaps through that caprice, and inconsistency that forms a part of the character of eccentric genius,) dealt less in the equivoque, as may be seen in that part of the cor respondence respecting the taking post at York and Gloucester. In his letter to Lord Cornwallis, dated July nth, 1781, are these words: "My Lord, I am just returned from a conference with Rear Ad miral Graves, in consequence of your Lordship's letter of the 3Oth ultimo,f [in which letter his Lordship in this very strong language objects to the posts of York and Gloucester. " Upon viewing York, I was clearly of opinion that it far exceeds our power, consistent with your plans, to make safe defen sive posts there and at Gloucester, both of which would be necessary for the protection of shipping " and a little lower his Lordship says, " But as maga zines, &c. may be destroyed by occasional expeditions from New-York, and there is little chance of being able to establish a port capable of giving protection to ships of war, I submit it to your Excellency's consideration, whether it is worth while to hold a sickly defensive post in this bay, which will * Answer Appendix, p. [70] 493. t See the Letter, p. [123] ii. 31 of the Appendix to his Lordship's Answer. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 203 always be exposed to a sudden French attack, and which experience has now shewn, makes no diver sion in favour of the southern army."] u And we are loth clearly of opinion, (continued Sir Henry, notwithstanding this remonstrance) it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY we should hold a station in Chesapeak for ships of the line as well as frigates."* Now as his Lordship's objections, as above fairly stated, were positively over ruled, and as Hampton-Road was, upon a survey of the engineers, found unfit for the desired purpose does it require any argument to prove, that the spirit of this order from Sir Henry did not compel Lord Cornwallis to seize on York and Gloucester, since, according to his letter, both he and the Admiral " were clearly of opinion, that it was abso lutely necessary to hold a station in the Chesapeak for ships of the line, &c. and these places only could have answered that indispensible requisition ? To recur to any anterior documents to explain so express an order as this, is a work as supererogatory, as if a man were to beat his brains for arguments to prove that two and two make four. Lord Cornwallis communicated his thoughts on the impropriety of taking these posts to the Commander in Chief. His Lordship's ideas, it seems, had no weight either with that officer, or the superior of the naval department, and language cannot be more strong and plain than the directions given in consequence of those ideas being rejected. It may not be improper in this place to observe, that although in most of Sir Henry's correspondence, and particularly in his so much talked of letter of the 3Oth of April to General Phillips, any way relating to the Admiral, he either directly or indirectly speaks of him, as one by no means of a disposition to co-operate with him ; yet here, contrary to the opinion of an officer of experi ence on the spot, and of course best qualified to form * See this Letter, p. [167] ii. 62 of the Appendix to his Lordship's Answer. 204 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a judgment on the matter in question, he cordially embraces the sentiments of the man whose unaccom modating temper he was for ever inveighing against. Is this caprice or is it consistency ? Let the reader peruse the letter, compare it with this conduct, and then candidly decide. "That his Lordship remained in the posts of York and Gloucester, by the prospect of relief uniformly held out to him," is a position that Sir Henry has endeavoured in his observations to controvert, by an argument, the fallacy of which is so very evident, that it is astonishing, how careless soever that gentle man has uniformly shewn himself to be in the choice of his reasons, he should have adopted it It is sub stantially this If Lord Cornwallis used his own dis cretion in moving into Virginia, it is fair to say that he might have used a like discretion in quitting these posts. On the contrary, it is fair to say, that as he was perfectly in the dark as to 1 Sir Henry's plans, and neither time or circumstance suffered him to delay till he could have consulted with the Com mander in Chief, previous to his march into Virginia, he was under the necessity of taking that step with only the guidance of his own judgement. But in regard to his remaining in the posts of York and Gloucester, he was not thus circumscribed and ought not therefore to have exercised his own discre tion, but to have waited as he did for his superior's orders? And so it is very evident Sir Henry himself thought - - - else why would he have undertaken the task of writing to his Lordship, and giving him assur ances of succour. But to argue on a point so clear, must be an insult to the meanest intellects. And as his Lordship very properly evinced no disposition to use his own discretion on this occasion, it is fair to infer, that " during the considerable interval between his arrival at Petersburgh, and that of the appear ance of the French fleet in the Chesapeak, his corps 1 perfectly to as to underlined. PARTING WORD ON CONTROVERSY 205 was completely at the disposal 1 of Sir Henry Clinton, either to be withdrawn 2 , or employed 3 in the Upper Chesapeak, 4 or sent back 5 to the Carolinas." And the conclusion his Lordship draws from all these premises, stands of course unshaken as a rock namely " that his conduct and opinions were not the causes of the catastrophe which terminated the unfortunate campaign of 1781." It was not in contemplation by this review to notice every occurrence in Sir Henry's observations, or in general to pay serious regard to any part of them. Serious regard would have been thrown away upon them. Duplices sunt opiniones qucedam habient aliquid stabilitatis, nee sunt examinandce ; qucedam adeo sunt absurdce et ridiculce, ut sua sponte evanescant ; tales itaque, non opus habient refutatione, sed potius casti- gatione et reprehensione. High in the estimation of the military world, and, indeed, of all descriptions of men, as Lord Cornwallis stands, and tenacious as his Lordship is well known to be of that honour, the truth of one of these two suppositions must strike every man of sense with regard to the silence of that nobleman, on the publication of the Observations on his Lordship's Answer either that they are unworthy his attention, or that they are incontrovertible. Now, every one who has read his Lordship's Answer, must be perfectly satisfied, that he could have been actuated on this occasion only by the former of these causes. And such as read this Review, and have not read the Answer, may, on seeing how easily over turned the very strongest of Sir Henry's remarks are, be induced to advert to his Lordship's own account of his conduct, for entire conviction of its rectitude, and of course of the idleness (to say no worse) of any attempt to injure it. In truth, his Lordship's Answer to Sir Henry's Narrative, would have for ever closed 1 disposal underlined. 4 Upper Chesapeak underlined* 2 withdrawn underlined. 5 sent back underlined. 3 employed underlined. 206 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the lips of any man, in whom the itch of scolding was not as rooted as it was in the taylor's vixen wife, that even in death would have the last word, and when her husband was drowning her, and she could no longer make use of her tongue, continued to pour out the bitterness of her soul, by making signs with her fingers. Sir Henry would have done his reputation more service, if, instead of endeavouring to question the estab lished merits of a brother officer, he had stated to the public the nature of his own yet to be revealed seven year's services he mentions in the beginning of his Narrative. He should have spurned the miserable craft of little minds, who, conscious of their inability to soar to eminence, strive to pull down to their own level, that character, which they have not the capacity or the hardihood to emulate. The conduct of Sir Henry on this occasion is the more astonishing, as from the classic elegance of his style, we must consider him possessed of all those just and noble sentiments, which the antients have handed down to us. He has evinced such a turn for observation, we are filled with wonder, that the cautionary doctrine of his old friend Demosthenes should have escaped his notice, as it certainly has, else he would never have fished in troubled waters in the manner he has done. To prevent a similar misfortune to him in future, we shall remind him of the passage - - - and thus bid him heartily farewel. OvK CCTTt TTl/C/OWS ^Ta Paroles by the Proclamation of the third instant. "The submission of Gen 1 Williamson at Ninety-Six, whose Capitulation I inclose with Cap* Paris's Letter, & the dispersion of a Party of Rebels, who had assembled at an Iron work on the North West border of the Province, by a detachment of Dragoons & Militia from L fc Col. Turnbull, put an end to all resist ance in South Carolina. dl After having made the following disposition of the troops, I arrived in Town on the 25 th . Major M c Arthur with the 7i st Reg* a Troop of Dragoons & a six pounder on the Cheraw "Hill, with orders to cover the raising of Maj r Harrison's Corps, & to establish the Militia in the districts f on the Pedee ; The remainder of L fc Col. f of SYE reild Webster's Brigade, & the Provincials that march'd with me & Brown's Corps remain at Camden, and L* Col. Turnbull's with some Cavalry at Rocky Mount ; The whole under the command of Lord Rawdon. L* Col. Balfour's detachment is dispersed from the forks of Santee, by the Congarees to Ninety-Six ; whilst He, & L* Col. Innes, & Maj r Graham are giving orders for the Militia of those districts. I have ordered, Major Ferguson to visit every district in the Province, as fast as they get the Militia establish'd, to procure lists of each, & to see that my orders are carried into execution/ I apprehend that his Commission of Major Commandant of a Regiment of Militia can only take place in case a part of the 2 d Class should be calTd out for service, the home duty being more that of a Justice of Peace than of a Soldier. h l have given to the Militia Reg t8 temporary Commissions, which per haps your Excellency will find more convenient to la a Prooff that the whole Province had submitted. 224 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY confirm by a line in your next dispatch, than to take the trouble of signing, as the number for the whole Province will amount to some hundreds. I have had some conversations with B. Gen 1 Paterson & Mr. Simpson, & have made a little Progress in the arrangement of this Place. In regard to North Carolina a l have establish'd n Clinton. E/ Sep r 25, 1780. By Brig r Gen 1 Dalrymple. this Letter, together with 3 others, annexed, 2 of which are copies, & one an Extract, arrived at New York by Express, after Sir Henry Clinton's Dispatches were closed ; also endorsed Extracts of a letter from L* Gen 1 Earl Cornwallis to General Sir Henry Clinton dated Charles Town 3O th June 1780 (19). Begins Extracts of a Letter from Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis dated Charles Town S Carolina 30 th June 1780. This is five parts of No. n as shown in margins pp 221-225. I IV: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 30 June 1780, Extract SACKVILLE 6/31. Endorsed Extracts of a Letter from Lieut General Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton dated Charles Town South Carolina, 3O th June 1780. Begins Copy. Extracts of a Letter from Lieut. General Earl Cornwallis dated Charles Town South Carolina 3 Clinton dated Charles Town 1 4 th July 1780. E/ By Gen 1 Dalrymple from Sir H/ Clinton 25 Sept r 1780 N 20. Begins Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir H> Clinton KB, dated Charlestown 14 th July 1780. This is two parts of No. 13 as shown in margins pp 231-234. 14 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 6 August 1780, LS BI 19/29. OBSERVATIONS [14 Ap\v]p 126, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed Duplicate (76) E. Earl Cornwallis to Sir H. Clinton K.B August 6 th 1780. Duplicate Charles town Aug st 6 th 1780 a Sir. b l received by Major England your letters of the 14 th & i5 th of July, and am very glad to find by the latter that you do not place much dependance on receiving Troops from hence. My letter of the 14 th , by the Halifax, will have convinced you of the impossibility of weakening the force in this Province; and every thing which has happened, since that time, tends more strongly to confirm it. d The general State of things in the two Provinces of N & b Carolina is not very materially altered, since my Letters of the 14 th & 15 th of last Month were written: Frequent skirmishes, with various Success have happened in the Country between the Catawba River & Broad River, The Militia 6 about Tiger & Ennoree rivers was iormed by us under f a Colonel Floyd, Col. Neale the Rebel Colonel, had Fled, but L* Col. Lisle who had been Paroled to the Islands, exchanged on his 236 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY arrival in Charlestown his Parole for a Certificate of his being a good Subject, 1 returned to the Country and carried off the whole Battalion to join General Sumpter at Catawba. We have not however on the whole lost ground in that part of the Country, Turnbull was Attacked at Rocky Mount by Sumpter with about 1200 men, Militia & Refugees from this Province, whom he repulsed with great loss, we had on our P af t an Officer killed & one wounded a & about ^ en or twelve men killed & wounded, Col. Turnbull's conduct was very meritorious. The affair of Cap* Huck turned out of less consequence than it ap peared at first, the Captain and three men of the Legion were killed, and Seven men of the New York y o i unt eers taken." ^ Q tne Eastern part of the Province, 6 we have been more unfortunate ; d Major McArthur seeing the great importance of the Post at e Cheraw Hill, and finding himself perfectly secure from any Attack of the Enemy desired to continue there longer than it was intended he should, when I had the honour of writing to you on the 15 th , at last however the 7i st Regiment grew so exceedingly Sickly that He found it absolutely necessary to move and Marched on the 24 th , to the East Branch of Tenches Creek ; Gates, lld real who g has taken the command of de Kalb's Corps, was still on Deep River, and Rutherford no farther advanced than Rocky River, Pedee ; Knowing of no Enemy within many Miles he ventured to send about one hundred Sick in Boats down the Pedee to George town. h By this time the reports industriously propa gated in this Province of a large Army coming from the Northward had very much intimidated our friends, encouraged our enemies, and determined the waver ing against us, to which our not advancing and acting offensively likewise contributed; 1 Col. Mills who commanded the Militia of the Cheraw District, tho' a very good Man, had not complied with my instruc- lc subject underlined. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 237 tions in forming his Corps; but had placed more faith in Oaths and professions, and attended less to the former conduct of those a v\hom he admitted. The instant b that this Militia found that McArthur had left his Post, & were assured that Gates would come thai ""* there the next day, they seized their own Officers, and c a hundred Sick, & carried them all prisoners J t f e SVread into North Carolina ; Col. Mills with difficulty made his escape to George town/ where I was much alarmed for Wemys whose party was much weakened by sick ness ; The whole Country between Pedee Santee has ever since been in an absolute State of Rebellion ; 2 every friend of Government has been carried off, and his Plantation destroyed; & detachments of the enemy have appeared on the Santee, and threatened our Stores, & Convoys on that river. I have not heard, that they have as yet made any attempt on them, & I hope by this time f that the steps I have taken will secure them. This unfortunate business if it should have no worse consequences, will shake the confidence of our friends in this Province, & make our situation very uneasy until we can advanced & BSVnmon h The Wheat harvest in North Carolina is now over: ^ Fcontl ' iues but the weather is still excessively hot, and notwith standing our utmost exertions, a great part of the Rum, Salt, Clothing and necessaries for the Soldiers ; and the Arms for the Provincials, & Amunition for the Troops, are not Very far advanced on their way to Camden ; However if no material interruption hap pens this business will be nearly accomplished in a fortnight or three Weeks. k It may be doubted by some whether the Invasion of North Carolina may be a prudent measure, 3 but I am convinced it is a neces- 2a They knew what L. Corn- 3a at that time certainly walk's was at that time ignorant not, at least till a diversion of. They knew Gates was should be made in the Chesapeak moving into the Carolinas & which tho it had been my inten- that a French armament had tion I could not attempt till the arrived at R. Island. Admiral would afford naval assis tance. i B omits very */*./* 238 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY sary one ; and that if we do not Attack that Province, we must give up both South Carolina, and Georgia, a F mt.mB continue* prevent your Excellency's intended Diversion in the Chesapeak. If unfortunately any unforeseen Cause should make it impossible, I should hope that you la could I have believed misfortunes South Carolina mili- after this opinion that he would tia is nearly anihilated & that have sent Ferguson so far from province thrown back in Rebell- him (& put the Catawbaw ion. River between them) unsup- 2a notwithstanding which ported, the Conseque was, Fer- He lets him go guson's Corps is murdered, His 3b after this could S H. C. Lordship obliged to precipitate suppose L. C. would risk Fer- Re treat leaving friends of N. guson without support he did Carolina to the mercy of the however & F. was massacred. Foe. and in conseqce of all these 264 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY will see the absolute Necessity of adding some Force a B ends f. Q fa Q Carolinas. a I have the Honor to be Your most obedient & Most humble Servant (Signed) CORNWALLIS. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. i SB: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [21 Ap'x] p 127. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camden, August 29, 1780. This is two parts of No. 18 as shown in margins pp 263-264. 19 CORNWALLIS TO GERMAIN, 19 Sept. 1780, LS PA 156/369. OBSERVATIONS [30 Ajfx\ p 127, PARTING WORD [26]^ 193. Endorsed Camp at Waxhaw iQ th Sep* 1780. Earl a see ii. 344 Cornwallis N 3 R/ i I th December ( i Inclosure a ) Ent d . N 3. Camp at Waxhaw Sept r 19 th 1780. bespit b^y L^ j j^ t ^ e h onor to inform Your Lordship, in my letter of the 2 I st of August, that I had dispatched proper people into North Carolina, to exhort our friends in that province to take Arms, to seize Military Stores, and Magazines of the Enemy, and to intercept all straglers of the routed Army. t\ begin* "Some parties of our friends, who had embodied themselves near the Pedee, disarmed several of the Enemy's Stragglers ; but the leading persons of the Loyalists, were so undecided in their Councils, that they lost the critical time of availing themselves of our Success, and even suffered General Gates to pass to Hillsborough, with a Guard of six Men only. eFiS? d They continue however, to give me the 'strongest strongest assurances of support, when His Majesty's Troops shall have penetrated into the interior parts of the {Fends Province/ the patience and fortitude with which they endure the most cruel torments, and suffer the most violent oppressions that a Country ever laboured under, convince me that they are sincere, at least as far as their affection to the Cause of Great Britain. g CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 265 The number of prisoners taken in the Actions of the 1 6 th & 1 8 th of last Month, occasioned great incon venience to us in the small Village of Camden, which was so crowded, and so sickly, I was afraid that the close place, in which we was obliged to confine them, might produce some pestilential fever during the ex cessive hot weather. I therefore sent them off to Charletown as early as possible, by divisions of One hundred & fifty each, under the escort of thirty eight men ; about two thirds of which were composed of the 63 d , and Prince of Wales's Regiments, and the rest Militia, in order to cover their March, although I did not apprehend much danger, I posted Major Wemyss with about One hundred men of the 63 d Eegiment on the high hills of Santee, and I sent L fc Col. Tarleton with a detachment of the Legion ; and Lf Col. Hamilton's Corps, and some Militia to Rat- cliffes bridge, on Linches Creek, which I thought would effectually awe all the lower Country. The disaffection however Hn the Country East of Santee, *s read* of is so great, that the Account of our Victory could not penetrate into it ; any person daring to speak of it, being threatened with instant death : And so great was the ignorance in which these people were kept, that on the night of the 23 d of August, a party of about Two hundred of the Inhabitants, in the neighbourhood of Black River, under the command of Col. Marion went to Murrays ferry, where they passed some Men in Canoes, drove away our Militia guard, who fled at the first shot, and de stroyed the ferry boats, to prevent our making our escape from General Gates over the Santee. On the 24 th , they were proceeding to do the same at Nelsons ferry, when they heard of the march of the first division of Prisoners, and that they were to halt that night, at Sumpters house, about six miles East of the ferry. The Ensign of the Militia of the escort, contrived to get over to the enemy, and conducted them to the attack of Sumpters house ; the conse- 34 266 CLINTON-CORN WALLIS CONTROVERSY quence of which was, that our Escort was taken, and the Prisoners released. By this time, some Patroles of L* Col. Tarleton's to Kingstree bridge, on Black River, had spread the alarm in that Country ; and the Enemy, being perfectly convinced by the Prisoners, of General Gates's total defeat, retired with great precipitation to Georgetown. Great part of the Escort escaped from them, and above eighty of the Prisoners; all Continentals, either English, or Irish, de clared their determination to proceed to Charles-town. I am sorry to inform Your Lordship, that the Troops under my Command, as well Officers as Men, have continued very sickly ever since the Action, in hopes that the change of Air might be useful, I moved from Camden on the 7 th of this Month, with the 23 d , 33 d & Volunteers of Ireland, and encamped on Waxhaw Creek. Lieu 1 Col. Tarleton marched the next day, with the Light Troops, up the West side of the Catawba River. The 7i st Regiment, who are beginning a little to recover, are to join me in a few days. Major Wemys is gone with part of the 63 d Regiment, and of L l Col. Hamilton's Corps, to endeavour to form a Militia in the district of Cheraws, on whose fidelity we may place some dependance ; and to punish those Traitors who after voluntarily engaging in our Militia, deserted to the enemy. Detachments are likewise gone, for the same purpose, to Georgetown. 1 must assure Your Lordship, that His Majesty's Service has derived the greatest advantages, from the ability, and great exertion of L* Col. Balfour in the very important post of Commandant of Charles- town, where he has put every thing into such perfect Order, and has formed so respectable a Militia, that with the concurrance of Maj r Moncrief the Chief Engineer, he is enabled to spare another Battalion for the field, notwithstanding the increase of Prisoners ; in consequence of which the Regiment is now on its March to join me. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 267 By the Capitulation of Charlestown, the Town Militia were allowed to remain on parole, and their property in Town was to be secured to them. About twenty or thirty of them who had been the Ring leaders of Rebellion in this Province, held constant meetings, from which they carried on a correspon dence with the enemy, and with all the disaffected parts of the Province; and received, in order to propagate it throughout the Town, and Country adjacent, General Gates's Proclamation, they ad vanced, in the most publick, and insolent manner, the grossest falshoods ; tending to encourage the disaffected, and to terrify the well disposed Inhabi tants ; and seemed to imagine, that their Parole was intended only to protect them, without laying them under any restraint whatever, it was impossible, with safety to the Town, full of Rebel Prisoners, to suffer them to persevere in these dangerous practices ; I therefore ordered them to be seized, and transported, with their Baggage, to S* Augustiue ; where they will remain, on parole, without a possibility of hurting the Interests of Great Britain. I am aware, that this proceeding, may raise a clamour amongst the enemies of my Country ; but I am fully convinced that it was as Just, as it was absolutely necessary. I transmit to Your Lordship a Copy of a Pro clamation which I thought myself under the necessity of issuing relative to the Sequestration of Rebel Property, the severe mortification Vhich it must occasion to His Majesty's Loyal Subjects on this Continent to see their Estates Confiscated, and themselves and their families reduced to beggary whilst their inhuman persecutors, who have brought ruin and destruction on them, are suffered to persist openly in the avowal of Rebellion and to continue to enjoy by permission of the British Government the full possession of their property, renders this measure in my opinion absolutely indispensable, and as it can affect no future plan, and only appro- 268 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY priates those funds, to the present use of Government, which would otherwise be employed against it, I natter myself, that it will meet with His Majesty's approbation. The great sickness of the Army, the intense heat, and the necessity of totally subduing the Rebel Country between the Santee, and Pedee, have detained me longer than I could have wished, on the frontiers of this Province. I am likewise anxious to hear from New York, from whence I a s omits of have no Accounts since the 15 th a of July; I hope however, that nothing can prevent my entering b sends i North Carolina before the end of this Month. b I have the honour to be Your Lordship's most Obedient, & most humble Servant CORNWALLIS. Right Honorable Lord George Germain &c a . &c a . &c a . IQB: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, OBSERVATIONS [30 Ap'ad] p 127. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Ger main, dated Camp at Waxhaw, September 19, 1780. This extract from No. 19 is shown in mar gin p 264. IQF: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, PARTING WORD [26]^? 193. Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germaine, dated Sept. iQth, 1780. This extract from No. 19 is shown in margin p 264. 193: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 19 September 1780, Copy PA 308/207. In margin Camp at Waxhaw 19 Sept r 1780. Lord Cornwallis (N 3.) R/ II th Dec r . Mem. at end Inclosure, Proclamation. Same as No. 19 with variations shown in margins pp 264-268. 1 9V: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 19 September 1780, SACKVILLE 6/6 1. Endorsed (E) Extract of a Letter from Lord Corn wallis to Lord George Germain, dated Camp at Waxhaw 19 th Sep r 1780. R/ n th Dec r . Begins Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Camp at Waxhaw 19 th September 1 780. This extract from No. 19 is shown in margin p 264. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 269 20 CLINTON TO CORNWALLIS, OBSERVATIONS [22 Ayfx\ p 127. Extract. From Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn- wallis, dated New-York, September 20, 1780. I have always thought operation in the Chesapeak of the greatest importance, and have often mentioned to Admiral Arbuthnot the necessity of making a diversion in your Lordship's favour in that quarter ; but have not been able till now to obtain a convoy for this purpose. Your Lordship will receive inclosed a sketch of the instructions I intend to give to Major-general Leslie, who will command the expedition; which will give a general idea of the design of the move. But if your Lordship should wish any particular co operation from that armament, General Leslie will of course consider himself under your Lordship's orders, and pay every obedience thereto. I have the honour to inclose the copy of a letter I wrote to Lord George Germain, and of his Lordship's answer, respecting the option Lord Eawdon had made in favour of his provincial rank. And I am happy in having it in my power to communicate to his Lordship the King's pleasure that he should still retain his rank of Lieutenant-colonel in the line, which I beg leave to take this opportunity of doing through your Lordship. 21 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [29 Ap'a!\p 127. With Clintons Manuscript Note. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clin ton, dated Camp at Waxhaw, September 22, 1780. a lf nothing material happens to obstruct my plan of operations, I mean, as soon as Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton can be removed, to proceed with the twenty- third, thirty-third,volunteers of Ireland, and Legion, to Charlotte-town, and leave the seventy-first here until the sick can be brought on to us. I then mean to make some redoubts and establish a 270 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY fixed post at that place, and give the command of it w B emyss to Major a \Vimys, whose regiment is so totally demo lished by sickness, that it will not be fit for actual service for some months. b To that place I shall bring up all the sick from Camden, who have any chance of being serviceable before Christmas, and trust to opportunities for their joining the army. The post at Charlotte-town will be a great security to all this frontier of South- Carolina, which, even if we were possessed of the greatest part of North- Carolina, would be liable to be infested by parties, who have retired with their effects over the moun tains, 1 and mean to take every opportunity of carry ing on a predatory war, and it will, 1 hope, prevent insurrections in this country, which is very disaffected. 1 then think of moving on my principal force to Salisbury, which will open this country sufficiently for us to see what assistance we may really expect from our friends in North-Carolina ; and will give us a free communication with the Highlanders, on whom my greatest dependance is placed. lc mountains underlined. 2 IB: CoRNWALListo CLINTON, 22 September 1780, TARLETON^) 191. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated camp at Wacsaw, Sept. 22, 1780. This extract from No. 21 is shown in margins pp 269-270. 22 CLINTON TO LESLIE, 10 Oct., OBSERVATIONS [25 Ap'x]p 127. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Instructions to the Hon. Major-general Leslie, dated Head-Quarters, New- York, October 10, 1780. as begins a Sir, You will be pleased to proceed with the troops embarked under your command to Chesapeak Bay ; and upon your arrival at that place, you will pursue such measures as you shall judge most likely to answer the purpose of this expedition ; the principal object of which is to make a diversion in favour of CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 271 Lieutenant-general Earl Cornwallis, who by the time you arrive there will probably be acting in the back parts of North Carolina. The information you shall procure on the spot after your arrival at your destined a port, will point out to you the properest method of accomplishing this. But from b that which I have received here, I should judge it best to pro ceed up James River as high as possible, in order to seize or destroy any magazines the enemy may have at Petersburg, Richmond, or any of the places adja cent ; and finally, to establish a post on Elizabeth River. 1 But this, as well as the direction of every other operation, is submitted to Earl Cornwallis, with whom you are as soon as possible to communicate, and afterwards to follow all such orders and directions you shall from time to time receive from his Lordship. d 1? inserts H. CLINTON. la This Plan Lord Corn- had prevented his availing him- wallis speaks highly of, but self of it. laments that Fergns misfortune 22B: CLINTON to LESLIE, 10 October 1780, TARLETONJ? 199. Instructions to the Hon. Major-general Leslie, dated head quarters, New York, Oct. 10, 1780. Same as JVb. 22 with variations shown in margins pp 270-271. 23 RAWDON TO LESLIE, 24 Oct., OBSERVATIONS [32 Ap'x]p 128. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Lord Rawdon to Major-general Leslie, dated a Camp, near the Indian Lands, West of b Cat- tawba river, South Carolina, Oct. 24, 1780. s insert c Sir, d Lord Cornwallis not being sufficiently re- covered from a severe fever which lately attacked him to be able to write to you, his Lordship has desired that I should have the honour of communicating with you upon the subject of the present service. e The Commander in Chief has transmitted to Lord Corn- 272 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY wallis a copy of the instructions under which you are to act. At the time when Petersburgh was suggested as an adviseable point for a diversion, which might co-operate with our intended efforts for the reduction of North Carolina, it was imagined that the tranquil- th*t read lity of South Carolina was assured; a and the repeated Assurances which were sent to us by the Loyalists in North Carolina, gave us reason to hope, that their number and their zeal would not only facilitate the restoration of his Majesty's government in that province, but might also supply a force for more extensive operations. Events unfortunately have not answered to "these flattering promises. d The e appear- ance of General Gates's army unveiled to us a fund of approach disaffection in this province, of which we could have formed no idea ; and even the dispersion of that force did not extinguish the ferment which the hope of its support had raised. f This hour the majority of the inhabitants of that tract between the Pedee and the Santee are in arms against us ; and when we last heard from Charles-town, they were in possession of George-town, from which they had dislodged our militia/ It was hoped that the rising which was expected of our friends in North Carolina might awe that dis trict into quiet ; therefore, after giving them a little chastisement, by making the seventh regiment take that route h in its way to the army, Lord Cornwallis r/fc v advanced to Charlotteburg. 1 Major Ferguson, with about eight hundred militia collected from the neighbourhood of Ninety-six, had previously marched into Tryon county to protect our friends, who were supposed to be numerous there ; and it was intended, that he should cross the Cat- tawba river, 1 and endeavour to preserve tranquillity in n?3 r2X tne rear f tne army. k A numerous ferny now ap- peared on the frontiers, drawn from Nolachucki, and la of this I complain to such Risk, after what he had place Ferguson & his Corps in said. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 273 other settlements beyond the mountains, whose very names had been unknown to us. 2 A body of these, joined by the inhabitants of the ceded lands in Georgia, made a sudden and violent attack upon Augusta. The post was gallantly defended by Lieu tenant-colonel Brown, till he was relieved by the activity of Lieutenant-colonel Cruger: but Major Ferguson, by endeavouring to intercept the enemy in their retreat, unfortunately gave time for fresh a bodies of men to pass the mountains, and to unite into a them corps far superior to that which he commanded. They came up with him, and after a sharp action Entirely defeated him. Ferguson was killed, and all his party either slain or taken. By the enemy's having secured all the passes on the Cattawba, 3 Lord Cornwallis (who was waiting at Charlotteburg for a convoy of stores) received but confused accounts of the affair for some time : d but at length the truth reached him ; and the delay, equally with the precautions 6 the enemy had taken to keep their victory from his knowledge, gave f Lord Corn- wallis great reason to fear for the safety of Ninety-six. To ^secure that district was indispensible for the security of the rest of the province ; and Lord Corn wallis saw no means of effecting it, but by passing the Cattawba river with his army ; for it was so weakened by sickness, that it would not bear detach ment. 11 hBFrwtt0n After much fatigue on the march, occasioned by violent rains, we passed the river three days ago. We then received the first intelligence, respecting x the different posts in this province, which had reached us for near three weeks ; every express from Camden having been waylaid, and some of them murdered by the inhabitants. 4 Ninety-six is safe : the corps 2a that of the Indians their it would have kept them at home, neighbours was not unknown to 3a This proves the impro- them. these Indians should have priety of thus placing Ferguson, been permitted to menace. at least 4a bad bad all bad 1 I 35 274 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a B runs on b FS omit to detailed and read At pre sent we fear c FS read opposition would d B inserts ever e FS insert much tBFread your h BF read directions i BFS insert more k FS read in which defeated Ferguson having, in consequence of our movement, crossed the Cattawba, and joined Small wood on the Yadkin. a In our present position we have received the first intimation of the expedition under your command. b From the circumstances which I have detailed, we fear that we are too far asunder to render your co operation very effectual. No force has presented it self to us, whose "operation could have been thought serious against this army: but then we have little hopes of d bringing the affair to the issue of an action. The enemy are mostly mounted militia, not to be overtaken by our infantry, nor to be safely pursued in this strong country by our cavalry. Our fear is, that instead of meeting us, they would slip by us into this province, were we to proceed far from it, 5 and might again stimulate the disaffected to serious insurrection. This apprehension you will judge, Sir, must greatly circumscribe our efforts. Indeed, Lord Cornwallis cannot hope that he shall be able to undertake any thing upon such a scale, as either to aid you, or 6 to benefit from you in f our present situation/ The Com mander in Chief has signified to Lord Cornwallis, that his Lordship is at liberty to give you any Mirec- tion for farther co-operation which may appear to him expedient. But his Excellency has complied 6 so very fully 7 and completely 8 with Lord Cornwallis's request, by sending so powerful 9 a force to make a diversion in the Chesapeak, that his Lordship fears he should require too much, were he to draw you into the immediate service of this district. His Lord ship is likewise delicate k on this point, 10 because he does not know how far, by drawing you from the 5a with such an Enemy & in such a Country you are ever to dread it. 6a Very civil but not more than my conscience tells me I deserve. 7d fully underlined. 8d completely underlined. 9d so powerful underlined. lOd I wish his Lordship had persisted in that Delicacy, he would not have marched into Virginia. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 275 Chesapeak, he might interfere with any other pur poses 11 to which the Commander in Chief may have destined your troops. Under a these circumstances, Lord Cornwallis thinks himself obliged to leave you at liberty to pursue Nvhatever measures may appear 5rlaSo2r to your judgment best for his Majesty's service, and most consonant with the wishes of the Commander in th^ S vKw^of Chief. d No time is specified to Lord Cornwallis as dv continues the limitation of your stay to the southward. Should your knowledge of Sir Henry Clinton's desires prompt you to make a trial upon North Carolina, Cape Fear river appears to us e to be the only part where your efforts are at present likely to be effectual. A de scent there would be the surest means of joining and arming the friends of government, as well as of co operating with this army/ This, therefore, would naturally be the point to which Lord Cornwallis would bring you, did he con ceive himself at liberty so absolutely to dispose of you. It must be remarked, however, that there are two difficulties in this plan ; the first is, that the country from Cape Fear to Cross-creek g (the High- land settlement) produces so little, h it would be re- quisite in penetrating through it to carry your provi- that sions with you ; the second is, that no vessel larger than a frigate can pass the bar of Cape Fear harbour. Whatever you decide, Lord Cornwallis desires . / ., , v whatsoever earnestly to hear from you as soon as possible/ kBrwuon Tis uncertain yet what steps this army (if left to itself) must pursue ; but it will be ready at least to act vigorously in aid ! to any plan which you may IF reads ot undertake. Lord Cornwallis begs that you m will inform the Commander in Chief of our circumstances, and that you will have the goodness to mention how highly sensible 12 his Lordship is to the very effectual manner 13 in which his Excellency has endeavoured to lid purposes underlined. 13d effectual manner to pro- 12d highly sensible underlined. vince underlined. 276 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a PS read this c B runs on d Breads an f FS read will Your most Obedient & very faith ful Servant (Signed) Rawdon h see ii. 351 see ii. 356 ease the operations of a his army. The measure must have been attended with the most favourable conse quences, had not accidents, 14 which no foresight could expect, so greatly altered the complexion of b our affairs in this province. Lord Cornwallis desires me to add how much satis faction he should feel in having your assistance upon this service, did it promise more favourably for you. But should the intentions of the Commander in Chief have left you at liberty to make d the attempt at Cape Fear, the success which would probably attend that essential service would be doubly pleasing to Lord Cornwallis, from the opportunity it would most likely give him of congratulating you in person. e Allow me to add my hopes that the course of the service f would put it in my power to assure you, personally, how much I have the honour to be, g &c. (Signed) RAWDON. 14d Fergusons defeat. 238: RAWDON to LESLIE, 24 October 1780, Copy PA 138/681. Endorsed Copy Colonel Lord Rawdon to Major Gen 1 Leslie 24 th October 1780. In Sir H> Clinton's (Separate) of 12 Nov r i78o h 34. Same as No. 23 with variations shown in margins pp 271-276. 23F: RAWDON to LESLIE, 24 October 1780, Copy PA 156/515. Endorsed In Earl Cornwallis's of 1 8 th Dec r i 780* ( i .) 34. Same as No. 23 with variations shown in margins pp 271-276. 238: RAWDON to LESLIE, 24 October 1780, Copy HL NO 34. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Lord Kawdon to Major General Leslie, dated Camp near the Indian Lands of the Catawba River S Carolina Oct r 24 th 1 780. Transmitted to Lord George Germain In Earl Corn wallis's Letter of 1 8 th December 1780. R/ 17 th 1781 N34 Same as No. 23 with variations shown in margins pp 271-276. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 277 237: RAWDON to LESLIE, 24 October 1780, Extract SACKVILLE 6/70. Endorsed (F) Extract of a Letter from Lord Rawdon to The Hon ble Major General Leslie (commanding on an Expedition). Dated Camp near Indian Lands West of the Catawba River S Carolina. Oct r 24 th 1780. In Lord Cornwallis's of 18 Dec r 1780. Begins Extract of a Letter from Lord Rawdon to The Hon ble Major General Leslie, Dated Camp near the Indian Lands West of the Catawba River S Carolina Oct r 24 th 1780. This is two parts of No. 23 as shoivn in margins pp 271-2, 275. 24 RAWDON TO CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [39 Ap'x] p 128. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Lord Rawdon to Sir Henry Clinton, a camp between Broad River and the Catawba, Mated * c *vv egin "October 29, 1780. ' omit dated Sir, Lord Cornwallis having been so reduced by a severe fever, as to be still unable to write, he has desired that I should have the honour of addressing your Excellency in regard to our present situation. But few days have past since Lord Cornwallis re ceived your Excellency's dispatch of the 2Oth d of dBom ^* of September. In consequence of it, his Lordship e directed that I should immediately send a letter to meet Major-General Leslie in the Chesapeak ; giving him the fullest information respecting our prospects, and the present temper of the country, I have the honour to inclose a copy of that letter. Something remains to be said in addition to it, of a nature which f Earl Cornwallis judged inexpedient to unveil, except- ing to your Excellency. For some time after the arrival of his Majesty's troops at Camden, repeated messages were sent to head quarters, by the friends of government in North Carolina, expressing their impatience to rise and join 278 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the King's standard. The impossibility of subsisting that additional force at Camden, and the accounts which they themselves gave of the distressing scarcity of provisions in North Carolina, obliged Lord Corn- wallis to entreat them to remain quiet, till the new crop might enable us to join them. In the mean time General Gates's army advanced. We were greatly surprised, and no less grieved, that no infor- whatsoever ma ^ on a whatever of its movements was conveyed to us by persons so deeply interested in the event as the North Carolina Loyalists. Upon the i6th of August that army was so entirely dispersed, that it was clear no number of them could for a considerable time be collected. Orders were therefore dispatched to our friends, stating that the hour, which they had so long pressed, was arrived ; and exhorting them to stand forth immediately, and prevent the re-union of the scattered enemy. Instant support was in that case promised Hhem. In the fullest confidence that this event was to take place, Lord Cornwallis ven tured to press your Excellency for co-operation in the Chesapeak, hoping that the assistance of the North Carolinians might eventually furnish a force for yet farther efforts. Not a single man, however, at tempted to improve the favourable moment, or obeyed that summons for which they had before been so impatient. It was hoped that our approach might get the better of their timidity ; yet during a long period, whilst we were waiting at Charlotteburgh for our stores and convalescents, they did not even furnish us with the least information respecting the force collecting against us. In short, Sir, we may have a powerful body of friends in North Carolina, and indeed we have cause to be convinced, that many of the inhabitants wish well to his Majesty's arms ; but they have not given evidence enough either of ^eir 'number or their activity, to justify the stake of of their this province, for the uncertain advantages that might attend immediate junction with them. There is CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 279 & reason to believe that such must have been the rilr bJ -2-3 reason to ~ ' conceive Whilst this army lay at Charlotteburgh, George- Town was taken from the militia by the rebels ; and the whole country to the east of the Santee, gave such proofs of general defection, that even the militia of the High Hills could not be prevailed upon to join a party of troops who were sent to protect our boats upon the river. The defeat of Major Ferguson, had so dispirited this part of the country, and indeed the loyal subjects were so wearied by the long con tinuance of the campaign, that Lieutenant-colonel Cruger, (commanding at Ninety-six) sent information to d Earl Cornwallis, that the whole district had de- termined to submit as soon as the rebels should enter it. From these circumstances, from the consideration that delay does not extinguish our hopes in North Carolina ; and from the long fatigue of the troops, which made it seriously requisite to give some re freshment to the army ; 6 Earl Cornwallis has resolved to remain for the present in a position which may secure the frontiers without separating his force. In this situation we shall be always ready for movement, whensoever opportunity shall recommend it, or cir cumstances require it. But the first care must be to put Camden and Ninety-six into a better state of de fence, and to furnish them with ample stores f and salt tBreadso{ provisions. g Earl Cornwallis foresees all the diffi- culties of a defensive war. Yet his Lordship thinks they cannot be weighed against the dangers which must have attended an obstinate adherence to his former plan.*' 5 I am instructed by h Earl Cornwallis to express, la yes my good Lord Rawdon 4a notwithstanding all these such has proved the Risk opinions his Lordship forgets 2c alas my good Lord did them all & a few weeks after not this reasoning operate still marches into N. Carolina leaving more after Cowpens. South Carona under still worse 3d how clearly his Lordship saw circumstances than it ever had the fatal consequences that would been since we had taken it. attend L.C. march into N. Caro- 5c what induced him to lina. think otherwise after Cowpens. 280 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a F omits in that parti cular b F inserts the c BF insert tlmt d B aubwith the highest Respect Your Excel lency's most Obedt & most hum ble Servant Eawdon e F ends in the strongest 6 terms, 7 his Lordship's feelings, 8 with regard to the very 9 effectual measures which your Ex cellency had taken to forward his operations. His Lordship hopes that his fears of abusing your Ex cellency's goodness a in that particular, may not have led him to neglect making use of a force intended by your Excellency to be employed by him. But as his Lordship knew not how far your Excellency might aim at other objects in the Chesapeak (to which point his Lordship's entreaty for co-operation was originally confined) he could not think of assuming the power to order Major-general Leslie to b Cape Fear river; though he pointed out the utility of the measure, in case it should be conceived within the extent of your Excellency's purpose. Lord Cornwallis farther desires me to say he feels infinitely obliged by the very flattering testimonies of approbation with which your Excellency has been pleased to honour his success on the i6th of August. He has signified your Excellency's thanks to the officers and men, who received them with grateful acknowledgement. I have the honour to be, d &c. (Signed) f seen. 355 6d strongest terms underlined. 7d if his Lordship argued thus before the misfortune of Cowpens, a plus forte raison after it he there reasons operated ten fold, but this proves the difference between the influence he was under at the different periods, Honour, Integrity, Capacity and a thorough knowledge of the Carte du pais he had in L.R. in C.R. it was very different. 17. 8d feelings underlined. 9d very to operations under lined. 246 : RAWDON to CLINTON, 29 October 1780, Copy PA 139/85, Endorsed Copy Colonel Lord Eawdon to Sir Henry Clinton K.B. Camp between Broad River & Catawba October 2Q th 1780 Rec d ^ the Beaumont 5 Decem ber 1780 N 9 In Sir Henry Clintons N i i2. f as No. 24 with variations shown in margins pp 277-280. 24F: RAWDON to CLINTON, 29 October 1780, Copy m 19/48. Same as No. 24 with variations shown in margins pp 277-280. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 281 25 CLINTON TO GERMAIN, 30 October 1780, LS PA 138/501. NARRATIVE [97] _p 57, with Clinton's MS. Note. Endorsed New York 3O th Oct 1 780 Sir Henry Clinton. N 107 R/ 30 th November. 8 Inclosures. a Ent d *.3 N 107. New York, October 3O th 1780. b My Lord, I have the honor to acknowledge the bF&^i/w receipt of Your Lordship's Original Dispatch marked N 66, and Separate one of the 22 d July, also Dupli cates of those marked, 63, 64, and 65, of Your Secret and Separate Letters of the 4 th July, with that of Your Private Letter of the 5 th and Circular one of the 8 th of that Month, together with Two Original Letters, addressed to Vice Admiral Arbuthnot and myself, dated the 3 d of August, by the Swift Packet, c F omits of which arrived here on the 1 2 th Instant. I have the pleasure to acquaint Your Lordship that the Fleet from England under Convoy of His Majesty's Ships Hyena and Adamant, with Recruits and Stores for d this Army, arrived here safe, after a favorable Passage, on the 15 th Instant; and I have the honor to transmit Returns of the State and Number of Recruits received by this Opportunity. Although I have received no Authentic Accounts from the Southward since Lord Cornwallis's Letter of the 29 th e of August, (a Copy of which I have the honor to transmit,) yet I think it my duty to send to Your Lordship, some Extracts from Rebel News Papers lately received, without giving any Opinion upon them, except the improbability of any thing very important having happened in that Quarter, as it appears f from that Letter that his Lordship did not F reads seem inclined to make any such Detachment from his Army without supporting it. Should Major Ferguson, however, have met with a little Cheque, I hope it will not be productive of any very bad consequences, as I trust his Lordship's Abilities will soon recover it ; to which the Expedition under Major General Leslie may in some degree contribute. A Copy of my Instructions to that General Officer, I 36 282 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY have already had the honor of Communicating to your Lordship. Major General Leslie sailed from hence on the i6 th , and I understand was seen a F omits on entering the Chesapeak a on the 1 8 th , with a fair wind, so that he would probably be on James River on the 2O th , and consequently interrupt M r Gates's Communi cation with Virginia, and I hope strike at his grand Depot at Petersburg soon after. Should General Leslie be so fortunate to succeed, it may be presumed M r Gates will be prevented from pursuing offensive Operations ; but should he already have received Supplies to enable him to make a Move with the Army he shall have collected, I am persuaded Lord Cornwallis with the assistance of the Cooperating Corps under Major General Leslie, which I have given entirely to his Lordship's Orders, will pursue such Measures as may oblige M r Gates to retire from those Provinces : Lord Cornwallis was informed by me previous to General Leslie's sailing upon this Expedition of that General Officer's being to act from his Lordship r s Orders, and I sent him at the same time a Copy of my Instructions to General Leslie. By the Present opportunity I have the honor to transmit to Your Lordship some Original Dispatches which were lately intercepted in a Rebel Mail, we were lucky enough to take entire, and contain matters of no small importance. The Letters now sent appear to be such as are of the most consequence ; those that are less so, shall be transmitted to Your Lordship by the next opportunity. ^B begins b j shall in a few days send to Charles-Town, all the whteh wm R ecru its belonging to the Southern Army, and then, efghThun- inducing the Corps under General Leslie 1 , Lord died Cornwallis will have full 11,306, Effective rank and A Bends l e under his Orders/ Washington has not as yet detached a single Man to the Southward, and by all Accounts from General Arnold, Gates cannot have above 800 Continental Troops with him. la Gen. Leslie 3500. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 283 General Washington still remains at, or near Tapaan, with a Corps of 11400 Men under his immediate Orders. The French have not moved from Rhode Island, but are adding Fortifications to that Place. Admiral Arbuthnot is Watching Mons r Ternay. While we remain superior at Sea, and can Command the Sound of Long Island, I do not think the Enemy will attempt anything against us: but should they get the Command of the Sound, Your Lordship must be sensible that my present Force is very inade quate to that which can be brought against a me. a F reads u Major Harnage of the 62 d Regiment will have the honor of delivering my Dispatches. This Officer's Services with the Northern Army will, I doubt not, insure him Your Lordship's favor and Protection. 1 " I have the honor to be With the greatest Respect Your Lordship's Most obedient and Most humble Servant H. CLINTON. P.S. I must observe to Your Lordship, that in the Effectives that I have stated as under the Orders of Earl Cornwallis, the Sick are included, and I am afraid their Numbers are not inconsiderable. H. C. Right Honorable Lord George Germain. 258: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 30 October 1780, NARRATIVE [97]^ 57. With Clintorts Manuscript Note. Extract from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to Lord George Germain. This extract from No. 25 is shown in margin p 282. 25F: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 30 October 1780, Copy PA 308/183. In margin New York 3O th October 1780. Sir Henry Clinton. (N 107) R/ 3O th Nov r . Mem. at end Inclosures i. Return of Officers & Re cruits &c 2. State of Recruits &c 3. Lord Corn wallis to Sir H. Clinton 4. Extract from several Rebel News Papers 5. Copy of an intercepted Letter &c 6. Intercepted Dispatches &c 7. L)o 8. An Intercepted Letter &c Same as No. 25 with variations shown in margins pp 281-283. 284 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 26 RAWDON TO CLINTON, 31 October 1780, ALS BI 19/49. OBSERVATIONS [43 Ap'x] p 128. Endorsed Copy sent home Lord Rawdon to Sir H. Clinton K.B. Camp between Broad River & Catawba October 3i st 1780 rec d the Beaumont the 5 th Decr I 7 8 - N - io6 - a ^insert* b Camp between Broad River & the Catawba, c sv begin South Carolina, Oct r 3i 8t 1780. Comwallis's directions, I had the Honor of writing to your Excellency on the d 2Qth Instant; detailing to your Excellency the circum stances which had obliged Lord Cornwallis to relin quish the attempt of penetrating to Hillsborough ; & enclosing the Copy of a Letter which his Lordship e Breads on made me write to Major-General Leslie 'upon that occasion. On further consideration, His Lordship reflecting fB reason f upon the difficulties of a defensive war, & g the hopes which your Excellency would probably build of our success in this quarter, has thought it advisable not only to recommend more strongly to Major- General Leslie, a plan which may enable us to take an active part ; but even to make it his request, in case it should not be incompatible with your Excellency's further arrangements. Lord Cornwallis is particularly induced to invite hs inserts Major-General Leslie to co-operation in k Cape Fear river, by the supposition that your Excellency may iFSrmrf not want 'these troops during the winter : k and *they IE italics to may join your Excellency in the Spring, scarcely later iv inserts than, should they on the approach of that Season, sail m B omits from any part of m the Chesapeak Bay. n A further motive proceeds from the little prospect that the Expedition on its original plan should com pass any service adequate to its force, & to your Excellency's expectations. However, as views might subsist which were not explained to Lord Cornwallis ; His Lordship has not ventured absolutely to order the descent in Cape Fear River ; And the enclosed Copy CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 285 of the second Letter written to Major-General Leslie, will satisfy your Excellency upon what terms the measure has been pressed. I have the Honor to be Sir, with the highest respect, Your Excellency's Most Obed* & most humble Serv', *RAWDON. H.E. Sir H. Clinton, K.B. b Commander in Chief, &c &c &c. 26s: RAWDON to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [43 Ap'x'lp 128. Extract. From Lord Rawdon to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp between Broad Eiver, and the Catawba, South Carolina, October 31, 1780. This extract from No. 26 is shown in margin p 284. 26r: RAWDON to CLINTON, 31 October 1780, Copy PA 139/93. Endorsed Copy Lord Rawdon to Sir Henry Clinton K.B. October 3i st 1780 N 10 In Sir Henry Clin tons NO ii2. 6 ojeeii - 355 Same as No. 26 with variations shown in margins pp 284-285. 268: RAWDON to CLINTON, 31 October 1780, Copy PA 156/535. Endorsed In Earl Cornwallis's of i8 th December i?8o. d (3)36. dM ' il - 356 Same as No. 26 with variations shoiun in margins pp 284-285. 26v: RAWDON to CLINTON, 31 October 1780, Copy HL No 36. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Lord Rawdon to Sir Henry Clinton, dated 3i st Oct r 1780. Transmitted to Lord George Germain In Earl Cornwallis's Letter of 1 8 Decemb r 1780. R/ 17 th Febry 1781. N 36. Same as No. 26 with variations shown in margins pp 284-285. 27 CLINTON TO LESLIE,! 2 November 1780, Copy PA 138/633. OBSERVATIONS [27 Ay?x\ p 127, with Clinton's MS. Note. Endorsed Copy of Instructions to Major Gen 1 Leslie dated 2 d Nov r 1780. N i. In Sir Henry Clinton's N ICQ.* aseeii. 351 b Copy. New York 2 d Nov r 1780 bF^i* Sir, Having already put you under the orders of c B be s ins Id why does not L. Corn- tions to Leslie as well as my wallis produce my first instruc- second, 286 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Lord Cornwallis, who must of course be the best judge of Operations to the Southward, it may be needless to say anything more. But lest you should not receive any orders from His Lordship, or obtain certain intelligence relative to him, or have reason to Suppose you can better assist his Operations by a diversion made nearer him ; I think it necessary to give you some hints respecting Cape Fear River, and mly ead * now f ar the ac ti n g upon that River a will Operate, Should Lord Cornwallis have passed the Yadkin, and be advanced towards Hilsborough I think you cannot act anywhere so well as on James River, approaching sometimes towards the Roanoke but not passing that River without orders from Lord Cornwallis. If you have every reason to believe that his Lordship meets with Opposition at his passage of the Yadkin, I think a Move on Cape Fear River will operate effectually. I have had much conver sation with General OHara on this subject. I have given him every Information respecting that Move; and I trust after consulting him, you will act in the }>~Bnotitaiics best manner possible to fulfill the object of ^all your coruwaius* Instructions c a Diversion in favour of Lord Corn wallis. That you may be the better judge of his plan, I send you Copies of such of his Letters, which as stops give any hints towards it. d Should you determine to quit Chesapeak, you will apply to the Officer Commanding in the Naval Line, to whom Sir George Rodney intends giving corre sponding Instructions. As You will meet of course in Cape Fear River a considerable number of Gallies, Armed Vessels &c, I wish in case you quit Chesa peak that all those now with you may be sent back to CB continues us. c You will of course cautiously avoid inrolling any ZSHSm f the Militia f of Princess Ann or elsewhere without you determine to Establish a Post. Those however who voluntarily join you must be taken H B c!fnton care o g * nave tne honor to be, & c , & c , (Signed) kpaub Hon ble Major General Leslie* H. CLINTON. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 287 278: CLINTON to LESLIE, 2 Nov. 1780, OBSERVATIONS [27 Aytx\p 127. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Second Instructions to the Hon. Major-general Leslie, dated New- York, November 2, 1780. This is two parts of No. 27 as shown in margins pp 285-286. 27F: CLINTON to LESLIE, 2 November 1780, Copy HL NO 31. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to The Hon ble Maj r Gen 1 Leslie dated New York 2 nd No vember 1 780. Transmitted to L d Geo : Germain In Sir H^ Clintons of io th Nov r 1780 R/ 28 th Dec r N 3 1. Same as No. 27 with variations shown in margins pp 285-286. .=020130030*= 28 CLINTON TO CORNWALLIS, OBSERVATIONS [26 Ap'sc] p 127. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated New-York, November 6, 1 780. Your Lordship can judge of the strength of this part of the army, by that under your own orders ; and will agree with me that it is scarcely possible for me to detach a greater force from it, or of our being able to make such efforts in Chesapeak Bay, as are now almost become necessary. However, when I know your Lordship's success in North Carolina, and your determination respecting a post on Elizabeth River, I will then consider what additional force I can spare. 1 If your Lordship determines to with draw that post, I shall in that case think your present force, including General Leslie's, quite sufficient. a By the copy of instructions last sent, and those now forwarded to General Leslie, your Lordship will perceive I mean that you should take the command of the whole. If my wishes are fulfilled, they are, that you may ^establish a post at Hillsborough, feed it from Cross Creek, and be able to keep that of Ports- la Instead of sending me calls to himself 2700. 3000 men after his Campaign He italics 288 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a BF not 'italics bBFnoi italics c F runs on d B inserts Eespecting e B inserts they f B reads Operations gB inserts at hBrcarfsthe i BF insert II on p 289 '^' 4 A few troops will do it, and carry on desultory expeditions in Chesapeak, & till more solid operations can take place ; of which I fear there is no prospect, without we are considerably reinforced. 5>6 ' 7 The moment I know your Lordship's determination to keep a post at Portsmouth, I will, as I said before, consider what additional force I can spare. *0nce assured of our remaining superior at seaf' 9 I might possibly send two thousand more for this winter's operations. Operations in Chesapeak e are but of two sorts. 10 Solid Operation with a fighting army, to call forth our friends and support them ; or a post, such as Portsmouth, carrying on desultory expeditions ; stopping up in a great measure the Chesapeak ; and by commanding James River, prevent the enemy from forming any considerable depots upon it, or moving in any force to the southward of it. Such, my Lord, are the advantages I expect from h a station at Portsmouth ; and I wish it may appear to you in the same light. 1 2d establish to Portsmouth underlined. 3a Lord Cornwallis quotes this passage as a prooff I approved nay planned his move into N. Carolina, but it is merely the rebound of his own words as may be seen Page 20. 4d when his Lordp had deter mined on making a solid move into N. Caroli to give that experi ment a fair tryal I express my wishes thus but I never could approve of a Desultory move such as he made after he had lost all his light troops at Cowpens and had destroyed all his waggons to persue Morgan. 5a without assurances from me of a reinfort or at least without my approbation should his Lordship have forced operation there. 6d does not this clearly prove that till we were reinforced I had no Idea of solid operation in Chesapeak & that till assured of naval superiority I would send very little 7d reinforced underlined. 8d Once to sea underlined. 9d unless we were superior operation in Chesapeak must prove -fatal. lOc The First cant be attempted till we have recovered North Carolina, or are sure of a covering Fleet the last is always necessary to favour opns in N. Carolina. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 289 2 SB: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 6 Nov 1780, Extract PA 140/555. Begins Extract. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis, dated New York November 6 th 1 780. This extract from No. 28 shown in margins pp 287-288 contains the following additional paragraph : You may in that Case probably take up, for this Winter at least, your Head Quarters there. As I have often said, except as a Visitor I shall not move to Chesapeak, without Washington goes there in great Force, which he does not seem, inclined to do, nor indeed to send a single Man there, except Greene to Command." 28r: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 6 Nov. 1780, Fr trans GERMAIN j9 180. Extrait de Sir Henri Clinton, au comte Cornwallis, datee de la Nouvelle-York le 6 nov. 1780. This extract from No. 28, shown in margins pp 287-288, contains the same additional paragraph, 29 LESLIE TO CLINTON, 7 November 1780, Extract PA 138/677. OBSERVATIONS [31 Ap\v] p 128. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from The Hon ble Major Gen 1 Leslie to Sir H. Clinton KB dated Ports mouth 7 th Nov r at Night, received 1 2 th Nov r In Sir H^ Clinton's (Separate) of i2 th Nov r . 1780.* Extract of a Letter from Major General Leslie to His Excellency Sir H. Clinton KB. dated Portsmouth 7 th Nov r 1780, at Night. b "This instant Lieu* Gratton of the 64 th is arrived l* beffins Express from Charles Town in His Majesty's Ship Iris, with a Letter from Lord Rawdon Lord Cornwallis being a little indisposed. I inclose Your Excellency a Copy of the Contents, I called on Commodore Gay ton and Brigadier General Howard for their Opinion how we should Act. We all agree to go to Cape Fear as soon as possible, very sorry it is necessary, but my Orders from your Excel lency is to Cooperate and Act with his Lordship to the utmost of my power. 6 As a blind Pilots are ordered to be got for James River, and nobody to be intrusted with our destination, but those above mentioned. 37 2go CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY I shall write his Lordship of Our Intentions, and there wait his Orders, and desire Balfour to send us Provisions from Charles-Town.'* v begins begin ** T y talics 293: LESLIE to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [31 Ap'ai] p 128. Extract. From Major-general Leslie to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Portsmouth, Nov. 7, 1780, eight at Night. This extract from No. 29 is shown in margin p 289. 30 GERMAIN TO CORNWALLIS, 9 Nov. 1780, Draft PA 157/495. REPLY [9] p 143. With Clinton's MS. Notes from GERMAIN. Endorsed Dra* to Earl Cornwallis Whitehall 9 th Nov r 1780 (N i.) Ent d Dup. ^o j;j Whitehall, 9* Nov r 1780. -^ ar ^ Cornwallis, b My Lord, I had the very great pleasure to receive from Captain Eoss who arrived in London on the 9th of last Month, your Lord ship's dispatches N s i. and 2. which I immediately ^ a ^ before the King who read d with the highest satisfaction the Account contained in the latter of the e very glorious and complete Victory obtained by your Lordship over the rebels near Camden on the f B omits of ! 5th f of August. g The great Superiority of the Enemy 1 in Numbers over the Forces under your Command, His Majesty observed, distinguished this Victory from all that have been atchieved since the Commencement of the Rebellion ; and though it might have been ex pected that the long Continuance of the War would have increased the Military Skill and Discipline of the Enemy 2 your Lordship's complete Success is a 1 a la premire combat qui a nord sont au contraire robuste et donn6 dans la Caroline, [at the first battle which took place in Carolina, ] 2 le Gens du paye sont en generalle De miserables sans force du corps ou d'ame. les gens du valliant. [the people of the conn- try in general are wretched, with- out strength of body or of mind. The people of the north are on the contrary robust and valiant .] CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 291 brilliant Testimony that the Spirit & Intrepidity of the King's Troops will always triumph over them, and that however they may exceed in Numbers, the Vigor and Perseverance of the British Soldiers will overcome all Resistance, when led on by an able and determined Commander, seconded by gallant and judicious Officers ; It is therefore particularly pleasing to me to obey His Majesty's Commands by signifying to your Lordship His Royal Pleasure that you do acquaint the Officers and Soldiers of the brave Army under your Command that their Behaviour upon that glorious day is highly approved by their Sovereign, and you will particularly express to Lord Rawdon Lieutenant Colonels Webster and Tarleton His Majesty's Approbation of their judi cious and spirited Conduct. 3 The latter indeed has a double Claim to Praise for his great Alertness in overtaking General Sumpter's detachment before they were apprized of Gates's defeat, and by their destruction rendering the Victory at Camden still more decisive. Captain Ross's Services have been rewarded in consequence of your Lordship's Recom mendation with a Brevet of Major,* but you will a BEER ^ perceive by the inclosed Copy of Lord Amherst's Letter to me that it is not judged fit at present to give Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton the same Rank in the Army which he holds in the Provincials. b The steps your Lordship immediately took for "improving your Victory d were highly judicious and must be attended with the most important Consequences, nor was your determination to in- flict exemplary punishment on those Traitors who had repeated the Violation of their Oaths of Alle giance or broken their Parole and taken Arms 3 Ce sont des complimens are the customary compliments in dusage dans les Cabinets mais Cabinets but Lord Cornwallis has Milord Cornwallis a merite bien well deserved such praises by his ces elosges par sa decision, avant decision before the action and his 1'affaire, et son scavoir faire skill and address in that day's dans le combat de ce jour. [ These combat.'] 292 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY against the King, less wise or promotive of the great Object of the War, the Restoration of the Constitution, for the most disaffected, will now be convinced that We are not afraid to punish and will no longer venture to repeat their Crimes in the hope of Impunity should they be detected; and those who are more moderate will be led to with draw from a Cause which is evidently declining before it becomes desperate, and they expose them selves to the Consequences they may reasonably apprehend will fall upon such as persist in rebellion to the last. a The Civil Regulations you have made for South Q^Q]^^ as f ar as j am informed of them by your Lordship and Mr. Simpson, b appear extremely pru dent and proper, and I am glad to find they are satisfactory to the Merchants here who are deeply connected with that Province. Such of the Civil Officers as are in England have received Orders to return, and the greatest Part will sail with the first Convoy. As the Province is not yet restored to Peace it is not judged proper to appoint a Gover nor but as the Lieu* Gov r is going out he can exercise all the functions of a Governor in Chief in consequence of His Majesty's Commis sion to Lord William Campbell which devolves to him ; and as it is the King's Wish to convince the People of America that no Abridgment of their former Liberties is intended but that they will be restored to all the Privileges of their former Con stitution, the Exercise of such Powers as it may be fitting to allow the Civil Authority to possess, in the present Situation of Affairs, being in the Hands of the Constitutional Officers of the Province, must have a good Effect. Your Lordship will, therefore, endeavor to throw the Conduct of Civil Matters into their former Channels, as far as you shall officers"' judge expedient, to permit the Civil c Officer to act. I impatiently expect to hear of your further Pro- CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 293 gress, and that Sir Henry Clinton and Vice- Ad miral Arbuthnot have found Means of sending a Force into the Chesapeak, to co-operate with you : for if that be done, I have not the least doubt, from Your Lordship's vigorous and alert Movements, *the whole Country South of the Dela- B itati to * (Jcimptiigu ware will be restored to the King's Obedience in the (3*) Course of the Campaign. b bBk I understand the Congress evade an Exchange of the Convention Troops* with the Garrison of Charles Town, under the Pretence that the Time of Service of the greatest Part of it will expire in a little Time, and the Men will, then be no longer Soldiers, and not entitled to be considered as Prisoners of War, and as the Expence of maintaining these People is enormous, some Means must be found of relieving the Public from it, and counteracting the Chicane of that faithless Body. c svron What appears to me the most practicable Measures for these Purposes are, the inducing the Prisoners to enter on board the Ships of War or Privateers, or to go as Recruits to the Regiments in the West Indies, or as Volunteers to serve upon the Expedition against the Spanish Settlements from Jamaica ; and Your Lordship will, therefore, take the proper Steps for disposing of as many of them as possible in these several Ways, or in such others as may occur to you as more practicable & effectual. 11 I am & ca GEO. GERMAIN. 6 * [From Germain] La convention dont il est ici question, est celle de Saratoga par laquelle 1'armee du general Bourgoine se rendit prisonniere au general Gates. 306: GERMAIN to CORNWALLIS, 9 Nov. 1780, REPLY [g]p 143. This is two parts of No. 30 as shown in margins pp 290-293. 3 Clinton's \see\\. 361 ]V"o TTn a. / , /O\ oneenclo- * 119. 4j. \O.) ****'& ^Duplicate. c Camp at Wynnesborough Dec r 3 d , 1780. c!f p y nsci d Sir, I am e just honoured with Your letters of the c? P y arf 5 th & 6 of last Month ; Lord Rawdon during my ill- ness informed Your Excellency in his letters of the 28 th & 3i st f of October, of the various causes which prevented my penetrating into N. Carolina ; I shall not trouble you with a recapitulation, except a few words about poor Major Ferguson. I had the honour to inform Your Excellency that Major Ferguson had taken infinite pains with some of the Militia of Ninety CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 303 six, He obtained my permission to make an incursion into Tryon Connty, whilst the Sickness of my Army prevented my moving. As he had only Militia and the small remains of his own Corps, without baggage or Artillery, and as he promised to come back if He heard of any Superior force, I thought He could do no harm, and might help to keep alive the Spirits of our Friends in N. Carolina, which might be damped by the slowness of our Motions : The event proved unfortunate, without any fault of Major Fergusons ; A numerous and unexpected Enemy came from the Mountains, as they had good horses their movements were rapid ; Major Ferguson was tempted to stay near the Mountains longer than he intended, in hopes of cutting off Col : Clarke on his return from Georgia, He was not aware that the enemy was so near him, and in endeavouring to execute my Orders of passing the Catawba and joining me at Charlotte-town, He was Attacked by a very superior force and totally de feated on King's Mountain. 1 Wynnesborough, my present Position, is an healthy spot, well situated to Protect the greatest part of the Northern Frontier, and to assist Camden and Ninety Six. The Militia of the latter, on which alone we could place the smallest dependance was so totally *disheartened by the defeat of Ferguson, that of b that pirSed whole District we could with difficulty assemble one hundred, and even those I am convinced would not have made the smallest resistance if they had been Attacked. I determined to remain at this place until an Answer arrived from Gen 1 Leslie, on which my Plan for the Winter was to depend, and to use every possible means of putting the Province into a state of defence, which I found to be absolutely necessary, whether my Campaign was Offensive or Defensive. la you thought it dangerous baw what must we think of your my good Lord even to trust placing such a River as the Ferguson's Corps on your left Catawba between you. & on the same side the Cataw- aB reads dl- irited li reads the openly 304 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Bad as the state of our affairs was on the Northern Frontier, the Eastern part was much worse. Col. Tynes who Commanded the Militia of the High Hills of Santee, and who was posted on Black River, was Surprized and taken, and his Men lost all their Arms. t Q ol> M ar i on h a( j so wrou ght on the minds of the People, partly by the terror of his threats & cruelty of his punishments, and partly by the Promise of Plun- der, that there was b scarce an Inhabitant between the Santee and Pedee that was not in Arms against us, some parties had even crossed the Santee, and carried terror to the Gates of Charles-town. My first object was to reinstate matters in that quarter without which Camden could receive no supplies. I therefore sent Tarleton, who pursued Marion for several days, obliged his Corps to take to the Swamps, and by convincing the Inhabitants that there was a power superior to Marion who could likewise reward & Punish, so far checked the Insurrection, that the greatest part of them have not dared c openly to ap- dB stops pear in Arms against us since his expedition. The 63 d Reg 1 under Major Wemyss had been mounted on indifferent horses of the Country for the purpose of reducing and disarming the Cheraws ; It had afterwards been sent by Lord Rawdon for the security of Ninety six. When I sent L 1 Col. Tarle- ton to the Low Country, I ordered Major Wemyss to come down to Broad River, e to keep constantly moving on either side of the River he might think proper, for the Protection of the Mills from which the Army subsisted, and for the preservation of the Country. Sumpter then lay with about 300, Men partly f of Militia, and partly g of the Banditti who have followed him ever since the reduction of this Province, near Hills Iron works, between the Catawba Brenan axi( ^ Broad River, about forty miles in our front; h Branan, Clarke and others had different Corps plundering the houses and putting to death the well affected Inhabitants between Tyger River and CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 305 Pacolet. Major a Wemyss who had just past Broad River at Brierley's Ferry, came to me on the seventh of last Month and told me that he had information that Sumpter had moved to Moore's Mill within five miles of Fishdam Ford, and about twenty five Miles from the place where b 63 d then lay, that he had accurate accounts of his position and good Guides, and that he made no doubt of being able to Surprize and rout him. As the defeating so daring and troublesome a Man as Sumpter, and dispersing such a Banditti, was a great object, I consented to his making the trial on the 9 th , at day break, and gave him Forty of the Dragoons which Tarleton had left with me ; desiring him however neither to put them in the Front, nor c to make any use of them during the GEomitsto night ; Major Wemyss marched so early and so fast on the night of the 8 th , that He arrived at Moore's Mill soon after midnight, He then had information that Sumpter had marched that evening to Fishdam ford, where he lay with his rear close to Broad River on a low piece of ground. The Major immediately proceeded to Attack him in his new Position, & suc ceeded so well as to get into his Camp whilst the Men were all sleeping round the fires, but as Major Wemyss rode into the Camp at the head of the Dragoons, and the 63 d followed them on horseback, the enemy's Arms were not secured, and some of them recovering from the first alarm got their Rifles and with the first fire wounded Major Wemyss in several places, and put the Cavalry into disorder ; The 63 d then dismounted and Killed and Wounded about Seventy of the Rebels, drove several over the River and dispersed the rest ; The command how ever devolving on a very youns: Officer, who neither knew the ground nor Major Weymss's plan, nor the strength of the enemy, some few of which kept firing from the wood d on our People who remained in the enemy's Camp, and who were probably discovered by their fires ; Our troops came away before day break, 39 306 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY leaving Major Wemyss and 22 Serg te & Eank & File at a house close to the Field of Action. In the morning those who were left with a flag of truce with the wounded, found that the enemy were all gone, but on some of their scouting Parties discovering that our People had likewise retired, Sumpter returned & took Major Wemyss's Parole for himself and the wounded Soldiers. Major Wemyss is gone to Charles-town and is in a fair way of recovery. The enemy on this event cried Victory, and the EK Col. Tarleton to save them from considerable loss, was obliged to Attack, altho' at some hazard ; and drove the enemy with loss over the River. Sumpter was dangerously wounded, three of their Colonels Killed, and about a i 20 Men Killed, Wounded, or taken. On our side about 50 were Killed & wounded, Lieu 18 Gibson & Cope of the 63 d were amongst the former, and my Aid de Camp Lieu 1 Money, who was a most promising Officer, died of his Wounds a few days after. L 1 Col. Tarleton as soon as he had taken care of his wounded, pursued & dispersed the remaining part of Sumpters Corps, and then having assembled some Militia under M r Cunningham, whom I ap pointed Brig r General of the Militia of that district, and who has by far the greatest influence in that Country ; He returned to b the Broad River, where he at present remains, as well as Major M c Arthur in the neighbourhood of Brierley's ferry. It is not easy for L 1 Col. Tarleton to add to the re putation He has acquired in this Province but the defeating 1000 Men posted on very strong ground and occupying log-houses, with 190 Cavalry and 80 Infantry, is a proof of that Spirit and those talents which must render the most essential services to his Country. L 1 Col. Tarleton commends much the good behaviour of the Officers and Men under his Com mand, and He particularly mentions Lieu 1 Skinner of the 1 6 th Reg 1 of Infantry, who does duty with the Legion, as having distinguished himself. 'L 1 Col. Balfour by putting the Prisoners on board of Ships d is enabled to spare the 64 th Reg 1 from Charles-town, ^ read and sent them to secure the navigation of the Wate- ree from Nelson's Ferry, and to communicate with Camden. This is the present state of our affairs. 8 Smallwood had been encamped from the be ginning of last Month with about thirteen hun- 308 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY dred Militia, a Corps of 250 Continentals under Morgan, and 70 Dragoons Commanded by Washing ton about 1 2 Miles on this side of Charlotte Town ; His front guarded by Davie and other irregular Corps, who have committed the most shocking cruelties, and the most horrid Murders on those suspected of being our friends, that I ever heard of; Gates joined him the Week before last with about 12 hundred Continentals and Six & Eighteen Months-men, and 300 Cavalry under White and Armand ; Morgan's Infantry and Washington with 100 Cavalry, came down on the i st , in the even ing to Attack a Block house built by Col. Rugeley, i n which he had placed a himself with 100 Militia ; with Lord Eawdon who Commands at Camden, and had notice of their approach, sent to Eugeley to Order him to retire to Camden, but He answered that as the Enemy had no Cannon he was determined to defend himself to the last extremity, and had no fear of being taken. The enemy's Infantry did not advance within six Miles of his Block house, but the Cavalry surrounded it and Summoned him, and He instantly surrendered without firing a shot. I am informed that Green is expected in a few days to relieve Gates. ^continues b As it will be necessary to drive back the Enemy's army, and at the same time to maintain a superiority E inserts on both our Flanks, and as I thought 6 the co-operation of General Leslie even at the distance of d the Cape- Fear River would be attended with many difficulties I have sent Cruizers off the Fryingpan to bring him into Charles-town, and I hourly expect his arrival. B new f e After every thing that has happened I will not pre sume to make Your Excellency any sanguine promises; IB italic* to fXhe force you have sent me is greater than I expected, spare(2&nes) J . r and full as much as I think you could possibly spare unless the enemy detached in force to the Southward, the utmost exertion of my abilities shall be used to employ them to the best advantage. Whenever our operations commence Your Ex- e that CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 309 cellency may depend on hearing from me as fre quently as possible, and it is from events alone that any future Plan can be proposed.* 2 I have b the honour * \ %% &c to be, c with great esteem, Your most Obedient and ( c s ofiii 3 Most humble servant, d CoRNWALLiS. fl oowHSuJ" His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. &c &c &c JK 1 *^ 2a about this time Col. Ross be seen as follows. T^uertt returned to America, & it will (Signed) e V ends 356: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [49 Ap'x~]p 128. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Wynnesborough, December 3, 1780. This is two parts of No. 35 as shown in margins pp 302-4, 308-9. 