TO MAJOR-GENERAL GREENE.

MY DEAR SIR,

Head-Quarters, 30 July, 1781.

With peculiar satisfaction I do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your several favors, and to assure you at the same time, that it is with the warmest pleasure I express my full approbation of the various movements and operations, which your military conduct has lately exhibited; while I confess to you that I am unable to conceive what more could have been done under your circumstances, than has been displayed by your little persevering and determined army. Lord Rawdon's reinforcement from England was a most untoward circumstance; but even this, I hope, will soon be surmounted by your good fortune.

You will be informed from the Marquis, of every circumstance that has taken place in Virginia. A detachment from the army of this brave and fortunate young nobleman will, I hope, soon arrive to your assistance in Carolina.

By our movements in this quarter, and the main army taking a position near New York, and making every preparation for a serious attempt upon that place, we have already produced a happy effect, that of a withdrawal of a considerable part of the troops under the command of Lord Cornwallis as a reinforcement to their garrison, which has been some time past closely confined to York Island. This withdrawal will probably disappoint their views of conquest in Virginia, and will exceedingly embarrass the prospects of the British ministry in the proposed treaty to be opened at Vien

na.

*

This is a very great object, even should any

* Conditional instructions had been sent from Sir Henry Clinton to Lord Cornwallis, that the latter should despatch to New York a detach

thing prevent our obtaining further success in our operations against New York.

The operating force of the enemy in the southern States being confined in all probability to South Carolina, will leave the other States in a condition to afford you such succours as, with the aid of the Marquis's detachment, will, I trust, enable you to fulfil your hopes and wishes in their utmost extent in your command. Should this event take place, you may be assured, that, added to the honor that will be thereby reflected on your own person, it will afford me the highest satisfaction. I sincerely wish we had the means of communicating more frequently with each other. Be assured, Sir, my concern for your honor and welfare interests me most particularly in every event which attends you. A reason, which cannot at this time be communicated, induces me to request that you will be pleased to give me the earliest and most minute information of every event, that takes place with you, and a circumstantial detail of the present situation of the State of South Carolina, its strength and operative force, with its resources for the support of an army, and the extent of those resources, with the places where they may be collected and secured; also the strength, position, and circumstances attending the enemy's force. I have the honor to be, &c.*

ment from his army, as soon as he should have established himself in a fortified post near the Chesapeake. Their departure was delayed, however, till the French fleet arrived in the Chesapeake, and in reality no part of Lord Cornwallis's army left Virginia for the purpose of reinforcing Sir Henry Clinton. - See the correspondence in Lord Cornwallis's Answer to Sir Henry Clinton's “ Narrative," &c. pp. 79-188.

*From the Orderly Book, July 31st.- "The light companies of the first and second regiments of New York (upon their arrival in camp), with the two companies of York levies under the command of Captains Sackett and Williams, will form a battalion under the command of LieutenantColonel Hamilton and Major Fish. After the formation of the battalion,

TO THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE.

MY DEAR MARQUIS,

Head-Quarters, 30 July, 1781.

I have had the pleasure of receiving your favors of the 8th and 20th instant. The first relieved me from much anxiety, as I had seen Mr. Rivington's account of the action at Green Spring, which you may suppose was highly colored in their favor.* You ask my opinion of the Virginia campaign. Be assured, my dear Marquis, your conduct meets my warmest approbation, as it must that of every body. Should it ever be said, that my attachment to you betrayed me into partiality, you have only to appeal to facts to refute any such charge. But I trust there will be no occasion.†

Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton will join the advanced corps under the orders of Colonel Scammell."

In

* See an account of this engagement in MARSHALL'S Life of Washington, Vol. IV. p. 442. For a short time the action was very warm. describing it General Wayne wrote; "Our field-officers were generally dismounted by having their horses either killed or wounded under them. Colonel Mercer, and another young Virginia gentleman, were not more fortunate. I will not condole with the Marquis for the loss of two of his, as he was frequently requested to keep at a greater distance. His native bravery rendered him deaf to the admonition." -July 8th. By Lord Cornwallis's official return, his loss was eleven killed, sixty-six wounded, and one missing. The American loss was five captains, one captainlieutenant, four lieutenants, eleven sergeants, and one hundred and eighteen rank and file, killed, wounded, and missing.