35F: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 3 December 1780, TARLETON p 200. Extract of a letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp at Wynnesborough, December 3, 1780. This extract from No. 35 is shown in margin p 304. 353: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 3 December 1780, TARLETON > 203. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camp, at Wynnesborough, December 3, 1 780. This extract from No. 35 is shown in margins pp 306-307. 35V: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 3 December 1780, LS PA 156/543. Endorsed In Earl Cornwallis's of i8 th December i78o. f f ' ecii - 356 Same as No. 35 with variations shown in margins pp 302-309. 35E: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 3 December 1780, Copy PA 156/559. Endorsed Copy. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clin ton K.B. dated, Camp at Wynnesborough December 3 d 1780. Same as No. 35 with variations shown in margins pp 302-309. 35R: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 3 December 1780, CopyRi 19/59. Same as No. 35 with variations shown in margins pp 302-309. 35M: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 3 December 1780, Copy HL No 43. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis, to 3 io CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Camp at Wynnes- borough December 3 rd 1780. Transmitted to L d Geo: Germain In Sir H> Clinton's of 27 Feb? 1781. (8) E/ 25 th April N 43. Same as No. 35 with variations shown in margins pp 302-309. 36 CLINTON TO CORNWALLIS, 13 Dec. 1780, Copy m 19/54. OBSERVATIONS [46 .4p'#] p 128, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Duplicate New York 13 th December 1780. a B begms a^y Lord, I am honored with Your Lordship's Letters of the 3 d and 22 d of September, by the Thames, which arrived here the 1 2 th Ultimo. And on the 5 th Instant I received by the Beaumont, those from Lord Rawdon, b Estops) and c i on el Balfourto General Leslie. b As that General received Your first Invitation on the 7 th Ultimo, I naturally supposed that he would have sailed very soon after to join You at Cape Fear ; but am sorry to find he did not move from the Chesa- CB continues p ea ]j_ before the 22 d . Enclosed I send your Lordship ABnewy a j^ e t urn o f the Force that embarked with him ; d it was all I could spare, and I thought it fully adequate to the Services required. My first Instructions to General Leslie put that Corps entirely subject to Your Lord ship's orders ; e l did not, I confess, however, suppose it would move to Cape Fear. But having afterwards too good reason to dread Ferguson's Fate, I in a second Instruction recommended that Measure, as the only Salutary one under the Circumstances I appre- B runs on nen( j e( j Ferguson's Defeat would place your Lordship/ By a letter of Colonel Balfour's to General Leslie (without date) are these Expressions " I have only to repeat that the Safety of this Province now is concerned in your getting as fast as possible near g Breads by us ,, j should be sorry to understand g from this, that the Province is really in danger. Wishing, however, to give your Lordship's operations in North Caro lina, every Assistance in my Power, tho' I can ill spare it, I have sent another Expedition into the Chesapeak, under the Orders of Brigadier General CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 311 Arnold, Lieutenant Colonels Dundas, and Simcoe. 1 The Force by land is not equal to that which sailed with General Leslie ; but I am not without Hopes it will operate 'essentially in favor of Your Lordship, either by striking at Gates's Depot at Petersburg, (which I have still reason to think is considerable) or finally by taking Post at Portsmouth, which I have ever con sidered as very important, for Reasons most obvious. If we take Post there, fortify, & assemble the Inhabi tants ; it ought not afterwards to be quitted : and there fore I cannot suppose Your Lordship will wish to alter the Mestination of this Corps, without absolute ne- cessity. On the contrary I flatter myself, that, should Your Success be such as Your Lordship will, I hope, now have reason to expect, d You will reinforce that Corps, and enable it to act offensively. When that is your Intention, I am to request that the following Corps may in their Turn be considered for that Service, F^.The Troop of 17 th Dragoons, the Yagers, the Detachment of the 1 7 th Foot, and the Provincial light Infantry, &c. e fl B runs M I need not tell Your Lordship that these Detach ments have left me very bare indeed of Troops ; nor that Washington still continues very strong at least 1 2000 Men ; that he has not detached a single Man as yet to the Southward, except Lee's cavalry about 250. I need not tell You also that there are 6000 French already at Rhode Island ; but I must acquaint Your Lordship that six compleat Regiments more are expected, under Convoy of a Number of Capital Ships. f Whatever may have { ^ nserts been the Intention of the French in sending a Reinforcement to this Country , g I think, h however the Season is now too far advanced to expect the howwer last ; and, was I not clearly of that opinion, I should scarcely dare detach as I do. 1 iB runs " As I have always said, I think Your Lordship's k Movements to the Southward most important; and as I ever have done, so I will now give them all the la I send still another de- in favour of L. Cornwallis of tatchment into Chesapeak to act 2500. k B reads movement 312 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Assistance I can. It remains to be proved whether we have Friends in North Carolina I am sure we had a B omits three years ago That Experiment now will, a however, bBitaiicsbe b be fairly tried; 2 if it succeeds, and we hold the Entrance of the Chesapeak, I think the Rebels will cBendt scarcely risk another Attempt upon those Provinces. I am very happy to find by Your Letter to General Leslie, that Your Lordship is so well re covered from your late Indisposition, which had given me the greatest Pain & Concern. As Your Lordship's Dispatch of the 1 2 th November, & Lord Rawdon's & Col 1 Balfour's Letters to General Leslie, brought here by the Beaumont, were addressed on His Majesty's Service ; I took the Liberty to break the Seals, supposing they might contain Intelligence necessary for my Information. Should your Lordship at any Time judge it ex pedient to reinforce the Corps under General Arnold, You will of course either continue it under his Orders, or send any other General Officer you think proper to take the Command, whenever you may think such Alteration necessary. I have the honor to be Your Lordship's most obedient & most humble Servant Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis. 2a nothing more true than this. & 368: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, OBSERVATIONS [46 Ap'x] p 128. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Corn wallis, dated New York, December 13, 1780. This is two parts of No. 36 as shown in margins pp 310-312. 37 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 22 Dec 1780, Copy RI 20/9. OBSERVATIONS 1-2 [52 Ap 1 ai\p 128, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed Copy. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton. Dec r 22 d 1780 N 1 20. lb compare this letter with 2d L C aid de Camp Capt the proceeding. Ross had re- Ross had joined him with C. Bal- turned to his Lordship and had four the day before the date of advised him to hold this language this CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 313 Copy Wynnesborough 22 d Dec r 1780 a Sir, I have the Pleasure to inform your Excellency 5 B tS that Major Gen 1 Leslie arrived with his whole Fleet * at Charlestown on the 14 th of this Month; with no other Loss than the Dragoon Horses, and a great part of those for the Quarter Master General. The Species of Troops which compose the Reinforcement are exclusive of the Guards & Regiment of Bose, exceedingly bad.* I do not mean by representing this to your Excellency to insinuate that you have not sent every Assistance to me which you cou'd with Safety & Prudence spare from New York. c p Ste From the account which your Excellency does me andsafet y the honor to send me of the Situation & Strength of Gen 1 Washingtons Army, and the French Force at Rhode Island, I am convinced that you have done so. But I think it but Justice to the Troops serving in this District to State the Fact; lest the Services performed by the Southern Army shou'd appear inadequate to what might be expected from the Numbers of which it may appear to consist. The Fleet from New York with the Recruits arrived a few Days before Gen 1 Leslie/ It was entirely owing to accident that so many Oat Ships were left at Charlestown. They were * [.From Observations^ When his Lordship made this remark, he had not seen the troops. He must have, therefore, formed his opinion from the report of others. But in justice to the corps who are spoken so slightingly of, it is necessary to observe, that they have all behaved in such a manner as to merit the applauses of the officers commanding them, and one of them (Fannings) has obtained a British establishment. 3 3a I believe it will be ac- originated in his Majts Cabinet knowledged that the detatchment in Europe, many of the members of 40 of the 17 dragoons were of which from various causes I almost the only cavalry that could enumerate which rather to acted with spirit at Cowpens. I see his Lordship in the command could not help observing with than S. H. C. proves his Lord- not less concern than surprise the ships willingness to take Respon- great alteration in Lord Corn- sibility on himself suiting their wallis language & conduct to- purpose better, wards me, even to suspect it 40 3 I4 CLINTON-CORNWALL1S CONTROVERSY very near being lost in a Gale of Wind off the Ear, & were obliged to come in to refit. I have ordered some of them to be ready to sail with the first Convoy; which will go as soon as the Officers of the Navy think they can proceed with Safety. As soon as the Victuallers are unloaded I shall apply to the Commanding Officer of the Navy for a Convoy to return with them to England taking also such Transports as are unfit to continue longer in the Service, on board of which the Invalids will be embarked. The Want of Specie in this Province puts us under the greatest Difficulties. Every method has been pursued to keep the Money in the Hands of the Contractors for Government, and to prevent the Imposition of the Merchants. But the Sum actually in the Province is so inadequate to the necessary Demands, that we have scarcely been able to pay the Subsistence of the Troops. I do not quite understand the State of the Cartel ; but the Number of Prisoners at Charlestown is a great Inconvenience. L* Colonel Balfour informs me that Major Delancy requested in your Excellency's Name, that he wou'd endeavour to procure some Horses to be sent to Gen 1 Vaughan ; but the great Demand for the Service of this Province for Horses for Cavalry, mounted Infantry & Quarter Master General's De partment, has put it out of his Power to do it. Cavalry Accoutrements at Charlestown are very dear & bad, Shou'd your Excellency have received from England more than are wanted for the Service at New York, they will be very useful here. I am afraid the Expence of quartering the Troops at Charlestown will be very great but I do not know how it can be avoided without breaking the Capitulation in Regard to the Property in Town I have the honour & c (Signed) COKNWALLIS. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 315 378: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [52 Ap'x] p 128. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Wynnesborough, Dec. 22, 1780. This extract from No. 37 is shown in margin p 313. 38 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 6 January 1781, Copy RI 22/15. OBSERVATIONS [54 Ap'x] p 129, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed Copy. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton January 6 th 1781. N 123. Copy Wynnesborough 6 th January 1781. a Sir, I am just honored with your Letter of the 1 3 th ult. I have written several Letters in the course of last Month, to give your Excellency an account of the State of the Provinces of South Carolina and Georgia, and of the military Transactions. I fear they are allstillat Charlestown, as no Opportunity has offered of transmitting them to N. York. The present Addition to the Naval Force in this Quarter, will, I hope, enable me ; or, if I am too distant, L^colonel Balfour, to transmit Reports more frequently. b The difficulties I have had to struggle with, have not been occasioned by the opposite Army. 1<2 They always keep at a considerable distance, 3 and "retire 4 on . B reads J -T . r disappear our Approach 5 But the constant Incursions of Refugees, dB tuv} ^ North Carolinians, and back Mountain Men, & the perpetual Risings in the different Parts of this Pro vince ; the invariable Successes of all these Parties against our Militia, keep the whole Country in con tinual Alarm, and renders the Assistance of regular Troops every where necessary. 6 Your Excellency will judge of this by the disposition of the Troops, which I have the honor to inclose to you. la opposite army underlined. Howe & afterwards when S G. 2d proves that his Lordship Collier left us, I never could get was always superior. any of the naval chiefs to co- 3a considerable distance un- operate heartily. & if I had not derlined. established Vessels called Bun- 4a printed disappear under- ners I should never have had lined. any communication with the de- 5a From the hour Lord tatched Corps. 3 i6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY JoS* a l shall begin my March to-morrow, (having been delayed a few Days by a Diversion made by the Enemy towards Ninety-Six) and propose keeping on the West of Catawba for a considerable distance. I shall then proceed to pass that River, and the Yadkin. Events alone can decide the future Steps. I shall take every b B ends Opportunity of communicating with Brig^Gen 1 Arnold. b I have directed L^Col 1 Balfour to apply to the Commanding Officer of the Navy to send a Force into Cape Fear immediately and to embark about 200 Men & establish some Post for the Pro- c FSV ttop tection of the Victuallers and Vessels in the River. The Expression made use of in the Letter from L* Col 1 Balfour to Major General Leslie, was only meant to convey his private Opinion of the Necessity of his complying with my request ; and of the Danger to which the Province wou'd be exposed, if it was again left as destitute of Troops as in October last ; He certainly had no Apprehensions whilst the Army remained on the Frontiers. I can with Truth assure your Excellency that L^Col 1 Balfour, does not hold the Language of despondency, and that his spirited Exertions, & constant Attention to the good of the Service, have rendered me the most effectual Assistance. In the hurry of Business your Excellency omitted answering the following Paragraph in my Letter of the 3O th June. "Mr. Graham, L* Governor of Georgia has presented an Account of Money advanced for Refugees to which is added a Charge of 2O/- IP Diem to the 24 th of June as Inspect 1 of Refugees in Georgia. But as he informs me that his Commission for that Office is not signed, I beg to know your Pleasure whether this Account is to be allowed." d FSV d l have the Pleasure to inform your Excellency that TvSs the Army here, is perfectly healthy and in good Order. iFaend (signed) CORWALLIS/ His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 317 388: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [54 Ap'x] p 1 2 9. With Clintoris Manuscript Notes. Extract. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clin ton, dated Wynnesborough, Jan. 6, 1781. This extract from No. 38 is shown in margins pp 315-316. 38r: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 6 January 1781, Extract PA 139/425. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Lieu* General Earl Cornwallis to General Sir Henry Clinton K.B. 6 th January 1 78 1. In Sir H^ Clinton's N 119.* 47. 12. E Begins Extract of a Letter from Lieu* Gen 1 Earl Cornwallis to General Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Wynnesborough 6 th January 1781. This is three parts of No. 38 as shown in margins pp 315-316. 383: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 6 January 1781, Extract PA 631/161. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Lieu* Gen 1 Earl Cornwallis to His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Wynnesborough 6 th January 1781. Begins Extract of a Letter from Lieu* General Earl Cornwallis to His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Wynnesborough 6 th January 1781. This is three parts of No. 38 as shown in margins pp 315-316. 38v: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 6 January 1781, Extract HL NO 47. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Lieu* General Earl Cornwallis to Gen 1 Sir Henry Clinton K.B. 6 th January 1781. Transmitted to L d Geo : Germain In Sir H? Clinton's of 27 Feb^ 1781 12 E/ 25 th April N 47. Begins Extract of a Letter from Lieu* Gen 1 Earl Corn wallis to General Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Wynnesborough 6 th January 1781. This is three parts of No. 38 as shown in margins pp 315-316. 39 LESLIE TO CLINTON, 8 January 1781, Copy RI 22/16. OBSERVATIONS [56 Ap'oc]p 129. Copy Camden 8 th January 1781. a Sir, b l arrived here some Days ago with the Guards, the Eegiment of Bose and Yagers. I went to Wynnesborough to see Lord Cornwallis. He 3i8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY aB reads moves *this Day, and I march to-morrow with the to-day * above Troops, & N Carolina Regiment. I meet here r "* rf * ^ s Lordship about 70 Miles from b hence. The Troops are exceeding healthy & the Weather cBPSenrf nas been very favorable. As to News I refer your Excellency to your other Letters. I find my good friend Captain Gayton returns to the Chesapeak and Cap 11 Barclay con tinues at Charles Town, he was ready to go home in the room of the Camilla. I wrote your Excellency on my Arrival in Carolina. I have the honor & c (Signed) A LESLIE. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton 396 : LESLIE to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [56 Ap j x] p 1 29. Extract. From Major-general Leslie to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Camden, Jan. 8, 1781. This extract from No. 39 is shown in margins pp 317-318. 39F: LESLIE to CLINTON, 8 January 1781, Extract PA 139/433. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Major General Leslie to Sir H. Clinton K.B. Camden 8 th January a , M ii. SGI ! 7 g x . In Sir H^ Clinton's N 1 1 9 d ( 1 4.) E Begins Extract of a Letter from Major General Leslie to Sir Henry Clinton K.B. Camden 8 th January 1781. This extract from No. 39 is shoivn in margins pp 317-318. 393: LESLIE to CLINTON, 8 January 1781, Extract PA 631/163. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Major General Leslie to His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Camden 8 th January 1781. Begins Extract of a Letter from Major Gen 1 Leslie to His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Camden 8 th January 1781. This extract from No. 39 is shown in margins pp 317-318. 40 CORNWALUS TO CLINTON, 18 January 1781, LS RI 22/18. ANSWER [i]jp 84, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton. Camp on Turkey Creek, Broad River i8 th January 1781. N 125. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 319 a Camp on Turkey Creek Broad Eiver i8 th Jan? 1781. S,S?cop b Sir, In my Letter of the sixth of this month I ! had the honour to inform Your Excellency, that I was ready to begin my March for North Carolina, having been delayed "some days by a diversion made ? Clinton's N 119.* 7. Extract of a Letter from Brigadier General Arnold to General Sir Henry Clinton K. B. dated Portsmouth 13 th February 1781. b "No time has been lost in repairing the old and erecting New works here (in which the Negroes have been very serviceable) but none are yet Com- CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 325 pleat. Repairing Barracks, foraging, and patroling with large Parties, has engrossed the Time of a great part of the Troops. One hundred Men are posted at the Great Bridge. ''Lieu 1 Colonel Simcoe, with near Four hundred Men, are in Princess Anne County, scouring the County of several parties and arranging matters with the Country people. The Enemy are at Suffolk with Two thousand five hundred, or three thousand Men ; They threaten an Attack b on us, but I cannot suppose them capable of so much temerity ; We are prepared for them at all points, and I believe nothing will induce them to Attack us, but the hope of succeeding in a surprize, and despair of keeping their tattered force together, through want of Provisions, and the necessity of their ploughing their Lands to prevent a famine the ensuing Year. 6 I have requested a Ship from Commodore Symonds to send to My Lord Cornwallis I have not received an answer, but if she is furnished me, I intend pro posing to My Lord, if the Cooperation will be of Service to him, to send some Boats with four or five hundred Troops thro' Curratucks inlet, to Sweep the Albemarle Sound as high as Edington, & to go to Newburn and destroy their Shipping Stores &ca, while a few armed Vessels take Post at Ocracuck Bar, and a Frigate Cruises without This Movement I am convinced will have a good effect, first, by destroying the Navigation of North Carolina, and thereby distressing the Inhabitants, and secondly by taking off their Attention from my Lord Cornwallis and General Leslie. A number of my Boats are begun, & if Fifty or one hundred Ship Carpenters and Boat Builders could be procured in New York, or elsewhere and sent here, they might be employed to great advantage. I have sent Six Vessels under Convoy of a Frigate to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, for forage, pro vision, and Lumber" b B reads upon 326 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY February 14* Yesterday at one o'Clock P. M. anchored in Linn Haven Bay Three french Ships of War, one of 64 Guns and two Frigates, it remains a doubt where they are from, and whether they are King's Ships or Merchantmen, I believe the latter, tho' the Gen tlemen of the Navy are of opinion they are the former, & from Rhode Island; A Vessel sails this Evening at my request for Charles Town to prevent Commodore Gay ton, or any Frigate coming this way bF ends from falling into their hands."* 436: ARNOLD to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [64 Ap'x~\p 129. Extract. From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir H. Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, February 13, 1781. This extract from No. 43 is shown in margins pp 324-325. 43P: ARNOLD to CLINTON, 13 February 1781, Extract PA 606/152. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Brigadier General Arnold dated Head Q rs Portsmouth February the 1 3 th 1781. Begins Extract of a Letter from Brigadier General Arnold dated Head Quarters Portsmouth February the 13 th 1781. Same as No. 43 with variations shown in margins pp 324-326. 44 CLINTON TO ARNOLD, OBSERVATIONS [67 Ap'x] p 129. Extract. From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Brigadier- general Arnold, dated New York, February 18, 1781. Appearances at Rhode Island give me reason to suppose that the ships seen last Wednesday were the avant garde from that place. Should they pay you a visit from Rhode Island, you may rest assured every attention will be paid to your situation, and that our movements will be regulated by theirs. I am afraid Tarleton's affair is too true; but I have reason notwithstanding to believe Lord Corn- wallis is far advanced in Carolina. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 327 45 CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, ANSWER [34] _p 85. & JBy the Eight Honourable * Charles Earl Cornwallis, Lieutenant-general of his Majesty s Forces, c. &c. &c. STL^* By Charlea A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS it has pleased the Divine Providence to prosper the operations of his Majesty's arms in driving the rebel army out of this province ; and whereas it is his Majesty's most gracious wish to rescue his faithful and loyal subjects from the cruel tyranny under which they have groaned for 'several years, I have thought proper to issue this Proclama tion, to invite all such faithful and loyal subjects to repair, without loss of time, with their arms and ten days provisions, to the Royal Standard now erected at Hillsborough, where they will meet with the most friendly reception : and I do hereby assure them that I am ready to concur with them in effectual measures for suppressing the remains of rebellion in this pro vince, and for the re-establishment of good order and constitutional government. Given d under my hand at head quarters at Hills- f t S Hiii? &c ' borough this 2Oth e day of February, f in the year J ^ ^ s of our Lord 1781, and in the twenty-first year ^31 1731 of his Majesty's reign. g CoRNWALLis. By his Lordship's command, H. BRODRICK, Aid de Camp. God save the King. h 45 B: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 20 Feb. 1781, TARLETONJP 256. Same as No. 45 with variations shown in margin p 327. 45 F: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 20 Feb. 1781, Copy PA 157/209. Endorsed Copy of a Proclamation issued at Hills- borough, in North Carolina, by Earl Cornwallis. dated the 20 th of FebT 1781. In Lord Cornwall's N 7.' yj- 58 p Same as No. 45 with variations shown in margin p 327. 453: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 20 Feb. 1781, Copy k Ri 19/76. Same as No. 45 with variations shown in margin p 327. 328 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 46 ARNOLD TO CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [65 Ap'x]p 129. Extract. From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir II. Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, February 25, 1781. After my dispatches were closed (which were in tended to go by the General Monk) three French ships, one a sixty-four, the other two frigates, arrived from Rhode Island, and anchored in Lynhaven Bay. On the i4th instant they arrived in Hampton road, and remained there until the iQth, when they left the Capes, and are said to be now cruizing to the southward of them. Before the arrival of the French ships, the enemy's force did not exceed two thousand five hundred men, at Suffolk and in the vicinity, which was greatly augmented soon after their arrival. On the 1 8th they came down in force, near our lines, and surprised a piquet of six men ; but soon retired. Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe with four hundred men being in Princess Anne county, I did not think it prudent to leave our works to attack them. I have very good intelligence that the rebels at Suffolk have been informed by express from General Greene, that on the i6th or i8th instant, my Lord Cornwallis crossed the Dan river, sixty miles above Halifax, and one hundred and twelve from Peters- burgh, with one thousand cavalry and four thousand infantry, and was on the march for Peter sburgh. Generals Greene and Morgan, with three thousand or four thousand men, chiefly militia, were retiring before him ; in consequence of which a considerable part of their troops, have been detached to join General Greene. I have not been able to ascertain the number of troops remaining at Suffolk and in the vicinity; I expect to do it in a day or two, in which time every possible effort shall be made to complete our works in such a manner, that a consi derable detachment may be made to proceed up the James river, with some ships to co-operate with Lord Cornwallis ; and if he should have reached the CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 329 river, to furnish him with such supplies of provi sions, c. as we can spare, and his troops be most in need of. 47 ARNOLD TO CLINTON, 27 Feb. 1781, Extract PA 139/481. OBSERVATIONS [67 Ap'x~] p 129. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Brig r Gen 1 Arnold to Sir Henry Clinton K. B. dated Portsmouth Feb ruary 27 th 1781. In Sir H> Clinton's N 120* 35. Extract of a Letter from Brigadier General Arnold dated Portsmouth February 27 th 1781 " I had the honor of addressing Your Excellency Jj*** 1 * 1 the 25 th Instant. My Dispatches were sent on Board the Bonetta, She was waiting for a fair Wind, when I was honored with Your Excellency's Letter of the i8 th Instant which was delivered me this Morning. d I have not the least doubt, that every possible d B be ff int Attention will be paid to Our Situation. We are under no Apprehensions at present from the Force of the Country, and if the French should detach from Rhode Island to this place, I have not the least doubt of defending it against the Force of the Country and Two thousand French Troops, "till a reinforcement can arrive from New York. Tomorrow I intend Embarking some Stores, and the next day about five hundred Troops, under the f order of Lieu* Colonel Dundas, to proceed up the James River, to make a diversion in favour of My Lord Cornwallis." g ' P ends I have the honour 47B: ARNOLD to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [67 A.px]p 129. to be &c. Extract. From Brigadier-general Arnold to Sir H. Clinton, K.B. dated Portsmouth, February 27, 1781. This extract from No. 47 is shown in margin p 329. 47F: ARNOLD to CLINTON, 27 February 1781, Copy HL NO 4. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Copy. Brig r Gen 1 Arnold to Sir Henry 42 330 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Clinton K.B. Portsmouth 2; th Feb? 1781. In Sir a seei i.364 B> Clinton's of I st March 1781* (2.) (N 4) Same as JSo. 47 with variations shown in margin p 329. 48 CLINTON TO ARNOLD, OBSERVATIONS [68 Ap'x]p 129. Copy. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Brigadier-general Arnold, dated New York, March i, 1781. Sir, I suppose of course that the admiral, who knew your situation on the 2ist, and heard at the same time, that the sixty-four and two frigates were from Rhode Island, has detached to your relief; lest he should not, I have repeatedly pressed him to do it since. The French fleet has not yet sailed from Rhode Island ; if it does, encumbered with troops, the admiral will of course follow without incumbrance ; and, when he has fixed them, it will be time enough to send troops. In case a fleet should appear under French colours, do not be alarmed, as I shall advise the admiral to send in that manner, to deceive the enemy. There is information of from twelve to fourteen hundred troops being at Brunswick the 27th of February, on their way to the southward. These it is our business to watch. The troops which are all ready embarked, are de tained till I receive certain advice that the French ships are removed from the Chesapeak, there being nothing here but frigates to convoy them. I have received a letter this day from the admiral, dated the 4th : he has given me no possitive informa tion of the movements of the French ; he will send a ship to observe their situation in Rhode Island, and will proceed accordingly. Should he call here, the troops will in all probability sail with him ; if he does not, I shall send them as soon as I know the way to the Chesapeak is clear. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 331 49 CLINTON TO CORNWALLIS, 5 March 1781,1 Copy RI 22/69. NARRATIVE [5] p 9, ANSWER [5]^? 85 [Received June, 1781.2-3] With Clinton's Manuscript Notes from ANSWER. Copy New York March 5th 1781. a My Lord, I was honoured with your Lordships Dispatches dated the i8th b Nov r , the 3d 4th 6th ;th 22d & 29th "December, and 3d 6th and i8th d January by the Halifax Sloop of War on the i6th Ulto And by the Mercury Packet which will sail in a day or two for Europe, I propose to transmit Copies of such of them to the Minister, as may be necessary for His Majesty's Information. What your Lordship observes in your Letter of the 4th December, I am very sensible of; and am fully persuaded that no representation I can make will have any Effect upon men lost to every Sense of humanity. I am sorry to say my Lord, that I have the same reason to lament the want of safe Conveyances for my Dispatches, which your Lordship regrets in your Letter of the 6th January having had several prepared for your Lordship ever since the beginning of that Month. And I am even now obliged to trust them by the precarious Conveyance of a Merchant Vessel, as I have in vain applied for a Ship of War for these two Months past for the purpose. 4 I request your Lordship's Forgiveness for the omission I was guilty of in not answering the Para graph of your Letter of the 3Oth June, relative to Lieut Governor Graham. As there are now no Kefugees in Georgia and of Course no occasion for such an Office as that to which he was appointed ; la reed by Col. Balfour the into Virginia. 6. of April, but he neglected to 4a had repeatedly apply'd send it to L. C. for a frigate to convey my dis- 2b why not before. Col patches, but the Admiral could Balfour reed & read it on the yth never spare one, he certainly was April. the best judge how to employ 3a This is one of the letters the Navy but the land operations which Lord Cornwallis expected suffered for want often, from C. Town when he marched 332 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY and as he is now in full Possession of his Property, and does not seem to wish for a continuance of the Employment, it is very proper that it shou'd cease, and but reasonable that Mr. Graham shou'd be reimbursed a the Sums he has advanced as well as paid his Salary of 2os. ^ Day for himself & Clerk from the 3d of March to the Period he ceased to act. It gives me very great Pleasure to learn from your Lordship that the Army under your Command is now perfectly healthy and in good Order. I am sorry the Oatships met with an Accident off Charlestown Bar. It is a risk in my Opinion which ever) Fleet runs that Anchors there. Surely it wou'd have been better for them to have stood off and on. But of those Sea Matters I am of course not a com petent Judge. I am glad to find that your Lordship intends to send the Victuallers and all such Transports to England as are unfit for Service, their speedy Eeturn being most earnestly desired.* I wou'd wish to have all such Invalids, whose Times of Service do not entitle them to Che] sea, & tho' unfit for Service in the Field may be able to do duty in Garrison ; sent here from Time to Time that they may be placed in the Garrison Battalion which will finally ensure to them His Majesty's Royal Bounty. 5 As I understand the Chatham, has brought out .50,000 in Specie to Charlestown your Lordships Difficulties with regard to Money will have been removed ; but I cannot say so much for ours. Lord George Germain having inform'd me c that as Major Ross was of opinion that many of the Prisoners j n our Hands in Carolina might be induced to serve on board the King's Ships or in Privateers or enlist in the Regiments serving in the West Indies, or go as 5a this explains my motive service as long as possible & they for raising the G : Batallion, that at the end of it receive the King's the public should have their bounty of Chelsea. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 333 Volunteers upon Expeditions in that Quarter ; he had recommended to your Lordship to get rid of all you could in those several ways, or in any other your Lordship shou'd think fit to be adopted/ It is unne- r . commas end cessary for me to add any Ihmg upon that Subject? but to say that I leave them entirely to your Lord ships disposal. 6 I wish it had been possible to have procured the Horses for Gen 1 Vaughan, as I fear the Troops may suffer from the drudgeries they were intended to per form. I know not at present how it is possible my Lord, to avoid the Expence of quartering the Troops at Charlestown, consistent with the Terms of the Capitu lation. But I will endeavour to find some means of doing it if it is practicable. b l am most exceedingly concerned My Lord, at the I>B%W Very unfortunate Affair of the xyth d of January. 6 c v * r omits From the Account your Lordship gives me of it. I drom^of i A^PI i 6 B stops $ tear Morgan has been in very great r orce : that our first Line has been too impetuous, and that the Re- serve has sustained f too nearly and probably in too loose Order ; and that the Enemy has moved against them in that critical Situation. g l confess I dread the Consequences. But my hope is, as it ever will be, in your Lordships Abilities and Exertions. 1 h-B stops se T i - 11 -i 11. continues p I shall always be happy in paying every Attention 342 1 n to your Recommendations in filling up the Vacancies in the 33d Regiment, as I shall be constantly guided by your Lordship's Wishes with respect to the Promo tions of your own Regiment. I have already had an Opportunity of fulfilling rny Intentions respecting Col 1 Webster, but this is too unsafe a Conveyance to trust the Commission by. I have 1 &c iF^th Earl Cornwallis 7 (Signed) H. CLINTON. b*?H. 6a better have exchanged 7a I wonder his Lordship them for our own prisoners but did not introduce here all the this Mr Ross was ever busy in letters I sent to the care of Col. some Plan to Clogg us. Balfour. 334 CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTROVERSY 493: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 5 March 1781, NARRATIVE \$~]p 9. Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord Cornwallis, March 5, 1781. Extracts from Nos. 49 and 53 shown in margins pp 333, 342-343. 49F: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 5 March 1781, ANSWER [5] p 85. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Earl Cornwallis, dated New York, March 5th, 1781. [Received J une, 1781.] Same as No. 49 with variations shown in margins pp 331-333. 50 GERMAIN TO CLINTON, 7 March 1781, LS RI 22/71. REPLY [74] p 170. With Clinton's MS. Notes from REPLY and GERMAIN. Endorsed Triplicate N 8 1 . Lord Geo : Germain to Sir H. Clinton K.B. Whitehall 7 th March 1781 re ceived the 27 th June 1781. Revolt of the Pens a Line. Send an expedition to the head of Chesapeak. Board of associated loyalists to encourage refugees to go to Penobscot. 156. b IS* (Triplicate) a N 8 1 Whitehall 7 th March 1 78 1 l nits to c Sir, Since my Letter to you of the 7 th d Febry, I have received Your Dispatches 'numbered from 1 1 3 to 1 1 7 inclusive, and laid them before The King. f The Revolt of the Pensylvania Line and Jersey Brigade though not attended with all the good Consequences 5 that might have been expected, are certainly Events of very great Importance and must have very exten sive Effects both in reducing Washington's present Force and preventing its being recruited by new ^rnits Levies, g and as I doubt not You will avail Yourself of his Weakness, and Your own h great Superiority, to send a considerable Force to the Head of the Chesapeak 2 as soon as the Season will permit Opera tions to be carried on in that Quarter, I flatter myself the Southern Provinces will be recovered to His Majesty's Obedience before the long promised Succors (none of which are yet sailed,) can arrive 1R read in H. of Lords du Chevr Clinton. [The Kin 2G Le Roy approuve le Plan approves Sir H. Clinton's plan. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 335 from France, and a M r Washington unable to draw Subsistence for his Troops from the West Side of Hudsons River, b be compelled to cross it & take Refuge in the Eastern Provinces. I am very anxious to hear of Lord Cornwallis's Progress since General Leslie joined him, I have no doubt his Movements will be rapid and decisive, for His Lordship appears to be fully impressed with the absolute necessity of vigorous Exertions in the Service of this Country in its present Circumstances. d The Success of General Arnolds Enterprize up James River which the Rebel N ews Papers confirm, must greatly facilitate His Lord ships Operations by cutting off 'Green's Supplies and obliging the Militia to return to take Care of their own Property : f Indeed g so very contemptible is the Rebel Force now in all Parts, and so vast is Our Supe- riority every where, that no resistance on their Part is to be apprehended, that can materially obstruct the Progress of the Kings Arms in the Speedy Suppression of the Rebellion ; and h it is a pleasing tho' at the same time a mortifying reflection when the Duration of the Rebellion is considered, which arises from 'the iFrearfsa View of the k Return of the Provincial Forces You have transmitted, that the American Levies in The King's Service are more in number than the whole of the Inlisted Troops in the Service of the Congress. 1 I am very glad to find You have Commissioned a Board of Directors of the Refugees, and m l hope the Admiral will have been able to spare them Shipping to carry on their Operations on the Sea n Coasts of the New England Provinces ; many of those within the Lines who are unfit for Military Service are desirous of being settled in the Country about Penobscot, and require only to be supplied with Provisions for the first Year, some Tools for Husbandry and Iron Work for their Buildings, and as it is proposed to settle that Country, and this appears a cheap method of dis posing of these Loyalists it is wished You would encourage them to go there under the Protection of f FSMON end 336 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the Associated Refugees, and assure them that a Civil Government will follow them in due time ; for I hope in the course of the Summer the Admiral and You will be able to spare a Force sufficient to effect an Establishment at Casco Bay and reduce that Country to The King's Obedience. a l am very glad to find b by the List of the Officers released, that the Exchanges have been carried so far ; but as it appears from M r Washington's last Letter to You, that they will not be carried on further, the Measure of enlisting their Prisoners for Service in the West Indies, should be adopted Immediately/ and indeed such has been the Mortality from Sickness among the Troops there, that I do not see any other Means of recruiting them. fl l am sorry to acquaint You, that the General Pre valence of Westerly Winds for these last two Months, has prevented the Warwick and Solebay, with their Convoy, from getting further than Plymouth, where they are still detained. f I am, g Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant Germain sir Henry Clinton K.B. GEO : GERMAIN. 5 OB: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 7 March 1781, REPLY [74]^ 170. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Extract of a Letter from Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Whitehall, yth March, 1781. This extract from No. 50 is shown in margins pp 334~335- 5 OF: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 7 March 1781, 8 GW 520. Same as No. 50 with variations shown in margins pp 334-336. 508: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 7 March 1781, Fr trans GERMAIN p 25. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Extrait d'une lettre du lord George Germain a Sir Henri Clinton, datee de Whitehall, le 7 mars 1781. This is four parts of No. 50 as shown in margins pp 334-336. 5ov: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 7 March 1781, Draft PA 139/311. Endorsed Dra 1 to Sir Henry Clinton 7 th March 1781. (N8i.) 39 Ent d dup Same as No. 50 with variations shown in margins pp 334-336. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 337 5x]p 129, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Copy New York March 9 th 1781 *v beg agj^ I wa s favored with your Letters dated the 25 th & 3i st JanF & 2 cl & 5 th Feb^ by the Halifax bB stops Slo0 p War on the ! 6th ui t i mo ,b As the disposal of the Rebel Prisoners in Carolina is submitted to Lord Cornwallis it is unnecessary for me to trouble you with Instructions on that Head. And with respect to Governor Ballings Letter & Instructions to Lord Charles Montagu, I must refer you also for Directions to Lord Corn wallis, who is of course the best Judge how far it will be for the good of the King's Service in the Southern Colonies to afford Lord Charles the Assist ance which Gen 1 Balling solicits. I expect to receive a Supply of Arms very soon. All those we had to spare were left in Carolina, or sent on the Expeditions to the Chesapeak. c Capt ^mherst of the 6o th Reg* who is so obliging to charge himself with my Dispatches 1 for Lord 2 Cornwallis, will deliver them to your Care. d3 L* Col 1 Balfour. Signed H. CLINTON. Id my dispatches underlined. Amphitrite which called also at 2d Lord to care underlined. Cape Fear & brought letters 3b these dispatches Col. Bal- from L. Cornwallis why did not four owns the receipt of in his Col. Balfour send them by that letter of the 7th April, page by oppty to Lord Cornwallis. 546 : CLINTON to BALFOUR, OBSERVATIONS [64 Apx~]p 129. With Clintons Manuscript Notes. Extract. From Sir H. Clinton, K.B. to Lieutenant- colonel Balfour, sent by Captain Amherst, in the Jupiter merchant ship, dated New York, March 9, 1781. This is two parts of No. 54 as shown in margin p 346. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 347 55 CLINTON TO PHILLIPS, 10 March 1781, ANSWER [6i]_p 86. NARRATIVE [95] p 57, ANSWER [61] p 86 and [175] p 90, OBSERVA TIONS [69 Ap'x~\p 1 2 9, CORRESPONDENCE [ 1 9] p i34,REPLY[77J p 170. With Clinton's MS. Notes from NARRATIVE, ANSWER, CORRESPON DENCE and REPLY. Copy of Sir Henry Clinton's Instructions to Major- general Phillips, dated Head Quarters, a New York, March loth, 1781. Deceived by Earl Cornwallis in Virginia. Sir, You will be pleased to proceed with the cS ** l ' IW troops embarked under your command to Chesapeak Bay, and there form a junction as soon as possible with Brigadier-general Arnold, whom, and the corps with him, you will take under your orders. d Should any unforeseen accident prevent your forming an immediate junction with Brigadier-general Arnold, you will, however, exert every endeavour to communi cate with him. And as the principal object of your expedition is the security of him, the troops at pre sent under his orders, and the posts he occupies e on Elizabeth River, near the mouth of James River in Virginia, you will, of course, use every means to attain this very material purpose. The properest methods to be pursued on this occasion cannot be exactly pointed out to you, but f must be left to your dis- f t * e f S6rts cretion. g When you shall have formed your junction with & s continu Brigadier-general Arnold, if you find that General acting under the orders of Earl Cornwallis, you will, of course, endeavour to fulfil those orders. If this should not be the case ; after receiving every informa tion respecting his probable situation, you will make such movements with the corps h then under your * sitalict orders as can be made consistent with the security of the post on Elizabeth River, or you shall think will most effectually assist his Lordships operations, by destroying or taking any magazines the enemy may have on James River, or at Petersburg, on the Appamatox. 1 After which, if it should be thought is$t P s 348 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a S continues bBFVB teg in c S reads Admiral's d S italics York Town Old Point Comfort e S italics to loss f S italics to Chesapeak g BPSJi R omit shall h FSVR read operation i VR omit the k BFVE end 8 stops necessary, you will establish a post, or posts, at such stations on James River, as shall appear best calcu lated to open the way for, and secure the safety, as far as possible, of a rapid movement of troops to give jealousy for Upper James River, and to interrupt the course of supplies to the Carolinas. a The object of co-operation with Lord Cornwallis being fulfilled, you are at liberty to carry on such desultory expeditions for the purpose of destroying the enemy's public stores and magazines in any part of the Chesapeak, as you shall judge proper. bl lf the 'Admiral* disapproving of Portsmouth, and requiring a fortified station for large ships in the Chesapeak, should propose d York Town or Old Point Comfort, if possession of either can be acquired and maintained e without great risk or loss, you are at liberty to take possession thereof: ^ut 2 if the objections are such as you g shall think forcible, you must, after stating those objections, decline it, till solid Opera tions take place in 'the Chesapeak.* 3 - 4 ' 5 - 6 -?- 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 1R in my narrative 2aC but to Chesapeak under lined. 3aA If Lord Cornwallis rests his defence of taking York Sta tion on his not finding that of James a safe one He ought to recollect that unless He could give effectual Protection to large ships in York River & that Station could be acquired and maintained without great risk or loss, or if his objections were such as He thought forcible he was ordered to state such objec tions, & decline it. 4aA If Lord Cornwallis gives this extract as affecting his Lord ship what does he prove by it. That if his objections to any Station are such as he thinks forcible he must decline taking Possession. &c. 5cA This very instruction to Genl Phillips proves that if a station can't be acquired & main tained witht great risk, or He has any objections He thinks forcible He must decline it. now if L.C. on being ordered to occupy a Place of arms had on examinaticn found objections now if an Insn to Gen Phillips could operate on one to Lord Cornwallis of subse quent date, as His Lordship thought it did, as he objected to old Point Comfort & stated his objections ; had he had any objec tions to that which he spontane ously chose in preference He should have said so, but the reader will observe He never gave the least reason to judge unfavor ably of York Town till 3 days before he capitulated. 6aC I appeal whether this very CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 349 As to whatever relates to the people of the coun try, their being received and armed, or being more for the King's service that they should remain quietly at their houses, or respecting the oaths that should be offered to them, or for your general conduct in matters of this kind, I refer you to my Instructions to Major- general Leslie, and Brigadier-general Arnold, copies of which will be given to you. And Concerning your return to this place, you will a 8 >< receive either my orders or Lord Cornwallis's, as cir cumstances may make necessary . b ^ stops Tis presumed his Lordship will be able to spare troops to station at Portsmouth, &c. but should that not be the case, you are at liberty to leave either the regiment of Prince Hereditaire or the seventy-sixth, or both, for that purpose, under any officer, being a general officer, Lord Cornwallis may choose to ap point ; but if it should be an officer of your own ap pointing, "with the rank of Lieutenant-colonel ; I think E inserts if Lieutenant-colonel Dundas, as being acquainted with the spot, should remain. order to G. Phillips which became 9bN His instruction was de- equally binding to L. Cornwallis livered to L. Corn, on his arrival who succeeded to him in that in Chesapeak, could I think after Command did not empower his receiving it, he could take York Lordship to reject any post if he & Gloucester for this very purpose did not think it safe. if he did not think them safe and 7bC does not this instruction as he had disapproved of Old clearly imply that his Lordship Point comfort, & told me why, was at full liberty to object to was I not to suppose as he said taking a station if he thought ill nothing to the contrary when he of it or did it not at least require took York & Glotr that they were that he should make some report safe posts, for if not as follows in upon it which was not however this letter, we must not take them done altho it had been done with but content ourselves with cover- respect to the pest I had named. ing frigates only. 8aN Lord Cornwallis says that 10iN does not this call upon standing in Genl Phillips Place L. Cornwallis to report upon any He considered orders to that Station he takes & to reject it if General as binding on him, by he disapproves, these Instions to G. Phillips had HbN all these instructions L his Lordship's reasons for not C. owns the receipt off and con- occupying York & Glour been siders some of them as binding on forcible, he should have said so. him. 350 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY b srS? MM a lt is probable, Vhenever the objects of this expedi- l h somte n tion are fulfilled, and that you have strengthened the present works, and added such others as you shall that** think necessary, d that you e may return to this place. ptaas"** to I n which case, you must bring with you Brigadier- general Arnold, the Light Infantry, Colonel Eobinson's corps, or, the seventy- sixth, and, if it should be fs runs on ^^{^^ fa^ Q ueen 's Rangers/ The moment you have communicated with Lord Cornwallis, and heard from his Lordship, you are to consider yourself as under his Lordship's orders, until H. he, or you shall hear further from me. g cl EMin Se ri Most heartily wishing you success, I have the OT? honour to be, &c. h H. CLINTON. 12 55R: fs^ed)*^ 12a/J ^ a ^ these letters above they do not all imply a doubt where the copy of Instruction to respecting our naval superiority Gen Phillips were received by Col in that bay of Chesapeak & Balfour on the 6 of April they whether they do not all but for- are those Lord Cornwallis men- bid L. Cornwallis going there, nay tions in his of the 23 April to L. the very first line of that of the G Germain page 50 the reader 2<1 march should have prevented is requested to say whether any his going, notg all this and that of them inform his Lordship that He laments he is about to make Gen Phillips had been detached to a desperate move without His Virginia. whether L C could have Comr in Chiefs approbation tho supposed from any of them, that he expects dispatches hourly He S H C had determined on solid moves, operation in Virginia, whether 553; CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 10 March 1781, NARRATIVE [95]^ 57. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract from Sir H. Clinton's Instructions to Major- General Philips, dated March 10, 1781. This extract from No. 55 is shown in margin p 348. 55F: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 10 March 1781, ANSWER [175]^ 90. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract of the Instructions of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, to Major-general Phillips, dated New York, March 10, 1781. This extract from No. 55 is shown in margin p 348. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 351 553: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, OBSERVATIONS [69 Ap\v~] p 129. Extract. From Instructions to Major-general Phillips, dated New York, March 10, 1781. This is Jive parts of No. 55 as shown in margins pp 347-350. 55V: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, CORRESPONDENCE [19]^ 134. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract of the Instructions of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, to Major General Phillips, dated at Head-Quarters, New York, March 10, 1781. This extract from No. 55 is shown in margin p 348. 55E: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 10 March 1781, REPLY [77] p 170. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Extract from Sir H. Clinton's Instructions to Major- General Phillips, dated March 10, 1781. This extract from No. 55 is shown in margin p 348. 5511: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 10 March 1781, Copy PA 139/489. Endorsed Copy. Instructions to Major General Phillips dated New York March io th 1781. In Sir H^ Clinton's N 120* (5) (7) *u.364 Same as No. 55 with variations shown in margins pp 347-350, and the following additional paragraph : In order that I may be furnished with every In formation necessary to be Communicated to the Secretary of State to be laid before the King, I am to request that you will from time to time transmit to me, such Intelligence as you may think Interesting to His Majesty's Service. 55M: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 10 March 1781, Copy HLNo 6. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Copy. Instructions to Major General Phillips dated New York March io th 1781. In Sir H^ Clinton's of i st March i78i. b (4) N 6. Same as No. 55 with variations shown in margins pp 347-350 and the additional paragraph as in No. 5511. 352 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 56 CLINTON TO PHILLIPS, 14 March 1781, ANSWEE [85] p 87. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Major-general Phillips, dated March 14, 1781, half past Two. [Received at Petersburgh by Earl Cornwallis, May 20. 1<2 ] Dear Phillips, By the enclosed from the Admiral you will see that the want of intelligence has again lost us a fair opportunity of giving " a mortal blow." I hope, however, he will still overtake them before they reach Chesapeak ; they sailed in a snow storm on Wednesday, and I fear he was not out of Gar diner's Bay till Saturday. He was, however, left pursuing on the i ith, with all his coppers and a fair wind. I think, if he does not overtake them at sea, they will not risk an action in Lynhaven-bay, and will therefore proceed with their whole fleet to York, as I told the Admiral they would, and there, perhaps, lay ; and I had almost said fascinate the Admiral till another fleet arrives ; if from Europe, it ought not to come without a hint from thence ; from the West Indies it will not probably come unaccom panied by our friend Sir George. 'Tis possible it only means to see the transports off the Chesapeak, and then proceed to the West-Indies with the fleet of men of war ; 'tis possible, also, that the whole is gone to the West-Indies, for it is a bold move to evacuate Rhode-island, and proceed to the Chesapeak so encumbered, liable to be followed by an unencumbered superior copper fleet. God send our old Admiral success ! 1 depend on early informa tion from you, and shall prepare for every possible event. Recollect that we have not a single transport la This letter was marked Pocket, not a word in either of thus. " Private and most Secret." which could have been of the 2a I cannot account for L. least use to him, nor could it Cornwallis's publishing this and answer any other purpose but to some other of my private letters draw on altercation between the found in poor dead Phillips Admiral & me. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 353 till you send some. With every wish for your health and success, Believe me, &c. H. CLINTON. The schooner shall attend you, though we can ill spare her. As often as possible communicate by these vessels ; they make their passage better than the frigates. P.S. I have received your letters. In addition to what 1 have written above, pray ob serve me well in what I am saying. I think, if the French are gone to Chesapeak, they will shelter themselves in York-Biver. The Admiral will immediately hold his usual language that he waits for the army. That from South-Carolina can not come, as Colonel Balfour has very injudiciously sent home the transports. I cannot move a man till you send back transports ; but, if he proposes any thing to you, he must first declare in writing posi tively what he thinks his fleet will do, or at least attempt, before you can decide ; and then, after con sulting your officers, let me know your opinion what can be done, and what land force it will require to do it. If all agree that they will be unattackable in that station, it must be blocked, and then we must do our best to assist Lord Cornwallis's operations, or carry on desultory operations in the Chesapeak till some other plan can be settled ; but all must be set tled in formal council. 57 CORNWALLIS TO GERMAIN, 17 March 1781,1,8 PA 157/189. ANSWER [22]^ 85. Endorsed N 6. Guildford No: Carolina 17* March 1781 Lord Cornwallis (N 6) R/ 4 th June. Ent d a N 6 Guildford 17 th March 1781. b My Lord, Your Lordship's Dispatch N i, dated the 9 th of November ult was delivered to me by my Aide-de-Camp Major Ross. The Officers & Soldiers, who fought so gallantly on the i6 th of August, 45 354 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY received with the warmest sense of Gratitude, the Koyal Approbation of their behaviour ; And it is particularly pleasing to me, that my Conduct has given Satisfaction to His Majesty, and to his Ministers. By the long interruption of our communication with South Carolina, I have not been informed, whether Lieu 1 Governour Bull, and the other Civil a B new t Officers have arrived in that Province ; a l shall pay proper attention to your Lordship's directions upon that subject, as well as, relating to the Prisoners of b s reads in ^ ar confined b at Charlestown ; There are at present some hopes, that a negociation now on foot, between me and General Greene, will terminate in a Cartel for their Exchange ; If it fails, I shall endeavour to dispose of them in the manner recommended by your Lordship, the expence and inconvenience of keeping them being intolerable. 6 I have the honour to be d with great respect My Lo rd your Lordship's Most obedient & Most humble Servant CORNWALLIS. Right Honorable Lord George Germain &c a &c a &c a 57B: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, Tj March 1781, ANSWER, \_22~] p 85. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 6, to Lord George Germain, dated Guildford, March 17, 1781. Same as No. 57 with variations shown in margins pp 353-354. 57F: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, Copy RI 19/79. Same as No. 57 with variations shown in margins pp 353-354. 578: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, Copy tA 309/38. In margin Guildford N Carolina 17 th March 1781 Lord Cornwallis (N 6.) R/ 4 th June 1781. Same as No. 57 with variations shown in margins pp 353-354. 58 CORNWALLIS TO GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, LS PA 157/193. ANSWER [23]^ 85. Endorsed N 7 Guildford North Carolina 1 7 th March a No.45F: 1781 Lord Cornwallis (N 7) R/ 4 th June i Inclosure a Ent d . CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 355 a N 7 Guildford March 171781. oZ M b My Lord, Having occasion to dispatch my Aide-de- b Camp Captain Brodrick, with the particulars of the Action of the 15*, in compliance with general direc tions from Sir Henry Clinton ; I shall embrace the opportunity to give your Lordship an account of the operations of the Troops, under my Command, d previous to that event, and of those subsequent, untill the departure of Captain "Brodrick. My Plan for the Winter's Campaign, was to pene trate into North Carolina, leaving South Carolina in security against any probable attack in my Absence/ Lord Rawdon, with a considerable body of Troops, had charge of the defensive, and I proceeded, about the middle of January, upon the offensive operations. I decided to march by the upper, in preference to the lower roads, leading into North Carolina, because Fords being frequent above the Forks of the Rivers, my passage there could not easily be obstructed, and General Greene having taken post on the Pedee, and there being few fords in any of the great Rivers g of gy reads in this Country below 7 their Forks, especially in Winter, I apprehended being much delayed, if not entirely prevented, from penetrating by the latter route. h l was the more induced to prefer this route, as I hoped in my way, to be able to destroy, or drive out of South Carolina, the Corps of the Enemy, commanded by General Morgan, which threatened our valuable district of Ninety Six ; and I likewise hoped by rapid marches, to get between General Greene and Virginia, and by that means, force him to fight, without receiv ing any reinforcement from that province, or failing of that, to oblige him to quit North Carolina with precipitation, and thereby encourage our friends, to make good their promises of a general rising, to as sist me in re-establishing His Majesty's Government. The unfortunate Affair of the 1 7 th of January, was a very unexpected and severe blow ; for besides repu tation, our loss did not fall short of 600 men: 356 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY however, being thoroughly sensible, that defensive measures, would be certain ruin to the Affairs of Britain, in the southern Colonies, this event did not deter me from prosecuting the original plan.* That General Greene might be uncertain of my in tended route, as long as possible, I had left General Leslie at Camden, untill I was ready to move from d?/s insert Wynnesborough, and he was now within a b march of me ; I employed the i8 th in forming a junction with him, and in collecting the remains of Lieu'-Colonel Tarleton's Corps ; after which, great exertions were made by part of the Army, without Baggage, to retake e somite to our Prisoners, and c to intercept General Morgan's Corps, on it's retreat to the Catawba ; but the celerity O f their movements, and the swelling of d the number less Creeks in our way, rendered all our efforts fruit- } ess ej therefore assembled the Army, on the 25 th at Ramsoure's Mill, on the South Fork of the Catawba, and as the loss of my light Troops, could only be reme died by the activity of the whole Corps, I employed a ^ a ^ f t wo days i n collecting f some Flour,and in destroy ing superfluous Baggage, and all my Waggons, except those loaded with Hospital Stores, Salt, and Ammuni tion, and four, reserved empty in readiness for Sick or wounded. In this measure, 'tho' at the expence of a great deal of Officer's Baggage, and of all pro spect in future of Rum, and even a regular supply of g F reads the provisions to the Soldiers, I must in justice to g this Army say, that there was the most general and chearfull acquiescence. In the mean time, the rains had rendered the North Catawba impassable, and General Morgan's Corps, tne Militia of the rebellious Counties of h Rowan & Mecklenburgh, under General Davidson, or the Gang of Plunderers usually under the command of General Sumpter, not then recovered from his wounds, had occupied all the Fords, in a space of more than forty miles upwards from the Fork, during it's height, I approached the River by short marches, so as to give CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 357 the enemy equal apprehensions for several Fords, and after having procured the best information in my power, I resolved to attempt the passage at a private Ford (then slightly guarded) near M c Cowan's ford, on the morning of the i st a of February. Lieu 1 Colonel Webster was detached with part of the Army, and all the Baggage, to Beattie's Ford, six miles above M c Cowan's, where General Davidson was supposed to be posted, with 500 Militia, and b was directed to make every possible demonstration, by c v which by the closeness of the b wood had been passed unbroken, The 7i st Eegiment, & lh e insert ' Grenadiers & 2 nd Battalion of 'Guards not knowing what was passing on their right, and hearing the fire advance on their left, continued to move forward, the Artillery keeping pace with them on the road followed by the Cavalry. The 2 nd Battalion of Guards first gained the clear ground near Guildford Court house, and found a Corps of Continental Infantry, much superior in number, formed in the open field on the left of the Road. Glowing with impatience to signalize themselves, they instantly attacked and defeated them, taking two six pounders, but pursuing into the wood with too much ardour, were thrown into confusion by a heavy fire, and immediately charged and driven back into the field, by Colonel Washington's Dragoons, with the loss of the six pounders they had taken. The Enemy's Cavalry was soon repulsed, by a well directed fire from two three pounders, just brought up by Lieu* Macleod, & by the appearance of the Grenadiers of the Guards, and of the 7i st Regiment which having been impeded by some deep d Ravines, were now coming out of the wood, on the right of the Guards, opposite to the Court house. By the spirited exertions of Brig re General O'hara, tho' lte inserts wounded, the 2 nd Battalion of 6 Guards was soon rallied, & supported by the Grenadiers, returned to the charge with the greatest alacrity ; The 23 rd Regiment arriving at that instant from our left, Lieu* Colonel Tarleton having advanced with part of the Cavalry, the enemy were soon put to flight, & the two six pounders once more fell into our hands, two Ammunition Waggons, & two other six a BF insert wing CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 367 pounders, being all the Artillery they had in the field, were likewise taken. About this time the 33 rd Regiment and Light Infantry of the Guards, alter overcoming many difficulties, completely routed the Corps, which was opposed to them, and put an end to the Action in this quarter; The 23 rd & 7 I st Regiments, with part of the Cavalry, were ordered to pursue, the Remainder of the Cavalry was detached with Lieu^Colonel Tarleton to our right, where a heavy fire still continued, and where his appearance & spirited attack, contributed much to a speedy termination of the action. The Militia with which our right a had been engaged, dispersed in the woods, the Continentals went off by the Reedy Fork, beyond which, it was not in my power to follow them, as their Cavalry had suffered but little ; our troops were excessively fatigued, by an action which lasted an hour & a half, and our b numerous wounded, dispersed over an extensive space of Country, required immediate attention: The Care of our wounded, and the total want O f cVraa * a provisions in an exhausted Country, made it equally impossible for me to follow the blow d next day. The J h B e F insert enemy did not stop untill they got to the Iron-works on Troublesome Creek, 18 miles from the field of Battle. From our e own observation, and the best accounts *wn mit we could procure, we did not doubt but the Strength of the enemy exceeded 7,000 men; Their Militia composed their Line, with parties advanced to the Rails of the f Fields in their front, the Continentals ^J d read were posted obliquely in the rear of their right wing. Their Cannon fired on us, whilst we were forming, from the center of the Line of Militia but were withdrawn to the Continentals before the Attack. I have the honour to inclose to your Lordship, the list of our killed and wounded ; Captain Schutz's wound is supposed to be mortal, but the Surgeons assure me, that none of the g other Officers aie in b BFV omit numerous 3 68 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY danger, and that a great number of the men will soon recover. I cannot ascertain the loss of the enemy, but it must have been considerable, between 2 & 300 dead were left upon the field ; many of their wounded that were able to move, whilst we were employed in the care of our own, escaped and followed the routed enemy ; and our Cattle Drivers anc ^ a f ra gi n g parties have reported to me, that the houses in a circle of 6 or 8 miles round us are full of others ; Those that remained we have taken the best care of in our power. We took few prisoners, owing to the excessive thickness of the Wood facilitating their escape, and every man of our army being repeatedly wanted for Action. The Conduct and Actions of the Officers and Soldiers, that compose this little Army will do more justice to their merit, than I can by words. Their persevering intrepidity in Action, their invincible patience in the hardships and fatigues of a march, of above 600 miles, in which they have forded several large Rivers, and numberless Creeks, many of which would be reckoned large rivers in any other Country in the world, without Tents or covering against the Climate, and often without provisions, will sufficiently manifest their ardent zeal for the honour and interests of their Sovereign and their Country. I have been particularly indebted to Major General Leslie, for his gallantry and exertion in the Action, as well as his Assistance in every other part of the Service. The zeal & Spirit of Brig re General O'hara, merit my highest commendations, for, after receiving two dangerous wounds, he continued in the field whilst the Action lasted ; By his earnest atten tion on all other occasions, seconded by the Officers and Soldiers of the Brigade, His Majesty's Guards are no less distinguished by their order and discipline, ^^ ^ ^eir Spirit and valour. b The Hessian Regiment of Bose deserves my warm est praises for it's discipline alacrity and Courage, CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 369 and does honour to Major Du Buy who commands it, and who is an Officer of superior merit.* I am much obliged to Brigadier General Howard, who served as Volunteer, for his spirited example on all occasions. b Lieu 1 Colonel Webster conducted his Brigade like an Officer of experience and Gallantry. Lieu* Colonel Tarle ton's good conduct & spirit in the man agement of his Cavalry, was conspicuous during the whole action ; & Lieu* Macleod, who commanded the Artillery, proved himself, upon this, as well as all former occasions, a most capable & deserving Officer. The attention and "exertion of my Aids-de-Camp, and of all the other publick Officers of the Army, contri buted very much to the success of the day. I have constantly received the most zealous assis tance from Governor Martin, during my command in the southern district, hoping that his presence would tend to incite the loyal Subjects of this Province to take an active part with us, he has chearfully sub mitted to the fatigues and dangers of our Campaign, but his delicate constitution has suffered by his publick spirit, for by the advice of the Physicians, he is now obliged to return to England for the d recover- ing his health. This part of the Country is so totally destitute of subsistence, that forage is not nearer than nine miles, and the Soldiers have been two days without bread ; 1 shall therefore leave about 70 of the worst of the wounded cases, at the New Garden Quaker Meet ing house, with proper Assistance, & move the remainder with the Army to-morrow morning to Bell's Mill. I hope our friends will heartily take an active part with us, to which I shall continue to encourage them ; still approaching our shipping by easy marches, that we may procure the necessary Supplies for further operations, and lodge our sick and wounded, where proper attention can be paid to them. 47 a V reads Broderick b V ends &c. Cornwallis c >FS end &c Corn wallis 37 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY This Dispatch will be delivered to Your Lordship by my Aide-de-Camp Captain a Brodrick, who is a very promising Officer, and whom I beg leave to recom mend to Your Lordship's Countenance and Favour. I have the honour' to be with great respect My Lord Your Lordship's Most obedient & Most humble Servant COENWALLIS. 593: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, ANSWER [35]^ 85. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Dispatch, No. 8, to Lord George Germain, dated Guildford, iyth March, 1781. Same as No. 59 with variations shown in margins pp 363-370. 59F: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, TARLETON^> 303. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 8, to Lord George Germain, dated Guildford, iyth March, 1781. Same as No. 59 with variations shoivn in margins pp 363-370. 598: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, Copy PA 309/53. In margin Guildford North Carolina 1 7 th March 1781. Lord Cornwallis (N 8.) E/ 4 th June. Mem. at end Inclosure. N i. Return of Killed & wounded in various actions preceding the Battle of Guildford 15 th March 1781. 2. Field Eeturn of the Troops under the Command of L 1 Gen 1 Earl Cornwallis in the action of 15 March 1781. 3. Eeturn of the Killed & Wounded & Missing of the Troops under the Command of L l Gen 1 Earl Cornwallis in the Action of 15 th March. 4. Eeturn of Ordnance Am munition & Arms taken at the Battle of Guildford 15 th March. Same as No. 59 with variations sJiown in margins pp 363-370. d one en closure see ii. 59V : CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 17 March 1781, Copy RI 19/81. Endorsed Copy Earl Cornwallis to Lord Geo : Germain Guilford 1 7 th March 1 78 1 . d Same as No. 59 with variations shown in margins pp 363-370. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 371 60 CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, ANSWER [47] p 85. 'NORTH CAROLINA. *By Charles Earl Cornwallis, Lieutenant- General of ^gjjf 7 his Majesty's Forces, &c. &c. &c. Honourable A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS by the blessing of Almighty God, his Majesty's arms have been crowned with signal success, by the compleat victory obtained over the Rebel forces on the i5th instant, I have thought proper to issue this proclamation to call upon all loyal subjects to stand forth, and take an active part in restoring good order and government. And whereas it has been represented to me that many persons in this province who have taken a share in this unnatural rebellion, but having experienced the oppression and injustice of the Rebel government, and having seen the errors into which they have been deluded by falsehoods and misrepresentations, are sincerely desirous of returning to their duty and allegiance, I do hereby notify and promise to all such persons (murderers excepted) that if they will surrender them selves with their arms and ammunition, at head quarters, or to the officer commanding c in the district cSom * tsin contiguous to their respective places of residence, on or before the 2Oth day of April next, they shall be permitted to return to their homes, upon giving a military parole, and shall be protected in their persons and properties from all sort of violence from the British troops, and will be restored as soon as possible to all the privileges of legal and constitutional government. Given under my hand at head quarters, this i8th day of March, d A.D. 1781, and in the twenty- i*mit*.. first year of his Majesty's reign. g 6 CoRWALLIS. f __ = .^_ f (P end 6 OB: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 18 March 1781, TARLETON p 312. Godsavethe Same as No. 60 with variations shown in margin p 371. 372 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 6 OF : CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 1 8 March 1781, Copy PA 157/247. Endorsed Copy of A Proclamation issued in North Carolina by Earl Cornwallis. dated the 1 8 th of March 55' 71p 1781- In Lord Cornwallis N 9. 1 8 th April. a The same as No. 60. 6os: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 18 March 1781, Copy PA 140/95. Endorsed Copy. Proclamation by Lieutenant General The Earl Cornwallis. North Carolina, i8 th March Sea ' Q0p 1781- In Sir B> Clinton's N 1 24." Same as No. 60 with variations shown in margin p 371. 6ov: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, 18 March 1781, Copy HL No 17. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Copy. Proclamation by Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis. North Carolina i8 th March 1781. '- ' In Sir Hy Clinton's of 23 d & 30 April & i st May 1781. N 17. Same as No. 60 with variations shown in margin p 371. 6oE: CORNWALLIS, PROCLAMATION, Copy ssi 87/4. see ii. 365. 6 1 AKBTJTHNOT TO ARNOLD, OBSERVATIONS [72 Ay?x\p 130. Extract. From Admiral Arbuthnot to General Arnold, dated Chesapeak, March 19, 1781. The French fleet sailed from Rhode-island on or about the 8th instant, intending a co-operation with Mr. Washington, to attack you. I followed them on the loth, and came up with them on the i6th: an action ensued of about an hour and an half, when they fled off with their whole squadron. I shall put to sea again immediately with the squadron, and endeavour to bring them to a second action. Should I be unable to do so, I shall return with the squadron to New York, which must be exposed in my absence, and I must withdraw the ships that are now with you. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 373 62 CLINTON TO PHILLIPS, 24 March 1781, ANSWER [87] p 87. ANSWER [87] j 87, OBSERVATIONS [73 -4p'#]^? 130, with Clinton's Manuscript Notes from each. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Major-general Phillips, dated New-York, March 24, 1781. [Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg, May 20.] Dear Sir, a l believe that Lord Cornwallis has finished his campaign, and, if report says true, very handsomely, by taking all Greene's cannon, and re covering the greatest part of his own men who had been made prisoners by Mr. Greene. If that should be the case, and Lord Cornwallis b does not want any j . , i . , J . should co-operation to assist him, and you see no prospect of striking an important stroke elsewhere, I shall probably request you and General Arnold to return to me, with such troops as I have already named in my instructions. But all this will depend on the information I shall receive from you, and your opinion, respecting the post c at Portsmouth, and such cBreorf * of others as you propose to establish on James river, with their importance considered, either as assisting Lord Cornwallis's operations, or connected with those of the navy. d d B ttop ' When you return, you will be pleased to bring with you a small proportion of howitzes, mortars, cohorns, &c. so placed in the vessel in which they are embarked, as to be ready to land directly, as it is very likely we may proceed upon some operation immediately on your arrival. I believe Fayette is intrenched at Annapolis, and that his corps does not now exceed nine hundred men, though he started with thirteen hundred. You may possibly attempt him in earnest : he will, at all events, serve as a mask to your return to us. 6 You will probably hear from Lord Cornwallis be- < Bcontinue * fore you determine on any attempt at a distance from him. I wish much to know what f troops he thinks he can spare from the troops under his Lordship's spare 374 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY immediate orders ; for, till I do, 'tis impossible to fix any plan. Three complete regiments will, I hope, arrive at Charles-town in the course of a few days, if Captain Elphinston should think it too early in the season to come directly here ; and three more are hourly expected from the West-Indies, both which divisions will, of course, join me. The French certainly expect an early reinforce ment ; if it comes from Europe, we must, I think, hear from thence long before it arrives 1 : if from the Havannah, copper-bottomed sloops or frigates, which the Admiral will doubtless have on the look out, will announce their arrival, and give you time to determine what, in that case, a will be best to be done. b And here i t a k e the liberty of hinting to you, that (from the appearance on the map) when you have once obtained a naval force in Curratuck and Albemarle Sounds, by holding the bridges of Pequimans and Pasquotank rivers, you secure a short passage across the Albemarle-sound, and communication with Lord Cornwallis ; or, by destroying the bridges on those rivers, you prevent the enemy's approach by the bridge at North West landing. 62 ' 3 Upon those hints I request your opinion, in cypher, as soon as possible. In the mean time I shall prepare for what may probably be your determination, after talking with Brigadier-general Arnold. I beg you will be so good to forward the enclosed to Lieutenant-colonel Moncrief by the first oppor tunity to Charles-town, and that you will bring Mr. laA The Enemys Fleet gener- pressed or threatened have re ally brought the news of its tired by water to Wilmington, arrival. 3aQ Surely this information 2aA surely this was no bad was thought of some importance hint to Lord Cornwallis also had by L. Cornwallis & yet so little he remained at Portsmouth hold- that immediately on his arrival ing old Pt Comfort to secure the in Virginia He sent G. Leslie to best naval station & had suffered prepare privately for evacuating Genl Arnold to Continue his Portsmouth, boat buildg : He might when CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 375 Fyers, of the corps of engineers, with you, when you return to this place. I have the honour to be &c. H. CLINTON. P. S. Pray send Brigadier-general Arnold here by the first good opportunity, if you should not have particular occasion for his services. 626: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, OBSERVATIONS [73 Ap'x\p 130. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Extract. From Sir Henry Clinton to Major-general Phillips, dated New York, March 24, 1781. This is two parts of No. 62 as shown in margins pp 373-374. 63 PHILLIPS TO CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [73 Ap'x\p 130. Extract. From Major-general Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Chesapeak, on board the Royal Oak, in Lynhaven Bay, March 26, 1781. The fleet containing the troops under my orders, arrived off the Chesapeak yesterday, when Captain Hudson gave the Orpheus liberty to make sail and carry me into this bay, where we knew by intelligence from frigates we met at sea, that Admiral Arbuthnot was with his fleet. Our fleet sailed from the Hook on Tuesday the 2Oth instant, and with variable winds, and good weather, is arrived ; and now beating up to the ren dezvous at Hampton, with hopes, not a certainty, of getting there this evening. With respect to intelligence, it is not in my power to give you any at a certainty. I hear that at York the rebels have been and are fortifying, and that there are heavy cannon there. 376 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY g -*-> CD S t+H O a a <3* * M GERMAN. Yagers. CO O HH t^ ON t^ ON t^ ON Regiment of Bose. t>^ ^h co 10 ^f- co CO M CO XO *t ^ CO c< ^h CO CN . therefore will be taken to give me at least timely JNotice 01 the <**"<>* .O J doubt that contrary being likely to happen, as my Ignorance ot such an Event might be most fatal 25 ' 26 ' 27 in its con sequences. 28 The Reinforcement I asked for was only what I Judged to be barely adequate to the Services required And I most sincerely wish it had been possible to have sent it in the full 29 extent of numbers, and in the time 30 I requested, as our Prospects would in that case have certainly been brighter. But the present reduced State of Washington, the little probability . . f J d B inserts there is 1 hope of an Augmentation to the rrench Armament, and the certainty there is I e hope also of the Six British Regiments and One Thousand Eecruits hope oT IO . Breads mining me in a Very short time, 31 together with the aisohcpe tl / j Q OlflitS Expectations I have of Lord Cornwallis's Success in ve *? rea(fs Carolina enabling h his Lordship to send me a con- 23c decided naval underlined. 26g too Fatal it proved. 24b Baltimore Philadelphia 27c fatal underlined. & finally assembling friends on 28fiklmnopqrs as was the case Delaware neck, perfectly safe 29c full underlined. against a Temporary naval supe- 30c time underlined. riority of the enemy. 31b none of them ever came. 25b as alas it did prove ! 3QO CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY siderable Reinforcement from thence, render the i Bread* Appearance of my Situation less Critical. And I appearances ,*%.. v -, -. / -,- , , .-, -, T7 -. b B inserts shall b only add, My Lord, that whilst the Kins: does therefore _ , ' i i /-N ir>i- me the honor to trust me with the Command of this Army, I will employ it to the utmost extent of my poor Abilities for the promoting his Service taking the liberty however to 32 represent (as I think it my ^x reads duty) what advantages d might be obtained by an Additional Force, and what Evils may be appre- e B ends hended from the want of a sufficient One 6 It gave me, My Lord, great Satisfaction to be informed in Your Lordship's Dispatch, N 71, that Vice Admiral Arbuthnot was appointed to relieve Sir Peter Parker on the Jamaica Station. And I confess that I wait with some impatience for that Event taking place as every land Movement in the present stage of the War depends so entirely upon the assist ance and the Cooperation of the Navy, that unless it is given in the extent, and with the dispatch required, the hoped for Success will but too often escape us. But I shall for the present decline to give Your Lordship any further trouble, than to express my gratitude for the gracious attention with which my Royal Master has been pleased to honor my Repre sentations as I am in the hope of being soon relieved from my Anxieties on that Subject. for unless that shall be the Case, and the promised Reinforcement arrives soon from England, I shall be constrained, tho' reluctantly, to Avail myself of the Permission His Majesty has been graciously pleased to give me to resign this Command, which I humbly presume I ought to hold no longer than whilst I have a prospect of doing it with advantage to His Service, and to my own honour the contrary of which, Your Lordship is sensible, may happen when there is a want of Confidence between the Commanders in Chief of the Land and Sea Forces. April 2O th . As the Vice Admiral, who returned S2c printed present, altered to represent CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 391 here on the io th Instant, informed me he had sent a Frigate to England, and Major General Phillips will probably have taken that opportunity to communicate to Your Lordship the Rebel Accounts of Lord Corn- wallis's Success, I deferred sending the Packet, in the hopes of soon receiving the Confirmation of it from his Lordship, from whom I have not heard since his Letter of the i8 th January.