Lafayette to General Washington. "I am anxious to know your opinion concerning the Virginia campaign. That the subjugation of this State was the great object with the ministry is an indisputable fact. I think your diversion has been of more use to the State, than my manœuvres; but the latter have been much directed by political views. So long as Lord Cornwallis wished for an action, not one gun was fired; from the moment he declined it, we have been skirmishing; but I took care not to commit the army. His naval superiority, his superiority of horse and of regulars, his thousand advantages over us were such, that I am lucky enough to have come off safe. I had an eye upon European negotiations, and made it a point to give his Lordship the disgrace of a retreat. So soon as he had crossed James River he improved the opportunity to

I very much approve of your intention of reinforcing General Greene, as soon as circumstances will admit, and as strongly as possible. If he can only maintain the advantages he has already gained in the Carolinas and Georgia, the British ministry will make a very different figure in the political scene from that, which it is plain they expected, by Lord George Germain's letters of March last.

ner.

Private Letter, July 30th. I take your private letter of the 20th in the light which you wish it, that of an unreserved communication from one friend to another; and I should be wanting in candor, were I not to expose my sentiments to you in as free a manI am convinced, that your desire to be with this army arises principally from a wish to be actively useful. You will not, therefore, regret your stay in Virginia until matters are reduced to a greater degree of certainty, than they are at present, especially when I tell you, that, from the change of circumstances with which the removal of part of the enemy's force

send Tarleton into Amelia, but was disappointed in the stores, which he expected to find, and which had been previously removed. I thought at first the cavalry would join Rawdon, and detached Wayne and Morgan either to manœuvre Tarleton down, or to determine his course. Upon this he retired with precipitation towards Portsmouth, where the British army is for the present.

"From every account it appears, that a part of the enemy will embark. The light infantry, the guards, the thirtieth regiment, the Queen's rangers are, it is said, destined to New York. Of this I have sent accounts by water to Rhode Island, but question if the boats will arrive. My opinion was, that the cavalry would push towards Carolina; but their late movements seem to indicate a different intention. Lord Cornwallis, I am told, is much disappointed in his hopes of command. I cannot find out what he does with himself. Should he go to England, we are, I think, to rejoice at it. He is a bold and active man, two dangerous qualities in this southern war." - MS. Letter, Malvern Hill, July 20th. What is here said, respecting Lord Cornwallis's disappointment as to his command, is in allusion to his succeeding Sir Henry Clinton, who it had been supposed would resign. He had for some time solicited his recall.

from Virginia to New York will be attended, it is more than probable, that we shall also entirely change our plan of operations. I think we have already effected one part of the plan of the campaign settled at Weathersfield; that is, giving a substantial relief to the southern States, by obliging the enemy to recall a considerable part of their force from thence. Our views must now be turned towards endeavouring to expel them totally from those States, if we find ourselves incompetent to the siege of New York. The difficulty of doing this does not so much depend upon obtaining a force capable of effecting it, as upon the mode of collecting that force to the proper point, and transporting the provisions and stores necessary for such an operation. You are fully acquainted with the almost impracticability of doing this by land; to say nothing of the amazing loss of men always occasioned by long marches, and those towards a quarter in which the service is disagreeable. I should not, however, hesitate to encounter these difficulties, great as they are, had we not prospects of transporting ourselves in a manner safe, easy, and expeditious. Your penetration will point out my meaning, which I cannot venture to express in direct terms.*

I approve of your resolution to reinforce General Greene, in proportion to the detachment which the enemy may make to New York. Let your next attention be paid to training and forming the militia, with which you may be furnished, and disposing of them in such a manner, that they may be drawn at the shortest notice to whatever point the enemy may make their capital post, which I conclude will be at Portsmouth. The establishment of magazines at safe depos

* Alluding to the expected arrival of Count de Grasse with a French fleet.