* I have the honor to be, b With the greatest Ee- spect Your Lordship's Most obedient and Most humble Servant H. CLINTON. Eight Hon ble Lord George Germain. 6yB: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 5 April 1781, NARRATIVE [97] p 57. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract from Sir Henry Clinton's Letter to Lord George Germain. April 5th, 1781. This is two parts of No. 67 as shown in margins pp 385-390. 67F: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 5 April 1781, Copy PA 309/93. In margin New York 5 th & 2O th April 1781, Sir Henry Clinton N 123. E d 23 d June Mem. at end Inclosures. N i . Substance of Opinions by Sir H. Clinton to Maj r Gen 1 Phillips 2. Copies of two Letters from a Philadelphia Eebel Paper 3 1 st March 1781 3. Copy of an intercepted Letter from Gen 1 Washington. 23 d March 1781 4. Ditto 27 th March 1781 5. Ditto 28 th "*March 1781. /Same as No. 67 with variations shown in margins pp 383-391. 678: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 5 April 1781, Copy RI 22/93. Endorsed N 123 Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germain New York April 5 th 1781. Original ^ the Thynne Packet Duplicate the Confederate 2 1 1 Same as No. 67 with variations shoivn in margins pp 383-391. 67 v: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 5 April 1781, Extract HL No 10. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germain dated New York 5 th April e f oren . 1781. E/ 2 3 d June. N i o f * s 392 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Begins Extract from a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germain dated New York 5 th April 1781. This extract from No. 67 is shown in margins pp 383-387. 68 CLINTON TO PHILLIPS, OBSERVATIONS [79 Apx] p 130. Copy. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Major-general Phillips, dated New- York, April 5, 1781. Dear Sir, I need not say how important success in the Highlands would be. I beg you will without loss of time, consult General Arnold upon the subject. I beg I may have his project, and your opinion, as well as his, respecting it, as soon as possible. When I have considered it, and if I determine to undertake it, I will send for him ; and if operation should be at a stand in the Chesapeak at the time, I will request you also to be of the party ; the proportion of artillery I desired you to make, will of course be ready. P. S. If General Arnold does not think it expe dient at this time to attempt it, which however, I should be sorry for, perhaps a combined move between us against Philadelphia, may take place. You, by landing at the head of Elk ; I, at Newcastle, or Chester ; if the first, General Arnold must let me have his plan as soon as possible, and be ready to follow it himself, or may bring it, if you can spare him. 69 BALFOUR TO CLINTON, 7 April 1781, Copy RI 19/65. OBSERVATIONS [82 Aj?x\p 130, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Copy Charles Town April 7 th 1781. &E begins a ;$ir, I am honored with your Letters of the 2 d of iith eads J anu ary & b 9 th of last Month as also with one of the c Breads j^th Ultimo, by your Excellency's "Direction from directions ~ *..../' d Estops Capt Smith.* About a Week since the Fleet from England sailed, & as only such Transports as were wholly unfit for Service went home with it, I am happy in this respect to have complied with your Excellency's CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 393 Intentions. Those that can be spared from this will be sent with the Convoy to New York, and only the Prison Ships remain here. I took the Opportunity of the Assurance's Fleet being obliged to Water, to take out the Cloathing for the British Regiments here, & likewise some for the Provincial Troops stationed & raising in the Southern Provinces. And as the want of all kinds of Ordnance Stores, especially small Arms, was great, & the de mands for them pressing I have taken the Liberty of procuring a small Supply from the Juliana, the particu lars of which will be transmitted by Major Traile ; but must agreeable to the Wish of Lord Cornwallis re quest in the strongest manner a further Quantity of small Arms, the Consumption of which is very consider able, from the frequent Loss of them in Action, and the Arming of New Levies and Militia both here and in Georgia. To which I must add my having been obliged to send 1000 Stand to Cape Fear & the total unfitness for Service of those left at this Place. a As Lord Cornwallis is in the greatest want of every Supply, I have sent him to Cape Fear what cou'd be procured here. And as he will have many Calls b m the Hospital, in consequence of the late Marches & Action, I have taken Care to furnish a Supply of Officers and Stores to that Department at Wilmington, & shall by that way forward to his Lordship "your 1 Excellency's Dispatches whenever an Occasion offers.* 12 * 3 ' 4 ' 5 IB end* Idf your Excellency's Dis- me also letters from L. Corn- patches underlined. wallis of the ioth April. Why 2f that occasion did offer but did not that ship carry my dis- S H C dispatches were not sent. patches to L. Cornwallis, or the 3b it would seem no oppor- Speedy packett or the Runner by tunity offered before the 24th which Lord Cornwallis says he but the Amphitrite & Swallow had received dispatches from Col. both sailed for Cape Fear & Balfour on the 22<1 of April, came to N York bringing letters 5c this very man of war you from L Cornwallis to me prooff knew was going to Cape Fear they might have carried these why did you not send the dis- dispatches. patches by it, or by the Speedy 4a this Amphitrite brought packet. 50 italics to Dispatches 394 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY The very extensive Demands here for Money have hitherto been mostly answered by Government Bills of Exchange which till lately passed current at the rate of 4/8 ^ Dollar. But the Merchants are at present unwilling to receive them at a less discount than they bear at New York. However as their wish is only to have the Exchange the same at both Places, they have agreed to continue it as usual until this point is adjusted, & I can be honored with your Excellency's Commands on this essential Subject. I do myself the honor to transmit your Excellency the Copy of a Letter from Captain M c Namara, of His Majesty's Sloop Hound, by which will be seen the Danger which threatens W. Florida. On receiv ing this account I immediately forwarded the same to Governor Dalling & General Vaughan, that if possible some Aid might be afforded by them to the Garrison of Pensacola, and have sent to S fc Augustine such Supplies of Ammunition & Provisions as cou'd be spared from this ; which, together with a strong Galley sent there, the Presence of L* Col 1 Clarke, & a small Reinforcement he takes with him from Savannah, will I trust give Security to that Place. Subsequent to these Advices, Information has been received by an Express, to a Merchant at Augusta that about the io th Ultimo, the Spanish Fleet arrived at Pensacola ; that the Army, nearly 2000, was landed on Roses Island, that the Ships of War were Cannonading the Works on Red Cliffs. Enclosed I have the honor to transmit the Pro ceedings of a General Court Martial held here, & which from the occasion for it, your Excellency will judge to have been unavoidable. In some of my former Letters I have had occasion to mention to your Excellency the Inroads which the Enemy were daily making into the Heart of this Province, & the distresses, both to the People of the Country and Army, which attended them. I am therefore sorry the occasion still exists for the like CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 395 Informations ; owing in a great Measure to the Extent of the Communications, & the want of Cavalry (for which there are no Appointments here) to cover them from the Incursions of small Parties ; which tho' singly of no Moment, yet produce when so often occurring the worst Consequences. Lieu* Sutherland, of the Engineers is now with Major Craig ; but shall be sent to New York, when ever he can be got at, agreeable to your Excellency's Directions. Tho' my Lord Eawdon has the honor to communi cate the Accounts of Lord Cornwallis's Victory over the Rebels at Guilford. I cannot deny myself the honor of congratulating your Excellency on an Event so fortunate in its Consequences, & so reputable to the Army serving under your Command. I have the Honor & c (Signed) N. BALFOUR. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton 696 : BALFOUR to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [82 Ap'x] p 130. With Clinton 's Manuscript Notes. Extract. Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, received by the Amphitrite man of war, dated Charles-Town, April 7, 1781. This is two parts of No. 69 as shown in margins pp 392-393. 70 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 10 April 1781, LS RI 19/66. ANSWER [9] p 85, OBSERVATIONS [84 Ap'ai] p 130, REPLY [6] p 141. With Clintons Manuscript Notes from ANSWER and REPLY. Endorsed Duplicate. Earl Cornwallis to Sir. H. Clinton, K.B. April io th 1781. rec d 22 d May 1781 by the Speedy Packet N 148. "Duplicate. b Camp near Wilmington io th April 1781 Sir, d l am just informed that I have a chance of ^ sending a few lines to New York by the Amphi- trite, 1 * 2 but as it depends upon my being expeditious, laA by this very Amphitrite 2bA why did not this same he should have received my dis- Amphitrite carry my dispatches patches as she brought me Col. to Lord Cornwallis, she left Balfours receipt of them. Charlestown the 8th & brought 396 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a F stops o ER run on d E new f I cannot attempt to give your Excellency a particular account of the Winter's Campaign, or the battle of Guildford. a I have however the satisfaction of in forming you, that our military operations were uni- b E reads at f orm ly successfull ; and the Victory b of Guildford, al- tho' one of the bloodiest of this War, was very com plete. The Enemy gave themselves out for nine or ten, & undoubtedly had seven thousand Men in the field, 3 upwards of two thousand of which, were eighteen-months men, or Continentals. Our force was 1360 Infantry, rank & file, and about 200 Cavalry. 4 ' 5 ' 6 General Greene retreated the night of the Action to the Iron-works, on Troublesome Creek, eighteen miles .from Guildford, leaving us four six-pounders, being all the Cannon he had in the field. d The fatigue of the Troops, and the great number of wounded, put it out of my power to pursue beyond the Reedy Fork, in the Afternoon of the Action ; and the want of Provisions, and all kinds of necessaries for the soldiers, made it equally impossible, to follow the blow, "next day. I, therefore, issued the inclosed Proclamation ; and, having remained two days on the field of battle, marched to Bell's-Mill on Deep-River, near part of the Country, where the greatest number of our friends were supposed to reside. Many of the Inhabitants rode into Camp, shook me by the hand, said they me Col. Balfour's receipt of them desertion to 1300. and after the dated the yth of April, they all but forbid L. Cornwallis going into Virginia the Steady Packet sailed the 13^ from C. Town to L. Cornwallis at Wilmington but my dispatches to him still not sent ! ! ! 3bA read what Gates, what Green, what Ramsay say of the wretched beings of Southern militia. 4aA from 3200 when he passed the Catawba in January he is reduced by sickness and eBERO insert the Victory, which was brilliant to 700. with those, without pro visions or arms he invites by pro clamation these poor people to join him ! ! ! 5bA passes Catawba with 3500 men but is reduced to 1300 at Guildford. 6bA notwithstanding which calls the poor people to join him tho he had no arms to put in their hand, provisions to subsist them, and was at the moment in precipitate retreat. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 397 were glad to see us, and to hear that we had beat Greene, and then rode home again ; a for I could not get 100 men in all the Kegulator's Country, to stay with us, even as Militia. With a third of my Army sick & wounded, which I was obliged to carry in Waggons, or on horseback, the remainder without Shoes, and worn down with fatigue, I thought it was time to look for some place of rest & refitment ; I, therefore, by easy Marches, 7 taking care to pass through all the Settlements, that had been described to me as most friendly, proceeded to Cross-Creek. 8 On my arrival there, I found, to my great mortification, & contrary to all former accounts, thatnt was impossible to procure any con siderable quantity of provisions, and that there was not four days forage within twenty miles : 9 ' 10 The Navigation of Cape Fear b Biver, with the hopes of which I had been flattered, was totally impracticable, the distance from Wilmington by water being 150 miles, the breadth of the river seldom exceeding one hundred yards, the banks generally high, and the In habitants on each side, almost universally hostile. 11 ' 12 Under these Circumstances I determined to move immediately to Wilmington. By this measure, the c0stop * Highlanders have not had so much time as the people of the upper Country, to prove the sincerity of their 7bA your exertions were won- have helped you over that river derful, & deserved a better fate. you then would have obeyed your 8aA Lord Cornwallis move- orders, covered S. Carolina, you ments in the Field do him infinite would have saved your army, and credit ; his activity, Zeal, resources we should have saved America, would do honour to any general ; HaA For these very reasons but he does not seem to have my good Lord you should have looked forward to probable con- gone to Camden, in obedience to sequences, ever too fond of de- my orders not to expose Charles tatchments. Town at that time open & to 9bA How could you expect it fulfil your own promises to Gen my good Lord. Leslie, you were nearer to it than 10bA that small quantity of to Wilmington, safe & shorter, provisions and forage would have 12bA for these very reasons you carried you to the Santee L. should not have gone down the Rawdon from Camden would banks of Cape Fear river 398 CLINTON-CORNWALL1S CONTROVERSY former professions of Friendship : But, tho' Appear ances are rather more favourable among them, I con fess they are not equal to my expectations. 13 a o continues General Greene marched down as low as the mouth of Deep-River, where he remained four days ago ; He never came within our reach after the action, nor nas a sno ^ been since fired, 14 except at b Ramsay's-Mill on Deep-River, where Colonel Malmedy, with about 20 of a gang of plunderers that are attached to him, galloped in among the Sentries, and carried off three Yagers. 1 cannot sufficiently commend the behaviour of both Officers and Men under my Command. 15 They not only shewed the most persevering intrepidity in action, but underwent with chearfulness such fatigues & hardships as have seldom been experienced by a British Army, and justly merit every mark of favour and reward. The great assistance which I received from Generals Leslie and O'Hara, & Lieu* Colonel Tarleton, deserves my warmest acknowledgments, & highest commendations. I am now employed in disposing of the sick & wounded, and in procuring supplies of all kinds, to put the troops into a proper state to take the field. I am, likewise, impatiently looking out for the ex pected reinforcement from Europe, part of which will be indispensibly necessary, to enable me either to act offensively, or even to maintain myself in the upper parts of the Country, where alone I can hope to preserve the Troops, from the fatal Sickness, which so nearly ruined the Army last Autumn. C I am ver Y anxious to receive your Excellency's commands, 16 being as yet totally in the dark, as to 13bA have you, could you in lgabA ^ . g ^ realy the force and state you were give very them a fair tryal. can you doubt 16R in the first part of this their zeal, look back to Febry 76. letter his lordsp implys that he is and April 80. gi n g as soon as possle into the 14aAhow could he come nearer back of S. Carolina this letter you put the deep river between you was read in the H of Lords CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 399 the intended operations of the Summer. 17 ' 18 I cannot help expressing my wishes, that the Chesapeak may become the Seat of a War, even (if necessary) at the expence of abandoning New-York ; Untill Virginia is in a manner subdued, our hold of the Carolinas must be difficult, if not precarious. The Rivers b of Virginia are advantageous to an invading Army, But North-Carolina is, of all the Provinces c in America, the most difficult to attack, (unless material Assist ance could be got from the Inhabitants, the contrary of which, I have sufficiently experienced) on account of its great extent, of the numberless Rivers and Creeks, & the total want of interior navigation.* In compliance with your Excellency's general directions, I shall dispatch my Aid-de-camp, Captain Brodrick, to England, with the particular accounts of the Battle of Guildford, of the Winter's Campaign, and the present State of the Province, Copies of which, I shall have the honour of transmitting to your Excellency with my next dispatch. 6 I have the honour to be f with great respect, Sir, Your most obedient & Most humble Servant 'CORNWALLIS. 1 7aA How can your Lordship they are actually at Charles Town say you are totally in the dark & may be expected every hour as to the intended opems. read my you march into Virginia &c &c letter 6 fc h of Novr at least by &c without waiting to receive that you will perceive that unless them. I am reinfor'd & am sure of a 18bA and yet when he hears covering Fleet I am determined they are arrived makes a desperate against solid operation in Virginia move into Virginia without wait- such as you are about to force. ing to receive them, and in the so anxious that when you hear dark is resolved to remain. 7 OB: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 10 April 1781, ANSWER [9] p 85. With Clintons Manuscript Notes. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Camp near Wilmington, April 10, 1781. Same as No. 70 with variations shown in margins pp 395-399. 7 130. Extract. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Major-general Phillips, dated New- York, April 13, 1781. In addition to what I have said in those letters (April 5) I scarce need mention, that I am persuaded you will not delay to make such movements in favour of Lord Cornwallis as you judge best, with the force you have left after garrisoning the different works at Portsmouth ; which after reading the report of your engineer, 1 flatter myself will be perfectly secure with six or eight hundred men. In that case you will be at liberty to act with the remainder, being as good troops as any in this country, in such operations as you shall judge most conducive to assist those of his Lordship. 73 CLINTON TO CORNWALLIS, 13 April 1781, ANSWER [i 8]^> 85. Duplicate. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Earl Corn wallis, dated a New-York, April 13, 1781. My Lord, As it appears, even from the Rebel account of the action, that your Lordship has gained a victory over Greene ; and it is probable he may in consequence have repassed the Eoanoke, I beg leave to submit to your Lordship, the propriety of your coming to Chesapeak Bay in a frigate as soon as you have finished your arrangements for the security of the Carolinas, and you judge that affairs 406 CL1NTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY there are in such a train as no longer to require your presence ; directing at the same time such troops to follow you thither, as your Lordship is of opinion can be best spared. By Lieutenant-Colonel Brace's arrival I am made acquainted that six British regiments are intended as an immediate reinforcement to the army under my command ; should therefore any of these corps stop at Carolina your Lordship may probably direct them either to replace such troops as follow you, or to pro ceed immediately to the Chesapeak. Agreeable to what I have already said to your Lordship in my letters of the ist of June and 6th of November, it is my wish that you should continue to conduct operations as they advance northerly : for, except as a visitor, I shall not probably move to Chesapeak, unless Washington goes thither in great force. The success which has hitherto attended your Lordship excites the fullest assurance of its continu ance ; and as it is my inclination to assist your operations to the utmost extent of my power, I am convinced, from your disinterestedness, that you will not ask from me a larger proportion of troops than I can possibly spare. As this goes by an unarmed vessel to Chesapeak, Major General Phillips will add what he thinks necessary to it, and forward it to Cape Fear. The Admiral has at last consented that the Medea shall sail for Cape Fear, as soon as she is ready. Perhaps your Lordship may take that opportunity of returning in her ; and, if we can prevail upon the Admiral, or Commanding Naval officer here, to spare Captain Duncan to conduct the naval part of our business in the Chesapeak, I think we shall have gained a great point? I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. 73B: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 13 April 1781, Copy RI 22/95. The same letter as No. 73. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 407 74 PHILLIPS TO CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [8 1 Ap'x]p 130. Extract. Major-general Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Portsmouth, in Virginia, April 15, 1781. I am free to declare Portsmouth to be a bad post, its locality not calculated for defence, the collateral points necessary to be taken up so many, that alto gether it would require so great a number of troops as no general officer I imagine would venture to pro pose to the Commander-in-chief to leave here for mere defence A spot might be found, I appre hend, for a post for five hundred men, should it be necessary to have one in Elizabeth River. 75 PHILLIPS TO CLINTON, 16 April 1781, NARRATIVE \_6~\p 9. " I cannot sufficiently express my extreme joy at reading Washington's letter. It is such a description of distress, as may serve to convince, that with a tolerable reinforcement from Europe, to enable your Excellency to determine on an offensive campaign, the year 1781 may probably prove the glorious period to your command in America, by putting an end to the rebellion." Letter from Major-general Phillips to Sir H. Clinton, Portsmouth, Virginia, April 1 6, 1781. 76 PHILLIPS TO CLINTON, 15/19 April 1781, Extracts PA 140/99. OBSERVATIONS [81 Ap'x^p 130. Endorsed Extracts from Major Gen 1 Phillips Letters to Sir H. Clinton. N 2. In Sir Henry Clintons N 124 of 23 d & 30 th April & i st May 1781.* aNo. Extracts from Major General Phillips's Letters. b s Portsm in Virginia April 15. 1781 Finding the putting this Place in a proper State of Defence rather beyond the Calculation in point of Time, I made up that Deficiency by Numbers of Men, which rendered the State of the several Redoubts 4o8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY and Lines so tolerably complete as to enable me without any probable Risk to move with 2000 Troops upon that Expedition first directed to be undertaken ; and everything was ready for a Movement on the i I th Instant. Unfortunately the Winds blew directly contrary, & very strong on that day & every one after until yesterday, when it changed in a degree to allow some Transports with Troops to go down to Hampton Road and I had ordered the Light Infantry & Queen's Rangers to march from their Cantonments to embark in the Boats prepared for them at Norfolk, when a most violent Storm of Wind and Rain obliged me to postpone moving the Troops. I must refer your Excellency to my former Letters, particularly my last, for my Sentiments upon what may be attempted against La Fayette, against that Quarter in the Chesapeak, and the consequent Operations leading to the opening the Campaign, after the first Object of your Excellency's Instructions & Orders shall be accomplished. But this must depend upon a Reinforcement in force ; or all Enter- prizes here will be merely desultory, which may in a degree annoy the Enemy, but answer, I apprehend, no great Object. 1 have the Honor to inclose You a Letter I have written to Lord Cornwallis ; whom I believe to have been victorious in his late action with General Green, but still not in a State to make any great advantages of his Victory. 1 conceive myself restricted from pursuing any Movements over the Roanoke ; and indeed with the present Force it would be not possible for it to be done. But perhaps, with a Reinforcement and Your Excellencys Permission & Orders, a Junction might be made, at any Rate a Cooperation, with Lord Cornwallis, which w r ould force M r Green from the Power of giving any Inter ruption to his Lordship settling the Situation of Affairs in North Carolina CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 409 Portsm Virginia i6th April 1781 I am clear that Lord Cornwallis pursued the Enemy to the Ford with great Slaughter, for I observe the Enemy industriously give an Account only of their Continentals not their Militia ; there is therefore Reason to believe the Victory complete. But forgive me for thinking that he may have bought it dear, and that his Lordship remained a little crippled after the Action. The Move of these Troops, as I hope, to Morrow, cannot fail of being a most usefull Cooperation with that Army; and should your Excellency have judged it necessary to reinforce me, it may be in my Power from a Com munication with Lord Cornwallis to join in the dispersing Mr. Greens army. I am confirmed in my Idea from reading the intercepted Letter of General Washington, of what I took the Liberty of mentioning to Your Excellency respecting La Fayette ; and that he will never venture to move Southward. And it leads me to suppose that he remains at Baltimore waiting Events. Should an Expedition proceed against him, he pos sibly may retire to Washington ; in which Case Maryland and the Susquehannah to Yorktown, & from thence back to Frederick Town on the Potowmack with that River, would in a degree be in our Power. Should he on the Contrary remain to protect Baltimore or Annapolis, he certainly may be carried with his Troops. But the Attempt, Sir, cannot be made with the Forces at present here ; for it would be incompatible with the Situation of Portsmouth to take from its Defence, for so distant an Operation, more than 16 or 18,00 Men. Forgive me, Sir, for once more observing that without a Reinforcement to this Corp of Troops, little can be done except plundering of Tobacco, which is not an object of mine. With a Reinforce ment I think a great deal may be done by the End of May. 5 2 4 io CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY In Your Letter, Sir, You are so good to do me Justice in being persuaded I shall not delay the Movements to be made in favor of Lord Cornwallis. Had the Winds & Weather permitted, it would have been done on the nth Instant. As it is, it must depend upon a favorable Change of the Weather, which I trust will happen to Morrow or the next day at farthest. I have in all my Letters taken the Liberty to remark that I think this Post cannot be perfectly Secure without a great Number of Troops. But taking into Consideration the Sort of Enemy, tho' numerous, in our Front, That a Movement I shall make will probably occasion one from them, I am of Opinion the Post will be secure with the Troops I shall leave in it, which amount, including the Post at the Great Bridge, and a Guard upon the General Hospital at Norfolk, to 900 Men: and there will be about 300 left sick in the General and Regimental Hospitals. In the effective Numbers I do not include the artillery, armed Artificers, nor Sailors. Joint Letter from M. G. Phillips & B. G. Arnold dated i8 th Ap J 1781 N 6. From the Reasons stated, Namely the little Likelyhood of a quick personal Interview with Lord Cornwallis, we take the Liberty of submitting an opinion to the Commander in Chief That, pre vious to the real opening of the Campaign (with which we suppose Lord Cornwallis will be materially connected, and on which a consultation with his Lordship may be necessary) it may be possible to effect several essential Purposes, by which the Rebels may be much harrassed and distressed, and that such Distresses must ultimately reach M r Washington's Army in the Jersies ; which cannot fail, we imagine, of proving an advantageous Prelude to the Campaign. N 7. We are of opinion that was this Corps of CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 411 Troops more in Number by 1800 or 2000 Men, a Post in force might be taken at Petersburg, from whence Detachments might be made in such Strength as to break up entirely M r Greens Communication with Virginia and might otherwise be able to operate upon a proper Communication had with and a Plan settled with Lord Cornwallis, as would probably have dis persed M r Greens Army. But Time is so far advanced, as to render perhaps such an operation depending upon a Reinforcement inconsistent with the Time of, and the Views in, opening the Campaign ; to which must be added the Difficulty there will always be in any free and certain Communication by Land with Lord Cornwallis. N 8. We now take the Liberty of giving an opinion of what may be done in Chesapeak previous to the Month of June, supposing all Cooperation over with the Southern Army. And we profess to con ceive that if the Marquis de la Fayette remains with his Corps of 1500 Men at Baltimore an Attempt may be made upon him, Baltimore and Annapolis, with great Probability of Success. But it cannot be undertaken we imagine without a Reinforcement of effective 1600 or 2000 Men, and a Proportion of heavy Artillery for constructing Batteries against the works we understand to have been constructed at Baltimore. N 9. Should the Marquis de la Fayette retire upon the Approach of a Corps of Troops against him, Maryland would be left defenceless and the Enemy's Magazines in that Country extending to the Potow- mack River, would in Course be destroyed, as would also the Arms & Ammunition belonging to the Militia, as well as Boats, Shipping & Small Craft in the Rivers. N 10. We are of opinion these operations, delineated for the Chesapeak, if undertaken about the first of May, would terminate the latter End of that Month. After which Period, it would be in the 412 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Power of Your Excellency to direct the future Opera- as stops t i on O f thig Corps of Troops,* either to make an Attempt upon Philadelphia, and take Post in the lower Counties of the Delaware; for which we b s continue* apprehend this Force sufficient, b or to return to New York and operate with your Excellency's main Army for the Campaign. N 12. We have only one Point more to submit to Your Excellency's Consideration. It is respecting the Post of Portsmouth, which we conceive to be a bad one taken only in one View, that of the Number of Troops, necessary to defend it. There are many other Points which render the Post weak, which an order has been given by Major General Phillips to the commanding Engineer to delineate. We imagine that to protect Princess Anne County, and to have a Point for Troops to resort to, and for Expedi tions in the Chesapeak to be sent from ; a Post for Six hundred or one Thousand Men might be estab lished elsewhere to more Advantage than this of .s .top. Portsmouth. The Idea formed of Princess Anne does not answer to the real Temper and Disposition of the Inhabitants. They are scarcely Friends, and perhaps many of them Enemies ; although Necessity from the Situation of the King's Troops oblige the latter to remain quiet The former are not inclined to be active in our favor. is centimes d Hampton Road onboard the Maria April i9 h 1781 In my Way down to the Assembly of Transports and Boats Yester Evening this Vessel which I am in run on Ground, And while I was waiting for a Swell of the Tide, an Express Boat arrived to me with a Letter from Lord Cornwallis, which the Amphitrite had brought. I have read the Copy of the Dispatch to your Excellency alluded to, and it is a plain Tale of many Difficulties and Distresses, great Perseverance and CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 413 Resolution, and Honour. The Action of the 15 th was glorious ; but, as I feared, that Sort of Victory which ruins an Army. I most sincerely hope the Medea Frigate is already with Lord Cornwallis, or at least will be soon. I imagine Your Excellency's Letter will cause his Lordship (joined to the not being able to move his Army immediately) to set out for the Chesapeak. I shall be sincerely glad of it ; as in that Case, your Excellency will have the Assist ance of his Lordship's Council and Cooperation. & The Face of Affairs seems changed. b l have nothing . . o b J3 inserts Clintons of 23 d & 3O th April and I st May 1781 (2) R/ 23 d June N 56 The same extracts as No. 76. 763: PHILLIPS to CLINTON, 19 April 1781, Extracts HL NO 18. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Extracts from Major General Phillips's Let ters to Sir Henry Clinton. In Sir H> Clinton's of aNo.90E:.p 2 ^d & 30^ April & I st May 1781.* (2) N 18. This is three parts of No. 76 as shown in margins pp 407-413. 77 CORNWALLIS TO GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, LS PA 157/243. ANSWER [44] p 85. With Clinton's MS. Notes from ANSWER and TARLETON. Endorsed N 9. Wilmington 1 8 th April 1781. Lord Jsza 60 * Cornwallis (N 9) R/ 4 th June, (i Inclosure. a ) Ent d Begins NO Q Wilmington 1 8 th April 1781. oBFs^m . M Lord? j marched from Guildford on the morning of the i8 th of March, and next day arrived at Bell's Mill, where I gave the Troops two days rest, them serts and procured d a small supply of provisions. From thence I proceeded slowly towards Cross Creek, attending to the convenience of subsistence, & the movement of our wounded, On my way I issued the inclosed Proclamation, & took every other means in my power to reconcile enemies, & to encourage our friends to join us. From all my information I intended to have halted at Cross Creek, as a proper place to e refresh and refit the Troops, and I was much disappointed on my arrival there, to find it totally impossible : Provisions were scarce, not four days forage within twenty miles, and 9 to us, the Navigation of f the Cape Fear River to Wilmington, impracticable ; for the distance by lne rea water is upwards of g an hundred miles, the breadth seldom above h an hundred Yards, the banks high, and CHEONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 415 the Inhabitants on each side generally hostile. Under these Circumstances I was obliged to con tinue my march to this place, in the neighbourhood of which I arrived on the 7 th Ins fc . I have been busy since my arrival in disposing of our sick & wounded, and in procuring the necessary Supplies, to put the troops in a proper state, to take the field. I am in daily expectation of seeing the reinforcement from 'Europe, and of receiving the Commander in Chiefs directions for the further opera tions of the Campaign. 1 * 2 Captain Schutz died a few days after the action, as we expected, but I am sorry to inform Your Lord ship, that, notwithstanding the flattering appearances & the Assurances of the Surgeons, Colonel Webster, (whose loss is severely felt by me & the whole Army) Captain Maynard of the Guards, b Captain Wilmousky and Ensign De Trott of the Regiment of Bose are c BFV insert 3 lines, seep Major Craig who took possession of this place d on the latter end of January, has conducted himself with in great Zeal & Capacity, having with a very small force, not only secured the Post from all insults, but made himself respectable in this part of the Country, by several successfull excursions. I shall not trouble Your Lordship on the subject of South Carolina, having directed Lord Rawdon who commands on the Frontiers, and Lieu' Colonel Balfour Commandant of Charles town, to take every opportunity of communicating to Your Lordship, as well as e to the Commander in Chief, the state of *? omits to affairs in that Province ; as they are both Officers of capacity & great merit, I trust that their conduct will have given satisfaction. laA Those directions are now his Lordship at Chs Town & had laying at Charles Town in the been from the yth april. but Col. hands of Col. Balfour who received Balfour did not send them tho them the yth April. frequent and safe opportunities 2T they were laying ready for offered. 416 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY I have the honour* to be b with great respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's Most obedient & Most humble Servant. CORNWALLIS. Eight Honorable Lord George Germain. &c a &c a &c a 776: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, ANSWER [44] _p 85. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Dispatch, No. 9, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 18, 1781. Same as No. 77 with variations shown in margins pp 414-416. Page 415 line 19 insert the following words : the rest of the officers are recovering fast, and many of the wounded soldiers have already joined their regiments. 77F: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, TARLETON^? 322. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 9, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 18, 1781. Same as No. 77 with variations shown in margins pp 414-416. Page 415 line 19 insert the same words as in No. 776 773: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, Copy PA 309/64. In margin Wilmington i8 th April 1781. Lord Corn wallis (N 9.) R/ 4 th June. Mem. at end Inclosure Copy of a Proclamation issued in N Carolina by Earl Cornwallis. i8 th March 1781. Same as No. 77 with variations shown in margins pp 414-416. 77V: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, Copy 6 RI 19/75. Endorsed Copy Earl Cornwallis to Lord G. Germain Wilmington i8 th April 1781. Same as No. 77 with variations shown in margins pp 414-416. Page 415 line 19 insert the same words as in No. 776 78 CORNWALLIS TO GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, LS PA 157/251. ANSWER [48] p 85, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed N 10 Wilmington N. Carolina 1 8 th April 1781 Lord Cornwallis (N 10) R/ 4 th June (i Inclo- ft No. 70E : % . -r-^ . i * 4.0 ^ sure) a Ent d ?3&aTi ^ I0 b Wilmington i8 th April 1781. My Lord, As Governor Martin returns to England CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 417 by this opportunity, I shall beg leave to refer your Lordship to him for many particulars delating to this Province : But I think it incumbent on me to be ex plicit to your Lordship, as his Majesty's Minister, on one or two capital points. The principal reasons for undertaking the Winter's Campaign were, the difficulty of a defensive War in South Carolina, the hopes that our friends in North Carolina, who were said to be very numerous, would make good their promises of assembling taking an Active part with us, in endeavouring to re-establish His Majesty's Government. Our experience has shewn that their numbers are not so great as had been re presented and that their friendship b was only passive ; b v reads i9 For we have received little assistance from them since our arrival in the province, and altho' I gave the strongest 1 most 2 publick assurances 3 that after re fitting depositing our Sick Wounded, I should 4 return to the upper Country, not above two hundred have been prevailed upon to follow us either as Pro vincials or Militia. "This being the case, the immense extent of this Country cut with numberless d Creeks & rivers and the total want of internal navigation, which creeka renders it impossible for our Army to remain long in the heart of the Country, Will make it very difficult to reduce this province e to obedience by a direct Attack upon it. f lf therefore it should appear to be the interest of Great Brittain to Maintain what she already possesses, to push the War in the Southern provinces, I 5 take the liberty of giving it as my opinion, that a serious attempt upon Virginia would be the most solid plan, 6 Because successful! operations Id strongest underlined. 5d I to Plan underlined. 2d most public assurances 6b his Lordps advice influ- underlined. enced the Cabinet to order solid 3d how comes it my good operation in this most hostile & Lord that after such assurances sickly province at the worst of you marched into Virginia. seasons ; & to reject my plan till 4d should to country under- July 81. lined. 53 418 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY might not only be attended with important conse quences there, but would tend to the security of South Carolina, & ultimately to the submission of North Carolina. The great reinforcements sent by Virginia to General Greene, whilst General Arnold was in the Chesapeak, are convincing proofs that small expeditions do not frighten that powerfull Province. I have the honour 4 to be b My Lord Your Lordship's b oe end &c Most obedient and Most humble Servant Cornwallis _. . , ._.-.. , , . c j in**** Right Hon ble 'CoRXWALLis. Lord George Germain &c. &c. &c. 786: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, ANSWER [48] p 85. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 10, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 1 8th, 1781. Same as No. 78 with variations shown in margins pp 416-418. 78F: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, TARLETONJ? 324. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 10, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 18, 1781. Same as No. 78 with variations shoivn in margins pp 416-418. 783 : CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, Copy PA 309/67. In margin Wilmington North Carolina 18 April 1781. Lord Cornwallis (N 10.) E/ 4 th June. Mem. at end Inclosure Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir H. Clinton io th April 1781. Same as No. 78 with variations shown in margins pp 416-418. 78v: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 18 April 1781, Copy RI 19 '74. Same as No. 78 with variations shown in margins pp 416-418. 79 BALFOUR TO CLINTON, 20 April 1781, LS RI 19/70. OBSERVATIONS [90 Ap'x\ p 131, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Duplicate. a Charles Town, April 2O th , 1781. CB inserts ^^9 I have the honor to acquaint Your Excel lency, that by 'Letters from Lord Rawdon of the i2th, 1 3th, and i5th Instant, there is the fullest informa tion, that General Greene, with his Army is advancing CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 419 into this Province, & that his Light Troops have actually passed the Pedee : the object of this Move ment there is every reason to believe is Camden, which, at present, is but weak, Lord Eawdon having detached Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, with two Batta lions from that Post ; so that in the end it may be expedient, for combining our Force, to relinquish every thing on the other side Santee, a measure, however, which Your Excellency may be assured, will not be taken but in case of the utmost necessity. a As this movement of Greene's may considerably change Lord Cornwallis's views, (who is now at ton Wilmington) I have judged it fit to lay before Your Excellency b this Intelligence, which is likewise for- bB * n * er ** warded to Lord Cornwallis by an Express Boat. 1 ' 2 * 3 p ssibl I have the honor to be d , Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient & humble servant, N. BALFOUR. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton K.B. &c &c c la your Lordship must have not raised, and that that place been determined indeed on your was in great danger & if he did march to Virginia if this did not how could his Lordp consistent induce you to return to Charles with my positive orders to the Town. contrary go into Virginia at the 2b Surely this intelligence risk of Charles Town, should have stopt his Lordship's 3d Lord C. had this infom march into Virginia particularly before he marched for Virginia as C. Balfour must have told his tis pity C. Bal. did not send my Lordship as he did Lord Rawdon, dispatches &c for Lord Cornwallis that the old works of Charles at the same time, town were thrown down, & others 796: BALFOUR to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [90 Ap'x\p I 3 I> With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, received by the Speedy packet, which called at Cape Fear, dated Charles-Town, April 20, 1781. tiame as No. 79 with variations shown in margins pp 418-419. 79F: BALFOUR to CLINTON, 20 April 1781, Copy PA 140/251. One of several letters under this endorsement Copies and Extracts of Letters from Lieu 1 Colonel Balfour to a No. 94;? 474 420 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY H. E. Sir H. Clinton Received 2O th May In Sir Henry Clintons N 127.* Same as No. 79 with variations shoivn in margins pp 418-419. a M begins b ON begin Copy c BFSVER begin d V reads dispatched 80 CORNWALLIS TO GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, LS PA 157/267. ANSWER [50] p 85, OBSERVATIONS [92 Ap'x^ p 131, REPLY [66] p 170- With Clinton's MS. Notes from ANSWER, OBSERVATIONS, REPLY, TARLETON and GERMAIN. Endorsed N n. Wilmington No. Carolina 23 d April, 1781. Lord Cornwallis (N n) E/ 4 th June. Ent d a N ii b Wilmington 23 April lySi. 1 My Lord, I yesterday received an express, by a small Vessel 2 from Charlestown, informing me, that a Frigate was there, 3 * 4 but not then able to get over the bar, with Dispatches from Sir Henry Clinton, Notifying to me, that Major General Phillips, had 5 been ' 7 d detached into the Chesapeak, with a consider able force, with 8 instructions to co-operate with this Army 9 , & to 10 put himself under my orders. This Express likewise brought me 11 e the disagreeable 12 accounts, 13 * 14 that the upper posts of South Carolina, 1R read in the house of Lords 10dA to to orders underlined. 2fO this Boat certainly HbQ me to accounts under- brought his lordship the iritelli- lined. 12bA disagreeable accounts un derlined. 13bA surely this acct informed him also that the old works of Charles Town were down. 14bO this is the express boat mentioned before, why did it not carry my dispatches to his Lordp delivered as he owns to Col. Balfour the 7th he would have found by these dispatches that so far from telling his Lordship that P. was under his orders, they would have told him that was no gence on the other side, how could he therefore after receiving such intelligence go into Virginia ! as "the best mode of employing his army." 3bA & had been there since the yth April. 4T those dispatches had been there from the yth april. 5aQ had underlined. 6aQ No my good Lord waiting the event of a naval action to be detatched. 7cQ waiting (the event of a sea action) to be detatched. 8dA with to ai my underlined. 9dA read these instructions page 6 1. longer than i oth May & that after that he was positively ordered to begin operation to the northward. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 421 were in the most imminent danger from an alarming Spirit of Revolt among many of the people, and by a movement of Gen 1 Greene's Army a15 Although the expresses b l sent from Cross Creek, c T i i^ J ,\ , T J insert that to inform Lord Rawdon of the necessity 1 was under yf i serts of coming to this place, and to warn him of the possibility of such an attempt of the Enemy, had all miscarried, Yet his Lordship was lucky enough to be apprized of c General Greene's Approach, at least cs omits six days before he d could possibly reach Camden, IBMOUT and I am therefore still induced to hope from my SKy could opinion of His Lordship's Abilities, & the precautions taken by him, & Lieu'Colonel. Balfour, that we shall not be so unfortunate, as to lose any considerable Corps. 16 The distance from hence to Camden, the want of forage and subsistence, on the greatest part of the Road, and the difficulty e of passing the Pedee, when opposed by an Enemy, render it utterly impossible for me to give immediate assistance, And I apprehend a possibility of the utmost hazard to this little Corps, without the chance of a benefit, in the attempt; For if we are so unlucky, as to suffer a severe blow in South Carolina, the spirit of Eevolt in that Province, would become very general, and the numerous Rebels in this Province, be encouraged to be more than ever active & violent; This might enable General Greene to hem me in among the great Rivers, & by 15aO and therefore you get out Idea of employing the troops to of the scrape as soon as you can. better advantage there induced 16bQ better gone yourself my you to go, and to tell the Minister good Lord in obedience to my that operation in the most inimi- orders and your own promises. cal and unhealthy province at the you had not half the distance to worst of seasons and without a go. but it looked too much like covering fleet was the best way of retreat, and Ross told you, you employing those troops, and be- must go into Virginia (tho you cause your Lordp offered terms to had failed this time) for that on Govt of responsibility which it your arrival there he Ross hoped suited them to accept, they were S H Clinton out of humour that weak and wicked enough to reject Arbuthnot was not recalled would S H Clinton's plan which they resign the command to your Lord- had approved till May & did again ship, this my good Lord, not the approve in Sepr alas too late ! 1 422 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY cutting off our subsistence, render our Arms useless. And to remain here for Transports to carry us off, would be a work of time, 17 would lose our Cavalry, & be otherways as ruinous and disgracefull to Britain, as most events could be. I have there- to f re > un der so man y embarrassing circumstances,* (but looking upon Charlestown as safe from any imme- diate Attack b from the Rebels 18 ' 19 ' 20 21 ) resolved to take advantage of General Greene's having left the back part of Virginia open, and march immediately into that province, to attempt a junction with General Phillips I have more readily decided upon this measure because if General Greene fails in the object of his March, his retreat will relieve South Carolina ; And m y f rce being very Insufficient for offensive operations in this province may be employed usefully in Virginia, in conjunction with the Corps under the Command of General Phillips. & c I have the hononr d to be 6 with great respect My Lord Your Lordship's Most obedient and Most humble Ser- Vant f CORNWALLIS. end &c ig nt Honorable Lord George Germain c a &c a &c a CornwaWs 17cQ You are two days march 20aQ read Tarltons History & from Waggamaw Gallies & boats Lord Rawdoiis letter May 24. are there to pass you over & a page 91. corps at George Town to receive 21G qui dit Lord Rawdon et you Le colonel Balfour au sujet de 18bA if Col. Balfour did his Charles Town, ne dissent ils pas duty he informed you it was not quelle est ouvert et Exposee safe read Lord Rawd letter page [what is said by Lord Raiudon 19bQ If Balfour did his duty and colonel Balfour on the sub- he told your Lordship it was in ject of Charles-town, do they not danger. say that it is open and exposed] SOB: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, ANSWER [50]^ 85. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. 11, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 23d, 1781. Same as No. 80 with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. SOF: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, OBSERVATIONS [92 Ap'x~\p 131. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 423 Copy. Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 23, 1781. Same as No. 80 with variations shoivn in margins pp 420-422. os: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, REPLY [66] p 170. With Clintons Manuscript Note. Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, North Carolina, 23d April, 1781. Same as No. So with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. 8ov: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, TARLETON^ 325. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's dispatch, No. n, to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington, April 23d, 1781. Same as No. 80 with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. 8oE: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, Fr trans GERMAIN p 80. With Clintons Manuscript Note. Copie d'une lettre du comte Cornwallis, au lord George Germain, datee de Wilmington dans la Caroline Septentrionale le 23 avril 1781. Same as No. 80 with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. OR: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, Copy PA 309/71. In margin Wilmington North Carolina 23 d April 1781. Lord Cornwallis (N 1 1 .) R/ 4 th June. Same as No. 80 with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. SOM: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, Copy PA 140/263. Endorsed Copy of a Dispatch N 1 1 . From Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain dated 23 d April 1781. In Sir Henry Clintons N 128 a N i as No. 80 with variations shoivn in margins pp 420-422. 00; CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, Copy RI 19/77. Endorsed Copy Earl Cornwallis to Lord G. Germain Wilmington 23 d April 1781. Same as No. 80 with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. 8oN: CORNWALLIS to GERMAIN, 23 April 1781, Copy HL NO 8. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain, dated Wilmington North 424 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Carolina 23 rd April 1781. E/ 4 th June. The In- closure referred to in this Letter is amongst those papers laid before the House 18 Feb? N 57. N 8. Same as No. So with variations shown in margins pp 420-422. a SVETC begin Copy b BF begin c V reads movements d V rea-ls resolutioa e V reads them f BSVEread nor g V reads direction h E reads renders i Bi? new ^ 8i CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 23 April 1781, ANSWER [20]^ 85. REPLY [69] p 170, with Clinton's Manuscript Notes from ANSWER, REPLY and GERMAIN. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, a dated Wil mington, April 23, 1 78 1 1 . b Sir, 2 I have the honour to inclose to you a dupli cate of my letter of the loth, sent by the Amphi trite, and copies of all my letters to the Secretary of State ; as they contain the most exact account of every transaction of the campaign, of the present state of things in this district, of my great apprehensions from the c movement of General Greene towards Camden, and my Resolutions in consequence of it, I have nothing to add to e it for your Excellency's satis faction. Neither my cavalry f or infantry are in readi ness to move ; the former are in want of every thing, the latter of every necessary but shoes, of which we have received an ample supply ; I must however begin my march to-morrow. It is very disagreeable to me to decide upon measures so very important, and of such consequence to the general conduct of the war, without an opportunity of procuring your Excellency's Directions or approbation ; but the delay and difficulty of conveying letters, and the impossi bility of waiting for answers, h render it indispensibly necessary. 3 J My present undertaking sits heavy on 1R read in the House of Lords. Genl Phillips & to me. 3G Le Ministre qui Envoyoit les lettres pour etre lis etoit milord Stormount, et un certain Monr Knox etoit son Depaty. on a produit les deux lettres de Lord Cornwallis au Gen. Phillips et au Gen. Clinton mais on a pas juge apropos de Faire Lire le lettre de Lord Cornwallis a Milord G. Germain on aura vu que L. 2aA This letter is undoubtedly misplac'd in His Lordships letter to Lord G Germain of this date page 92 My observations informs L G that his Lordship had the day before received an express from C Town informing him that my orders were arrived & then laying at C Town & coming to him in his letters of the 24th to CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 425 my mind; I have experienced the Mistresses and dangers of marching some b hundreds of miles, in a country chiefly hostile, without one active or useful friend ; without intelligence, and without communi cation with any part of the country. The situation in which I leave South Carolina adds much to my anxiety ; yet I am under the necessity of adopting this hazardous enterprise hastily, and with the appearance of precipitation, as I find there is no prospect of speedy reinforcement from Europe, and that the return of c General Greene to North Carolina, either with or without success, would put a junction with General Phillips out of my power. d I have the honour 6 to be, f &c. CORNWALLIS. Cornwallis y fait mention que it was not judged Jilting to cause eVfi em^& les depeches du G. Clinton sont the letter of Lord Cornwallis to f sufe with a Charles Town et qu'il les Lord Germain to be read; it attendoit a chaque Instant ou would have been seen that Lord Excellency's dans la suitte on verra plusiers Cornwallis there made mention of neglicences de cette Espece, ou the dispatches of Genl. Clinton Most de milord Stormont ou de son being at Charles town and that servt, Deputy Knox, il est a esperer que he was expecting them every p igBed 1 ,. toute cela netoit pas intentione. moment or immediately : several [The minister who sent the letters mistakes of the same kind either to be read was Lord Stormont, his by Lord Stormont or his deputy deputy being a certain Mr. Knox. Knox will be observed, it is to be The two letters of Lord Corn- hoped that all this was not wallis to Genl. Phillips and to intentional.] Genl. Clinton were produced but SIB : CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 24 April 1781, REPLY [69] p 170. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Wilmington, 24th April, 1781. Same as No. 81 with variations shown in margins pp 424-425. 8 IF : CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, Fr trans GERMAIN^) 117. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copie d'une lettre du comte Cornwallis, a Sir Henri Clinton, datee de Wilmington le 24 avril 1781. Same as No. 81 with variations shown in margins pp 424-425. 8is: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 23 April 1781, Copy PA 140/267. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to 54 426 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Sir H. Clinton K.B. Wilmington 23 d April 1781. rec d 22 d May ^ the Speedy Packet. 59 In Sir Henry Clintons of the 22 d May N 1 2 8 a N 2. Same as No. 81 with variations shown in margins pp 424-425. 8iv: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON", 23 April 1781, Copy RI 19/82. Same as No. 81 with variations shown in margins pp 424-425. 8 IE: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, Copy LANSDOWNE 6 8/1 8. Same as No. 81 with variations shown in margins pp 424-425. 8iR : CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 23 April 1781, Copy HL No 58. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton dated Wilmington 23 d April 1781. Transmitted to L d Geo : Germain In Sir H^ Clinton's of 22 May 1781 (2) R/ 23 d June. N 58 Same as No. 81 with variations shown in margins pp 424-425. 82 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 24 April 1781, ANSWER [5 5] _p 86. ANSWER [55]^ 8 6, OBSERVATIONS [94 Ap'x] p 131, REPLY [71] p 1 70. With Clinton's Manuscript Note from REPLY. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated aEHM% .Wilmington, ^^ ^ ^gj 1 b Sir, I have reflected very seriously on the subject of my attempt to march into Virginia, and have in consequence written a letter to Major-general Phillips, of which I have the honour to enclose a copy inexpedient to ^ Q ^ Excellency. e l have, likewise, directed Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to send transports and provisions to this d port, in case I should find the **. 826: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, OBSERVATIONS [94 Ap'af] p 131. Copy. From Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 427 dated Wilmington, April 24, 1781. Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 82F: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 24 April 1781, REPLY [71]^? 170. With Clintons Manuscript Note. Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Wilmington, 24th April, 1781. Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 828: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 24 April 1781, TARLETON^) 327. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. dated Wilmington, April 24, 1781. Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 82 v: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, Fr trans GERMAIN p 119. Copie d'une lettre du comte Cornwallis, a Sir Henri Clinton, datee de Wilmington le 24 avril 1781. Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 82E: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 24 April 1781, Copy PA 140/271. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to SirH: Clinton KB. Wilmington 24 th April 1781. rec d 22 d May by the Speedy Packet. In Sir Henry Clintons of the 22 d May N 128* N 3. 57. Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 82E: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 24 April 1781, Copy b RI 19/83. b encloses Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 439 3M: ^ 82M: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 24 April 1781, Copy HL No 59. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton dated Wilmington 24 th April 1 781 Transmitted to L d Geo : Germain In Sir Henry Clinton's of 22 d May 1781 (3) R/ 23 d June N 59. Same as No. 82 with variations shown in margin p 426. 83 CORNWALLIS TO PHILLIPS, 24 April 1781, LS PA 157/275. ANSWER [56] _p 86, OBSERVATIONS [95 Ap'ac] p 131, REPLY [63] p 170, with Clinton's MS. Notes from each, and also from GERMAIN. .. 363 Endorsed In Lord Cornwallis's of the 24 h April a bR5g '. ns b Wilmington 2 4 th April I78I 1 . Mo^n 1R This letter was laid before the seqly that enquiry begins with L. C. N be 9 ins House of Lords, first inthelistcon- reasons for moving into Virginia. Duplicate 428 CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTROVERSY JJ2 SVB a Dear Phillips, My situation here is very distress ing, Greene took the advantage of my being obliged to come to this place, and has Marched to South Carolina. My expresses to Lord Rawdon on my leav ing Cross-Creek, warning him of the possibility of such a Movement, have all failed, Mountaineers & Militia have poured into the back part of that pro vince, and I much fear that Lord Rawdon's posts will be so distant from each other and his Troops so scattered as to b put him in d the greatest danger of being beat in detail, and e the worst of consequences may d atelt sthe na PP en to most of the Troops out of Charlestown ; 2 f By a direct Move towards Camden I cannot get time enough to relieve Lord Rawdon, 3 and should he have fallen, My Army would be exposed to the utmost danger, from the great rivers I should have to pass, the exhausted state of the Country, the numerous Militia, the almost universal spirit of revolt which prevails in South Carolina and the strength of Greene's Army, whose Continentals alone are at least as numerous as I am, And I could be of no use on my arrival at Charlestown, there being nothing g at aT p rSe e nt d P resen t to apprehend for that post. 4 I shall therefore SVJ*ON h March immediately up the Country *by Duplin Court mediately house, pointing towards Hillsborough, in hopes to withdraw Greene, if that should not succeed, I should ke much tempted to k try *to form a junction with you. mr ^ e5 Attempt is exceedingly hazardous, and many unforeseen Difficulties may render it totally impracti cable, 6 so that you must not take any steps that may 2bQ he might have added to Town that place would be, but was Chs Town also. it not C. Balfour's duty to give 3bA is that so sure read LordRaw- this information to L. Cornwallis ? dons letter to Lord Corn wallis page. 4G vous oubliez milord quo does he not say that Col. Balfour vous 1'avez presq demantele had informed him that not expect- \_you forget, my lord, that you ing tnat L. Cornwallis after Guild- have almost dismantled it] ford would have exposed C . Town he 5aA The to impracticable under- had thrown down all the old works lined. of that place and if L. Rawdon did 6bQ The to impracticable un- not quit Campden. & garrison C. derlined. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 429 expose your Army to the danger of being ruined. 7 * 8 I shall March to the lowest ford of the Roanoke, which I am informed is about 20 Miles above Taylor's Ferry ; Send every possible intelligence to me by the Cypher I inclose, and make every Movement in your power to facilitate our Meeting which must be some where near Petersburgh, with safety to your a Army. b l mention the lowest ford because in a hostile Country Ferrys cannot be depended upon, But if I should decide c upon the measure of endeavouring to ^vo read come to you, I shall d endeavour to surprize the boats at some of the ferries from Halifax upwards. 8 I am f dear Phillips Most faithfully y rs fBT Maj r Gen 1 Phillips. g CoRNWALLis. h 7aQ and yet you think tis the the Justice to say this hint to safest and best way of employing Phillips was prudent ; but if Cornwailis the Troops ! Green had beaten L. Rawdon and am Y( 8bQ and yet he says it was march'd after L. Cornwailis, and most the best & most advantageous beat him, after joining La Fay- way of employing the troops. ette Phillips would have become but I must do his Lordp an easy prey. h K oids 836: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, 24 April 1 78 1, ANSWER [56] p 86. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's Letter to Major-general Phillips, dated Wilmington, April 24, 1781. Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 428-429. 83F: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, OBSERVATIONS [95 Ap'x\p 131. With Clintons Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Earl Cornwailis to Major-general Phil lips, dated April 24, 1781. Same as No. 83 with variations shoivn in margins pp 428-429. 838: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, 24 April 1781, REPLY [63] p 170. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant-General Earl Corn wailis to Major-General Phillips, dated Wilmington, 24th April, 1781. Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 428-429. 83V : CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, 24 April 1781, TARLETON^ 328. Copy of Earl Cornwallis's letter to Major-general Phil- 430 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY lips, dated Wilmington, April 24, 1781. Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 428-429. 83E: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, Fr trans GERMAIN jp 114. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Copie d'une lettre du lieutenant-general comte de Cornwallis au major-general Philips, da tee de Wil mington le 24 avril 1781. Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 428-429. 8311: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, Copy a LANSDOWNE 68/17. Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 427-429. b inNo.82K: 83M: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, 24 April 1781, Copy b HI 19/84. Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 427-429. 830: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, 24 April 1781, Copy HL NO 57. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Lieut General Earl Cornwallis to Major General Phillips dated Wilming ton 24 th April 1 781 Transmitted to L d Geo : Germain In Sir H7 Clinton's of 18 May 1781 (i.) R/ 23 d June N 57 Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 427-429. 83 N: CORNWALLIS to PHILLIPS, 24 April 1781, Copy PA 140/223. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis to Major General Phillips dated Wil mington April 24 th 1781. In Sir Henry Clinton's cseeii. 371 J^o 126 N I Same as No. 83 with variations shown in margins pp 427-429. 84 CLINTON, conversations with PHILLIPS, ANSWER [ioo]_p 87. NARRATIVE [96] p 57, ANSWER [100] p 87 and [175] _p 90, CORRE SPONDENCE [19] p 134, REPLY [78] p 171, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Substance of several Conversations had with Major general Phillips, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, before his Embarkation on his Expedition thither. [Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg, May 24.] a Until I know Lord Cornwallis's success to the southward, and what force can be spared from the southern district for further Operations, and until the a M reads the CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 431 reinforcements expected to a this army arrive ; such troops as are in b the Chesapeak maybe employed, first bKowuisthe in assisting his Lordship's operations, and then in either establishing a permanent post near the entrance of that bay, (if the naval commander does not approve of the one in Elizabeth River,) where large ships as well as small may lie in security during any temporary superiority of the enemy's fleet; 1 or if such a post cMomi < sor cannot be found, in employing what remains of the season in carrying on desultory expeditions against such towns, stations, magazines, &c. as the enemy may have there ; to convince those people more by what we can do, than what we really do, that they are in our power ; and finally, in pursuing the same plan (supporting friends,) in a more northerly and healthy climate. d2 With regard to a station for the protection of the King's ships, I know of no place so proper as York Town, if it could be taken possession of, 6 fortified, and garrisoned with 3 f one thousand men ; as, by having one thousand 5 more at a post somewhere in Elizabeth River, York and James Rivers would be ours, and our cruizers might command the waters of the Chesapeak. Troops might likewise be spared from these posts to carry on expeditions during the summer months, when probably nothing can be risked in that climate but water movements. 4 h But 5 if the Heights of York and hBV6 * t ' n laA my opinions for a Naval one that was not sunk. Station for Large Ships clearly 2aA this opn originated in that ever were for Hampton Road, the of L. Cornwallis. chanel to which is narrow & a ShiklC printed four, altered to good close work or two on old one. point Comfort with another at 4aQ and again as marked be- Willouby or Sewells point would low. If therefore Lord Cornwallis I knew protect that road, it com- did not think York and Glouces- manded also the principal river, & ter answered this description he was near the entrance of the bay. should not have preferred them to I never thought York & Glou- old point Comfort, at least he cester would protect any ships tho should after he got there have they had been favorably repre- given his opinion of them as he sented to me & tis clear I was promised, from all accounts till right for the Enemy burned every the day preceeding his capitula- 432 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a BV insert the b V italics those on a Gloucester side cannot be so well and so soon fortified 6 as to render that post b hors d'insult. horad insult , r ... before the enemy can move a lorce, &c. against it, it may not be adviseable to attempt it : 7 in that case, something may possibly be done at Old Point Comfort to cover large ships lying in Hampton Road, (which to B wintw ^ S reckoned a good one, c and not so liable to injury from gales at N.E. as that of York, particularly in winter. 8 ) If 9 neither 10 can be secured, we must content ourselves with keeping the Chesapeak, with frigates and other d M inserts a arme d vessels, 11 which will always find d security, against a superior naval force, in Elizabeth River. 612 As our operations in proper season may re-commence in the Upper James, perhaps a station might be found at the entrance of the narrows of that river that may be of use in future day, and held with a small force. James town seems a proper spot for such a station ; as does the place where the narrows and windings begin/ 13 tion, I thought the ground well attempt to take one but hold e BV end f F8EO end chosen, plan good and the works in tolerable compleat order. 5aQ But to attempt it under lined. 6fiklmnpqrsN does not this let ter clearly prove that if a secure post could not be found, he was at liberty to reject any ; but I am free to own, so certain was I of a covering fleet that if his Lordship had told me the post was bad I would still have directed him to take the best he could, knowing that without a place of arms to cover frigates, all was lost the instant the Enemy obtained even a temporary Naval superiority in that bay. 7bN this order L. Cornwallis owns he considers as affecting him ; in the face of it, if he had thought ill of Y. & G. should he not have informed me of it. 8aC Here again if no secure post can be found we must not Elisabeth river with frigates and a small post at Mill point. 9dA If to vessels underlined. lOaQ If neither underlined. HbA Lord Cornwallis affects to say that I never hinted at a place of arms to cover large ships till it was proposed by the Ad miral July nth 8 1 . does not this letter prove I had such intention & that I preferred old Pt Comfort but it says also if none can be found secure and hors d'insult we must hold only one to cover frigates : this letter L. Cornwallis tells us he reed on his arrival, it certainly authorised him to reject any but such as was safe ; if what he took in preference to the one I ordered was not safe he should have said so ; but he says the contrary read his letter 22d Augst page 174. 12R in my Narrative. 13cA tis here repeated in an opinion to Gen. Phillips. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 433 At a proper time of the year operations must still go northward either by a direct movement station ing your supplies in the navigable rivers which lie favourable for it in which you are, however, exposed to a temporary naval superiority of the enemy or by proceeding up the Chesapeak, if a force equal to the attempt can be collected; (for when a it can, I b should propose to take a station, threatening all the WOIJ provinces bordering on Chesapeak with a desultory war ;) prevent those provinces from being succoured ; by menacing communications ; and availing our selves of a supposed numerous band of friends, who otherwise may be forced to arm against us. Had we a force sufficient for two movements, that would be best ; four thousand men to proceed in transports up to Baltimore, taking a station within a certain distance of the Susquehannah, and having vessels always ready for a rapid move with part, or even the whole, to a corresponding station in the Eastern Neck ; while a corps of ten thousand men, or more, (according to the force that can be brought against you,) occupies the Eastern Neck, and can, in its turn, succour the western corps. Whether the eastern corps acts alone, or in co-operation, it must be in very great force for reasons obvious. I do not know enough of this Neck to say what force, or whether any, can be placed in security. The most advanced station would certainly be the best, parti cularly at first, to enable our friends, who, we are told, are at Lancaster, Little York-town, and Ches ter, to join us. Iron Hill may perhaps be it ; and as marshy creeks run up from Delaware and Chesa peak, the heads of which are not far asunder, many good posts may be found for corps of different strength ; for while we command those bays, there can be no danger of operation against our flanks and rear ; and if the enemy should be superior in one, he cannot be so in d both : we should therefore have always a communication open. This corps 55 434 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY should be very strong indeed, or there should be one acting in favour of it in Jersey. The preference must be given to that plan, against which Washing ton can bring the least force. He undoubtedly can bring a greater force into Jersey than any where, as the New-England troops a may be prevailed on to go there, and they cannot so easily be drawn into the Eastern Neck, or even over the Delaware. , Besides, if Washington moves into Jersey, his b meal and flour have both but a short portage ; but once deprived of the eastern counties, his cattle in that case coming chiefly from New England, will increase his diffi culty of subsistence ; for as we may, under those circumstances, attempt to occupy King's Ferry, he returned* will be "reduced to the Detour. I therefore should prefer a single corps in the Eastern Neck, sufficient, however, for the purpose. As the French have added considerably to Washington's force, I do not think an army less than Sir William Howe had could be sufficient fifteen thousand men. But where are they to be found? My whole force, rank and file, fit for duty, is nearly twenty-four thousand. It is presumed Lord Cornwallis will be content with six thousand for the southward ; two thousand we suppose in the Chesapeak twelve thousand are re quired for New York ; there remains only four thousand for that operation. I did expect ten thou sand men as an augmentation to my present army. Had they come, this project might have taken place ; but I am now told, I am to expect only four thou sand which will not be sufficient. However, once convinced that the French will not send d reinforce- ment, and that we shall be permanently superior at sea, and have an active co-operating naval com mander, I should be tempted to try : but until all this combines, I dare not : and if it is delayed too long, our friends in Pennsylvania may be forced eM runs on rom ^ Qr cajolg^e If we could hold the Chesapeak by the posts on CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 435 Elizabeth and York rivers, Oxford, and Port Penn, and the two Eastern on the sea-costs, and threaten our enemies of Virginia and Maryland, and protect our friends of all these countries, I think we should in that case leave the French little to induce them to support the war. 26th April. These however I give you merely as my opinions at the time we talked "this on sub- ject ; and they 'will influence you, of course, no further, than as they correspond with your own no\v. b "With respect to the number and disposition of d friends in Pennsylvania, I am telling you more what I wish than what I expect to find ; for we have been too often deceived by representations of sanguine friends. 6 H. CLINTON. 846: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, 26 April 1781, NARRATIVE [96]^ 57. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract from the Substance of Conversations held with General Phillips, sent to that General Officer for his Guidance. This extract from No. 84 is shown in margins pp 431-432. 84F: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, 26 April 1781, ANSWER [175]^ 90. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract of the Substance of several Conversations that his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton had with Major-general Phillips, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, before his Embarkation on his Expedition thither, dated April 26, 1781. This extract from No. 84 is shown inmarginspp 431-432. 848: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, CORRESPONDENCE [19]^ 134. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract of several Conversations that His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton had with Major General Phillips, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, be fore his Embarkation on his Expedition thither. This extract from No. 84 is shown in margins pp 431-432. 847: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, 26 April 1781, REPLY [78] p 171. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. 436 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Extract from the Substance of Conversations held with General Phillips, sent to that General Officer for his Guidance. This extract from No. 84 is shown in margins pp 431-432. 84E : CLINTON and PHILLIPS, Fr trans GERMAIN p 84. Substance des opinions donnees au major-general Philips dans diverses conversations avant son em- barquement au sujet des operations dans la Chesa peak. This extract from No. 84 is shown in margins pp 430-432. 8411: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, 26 April 1781, Copy PA 140/39. Endorsed Substance of Opinions given by Sir H : Clinton to Major General Phillips previous to his Embarkation for the Chesapeake. In Sir Hen? Clin- tons N 123. of 5 th & 20 th April 1781.* N i. Begins Substance of Opinions given to Major General Phillips in several Conversations previous to his Em barkation, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesa- peak. Same as No. 84 with variations shown in margins pp 430-435. 84*1: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, Copy LANSDOWNE 68/13. Begins Substance of several Conversations had with Major General Phillips on the Subject of operations in the Chesapeak before his embarkation on his Ex pedition thither 26 April 1781. Same as No. 84 with variations shown in margins pp 430-435. 840: CLINTON and PHILLIPS, 26 April 1781, Copy HL No n. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. Endorsed Substance of Opinions given by Sir H> Clin ton to M Gen 1 Phillips, previous to his Embarkation for the Chesapeak In Sir H> Clinton's of 5 & 20 b 67V: A P ril I78i b (0 39 Begins Substance of Opinions given to Major General Phillips, in several Conversations previous to his Embarkation, on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak. This extract from No. 84 is shown in margins pp 430-432. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 437 85 CLINTON TO PHILLIPS, 26/30 April 1781, ANSWER [95] jp 87. NARRATIVE [105] p 57, ANSWER [95] p 87, REPLY [79]^ 171. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes from NARRATIVE. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Major-General Phillips, dated New-York, April 26th, 1781. [Received by Earl Cornwallis, at Petersburg, May 24.] Dear Sir, Your letters of the i5th, i6th, i8th, and i Qth instant, were delivered to me on the 22d by Captain Biggs of his Majesty's ship Amphitrite. And I should have now entered largely into, and given a detail answer (agreeable to your desire) to the several subjects thereof, if I had not from the purport of Lord Cornwallis's letter of the roth, and yours of the i9th, judged it to be unnecessary at present to give either you or myself that trouble. What you say in your letter of the i5th instant, respecting the post at Portsmouth, and the choice of another somewhere else on Elizabeth River, you will find fully answered in mine to you of the 1 1 th which accompanies this : for (though written above a fort night since) I had no safe opportunity before the pre sent of sending it to you. a Lord Cornwallis's arrival at Wilmington has con- a BF 6effi * siderably changed the complexion of our affairs to the southward, and all operations to the northward must probably give place to those in favour of his Lordship, which at present appear to require our more immediate attention. I know nothing of his Lordship's situation but what I have learnt from his letter to me of the loth, which you have read ; b and as I have the strongest reason to believe that he had above three thousand men (exclusive of cavalry and militia) when he entered North Carolina, I am totally at a loss to conjecture how his numbers came to be reduced before the day of action to one thousand three hundred and sixty infantry, except by suppos ing (as you have done) that he had previously weakened his army by detachments. Of this how ever, I shall probably be informed when I receive 438 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY the copy of his Lordship's letter to the Minister ; and I shall most likely be at the same time informed what prospects he may still have of arming the numerous friends we were taught to expect his find ing in the districts he has visited in his march to, and retreat from, Guildford; without whose assis tance we shall, I fear, hold those provinces by a very precarious tenure. *^ ^ a ^ g 168 ^ hP es before I received b Lord Corn- this letter wallis's letter, that his Lordship would have been in a condition to 6 have spared a considerable part of his army from Carolina for the operations in Cheasapeak, but you will observe from it that, instead of sending any part of his present force thither, he proposes to detain a part of the reinforcement coming from Europe for his 1 more southern operations, even though they should be defensive. I shall therefore take the opinions of the General officers near me upon the P resen t state of our affairs, and d l propose afterwards e t sen d you such a further f detachment from this ment rce ~ army as we may judge can be done with tolerable security to this post, at least while we remain superior With so large a force as you will then have, I flatter myself that you will be able to make the most effectual exertions either directly or indirectly in Lord Cornwallis's favour, as far as your efforts on the shores of the Chesapeak can co-operate with what he may be doing in Carolina. What these, however, may be, you, as being upon the spot, must certainly be the best judge, until you either hear further from or see his Lordship. * a begin ti n yours and Brigadier General Arnold's joint letter, you mention that from one thousand six hundred to two thousand more men, would enable you to take a post in force at Petersburg ; from whence you might break up Mr. Greene's communi- lc more southern underlined. 2i 1500. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 439 cations with Virginia, and in co-operation with Lord Cornwallis, probably disperse the Rebel army. And that you could moreover, with this increased strength, attempt Fayette's corps, Baltimore, and Annapolis, with great probability of success, and finally attempt Philadelphia, and take post in the lower counties of Delaware, for which you apprehend your force would then be sufficient. a The security of the two Carolinas is certainly an object of the greatest importance, and should at all events be first attended to. Success also against any considerable corps of the enemy, which may be col lected any where within reach, and the taking or destroying their public stores, magazines, &c. are undoubtedly very important advantages. But there is in my humble opinion still another operation, which if successful would be most solidly decisive in its consequences, and is therefore well worth our consideration. It is the trying the same experiment (which has hitherto unfortunately not succeeded to the southward) in other districts, which have been represented as most friendly to the King's interests. 1 * Vst P s Virginia has been in general looked upon as univer sally hostile ; Maryland has not been as yet tried, but is supposed to be not quite so much so : but the inhabitants of Pennsylvania on both sides of the Sus- quehannah, York, Lancaster, Chester, and the Penin sula between Chesapeak and Delaware, are repre sented to me to be friendly. There or thereabouts I think this experiment should now be tried, but it *v continues cannot be done fairly until we have a force sufficient d not only to go there, but to retain a respectable hold of the country e afterwards, should it be judged neces sary. I wish that our numbers were competent to the occupying two corresponding stations f at Balti- { r ^ t mitsto more and Elk river. Agreeable to what I mentioned to you in the conversations we have had together on this subject, g to which that you may be able on occasion to refer, I have committed the substance 440 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY of them to writing, and send them to you inclosed. This I should have done sooner, had I had a safe opportunity before. I have now the greater reason to be convinced that the opinions I then gave you were right, from a conversation I have since had with that""** a Ver 7 intelligent friend of ours from a the country, known to Colonel Simcoe, who goes to you by this opportunity, and will be able to give you the fullest b s ends information thereon. b April 3Oth. I expected that the Medea would have been sent to Lord Cornwallis, and that Captain Duncan would have been appointed by the Admiral to conduct the naval operations in the Chesapeak, for which he is particularly qualified from his know ledge of those waters, and his having had the manage ment of that business in Lord Howe's command. But the Admiral has just wrote to me that he cannot possibly at present spare Captain Duncan, and that he has appointed Captain Hudson of the Richmond to carry my dispatches to Chesapeak and Cape Fear, and afterwards attend this service. My dispatches will therefore go in her under the charge of Lord Chewton, and as we both know Captain Hudson's great zeal to co-operate with the troops on all occasions, I hope every thing will go on under his direction perfectly to your satisfaction. I have the honour to be, &c. H. CLINTON. 856: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 26/30 April 1781, NARRATIVE [105]^ 57. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Inclosed in the above letter the following extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's letters to Major General Phillips. This is two parts of No. 85 as shown in margins pp 437-438. 85F: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 26/30 April 1781, REPLY [79]^ 171. Inclosed in the above letter the following extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's letters to Major General Phillips. This is two parts of No. 85 as shown in margins pp 437-438. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 441 853: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 26/30 April 1781, Extract PA 140/116. One of several extracts under this endorsement Ex tracts from Gen 1 Sir H : Clintons Letters to Maj r Gen 1 Phillips N 3 In Sir Henry Clintons N 124 of 23 d & 30 th April & i st May 1 78 1 . a 93 .Bee/ins Extracts of Letters from General Sir Henry Clinton to Major General Phillips. This extract from No. 85 is shown in margins pp 438-440. 57: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 26/30 April 1781, Extracts HL NO 19. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. One of several extracts under this endorsement Ex tracts of Letters from Gen 1 Sir H. Clinton to Major Gen 1 Phillips dated 26 th & 3 r Clinton's of 23 d & 3N I never had Idea of solid were adopted and expressing a wish operation in Virginia in the sickly that I might not resign to L. season, tis plain I never wished to Cornwallis but it proves also that keep the bay but with frigates, till I could have no Idea of L. C coming the Carolinas were reduced & we into Virginia, & proves that when could go into Chesapeak in force. he did come he saw my plan for 27bN contrary to my orders. the campaign if he had not pre- 2811 I suppose this letter is in- vented it. 88B : CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 30 April 1781, NARRATIVE [106]^ 57. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. April 30, 1781. To the same. This is siv parts of No. 88 as shown in margins pp 451-455, with the following additional ivords : N.B. These two letters with other dispatches fell 456 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY into Lord Corn wallis's hands on General Phillips's death and were opened by his Lordship ; and the expedition thereinproposed 1 ' 2 recommendedtohisconsideration. 3 ' 4 88r: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 30 April 1781, REPLY [80] p 171. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. April 30, 1781. To the same. This is six parts of No. 88 as shown in margins pp 451-455. 88s: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 30 April 1781, Copy LANSDOWNE 68/14. One of several copies under this endorsement Copies of Letters between Sir H7 Clinton Earl Cornwallis L Gen 1 Phillips relative to the Operations of the Southern army April May June 1781. Same as No. 88 with variations shoivn in margins pp 451-455. 88v: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 30 April 1781, Extract PA 140/119. One of several extracts under this endorsement Extracts from Gen 1 Sir H: Clintons Letters to Maj r Gen 1 Phillips. N 3 In Sir Henry Clintons N 124 a NO. 90* O f 23 d & 30 th April & i st May i78i. a In margin Private & most Secret. N York April 30 th 1781. This is three parts of No. 88 as shown in margins pp 451-455. 88E: CLINTON to PHILLIPS, 30 April 1781, Extract HL No 19. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 25 February 1782. One of several extracts under this endorsement Extracts of Letters from Gen 1 Sir H. Clinton to Major Gen 1 Phillips dated 26 th & 3 Clinton's of 23 d & 3O th April & i st May B, I7gl .b (3) NO I 9 . Begins Private & most secret. New York April 3O th 1781. This is five parts of No. 88 as shown in margins pp 451-455. IfklmnoprsN nay ordered. was ordered to carry into execu- 2iN nay ordered for all that tion. Phillips had been ordered to exe- 4cN The reason for the above cute it became Lord Cornwallis to blanks was that the war was persue. not finished when this was writ- 3a]ST and which Gen Phillips ten. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 457 1 a a o o ?H H" 1 1 H E p E <1 H OJ P^ H H B o 5 M te 5 PROVINCIALS. North Carolina Volunteers, Light Company. CO CO British Legion. CO J>* M GERMAN. Regiment of Bose. oo C4 OJ BRITISH. Eighty-second Regiment, Light Company. VQ CO Seventy-first Regiment, Two Battalions. to X^ Thrty-third Regiment. ON O . HH NH fe- a 458 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 90 CLINTON TO GERMAIN,23/3o April& i May 1781, LS PA 140/83. NARRATIVE [103] JP 57, with Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Endorsed New York, 23 d & 3O th April & i st May 1781. Sir Henry Clinton N 124. E/ 23 d June a NO. eos: (g Inclosures*) Ent d . P NO. TOR : b^ j 24>e N ew York 2 3 d April 1781. I have the Honor to acknowledge the Receipt of Your Lordship's Original Dispatch, N 76, *o. 85s : 'j; wo Letters from M r Knox, dated 4 th of January, and Duplicates of your Lordship's Dispatches, mark d ^ NO. 88V: NOS j^ & j ^ Separate Letter of the 6 th : and circular One of the 7 th December ; Which, having been taken out of the Cormorant Sloop at Sea, by His Majesty's Ship Chatham, were delivered to me Yesterday. His Majesty's Ship Amphitrite having also at the same time brought me Dispatches from Carolina, I have the Honor to inclose to your Lordship the Copy of a Letter I deceived by her from Earl Cornwallis, dated the io th Instant. This being the only authentic Information I have as yet had of his Lordship's March, and the Battle of Guildford, e and his Lordship having proposed to send one of his Aid's de Camp immediately to England, with a particular Account of all his Proceedings, I shall decline troubling your Lordship with any other Observations thereon ; than to confess myself at a Loss to conceive how his Lordship's Numbers came to be reduced before the Action to 1,360, Infantry, as he says all his Military Operations were uniformly successfull ; and as from every Information given me I have great Reason to believe his Lordship had above 3,000, Men, besides Cavalry, and Militia, when he entered North Carolina. In the Hope that Lord Cornwallis's Success amongst our Friends in North Carolina, which was the principal Object of his March into that Province, would have been such as to have restored it, and South Carolina to Tranquility ; I had, in a Letter I wrote to his Lordship on the io th Instant, submitted CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 459 to him the Propriety in that Case of his coming in a Frigate to the Chesapeak. And, tho' it is now probable that he may not think his Presence in Carolina can be so soon dispensed with ; it is pos sible, as he seems of Opinion that his Army cannot be in a Condition again to act before it is reinforced, that his Lordship may perhaps avail himself of that Invitation to go thither, to consult with Major General Phillips. In which Case such Plans will of Course be settled between them, as may best assist what further Operations his Lordship may still propose to carry on in the Carolinas during the Eemainder of the Season. After those are over, such others will take Place to the Northward of them, as the Reinforcements we may receive shall enable us to undertake. For I have ever been sensible of the very great Importance of Operations in Chesapeak ; tho' I am aware that they are attended with great Risk, unless we are sure of a permanent Superiority at Sea a with less, however, in the * FEst p District between Chesapeak, & Delaware, than in any other. b But I must c beg leave, my Lord, in this place to observe, that I cannot agree to the Opinion given me by Lord Cornwallis in his last Letter, that leave the Chesapeak should become the Seat of War, even (if necessay) at the Expence of abandoning New York d : as I must ever regard this Post to be of the d FE ttop utmost Consequence, whilst it is thought necessary to hold Canada, with which, & the Northern Indians, it is so materially connected. We should moreover by such a Measure leave to the Mercy of the Enemy, nearly 25,000 Inhabitants of a very valuable & extensive District, which is in general supposed to be loyal ; and relinquish the only Winter Port the King's Ships have to the Northward. To these, my Lord, might be added a thousand other Considerations (amongst which, its Proximity to the undecided District of Vermont is not the least in Weight) but that I am persuaded they are too 460 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY obvious to Your Lordship to require my troubling You with the Recital. a April 3 Clinton enclosed in this Letter is amongst those papers laid before the House 18 Feb^ N 90 N 16. Begins Extract of a Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord George Germain dated New York 23 d April 1781. This is Jive parts of No. 90 as shown in margins pp 458-462. 91 GERMAIN TO CLINTON, 2 May 1781, LS RI 22/100. NARRATIVE [8] p n and [51] p 56. With Clintons MS. Notes from NARRATIVE and GERMAIN. Endorsed Duplicate. Secret. Lord Geo : Germain to Sir H. Clinton K.B. Whitehall 2 d May 1781 Concerning operations in America 160. av begins *Secret (Duplicate) Whitehall 2 d May 1781. and omits \ Jr / J I Sir? By the Mail of the Mercury Packet, I received, on the 25 th of last Month, your Dispatches numbered from 118 to 122, one of the 28 th February, one of the I st , two of the 8 th , and one of the 9 th March, marked separate, & immediately laid them before the King. A Vessel, sent Express by Vice Admiral Arbuthnot a E omits from the Chesapeake, had arrived the day before/ and brought the very agreeable and important Intelli gence of his having defeated the french Admiral's Project, of carrying his Squadron, and a Detachment of french Troops to attack General Arnold in concert with the Eebel Forces, and of the Arrival of Major General Phillips in James River with his Reinforce- 6 s inserts ment. 6 The Plan of the Enemy was certainly judi- ois pi im- ciously laid, and if Admiral Arbuthnot had not had the good Fortune to overtake the french Fleet before they entered the Chesapeake, the Destruction of General Arnold & his small Corps would probably have been effected, which must have put a Stop to Lord Cornwallis's Progress, & blasted all Our hopes of recovering the Southern Provinces this Campaign. Although therefore I greatly regret that all the french Ships escaped, I rejoice exceedingly in the Success CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 465 we have had, as it has delivered Us from such great and imminent danger, and given Confidence to Our hopes that Lord Cornwallis will be able to effect a Junction with General Phillips, whose Co-operation, with the considerable Force he Commands, must greatly facilitate his Approach, and by convincing the Loyalists that the Recovery of the Southern Pro vinces is the unalterable Object of the King's Measures, excite them to exert themselves for the Accomplish ment of it. Indeed had we any doubt of the Wisdom of the present Plan of pushing the War in that Quarter, and of the vast Importance of the Possession of Virginia, the Conduct of the Rebels would confirm Us in Our Judgment, for they could not give stronger Proofs of the high Opinion they entertain of its Im portance, than by the great Efforts they made, and the hazards they ran, in their Attempts to preserve it; As nothing less than the Apprehension of the most fatal Consequences to their Cause from its Loss could have prevailed on them to detach so large a part of Mr. Washington's best Troops to such a dis tance, at a time when his Army was so greatly reduced, and so early in the Season that no Draughts a from the aM reads of Militia could be brought to join him, and thereby expose his Posts on the Hudson River to your Attacks, when the little Force that remained with him could not enable him to give them hopes of Relief. bl Con- ceiving therefore so highly 2 as I do of the Importance laN there are very few of the plans of the Comr in chiefs " were following notes necessary, they the only plans that "could suc- are so many evd prooffs of what by ceed " had this plan been approved this time the reader is I believe at first it may be seen that that convinced campaign could not have ended 2eN In this sort of language unfortunately, according to that the Cabinet wrote to me, from plan not above i ooo men would Ross acct of L. Cornwallis brilliant have been in Chesapeak, the rest Victory of Campden, nor did they at N. York defensive or offensive change their tone till they found as might happen. Philadelphia that by his Lordships ill judged probably visited, the french fleet move into Virginia we were likely at R. Island certainly destroyed, to be undone then my plans the 59 465 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY b F rrarfs Instruction c F omits both of the Southern Provinces, and of the vast Advantages which must attend the Prosecution of the War upon the present Plan a of extending Our Conquests from South 3 to North, 4 * 5 it was a great Mortification to me to find, by your Instructions 6 to Major General Phillips, that it appeared to be your Intention that only a part 7 ' 8 of the Troops he carried with him should remain in the Chesapeak, 9 ' 10 and that both he and General Arnold should return to New York, 3cN south underlined. 4aN These Instructions were among the dispatches Lord Corn- wallissays are coming to him when he marched into Virginia, tis pre sumed if he had received them he would not as he says have had an Idea that I had resolved on solid operation in that Province and therefore as that was his principal object in going there it would have prevented him. 5cN north underlined. 6iN which Instruction Col. Balf our had in possession long be fore L. Cornwallis marched into Virginia, & might & ought to have sent to his Lordship, & would have convinced his Lordship as it seems to have done the Minister that S H Clinton had no intention of solid operation in the sickly inimi cal Prov. of Virginia, in the worst season. 7frN" rejects my plan for the Campaign orders me to support that of L. Cornwallis till 7 & 14 July 8 1 . & then seeing the danger of L. Cornwallis approve of mine alas too late, how can Lord Corn wallis say I had ever intended solid establishment in Virginia, does not this prove that I intended only leaving part of the troops and mostly to leave garrisons. a part underlined. from the instant we got possession of Georgia this system had been fixed the very order here given brakes through it, for N. Carolina was left behind uncon- quered, & witht friends we could neither conquer or keep there were none in Virginia, much danger in operations there without a fleet, no certainty of having one and an Enemy far more dreaded than armies I was sure would meet us in those districts in July, I there fore had determined to withdw every thing except a small station to cover frigates, & carry on operation during the heats, more northerly, healthy, safe and plenti ful in supply, in the midst of friends &c. lOajVJ" L. Cornwallis it seems forgetting all the orders of S H C some of them given while he was in the same Camp with S H Clinton) has asserted that a certain ecconomical system men tioned in the yth report originated with his Lordship : Mr Pitt has since by desire of S H C read the letter of the Treasury to S H C thanking him for having establish*! it many months before the date of L C orders for his Lordship's sake tis pity he had not recollected this circumstance or the Commission ers known it when they gave & his Lordship took the merit of having established it to himself. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 467 leaving only a sufficient Force to serve for Garrisons in the Posts they might Establish in Virginia. 11 Your Ideas therefore of the Importance of recovering that Province appearing to be so different from mine, I thought it proper to ask the Advice of His Majesty's other Servants upon the Subject, and their a Opinion concurring entirely with mine, it has been submitted to the King, and I am commanded by His Majesty to acquaint you, that the Recovery of the Southern Pro vinces, and the Prosecution of the War b by pushing Our Conquests from South 12 to North, 13 ' 14 is to be considered as the Chief 15 and principal 16 Object 17 for the Employment of all the 18 Forces under your Com mand, which can be spared from the defence of the Places in His Majesty's Possession, until it is accom plished; 019 but as it might be dangerous to the health of cF st P s the Troops to carry on offensive Operations to the South of the Delaware in the Summer Months, and that being the fittest Season for attacking the Enemy's Posts upon the 'Hudson River, and annoying the New England Provinces, His Majesty leaves you at full Liberty to employ the Troops in any offensive Undertaking to the North 6 of the Delaware at such M times as you shall judge it improper to continue them in the Field upon f active Service to the South of it, nor is it the King's Intention to restrain you from availing yourself of any favorable Event, or Change HcN this plan had been ap- 15bN chief underlined. proved, was again approd alas too ICbN principal underlined. late, my intention was however 17aN This and his forbidding to return to Chesapeak in proper me from taking a man from Vir- season in such force as I could and ginia till that Province was Con- carried on such operation as would quered (in another letter) would probably have recovered all the have convinced Lord Cornwallis provinces bordering on Chesapeak I could not have disposed of his bay. Corps as I chose, unless I had 12c]Sr south underlined. shewn as good a disposition to 13cN north underlined. disobey the Kings orders as his 14bN the Conquest of Virgi- Lordship had to disobey mine, nia to be considered as the prin- 18aN all the underlined. cipal object ; in another place 19eN malgre moi I am forced L. G. G. says into operation in Virginia. 468 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY of Circumstances, which, may happen at any other time in the Northern Provinces, it being only His Majesty's Purpose that the War should be "conducted upon a permanent and settled Plan b of Conquest, always*'** to always securing and preserving what has been re covered, and not by desultory Enterprizes, taking Possession of Places at one time, and abandoning them at another, which never can bring the War to a Conclusion, or encourage the People to avow their Loyalty, and exert their Endeavours to relieve them selves from the Tyranny of the Rebel Rulers, and enable His Majesty to restore to them their con stitutional Liberty, which is the most fervent Wish of His Royal Breast. I daily expect to hear that the German Troops are sailed from Bremer Lehe, where those which were embarked at Stade have been ordered to join them, & the whole to proceed together to New York. SsSte""* "The three Regiments from Ireland, and the d British British Recruits that went with them, are, I trust well on e B begins their way by this time to Charles Town, e and as Sir George Rodney will bring you three more Regi- ments 20 ' 21 ' 22 ' 23 from the Leeward Islands before the Hurricane Months, 24 ' 25 the Augmentation of your Force, must, I should think, be equal to the utmost o f y Our Wishes f26 ' 27 ; and clearly prove to you how essential an Object the Recovery of America is to this Country, & that His Majesty's entire Conviction The Fleet brought one 12 sail could come to Chesapeak Regt & took it back and that Lord Rodney was clearly 21bN not a Regt came except of the same opinion. the 52 which S S Hood took 251N apply to R for confirm- back with him. ation of this. 22dN only one Regt arrived 26cN in proper time and in the Fleet and it went back season yes. with it. 27G ni Sir George ni aucune 23kN those never came de les Regs sont venues nous 24cN" S. S. Hood Confirmd all joindre [neither Sir George nor this to Adi Graves and I. told us any of the Regiments came to De Grasse's Fleet was much dis- join us] abled, & that not above 10 or b 8MO con tinue as ntw CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 469 that the most valuable part of it may be recovered in this Campaign has excited him to make the utmost Efforts to supply you with a Force fully sufficient for the purpose/ I am glad to hear you have found means of corres ponding regularly with General Haldimand, and that every thing continued quiet during the Winter in Canada. The private Accounts I have seen of Ethan Allen's Transactions give me hopes that he is acting under General Haldimand's Directions, and that when the Season admits of the General's sending up a Body of Troops into Vermont, the Inhabitants will declare for the King, which, with b the Reduction of the Southern Provinces, must give the Death Wound to the Rebellion notwithstanding any Assistance the french may be able to give it, and if that were the Case, a general Peace would soon follow, and this Country be delivered from the most burthensome and extensive War it was ever engaged in. As so much therefore depends upon Our Successes in America, you cannot be surprized that the Eyes of all the People of England are turned upon you, nor at the Anxiety with which the King, and all His Servants wait for Accounts of your Movements, and as I am most immediately interested of any of them in your Success, you will, I hope, excuse the Earnest ness & Frequency of my Exhortations to Decision in Council, & Activity, Vigour & Perseverance, in Exe cution of His Majesty's Pleasure, which you are now fully informed of. 28 I have communicated to the Lords of the Ad miralty your separate Letter of 2Oth February, & I am sure c their Lordships will do every thing in their power to increase the number of Frigates on the American Station, and to strengthen the Squadron, 28G laissez moi done faire my lord, do not restrain me Milord ne me gene pas ne me do not compel me to follow the force pas de suivre les Plans d' plans of others] autrui [allow me then to do so, a M reads different b 8MO end c VEB end &ca Geo. Germain 470 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY that the Admiral may at all times have it in power to furnish Sufficient Convoys b . 29 I am 6 , Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant Sir Henry Clinton K.B. GEO : GERMAIN. 29G il ne mas pas fourni nished me ivith any however'] aucan cependant [he has not fur- 9 IB: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, NARRATIVE [8] _p u. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. One of six extracts under this heading Extracts from Lord George Germain's letters to Sir Henry Clinton : Begins May 2, 1781. This extract from No. 91 is shown in margin p 468. 9 IF: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, NARRATIVE [51]^ 56. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract of a Letter from Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton, dated May 2, i 781. This is two parts of No. 91 as shown in margins pp 465-468. 9 is: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, Fr trans GERMAIN p 34. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extrait d'une lettre du lord George Germain a Sir Henri Clinton, chevalier du Bain, dateede Whitehall, le 2 may 1781. This is two parts of No. 91 as shown in margins pp 464-470. 91 v: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, Draft PA 130/623. Endorsed Dra*. to Sir Henry Clinton 2 d May 1781. (Secret.) 49 Ent d . Same as No. 91 with variations shewn in margins pp 464-470. 9 IE: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, Copy PA 685/217. In margin Sir Henry Clinton K.B. (Secret.) Same as No. 91 with variations shown in margins pp 464-470. 9 in: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, Copy SACKVILLE 11/118. In margin Sir Henry Clinton K.B. (Secret.) Same as No. 91 with variations shown in margins pp 464-470. 91 M: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, Extract LANSDOWNE 68/7. Endorsed Extractof a Letter from Lord George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton dated Whitehall 2 nd May 1781. In L d . G.G.to S r . H.C. 2 d Aug st 1781 N. 78 N. 49. Ex. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 471 Begins Extract of a Letter from L d George Germain to Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated Whitehall 2 nd May 1781. This is two parts of No. 91 as shown in margins pp 464-470. 910: GERMAIN to CLINTON, 2 May 1781, Extract HL No. 49. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Lord George Ger main to Sir Henry Clinton dated Whitehall 2 d May 1781. N4 9 . Begins Extract of a Letter from Lord Geo : Germain to Sir Henry Clinton K.B dated Whitehall 2 d May 1 78 1. This is two parts of No. 91 as shown in margins pp 464-470. 92 BALFOUR TO CLINTON, 6 May 1781, LS RI 19/73. OBSERVATIONS [97 Ap'x] p 131, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed N 157 Duplicate. Lieut. Col. Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. Charles Town May 6 th 1781. received on Sunday Morning, May 2O th 1 78 1, in N 127 Duplicate. Charles Town May 6 th 1781. a Sir, b ln my Letters of the 2Oth & C 22nd Ultimo, I had the honor to inform Your Excellency, that our Post at Weight's Bluff was invested by the Enemy, & the apprehensions I was, then, under of Camden being in the same situation. 1 I am now to d ac quaint you, that the former has since been surrendered ; the circumstances which led to this cannot be more fully explained, or with more honor to himself, than by Lieut : M'Kay's Journal of the Siege, which, together with the Articles of Capi tulation, I therefore Enclose for Your Excellency's Inspection. 9 On the 19 th of last Month General Greene, with about fourteen hundred Continentals, & a Body of Militia, came before Camden, where he continued, lc had you done Lord Corn- stances, as was your duty. His wallis the honour also to inform. Lordship would not have deserted his Lordship of these Circum- you & gone to Virginia. 472 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY changing his Positions, 'till the 2 5 th ; in the Morning of which Lord Rawdon, with the greater part of his Garrison, upwards of Eight hundred, marched out, & about ten O'Clock attacked him in his Camp at Hobkirk's Hill, with that Conduct Spirit which claimed the Victory he gained, tho' long contested & against superior Numbers, especially of Cavalry, the Enemy's advantage in which hindered the Pursuit being continued further than three Miles, & enabled them to take off their Cannon, which they at first, preserved by drawing out of the E-oad, into Thickets, where they escaped the Troops, eager in pursuit of the flying Rebels. To this decided Line of Conduct, which has pro duced the best Effects, Lord Eawdon was induced by knowing, that General Greene was in expectation of Reinforcements, which in a day or two must arrive, & that he had Detached to bring forward his Sup plies, an Occasion which His Lordship's Abilities & zeal did not fail to embrace. The Enemy's Loss on this Occasion is estimated, by Lord Rawdon, at about five hundred ; his own appears, from the Returns, as he informs me, two hundred & twenty, in which number is one Officer killed & eleven wounded, but not dangerously. The consequences of this Defeat of the Rebel Army gave Lord Rawdon an opportunity of drawing from the Country a Supply of Provisions, of which he was in want, & obliged Greene immediately to retire to Rugeley's where he was joined by the Corps under Brigadier Marrian & Colonel Lee, & from whence he has since moved, but I have not yet learnt in what direction. B conn* ajg v to-morrow, I am in hopes, Lord Rawdon will be Re-inforced by Lieut.-Colonel Watson, with his Corps & the 64 th Regiment. Lo B rd e Biw. But notwithstanding b this brilliant Success I must don- 8 inform Your Excellency, that the general State of the Country is most distressing, that the Enemy's CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 473 Parties are every where, the communication, by land, a with Savannah no longer exists, Colonel Brown is & Invested at Augusta, & Colonel Cruger in the most critical Situation at Ninety Six, nearly confined to his Works, & without any present Command over that Country. 2 Indeed I should betray the Duty I owe Your Excellency, did I not represent the Defection of this Province so universal, that I know of no mode short of depopulation, to retain it. b This Spirit of Revolt is, in some measure, kept up by the many Officers Prisoners of War here ; & I should therefore think it advisable to remove them, as well as to make the most striking Examples of such as, having taken Protection, snatch every occa sion to rise in arms against us. 3 I have the honor d to be, Sir, Your Excellency's ? s ? g n w <5')w. Most obedient humble Servant N. BALPOUR. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c &c &c 2c If such the prospects after 3a does not all this inform- Lord Rawdons Victory what ation which was of course sent to would it have been had he been Lord Cornwallis turn his atten- defeated My good Ld Cornwallis tion towards the Carolinas. reflect ! ! ! 926 : BALFOUR to CLINTON, 6 May, OBSERVATIONS [97 Ayfx\p 131. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Copy. From Lieutenant-colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Charles-town, May 6, 1781. This is two parts of No. 92 as shown in margins pp 471-473. 92F: BALFOUR to CLINTON, 6 May 1781, Extract PA 140-253. One of two extracts under this endorsement Copies and Extracts of Letters from Lieu* Colonel Balfour to H. E. Sir H. Clinton Received 2O h May In Sir Henry Clintons N 127. With this general heading Extracts of Letters from Lieu* Colonel Balfour to His Excell^ Sir H. Clinton K.B. Received the 2O th of May 1781 Begins May 6 th Same as No. 92 with variations ftjtown in margins pp 471-473. *-aaGQQM>y*~~ 60 474 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 93 CLINTON TO PHILLIPS, n May [1781], ANSWER [in]_p 87. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. to Major-general Phillips, dated May 1 1 . [Received by Earl Cornwallis at Petersburg, May 24.] Dear Phillips, I was in hopes that the fleet would have sailed long since, but although the Admiral dates his letter the icth, 1 off Sandy Hook, I fear he is still within. 2 ' 3 Report says that the French had not sailed from Rhode-Island a few days ago, they might, however, have sailed yesterday : the only news we have is a riot at Philadelphia, and all paper-money refused in payment ; it works finely. No news from Lord Cornwallis since his letter of the loth of April. Washington some days since called in Burgoyne ; by a letter from him this day, that is countermanded or suspended ; their councils seem a little unsettled, it is reported and believed, that the French troops are to join Washington, and are now on their route. I am, &c. H. CLINTON. Lord Chewton sailed three days since for Lord Cornwallis. Id loth, underlined. purpose except to occasion alter- 2a tis really very illiberal in cation between the Admiral and Lord Cornwallis thus to publish I. these private letters, to what 3d within underlined. 94 CLINTON TO GERMAIN, 20 May 1781, LS PA 140/247. NARRATIVE [109]^ 58, with Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Endorsed New York, 2O th May 1781. Sir Henry aNo.79F:p Clinton N 127. E/ 23 d June, i Inclosure a . Ent d . ^No.92F:j N 127. New York May 2O th 1781 ^seeaisoa. b My Lord, The Packet being still detained at *v begins Sandy Hook by contrary Winds, affords me an opportunity of transmitting to Your Lordship, Extracts of some Letters which I have this instant CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 475 received from Lieu* Colonel Balfour, and will inform Your Lordship of Lord Rawdon's having attacked the Rebel Corps under General Green, on the 25 th Ultimo, and gained a considerable advantage. a But should Lord Cornwallis persist in his intention of joining Major General Phillips, as mentioned in his b Lordship's Letter to that General Officer, c a Copy n -. . .-, -,. , -.->.. i-ii-ii Lordships of which was inclosed in my last Dispatch, 1 shall be c B omits to , U 1 J? Io^l under some apprehensions 1 lor every part of South Carolina, 2 except Charlestown, 3 ' 4 - 5 and even for Georgia, unless the Speedy arrival of the Reinforce ment 6 expected from Europe, may enable the Officer Commanding in South Carolina, to take Post in force in some healthy Station in the back Country*. 7 * 8 I have the honor to be With the greatest Respect Your Lordship's Most obedient and Most humble Ser vant H. CLINTON. Right Hon ble Lord George Germain. la I could have no apprehen- 4c Charles-town underlined. sions for Charles Town then as I 5i nor can I doubt as it was did not know that part of the his duty that he reported this to works had been thrown down Lord Cornwallis also before his and the Place open and exposed Lordship marched into Virginia, and L. Cornwallis had assured 6c 1500. me it was safe. Tarlton reports 7b L. C. himself expects to it open and exposed in January. lose every thing out of C. Town. Col. Balfour to L. Corn, the 6th Balfour in its open and dismantled of April by Maj Benson, & Lord state trembles for that, L. C. Rawdon to L. Cornwallis 2oth corps risked much by his own may. how his Lordp came to acct & Phillips was certainly think it so safe on the 23^ April exposed at Petersberg. I am at a loss to guess. 8c I did not then know what 2c South Carolina underlined. I now do. that C. Town was open Sfiklmnopqrs read Balf ours letter when Lord Corwallis marched into to Lord Rawdon in may, & then see Virginia, what risk even Charles Town run. 946: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 20 May 1781, NARRATIVE [109] p 58. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. One of two extracts under this heading Extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to Lord George Germain, May 20, i 781. This extract from No. 94 is shown in margin p 475. accounts 476 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 94F: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 20 May 1781, Copy PA 309/122. In margin New York 2O th May 1781. Sir Henry Clinton N. 127. R d . 23 d June. Mem. at end Inclosure. Copies & Extracts of Letters from IA Colonel Balfour to Sir Henry Clinton. Same as No. 94 with variations shown in margins pp 474-475. 95 CORNWALUS TO CLINTON, 20 May 1781, LS RI 19/86. ANSWER [64] p 86. With Clintoris MS. Notes from ANSWER and TARLETON. Endorsed Duplicate. Earl Cornwallis to Sir H. Clinton K.B. Petersburg 2O th May 1781. N 162. "Duplicate Peter sburgh 2O th May 1781. b Sir, You will easily conceive how sensible an Affliction it was to me, on entering this province, to receive an account of the death of my friend General Phillips, whose loss, I cannot sufficiently lament, from personal or publick considerations. The Corps which I brought from North Carolina, arrived here this morning. The information con veyed by your Excellency to General Arnold, relative to the probable movements of the French Armament, 1 restrains me at present, from any material offensive operations ; but as soon as I can hear any satisfactory c account of the two Fleets, I will endeavour to make the best use in my power, of the Troops under my command. 2 General Arnold being of opinion, that Portsmouth, with its present Garrison, is secure against a Coup de main ; I would wish to avoid making a precipitate movement towards that place, without absolute necessity, because it would lessen our reputation in this province, 3 but I have sent to assure the Commanding Officer, that I will do every IT and which he might have should have prevented his going received at Willmington had Col. into Virginia. Balfour so pleased, and would have 3aA I fear my good Lord you prevented his coming into Virginia. have already lost it by going 2aA the same uncertainty there at such a season. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 477 thing I can, to relieve him, in case the French should attack the post. a La Fayette is at Wilton, on the other side of James River, not far from Richmond. I have not heard that Wayne has yet joined him. It is with infinite satisfaction that I inclose to your Excellency, copies of two Letters from Lord Rawdon, which b have relieved me from the most cruel anxieties. His Lordship's great abilities, courage, & firmness of mind, cannot be sufficiently admired and applauded. cBFnio There is now great reason to hope that we shall meet with no serious misfortune in that province ; if however Gen 1 Greene should persevere in carrying on offensive Operations against it, we must, I think, abandon Camden, & probably Ninety-six, and limit our defence to the Congaree & the Santee ; this will d only be giving up two bad posts, which it is difficult dBFEmid 1 72 '^' 0.1 be only to supply with provisions, & quitting a part ot the Country, which for some months past, we have not really possessed. I have taken every means to inform Major Craig, of my having passed the Roanoke, on which event, it was previously concerted between us, that he should fall down to Bald Head, 4 & from thence proceed to Charles-town, as soon as Transports arrive to carry him. 6 e 8 ends J'ai The Legion being in the utmost distress, for want d;etre &c. of Arms, Clothing, Boots, & indeed appointments of cSwams all kinds, I must beg that your Excellency will be pleased to direct the Inspector General, to forward a Supply of every article with the greatest dispatch. [ have the honour to be g , with great respect, Sir, fys con- Tour most obedient & most humble Servant rBFMi*e Cornwallis h CORNWALLIS. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. &c &c &c 4aA so far from falling back, after Lord Cornwallis' surrender, major Craig kept the Post long 478 CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTEOVEESY 956: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 20 May 1781, ANSWER [64]^ 86. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Petersburgh, in Virginia, 2Oth May, 1781. Same as No. 95 with variations shown in margins pp 476-477. 95F: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 20 May 1781, TARLETON^ 340. With Clinton's Manuscript Note. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. dated Petersburg, in Virginia, 2Oth May, 1781. /Same as No. 95 with variations shown in margins pp 476-477. 953: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 20 May 1781, Fr trans GERMAIN p 120. Copie d'une lettre du comte Cornwallis, a Sir Henri Clinton, chevalier du Bain, Petersburg?! le 2Omai 1781. Same as No. 95 with variations shown in margins pp 476-477. 95V : CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 20 May 1781, Copy PA 140/319. Endorsed Copy. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton K.B. Petersburg 2O th May 1781. In Sir H^ Me 11.374 Clinton's (N 130) of 9 June 1781.* (i) 62. E. This extract from No. 95 is shown in margins pp 476-477. 95E: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 20 May 1781, Copy HL No 62. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clin ton KB Petersburg 2O th May 1781. Transmitted to L d Geo. Germain In Sir H^ Clinton's of 9 th June 1781 (i)K/ 12 th July N 62 This extract from No. 95 is shown in margins pp 476-477. 96 CLINTON TO GERMAIN, 22 May 1781, LS PA 140/259. NARRATIVE [109]^ 58, with Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Endorsed New York 22 d May 1781 Sir Henry J423 80M: Clinton N 128 R/23 d June 3 Inclosures a Ent d . ^ NO. sis: b N o I2 g. New York May 22 d 1781 Since d the closing my Dispatch N 127, I have received, by way of Charles Town, two Letters from Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis, of a S reads should CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 479 which I have the Honor to inclose Copies for Your Lordship's Information. And as his Lordship has transmitted to me Copies of his Dispatches to your Lordship, I think it right also to inclose one of a Letter he wrote to You on the 23 d Ultimo, lest any Accident a may delay the Arrival of the Original. ^Notwithstanding the Purport of these Letters, I am yet in Hopes (from Lord CornwallisV to me of the 24 h ) that his Lordship will not persist in attempting a Junction with Major General Phillips ; as I am appre hensive it may be attended with some Risk, not only to his own Corps, but to that 1 of General Phillips, 2 should that General Officer not have been joined in Time by the Reinforcement 3 I have sent him. And I even have my Doubts whether his Lordships IVJarch to the Northward will draw after him (as he expects) the Rebel General Green, 4 who I fear will endeavor either to invest Camden, or by d placing himself between that Place & Charlestown render Lord Rawdon's Situation very hazardous. 65 fl B runs on I am therefore induced to flatter myself that Lord Cornwallis, when he hears of Lord Rawdon's Success against Green, will rather march into South Carolina, either by the direct Route of Cross Creek, and Camden, or by that of Georgetown, 6 or even by Embarkation (tho' he should be obliged to leave his Cavalry 7 behind untill Vessels can be sent for them) than attempt the proposed Junction with General Phillips in the Way he mentions 8 ; which, I must freely own, appears to me, for the Reasons I have stated, not only dangerous to both Corps in the lc that underlined. 6c there is no doubt he might 2c General Phillips underlined. have marched the whole to S, 3c reinforcement underlined. Carolina by way of Wagamaw. 4fiklmnopqrs It turned out ex- 7c cavalry underlined. actly so. 8b tis presumed this letter 5b it did not but if it had it convinced L. G. G. of the folly might have been to his or P. dis- of this Virg. expedition, & occa- traction he marched against sioned his letters of 7 & 14 Campden, but was beat July. page. 480 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY Attempt, but replete with the worst Consequences to our Southern Possessions, in their present State. b9 I nave tne Honor to be With the greatest Respect, ci?n?on H ' Your Lordship's Most Obedient & Most humble Ser- ?4ne1) & H vant H CLINTON Right Hon ble Lord George Germain 9c the above letter, with turned the Cabinet and induced other Information & opinions them to reapprove my Plan alas that L. C. Plan was dangerous too late. 966: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 22 May 1781, NARRATIVE [109] p 58. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. One of two extracts under this heading Extracts from Sir Henry Clinton's Letters to Lord George Germain, May 22. This extract from No. 96 is shown in margins pp 479-480. 96F: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 22 May 1781, Copy PA 309/123. In margin New York 22 d May 1781. Sir Henry Clinton N 128. R d 23 d June. Mem. at end Inclosures N i Copy of a Dispatch N 1 1 from Earl Cornwallis to Lord George Germain. 23 d Ap 1 1781. 2. Copy of a Letter from Earl Corn wallis to Sir Henry Clinton 23 d Ap 1 1781. 3. Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clin ton 24 th Ap 1 1781. Same as No. 96 with variations shown in margins pp 478-480. 963: CLINTON to GERMAIN, 22 May 1781, Copy RI 22/106. Same as No. 96 with variations shown in margins pp 478-480. 97 RAWDON TO CORNWALLIS, 24 May 1781, Copy PA 140/427. OBSERVATIONS [91 Ap'x'] ^131, with Clinton's MS. Notes. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Lord Rawdon to Lieu t General the Earl Cornwallis dated, Camp at Monks Corner 2 4 th May 1781. rec d at New York by Sir H. C. the 26 th June 1> the Warwick In Sir a n ii.s76 Henry Clintons N 131*. 2. ^begins ^^ Camp ^ Monkg Comer ^th May ^g^ My Lord, The Situation of Affairs in this Pro vince has made me judge it necessary for a Time, to CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 481 withdraw my Force from the Back Country, and to assemble what Troops I can collect at this Point. I hope a recital of the Circumstances which have led to this determination, will satisfy your Lordship as to the Expediency of the Measure. After the Action a on the 25 th April, (an account of which I had the honor of transmitting to your Lord ship) Major General Greene remained for some days behind the farthest Branch of Granny's-Quarter Creek. b A second Attempt upon his Army could not in that Situation be undertaken upon the Principles which advised the former. In the first instance I made so short an Excursion from my Works that I could venture without Hazard to leave them very slightly guarded ; and I had the Confidence that had fortune proved unfavorable, we should easily have made good our Retreat, and our loss in all probability would not have disabled us from the further Defence of the Place. To get at General Greene in his retired Situation, I must have made a very extensive Circuit in order to head the Creek ; which wou'd have presented to him the fairest Opportunity of slipping by me to Carnden : And he was still so superior to me in numbers, that had I left such a Garrison at my Post as might enable it to stand an Assault, my Force in the Field would have been totally unequal to Cope with the Enemv's Army. I had much to hope from the Arrival of Reinforcement to me ; and little to fear from any probable Addition to my ments Antagonists Force. Whilst upon that Principle I waited for my expected Succours, Gen 1 Greene retired from our Front, and crossing the Wateree took a position behind Twenty five Mile Creek. On the 7 th of May, Lieu 1 Colonel Watson joined me with his Detach ment, much reduced in Number, thro' Casualties, Sickness and a Reinforcement which he had left to strengthen the Garrison at Georgetown. d He had 61 482 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY crossed the Santee near its Mouth & had recrossed it a s stops a ^tle below the Entrance of the Congaree. a By him I received the unwelcome intelligence that the whole interior Country had revolted, and that Marion & Lee (after reducing a small Post where Lieu* Co 1 Watson kept his Baggage at Wright's Bluff), had crossed the Santee to support the Insur gents upon the same Night which he passed it to join me. Information reached me the same day, that the Post at Motte's House near the Mouth of the Congaree was invested and Batteries opened against it. I had beenlong sensible of the necessity for my retiring within the Santee ; but whilst Lee and Marion were in a Situation to retard my March in front, at the same Time that my Rear was exposed to Greene, I con ceived it impracticable without the disgrace of abandoning my Stores and particularly my Wounded bv runs on ^ Camden. b The Measure even now could only be effected at Neilson's Ferry which was Sixty Miles from me. I determined to undertake it immediately, but I thought it first requisite to attempt reaping some Ad vantage from the additional Strength which I had received. cQ n tlie Nignt Q f the ^h j crosse( i the Wateree at Camden Ferry, proposing to turn the Flank and attack the Rear of Greene's Army, where the Ground was not strong, tho' it was very much so in Front. The Troops had scarcely crossed the River when I received Notice that Greene had moved early in the Evening, upon getting Hntimation of my being rein forced. I followed him by the direct Road, & found him posted behind Sawney's Creek. Having driven in his Picquets, I examined every point of his Situation. I found it every where so strong, that I could not hope to force it without suffering such Loss, as must have crippled my Force for any future Enterprize, and the retreat lay so open f or hi mj e^^ j cou [& not ^ Q ^ e tnat Victory would CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 483 give us any Advantage sufficiently decisive to counter balance the Loss. The Creek (tho' slightly marked in the Maps) runs very high into the Country. Had I attempted to get round him he would have evaded me with ease ; for as his Numbers still exceeded mine, I could not separate my force to fix him in any point, and Time (at this Juncture most important to me) would have been thus unprofitably wasted. I therefore returned to Camden the same Afternoon, after having in vain attempted to decoy the Enemy into Action by affect ing to conceal our Ketreat. On the 9 th 1 published to the Troops and to the Militia my design of evacuating Camden, offering to such of the latter as chose to accompany me, every Assistance that we could afford them. During the ensuing Night I sent off all our Baggage Sec under a strong Escort and destroyed the Works, remaining at Camden with the rest of the Troops till 10 o'Clock the next day in order to cover the March. On the Night of the 13 th I began to pass the River at a Neilson's Ferry, & by the Evening of the 14 th , every Thing was safely across. Some mounted Militia had attempted to harrass our Rear Guard on the March, but a party of them having fallen into an Ambuscade, the rest of them gave us no further Trouble. We brought off all the Sick & Wounded excepting about thirty, who were too ill to be moved ; and for them I left an equal Number of Continental Prisoners in Ex change. We brought off all the Stores of any kind of Value, destroying the rest ; and we brought off, not only the Militia who had been with us b in Camden, b B but also all the well affected Neighbours on our Route together with the Wives, Children, Negroes and Bag gage of almost all of them. My first News upon landing at Neilson's was that the Post at Motte's House had fallen. It was a simple Redoubt, & had been attacked formally by Sap. Lieu 11 M c Pherson had maintained it gallantly, 484 CLINTON-COENWALLIS CONTROVEESY till the House in the Centre of it was set in Flames by fire Arrows, which obliged his Men to throw &s stops themselves into the Ditch, & surrender at discretion* ; the Stroke was heavy upon me, as all the Provisions had been forwarded from Neilsons to that Post, for the Supply of Camden. bBFfcgrfn bLieu* Col 1 Balfour was so good as to meet me at NdfoiT* Neilsons. He took this Measure that he might re present his Circumstances to me. He stated that the j^Fttwrta Revolt was universal, d that, from the little reason to in B s taSs to apprehend this serious invasion* e the old Works of (6 lines) Charlestown had been in part le veiled 1 ' 2<3 to make way for new Ones, which were not yet constructed, ^hat f n | s Q arr i sori was inadequate to oppose any Force of consequence, and that the Disaffection of the Towns People shewed itself in a thousand Instances. I agreed with him in the Conclusion to be drawn from h hence, that any Misfortune happening to my Corps might entail the Loss of the Pro vince 1 . 4 ' 5 ' 6 k But as Major M c Arthur had joined me with near 300 Foot and 80 Dragoons, I conceived I might without hazarding too far, endeavour to check the Enemy's Operations on the Congaree. On the 14 th at Night [From Observations] It is presumable that Colonel Balfour likewise communicated this material information to Lord Cornwallis. lc N.B. it was done by L. C. was sent to your Lordship but order in Janry 8 1 . still alas without Effect. 2d this also C. Balfour of 5c The same conclusion L. course told Lord Cornwallis if so Cornwallis must have drawn on how could his Lordship say that receiving the above information, C. Town was in no immediate he therefore disobey'd orders in danger page 94. not going to C. Town imme- 3a By Tarlton. It appears diately. that such had been the exposed 6c what Col. Balfour reported state of C. Town from January to Lord Rawdon it was his duty to 24th May, there cannot be the & there can be no doubt but he least doubt but that the Com- had reported to Lord Cornwallis ; mandant Col. Balfour had re- how then could his Lordship after ported this to Lord Cornwallis as such report say that Charles well as to Lord Rawdon if he did Town was in no danger, or not he is highly Reprehensible. neglect going there by Waggamaw 4a This information I must to secure it. suppose in Justice to Col. Balfour CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 485 I marched from a Neilsons and on the Evening of the 15 th I reached the Point, where the Roads from b (Jongaree & M c Coards Ferry unite. Various Infor- mation was brought to me thither by Spies whom I had detached, that Greene had passed the Congaree at M c Cord's Ferry and had pushed down the Orange- burgh Road. The Accounts, tho' none of them posi tive or singly satisfactory, corresponded so much that I was led to believe them, and the matter was of such moment that it would not admit of my pausing for more certain Information ; therefore after giving the Troops a little Rest I moved back to Eutaws the same Night, but hearing nothing there I pursued my March hither. d d 8 st P s I had been five Days within the Santee before a single Man of the Country came near me. My first Intelligence on this Ground was that it had been only Sumpter with his Corps who had marched to Orange- burgh, & that Greene had marched to Congarees, when the Post, (unable to oppose such Force) had been surrendered to him on the 14 th . I dispatched Emissaries immediately to Ninety Six, directing Lieu* Co 1 Cruger to retire to Augusta, and I desired Lieu 1 Col 1 Balfour to forward the same Order by different Routes. Should Lieu' Col 1 Cruger not have received this Order I fear his Situation will be dangerous. I did not think it practicable to assist him, without run ning hazards which I judged the general State of the Province would not allow. Besides I had no deposit of Provisions left on the Frontier, and as to the Ex pectation of gleaning them as I advanced in a wasted country and surrounded as I should have been by a swarm of Light Troops and mounted Militia ; I con ceived that my whole Force must have been so em ployed in procuring its daily Subsistence, that little else could have been effected with it. flS continues e By my present position I cover those Districts from which Charles Town draws its g principal Supplies ; I 486 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY am in readiness to improve any favorable Occurrence, * s wits i an d j guard against any untoward Event. It is a secondary but not a trifling advantage, that I have been able to supply the Troops with Neces saries ; for the want of which (occasioned by the long Interruption of our b Communi cations) they suffered serious Distress. I am using every Effort to augment our Cavalry ; in r * * n P es that ^ e Arrival of some force 'which may put Charles Town out of Danger, will speedily enable us as ends to adopt a more active Conduct. 4 But the plundering parties of the Enemy have so stripped the Country of Horses, and there is such difficulty in getting Swords and other Appointments made at Charlestown, that I get on but slowly in this undertaking. I have the Honor to be with great Respect Your Lordships Most obedient & affectionate Servant Signed RAWDON. Lieu* General Earl Cornwallis &c. &c. &c. e 97 B: RAWDON to CORNWALLIS, OBSERVATIONS [91 Ap'x~\ _p 131. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract of a letter from Lord Rawdon to Lord Corn wallis, May 24, 1781. This extract from No. 97 is shown in margin p 484. 97F: RAWDON to CORNWALLIS, 24 May 1781, TARLETON^ 328. Extract. From Lord Rawdon to Earl Cornwallis. dated May 24, 1781. This extract from No. 97 is shown in margin p 484. 978: RAWDON to CORNWALLIS, 24 May 1781, TARLETON^) 475. Extract of a letter from Lord Rawdon to Earl Corn wallis, dated camp at Monk's corner, May 24, 1781. This is four parts of No. 97 as shown in margins pp 480-486. 97V : RAWDON to CORNWALLIS, 24 May 1781, Copy PA 606/179. Endorsed Copy of a Letter from Lord Rawdon to Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis May 24 th 1781. Same as No. 97 with variations shown in margins pp 480-406. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 487 98 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 26 May 1781, ANSWER [79] p 86. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Byrd's Plantation, James River, May 26, 1781. Sir, I have consented to the request of Brigadier- general Arnold to go to New York ; he conceives that your Excellency wishes him to attend you there, and his present indisposition renders him unequal to the fatigue of service. He will represent the horrid enormities which are committed by our privateers in Chesapeak-bay ; and I must join my earnest wish, that some remedy may be applied to an evil which is so very prejudicial to his Majesty's service. I have the honour to be, &c. CORNWALLIS. 99 CORNWALLIS TO CLINTON, 26 May 1781, LS m 19/94. ANSWER [80] ^> 87, OBSERVATIONS [105 Ap'x] p 131, REPLY [13] p 143 and [76] _p 170, with Clinton's MS* Notes from each, also from GERMAIN. Endorsed Duplicate. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton KB. Byrd's Plantation North of James River 26 Lh May 1781. Received by the Charon Man of War. N 167. 'Duplicate b Byrd's Plantation, North of James River. 26 May ijSi. 1 ' 2 bM c Sir. The Reinforcement is safely arrived in James c BBN River, and I opened all your dispatches to poor Phillips, marked *0n His Majesty's Service 6 . 3 ' 4 " f l hope that your Excellency has received my Letters from Wilmington, and one of the 2O th from Peters- burgh ; as the latter went by an uncertain convey ance, I send a duplicate of it. g The arrival of the reinforcement, has made me easy about Portsmouth, for the present, I have sent General Leslie thither 5 ' 6 with the 1 7 th Reg 1 and the 1R read in H. of Lords the 4dA These my good Lord whole of it. you did right to publish but why 2R why not the whole of this that of the 30 April " Secret fy letter most private" page 105. ! ! ! 3a A not only such my good Lord 5cO with private orders to but private, & published them also, prepare to evacuate E begins N continues 4 88 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY a B omit* two Battalions of Anspach, keeping the 43 d a Regiment Regiment . i ,1 * b b BE run on W ith the Army. I shall now proceed to dislodge La Fayette from Richmond, and with my light Troops to destroy any c v reads Magazines or Stores in the Neighbourhood, which may have been collected, either for his use or d for General Greene's Army, From thence I purpose to move to the Neck at Williamsburgh, which is represented as healthy, & where some subsistence may be procured, and keep myself unengaged from operations, which might in terfere 7 with your plan for the Campaign, 8 ' 9 ' 10 ' 11 untill I have the Satisfaction of hearing from you. I hope I shall then have an opportunity to receive better information, than has hitherto been in my power to procure, relative to a proper harbour, & place of Arms : At present I am inclined 12 to think well 13 ' 14 of York 615 ' 16 : The objections to Portsmouth are, that it cannot be made strong, without an Army to defend it, that it is remarkably unhealthy, and can give no protection to a Ship of the Line. Wayne has not yet joined La Fayette, nor can I positively f o Clinton Earl Cornwallis L Gen 1 . Phillips relative to the Operations of the Southern army April May June 1781. Same as No. 99 with variations shown in margins pp 487-491. 990: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 26 May 1781, Extract PA 140/327. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton KB dated at Byrd's Plantation North of James River 26 th May 1781. In Sir H? .374 Clinton ' s ( N T 3) of 9 June 1781-* .(3-) 64- E. This extract from No. 99 is shown in margins pp 487-490. 99N: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 26 May 1781, Extract PA 140/568. One of twelve extracts under this endorsement Extracts from the Correspondence between Sir Henry Clinton and Earl Cornwallis on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak & an Expedition against Philadelphia. 378 ( T * ) ^ n ^ r Henry Clinton's Letter of the 1 3 th July. b 90. With this general heading Extracts from the Corres pondence between Sir Henry Clinton and Earl Corn wallis on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak and an Expedition against Philadelphia &ce. Begins Extract. Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton, dated Byrds Plantation North of James River 26 th May 1781 Received 9 th June. This is two parts of No. 99 as shown in margins pp 487-490. 991: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 26 May 1781, Extract PA 589/136. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir H : Clinton dated at Byrd's Plantation North of James River 26 th May 1781. This extract from No. 99 is shown in margins pp 487-490. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 493 990: CORNWALLIS to CLINTON, 26 May 1 781, Extract HL No 64. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Extract of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton K.B. dated at Byrd's Planta tion North of James River 26 th May 1781. Trans mitted to L d Geo : Germain In Sir H^ Clinton's of 9 th June 1781 (3). E/ 12 th July N 64. This is two parts of No. 99 as shoivn in margins pp 487-490. 100 CLINTON TO CORNWALLIS, 29 May 1781, ANSWER [67] p 86. ANSWER [6 7]^ 86, OBSERVATIONS [99 Ap'x'] p 131, with Clinton's Manuscript Notes from each. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Cornwallis, dated a New- York, May 29th, 1781. b [Received July 12, i78i,fromLieut.Col.Macpherson.] c My Lord, X I had the honour of writing to your B Lordship by Lord Chewton, who sailed from hence in the Eichmond the 4th instant, to join you at Wil mington ; but your Lordship's departure from thence will have prevented his meeting you there, and I hope he has since then joined you in the Chesapeak. d When I first heard of your Lordship's retreat from Cross Creek to Wilmington, 2 I confess that I was in hopes 6 you had reason to consider Greene so totally f hors de combat as to be perfectly at ease for Lord \*f ic n s oi Eawdon's safety. g And after your arrival at Wil- mington I flattered myself that, if any change of ton circumstances should make it necessary, you could always have been able to march to the Walkamaw, where I imagined vessels might have h passed you over to George-town. I cannot therefore conceal from paas your Lordship the apprehensions I felt on reading your letter to me of the 24th ult. wherein you 'in- form me of the critical situation which you supposed the Carolinas to be in, and that you should probably IcA Those who read this letter 2cO Balfour recommended this will probably be of opinion that and prepared for his passage. aBFVEnm 494 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY attempt to effect a junction with Major-general Lord Rawdon's officer-like and spirited exertions, in taking advantage of Greene's having detached from his army, have indeed eased me of my appre hensions for the present. But in the disordered state of Carolina and Georgia, as represented to me by Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, 3 I shall dread what may be the consequence of your Lordship's move, unless a reinforcement arrives very soon in South Carolina, and such instructions are sent to the officer command ing there, as may induce him to exert himself in b v reads to restoring tranquillity b in that province at least. These I make no doubt your Lordship has already sent to mea7ure Lord Rawdon, and that every "necessary measure for necessary this purpose will be taken by his Lordship in con- d B stops sequence of them, should he remain in the command. d But as there are many officers e in the regiments com j n g ou t ^0 are O id er than Lord Kawdon, I have to lament the probability of his being superseded in it, fas * can scarce flatter myself that any of them will be possessed of the knowledge requisite for conduct ing operations in Carolina without having ever served in that country, or be so competent to the command there as officers of more local experience. I there fore beg leave to submit to your Lordship the pro priety of sending either Major-general Leslie or Brigadier- g general O'Hara to Charles-town, to take the command of the troops in that district ; which in the present critical situation of affairs in the Southern Colonies, will certainly require an officer of ex perience, and a perfect knowledge of the country. h Had it been possible for your Lordship in your letter 3cA and which Col. Balfour of which he had of course repre- represented also to L. C. before sented to him as he had done to his Lordship left Wilmington and Lord Rawdon, but neither this seems to be convinced they would nor his being in hourly expect a- operate in making his Lordship tion of my dispatches from give up his Virginia Plan and Charles town could divert him return to Carolina the open state from his march into Virginia. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 495 a to me of the i oth ult. to have intimated the proba- ^ omits to bility of your intention to form a junction with General Phillips, I b should certainly have endeavoured to have stopped you, as I did then, as well as now, 8hould consider such a move as "likely to be dangerous to our interests in the Southern Colonies. And this, my Lord, was not my only fear ; for I will be free to own, d that I was apprehensive for the corps under your Lordships immediate orders, as well as for that under Lord Rawdon : and I should not have thought even the one under Major-general Phillips in safety at Petersburg, at least for so long a time, had I not for tunately on hearing of your being at Wilmington sent another detachment from this army to reinforce him. 6 I am persuaded your Lordship will have the good ness to excuse my saying thus much ; but what is done, cannot now be altered : and as your Lordship has thought proper to make this decision, I shall most gladly avail myself of your very able assistance in carrying on such operations f as you shall judge v ? *'^* to best in Virginia, until we are compelled, as I fear we must be, by the climate, to bring them more northward. g Your Lordship will have been informed of my ideas respecting operations to the northward of the Carolinas, 4 by my instructions to the different General officers detached to the Chesapeak ; and the substance of some conversations h with General Phillips h s reads to *on Hhat subject, which I committed to writing and sent to him with my last dispatch, with directions to communicate it to your Lordship. 1 By these your Lordship will observe that my first object has m ever * v * r omits been n a co-operation with your measures ; but your Lordship's situation at different periods, made it neces sary for me occasionally to vary my instructions to those General officers according to circumstances. 4bO this is the first letter S if he has none refers Mm clearly H C wrote to L. C. after his to those Gl Phillips had been Lordship arrived in the Chek it directed to persue. first leaves him to his own plans, 4g5 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY They were originally directed to assist your Lord ship's operations in securing South and recovering North Carolina ; their attention was afterwards pointed to the saving South Carolina ; a and now your Lordship may b possibly think it necessary to employ your force in recovering both or either of c those pro vinces, by either a direct or indirect operation. With respect to the first, your Lordship must be d the sole judge ; with respect to the last, you have my opinions, Vhich may however probably give way to yours, should they differ from them, as they will end of ^ 1^^ the advantage of being formed on the spot, c^inoSt 1 an( l up n circumstances, which f at this distance I tiusdistance canno t of course judge of : I shall therefore leave them totally to your Lordship to decide upon, until g Estops vou either hear from me or we meet. g to I should be happy h to be able to ascertain the time when our reinforcements may arrive ; but as I have received no letters from the minister of a later date than the yth of February, I am at a loss to guess h w soon we ma y expect them. *As I k had judged the force I sent to the Chesapeak fully sufficient for all operations there, even though we should extend them to the Experiment (mentioned in the conver- S ations referred to) *at the Western Head of Chesapeak about Baltimore, &c. and your Lordship will per- ceive m that it was Generals Phillips and Arnold's opin- i 011 ? they were sufficient n for even that on the Eastern ; (which however might certainly require a much p^somite greater force,) it is possible p that the additional corps your Lordship has brought with you, may enable you to return something to me for this post : but I beg your Lordship will by no means consider this as lhouid ds a ca ll ; for I q would rather content myself with ever so bare a defensive, until there was an appearance of ooeratfon serious Operations against me, than cramp yours in s jrvK end the i eas t.s But (as I said in a former letter) I trust to your Lordship's disinterestedness, that you will not require from me more troops than* are absolutely what CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 497 wanted 4 ; and that you will recollect a circumstance, which I am ever aware of in carrying on operations in the Chesapeak, b which is, that they can be no longer secure than whilst we are superior at sea. 5 * 6 ' 7 That we shall remain so, I most sincerely c hope ; nor have I any reason to suspect we shall not : but at all events, I may at least expect timely information will be sent me of the contrary being likely to happen. In which case I hope your Lordship may be able d to place your army in a secure situation during such ix italics to ' ' r 1, u -j. T_ inconveni- temporary inconvenience ; lor should it become per- enc e manent I need not say what our prospects in this country are likely to be. The Admiral being now off the Hook, gives me an opportunity of communi cating with him by letter ; and I have in the most pressing terms requested his attention to the Chesa peak, having repeatedly told him, that should the e enemy possess it even for forty-eight hours your Lordship's operations there may be exposed to most imminent danger. 8 General Robertson has also en deavoured to impress him with the same ideas ; but until I have an answer in writing I cannot be sure that he will, as I do, consider the Chesapeak as the first object. For he at present seems rather in clined to lead his fleet to open the Port of Rhode- Island, and to cruise to the northward of Nantucket, for a fleet which he has heard is coming from Europe with a small reinforcement to the French armament, and which I am of opinion is bound to Rhode-Island. I have, however, taken every occasion to represent to him the necessity of hearty co-operation and com munication ; if they fail, I am determined it shall not be on my side. f have the 5aA superior at sea underlined. 7cA His Lordship knew this (signed) H. 6aA His Lordship had always full well, & therefore without a Clinton considered this as the sine qua certainty of a Superior Fleet non of operation in Chesapeak & should not have forced operations seems to have forgot it at the there. only Period when it was most 8aA the same opinions His material for him to remember it. Lordship had often delivered. 63 4g8 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY The requisitions your Lordship has made in your letter to me of the 2Oth instant, for horse accoutre ments, &c. shall be supplied to the utmost extent of our abilities ; and the inclosed extracts of letters from a Leitenant-colonel Innes to his deputy at Charles- Town, &c. will explain to your Lordship why they are not more ample. June i st. I have this moment received the Ad- b s omits i m i ra i' s answer to my letter ; and b l am to suppose from it that he will do every thing in his power to guard the Chesapeak. The copy is inclosed for your Lordship's information. I heartily wish he may continue in this disposition ; the necessity of which I shall not fail to urge by every opportunity he may give me of communicating with him. As I shall frequently send one of my advice boats to your Lordship with any information which may deserve your attention, I hope to hear often from you by the same conveyance. Lord Chewton has a cypher, which was given him for that purpose ; but should he not have joined you, we may make use of Colonel Dundas's until he does. I shall spare your Lordship and myself the pain of saying much to you on the loss of our valuable friend ; I feel it too sensibly for expression. I nave tne honour to be, &c. d H. CLINTON. looB: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, OBSERVATIONS [99 Ap'oi\ p 131. With Clinton's Manuscript Notes. Extract. From Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to Lord Cornwallis, dated New York, May 29, 1781. At end [Sent by Lieutenant-colonel M c Pherson, in the Loyalist, June 15.] This is two parts of No. 100 as shown in margins pp 493-497. i OOF : CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 2 9 May 1 7 8 1 , Fr trans GERMAIN p 126. One of two extracts under this heading Extrait d'une lettre de Sir Henri Clinton, au lieutenant-general comte Cornwallis, datee des 29 mai & 8 juin 1781. This is three parts of No. 100 as shown in margins pp 493-496. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 499 loos: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 2 9 May 1781, Copy RI 19/91. Same as No. 100 with variations shown in margins pp 493-498. loov: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 29 May 1781, Extract PA 140/335. One of two extracts under this endorsement Extracts of Letters from Sir H. Clinton to IA Gen 1 . Earl Corn- wallis, dated May 2g th & June 8 th 1781. In Sir B> Clinton's (N 130.) of 9 June 1781.* (4.) 65. E With this general heading Extracts of Letters from Sir H. Clinton to Lieu 1 General Earl Cornwallis. Begins 1781. May 29 th This is three parts of No. 100 as shown in margins pp 493-496. IOOE: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 29 May 1781, Extract PA 140/561. One of twelve extracts under this endorsement Extracts from the Correspondence between Sir Henry Clinton and Earl Cornwallis on the Subject of Opera tions in the Chesapeak & an Expedition against Philadelphia, (n.) In Sir Henry Clinton's Letter of the 13 th July. b 90. b 11.378 With this general heading Extracts from the Corres pondence between Sir Henry Clinton and Earl Corn wallis on the Subject of Operations in the Chesapeak, and an Expedition against Philadelphia &ce. Begins Extract. Sir Henry Clinton to Earl Corn wallis dated New York May 29 th 1781. This is three parts of No. 100 as shown in margins pp 493-497. IOOR: CLINTON to CORNWALLIS, 29 May 1781, Extract HL No 65. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. One of two extracts under this endorsement Extracts of Letters from Sir H^ Clinton to L* Gen 1 Earl Corn wallis dated May 29 th & June 8 th 1781 Transmitted to Lord George Germain In Sir HF Clinton's of 9 th June 1781 (4.) E/ 12 th July N 65 With this general heading Extracts of Letters from Sir H Clinton to Lieut Gen 1 Earl Cornwallis. Begins 1781. May 29 th This is three parts of No. 100 as shown in margins pp 493-496. 500 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY 10 1 WASHINGTON TO SULLIVAN, 29 May 1781, Copy PA 140/361. REPLY [105] p 171. Endorsed Copy of an Intercepted Letter from Gen 1 Washington to General Sullivan dated Head Quar ters New Windsor 2Q th May 1781. In Sir HF Clintons (N 130) of 9 June 1781." (8.) 69. 3. Head Q rs New Windsor May 29 th 1781. w begin* b Dear Sir, I have been favoured with your two Letters of the 2 d & 1 7 th of May ; the former reached me at Weathersfield after I had met the Count de Rochambeau at that place from which time to the present moment, my whole attention has been so occupied by a variety of concerns, that I have been hitherto involuntarily prevented from doing myself the pleasure of writing to you. -^ Arguments were necessary to convince me of the* great public utility, which would result from the Success of the plan, you proposed laying before Congress. Had I been unapprised of the advan tages which might be derived to our Cause from a Successful Attempt, or even a powerful diversion in that Quarter, the reasons you have offered, would have carried irrefragable demonstration with them, an d induced me to be of your Opinion. But the "per plexed, distressed & embarrassed State of our Affairs on account of Supplies, (with which you are well acquainted). The languid efforts of the States to procure men, and the insuperable difficulties in the way of transportation, would 1 apprehend, have s to rendered the scheme f (however devoutly to be wished & desired) abortive in the first instance. And I must inform you, that there is yet another obstacle, which ma k es t h e Attempt you have Suggested ^absolutely hs reads by i m p rac ticable Svith the means you propose, but which imnofat I i( iare not commit to paper, for fear of the same Mis- io b mm y it to fortune which has already happened to some of my Letters. ks begins k You will have seen, before the receipt of this, by my public Letter to Congress of the 27 th Ins 1 CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 501 the result of the deliberations of the Count de Kochambeau and myself at Weather sfield. That plan, upon the maturest consideration, and after combining all the present circumstances and future prospects, appeared (though precarious) far the most eligible of any we could possibly devise, whilst we are inferior at Sea. The object was considered to be of greater magnitude, and more within our reach than any other. The weakness of the Garrison a of New a York, the b Centrical position for drawing together Men and Supplies, and the Spur, which an Attempt against that place, would give to every exertion, were among the reasons which prompted to that undertaking, and c which promised the fairest prospect of Success, unless which*** the Enemy should recall a considerable part of their force from the Southward. And even in this case, the same Measure which might produce disappoint ment in one quarter, would certainly in the Event afford the d greatest relief in another. 6 While an Opportunity presents itself of striking the Enemy a fatal blow I will persuade myself, f the concurring exertions of Congress, of the several States immediately concerned, and of every individual that in them, who is well affected to our cause, will be united in yielding every possible aid g on the occasion. At this crisis, while I rejoice at the Appointment of the Minister of Finance, I have sincerely to regret, that the Ministers of the other departments have not also been appointed especially a Minister of war. At the same time I am happy to learn, h the mode of pro- lh*T se motion is on the point of being finally established. With the highest Sentiments of regard 1 & Esteem I i endsl * m am Dear Sir Y r Obed* Serv* Hon ble Gen 1 Sullivan (Signed) G WASHINGTON* TOIB : WASHINGTON to SULLIVAN, 29 May 1781, REPLY [105] p 171. Extract of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to General Sullivan, dated New Windsor, 29th May, 1781. This extract from No. 101 is shown in margins pp 500-501. 502 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY i OIF: WASHINGTON to SULLIVAN, 29 May, Fr trans GERMAIN^ 144. Copie d'une lettre intercepted du general Washington, au general Sullivan, datee du Nouveau- Windsor, le 29 mai 1781. Same as No. 101 with variations shown in margins pp 500-501. IQIS: WASHINGTON to SULLIVAN, 29 May 1781, 8 GW 58. This extract from No. 101 is shown in margins pp 500-501. a see ii. 374 b 8 begins c F begins d B begins Dear Lund, e B ends 102 WASHINGTON TO LUND WASHINGTON, Copy PA 140/373. REPLY [io6]_p 171. Endorsed Copy of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to M r Lund Washington dated New Windsor 3 I st May 1781. In Sir H^ Clinton's (N 1 30) of 9 June 1781.* (n.) 72. 6. b Copy. New Windsor 3i st May 1781. c Dear Lund, I returned last Saturday from a Con ference with the Count de Rochambeau at Weathers- field, on Connecticut River, and found your Letter of the 9 th Instant ; and the last Post brought me another of the 1 6 th . We have heard nothing yet of the Detachment (consisting of about 2000 Men) which left New York the 13 th Instant, nor do we know whether those Troops were bound for Virginia, North or South Carolina, or elsewhere. d A Report prevails, and is believed by some, that the Enemy are about to quit New York altogether, but I shall withhold my Opinion of the Matter yet a little longer If such an Event should take Place it will be an Evidence in my Mind that they expect Matters are drawing to a Conclusion and that they have a Mind to get as fast hold on the Southern States as possible. 6 I have already given you my Opinion (in some late Letters) with respect to my moveable Property after removing the most valuable, and least bulky Articles the rest, with the Buildings, must take their Chance. I am prepared for the worst that can happen to them, to hear therefore of their being CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 503 plundered, or burnt, will be no Surprise to me. In case a Body of Troops should come into that Part of the Country (belonging to the Enemy) public, as well as private Considerations, require that Horses and Stock of all kinds should be driven out of their Reach. I am Dear Lund, Your Affectionate Servant Signed, G WASHINGTON.* I02B: WASHINGTON to LUND WASHINGTON, REPLY [106] p 171. From General Washington to Mr. Lund Washington, 3ist May, 1781. This extract from No. 102 is shown in margin p 502. I02F: WASHINGTON to L. WASHINGTON, Fr trans GERMAIN^) 150. Copie d'une lettre intercepted, du general Washing ton, datee du Nouveau- Windsor, le 31 mai 1781. The same letter as No. 102. IO2S : WASHINGTON to L. WASHINGTON, 31 May 1 781, Copy HL No 72. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to Mr. Lund Washington dated New Windsor 3ist May 1781. Transmitted to L d Geo: Germain in Sir H> Clinton's of Q th June 1781 (u) E/ 12 th July N 72. The same letter as No. 102. 103 WASHINGTON TO LA FAYETTE, Copy PA 140/381. REPLY [107]^? 171. Endorsed Copy of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to The Marquis de la Fayette dated New Windsor 3 1 st May 1781. In Sir H> Clinton's (N 1 30) of 9 June 1781.* (13.) 74. 8. b Head Quarters New Windsor 3i st May 1781. d My Dear Marquis e l have received your favors of the 4 th 8 th 17 th and i8th Instants, your conduct upon every occasion meets my approbation, but in none more f than g your refusal to hold a correspondence with Arnold. By an account which I have h just received 504 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY from New York, Gen 1 a Kobinson goes to Succeed General Phillips. You may have something to apprehend from his age and experience but not much isrunson from his activity. b c BS read In a letter which I wrote to Baron "Stuben on the 1 6 th instant, I desired him to inform you, as I did not know at that time where you might be, that I had good reason to believe a detachment of between 1500 d Bread* or d & 2OOO Men had sailed from .New York a few days e B italics to before. I now have it confirmed, and e l think you fsi*rrt* may either look for them in f Chesapeak or further {Southward. Your determination to avoid an engagement with your present force, is certainly judicious. I hope the gs inserts Peusylvanians have began their March before this, g but I have no information of it. General Wayne has been pressed both by Congress and the Board of War, to make as much expedition as possible and h B omits to extraordinary powers are given Ho him to enable him tJ omits to J r . . hi to procure provisions. 1 iSencfelam, i r *- v . , . ,. - , ^ , , TT i i , with very Upon your ^intimation that Colonel Vose wished to sincere re- * , , T T , -i /^ n m f a B d ri return to the Northward, I ordered Col 1 1 upper to information relieve him, and he had sat out before your Letter of th reac ^ e( ^ me - 1 I am with very sincere regard My dear Marquis Y r ton " most Obed 11 and hble Serv 1 B continues /_.. -,\ X-M -T-TT on P 506 1 1? (Signed) G WASHINGTON. m vends Maj r Gen 1 Marquis de la Fayette. m io3B: WASHINGTON to LA FAYETTE, 31 May, REPLY [107] p 171. Copy of an intercepted Letter from General Wash ington to the Marquis De la Fayette, dated Head Quarters, New Windsor, 3ist May, 1781. Same as No. 103 with variations slioiun in margins pp 503-504. IO3F: WASHINGTON to LA FAYETTE, Fr trans GERMAIN^ 153- Copie d'une lettre intercepted du general Washington au Marquis de la Fayette, datee du quartier-general au Nouveau- Windsor le 31 mai 1781. Same as -ZVo. 103 with variations shown in margins pp 503-504. CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 505 1038: WASHINGTON to LA FAYETTE, 31 May 1781, 8 GW 60. This extrac from No. 103 is shown in margins pp 503-504. I03V: WASHINGTON to LA FAYETTE, 31 May 1781, Copy HL NO 74. Laid on the table of the House of Lords, 18 February 1782. Endorsed Copy of an intercepted Letter from General Washington to the Marquis cie la Fayette dated New Windsor 3i st May 1781. Transmitted to L d Geo: Germain In Sir H> Clinton's of 9 th June 1781 (13) R/ 12 th July N 74. Same as No. 103 with variations shown in margins pp 503-504. 104 WASHINGTON TO LA F1YETTE, Copy PA 140/385. llEPLY [lo8]j lyi. Endorsed Private. Copy of an intercepted Letter From General Washington to The Marquis de la Fayette dated New Windsor 3i st May 1781. In Sir B> Clinton's (N 130) of 9 th June 1781.* (14.) 75. 9. Private. New Windsor, May 3i st 1781. b My dear Marq 8 ., I have just returned from Wea- thersfield at which I expected to have met the Count de Rochambeau & Count de Barras, but the British fleet having made its appearance off Block Island, the Admiral did not think it prudent to leave New port. Count Rochambeau was only attended by Chev r Chattellux Generals Knox and Duportail were with me. Upon a full consideration of our Affairs in every point of View An Attempt upon New York with its present Garrison (which by estimation is reduced to 4,500, Regular Troops and about "3,000 irregulars) was deemed preferable to a Southern Operation as we had not the Command of the Water The reasons which induced this determination were, the danger to be apprehended from the approaching Heats the in evitable dissipation & loss of Men by so long a March and the difficulty of transportation but above all, it was thought that we had a tolerable prospect of expelling the Enemy or obliging them to withdraw 64 5 o6 CLINTON-CORNWALLIS CONTROVERSY part of their force from the Southward, which last would give the most effectual relief to those States. The French Troops are to March this way as soon as certain circumstances will admit, leaving about 200 Men at Providence with the heavy Stores and 500 Militia upon Rhode Island to secure the Works. I am endeavouring to prevail upon the States to fill up their Battalions for the Campaign ; if they cannot do it upon better terms, and to send in ample and regular Supplies of Provision. Thus you perceive it will be some time before our plan can be ripe for execution, and that a failure on our part in Men and Supplies may defeat it ; but I am in hopes that the States in this quarter will exert themselves to attain what has long been a favorite and is an important object to them. & We h ave rumours, but I cannot say they are well 24 founded, that the Enemy are about to quit New York altogether. Should they do this we must follow them of necessity, b as they can have no other view than endeavouring to Seize and secure the Southern States, if not to hold them finally, to make them the means f an advantageous negociation of Peace. gtoi ash ~ I take it for granted that your last dispatches in form you fully of European Affairs and that you can judge from them of the probability of such an event as I have mentioned taking place. As you have no Cypher by which I can write to you in Safety, and my letters have been frequently intercepted of late I restrain myself from mentioning many matters I wish to communicate to you. I shall advise you every now and then of the pro gress of our preparations. It would be unnecessary for you to be here at present, and I am sure you would not wish to leave your charge while you are so near an Enemy, or untill you could deliver them up to General Greene, or to another Officer capable of exercising the Command which you are in. d You will always remember My dear Marquis that your return CHRONOLOGICAL CORRESPONDENCE 507 to this Army depends upon your own choice. And that I am with every Sentiment of Esteem reg d & Affect n Y r most Obed. a Serv. (Signed) G: WASHINGTON. P.S. My public letter contains an Answer to your Several favours. b We have just heard from New York that Gen 1 . Robinson is gone to Supply the place Of Philips. Maj r Gen 1 The Marq 8 de la Fayette. 1046: WASHINGTON to LA FAYETTE, 3 i May, REPLY [108] p 171. As a continuation of No. 1046: and headed [Private.] This extract from No. 104 is sJiown in margin p 506. io4F: WASHINGTON to LA FAYETTE, Fr trans GERMAIN j9 155. Copie d'une lettre intercepted du general Washing ton au Marquis de la Fayette, datee du Nouveau- Windsor le 31 mai. (Privee). Same as No. 104 with variations shown in margins pp 505-50?. omits o Vends EMENDATIONS AND QUERIES. [Sir Henry Clinton's Manuscript notes, often written hurriedly, with interlineations, erasures and repetitions, many being in faded inlc or pencil, ivere deciphered with difficulty for literatim ' copy.'l vol. i. page 7 note 8 line 34 for proposed read promised. but I should read that I should. Bayernin read Bay seeing, enable none read enable him. French Town read Trent Town, but most read and most. blank read southern, he there read for these, fruit read merit, distraction read destruction. 33 , 14 4 M 69 , 5 2 103 , i I 103 , 2 6 107 , 2 3 251 n I 3 280 7 4 321 , 4 21 479 5 > > 2 5> FEINTED BY CHAS. STRAKER AND SONS, BISHOPSGATE AVENUE, LONDON, B.C. AND REDHILL. THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW RENEWED BOOKS ARE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE RECALL UCD LIBRARY DUE m WAY 1 6 " tr " LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS Book Slip-20m-8,'61(Cl623s4)458 m 'Stevens B.F, in Vir ginla> Number: E23? S?8 v.l 236992