Your Excellency will recollect, that New York was looked upon by us as the only practicable object under present circumstances; but should we be able to secure a naval superiority, we may perhaps find others more practicable and equally advisable. If the frigate should not have sailed, I wish you to explain this matter to the Count de Grasse; for, as I understand it, you have in your communication to him confined our views to New York alone. And, instead of advising him to run immediately into the Chesapeake, will it not be best to leave him to judge, from the information he may from

during some part of the campaign. Count de Grasse wrote as follows to Count de Rochambeau.

"His Majesty has entrusted me with the command of the naval force destined for the protection of his possessions in South America, and those of his allies in North America. The force, which I command, is sufficient to fulfil the offensive plans, which it is the interest of the allied powers to execute, that they may secure an honorable peace. If the men-of-war are necessary for fulfilling the projects, which you have in view, it will be useful to the service, that M. de Barras or M. Destouches be apprized of it, and that pilots be sent to us skilful and well instructed, as the French ships have a larger draft of water than the British. It will not be till the 15th of July, at the soonest, that I shall be on the coast of North America; but it will be necessary, by reason of the short time that I have to stay in that country (also being obliged to leave it on account of the season), that every thing necessary for the success of your projects should be in readiness, that not a moment for action may be lost."- MS. Letter, dated at Sea, March 29th.

The above letter was sent by the convoy. Count de Rochambeau despatched a vessel immediately for the West Indies, with full intelligence to Count de Grasse concerning the plans in view, and also the strength, situation, and apparent designs of the enemy. He recommended to him to enter the Chesapeake on his way, as there might be an opportunity of striking an important stroke there, and then to proceed immediately to New York, and be ready to cooperate with the allied armies in an attack upon that city. He likewise requested, that, if possible, five or six thousand land troops might be brought from the West Indies.

He writes thus to General Washington; but in his Mémoires he takes somewhat more credit to himself respecting the proposed operation in the Chesapeake,

"I presented to M. de Grasse," says he, "a picture of the distresses of the southern States, and above all of Virginia, which had nothing to

time to time receive of the situation of the enemy's fleet upon this coast, which will be the most advantageous quarter for him to make his appearance in? In the letter, which was written to the minister from Weathersfield, in which he was requested to urge the Count to come this way with his whole fleet, Sandy Hook was mentioned as the most desirable point; because, by coming suddenly there, he would certainly block up any fleet, which might be within; and he would even have a very good chance of forcing the entrance, before dispositions could be made to oppose him. Should the British fleet not be there, he could follow them to the Chesapeake, which is always accessible to a superior force. I am, &c.

oppose the inroads of Lord Cornwallis but a small body of troops under Lafayette, who was sustained only by his good conduct and the nature of the country intersected by many rivers. I transmitted to M. de Grasse the articles of the conference at Weathersfield. I observed to him, that he ought to know better than myself the possibility of forcing a passage into the harbour of New York, since, in circumstances nearly similar, M. d'Estaing, under whose orders he had served, had made an ineffectual proposal to the pilots, in offering them an enormous sum to take his vessels across the bar, which they did not venture to attempt. In short, I represented to him, as my private opinion, that an enterprise in the Chesapeake Bay against Lord Cornwallis would be the most practicable, and the least expected by the enemy, who counted on our distance from that quarter. I requested him to solicit strenuously from the governor of St. Domingo the use for three months of the French brigade under M. de St. Simon, which was destined to act with the Spaniards, who, it appeared to me, would have no employment for it during the campaign. I desired him, also, to effect a loan in our colonies of twelve hundred thousand francs, which might insure the success of this operation. I concluded by entreating him to despatch to me a frigate as soon as possible, with his answer, that I might arrange with General Washington our march by land to join him at the point assigned in the Chesapeake.” — Mémoires, Tom. II. p. 277.

These schemes of Count de Rochambeau do not appear in his letters to General Washington. There are several indications, that he did not approve an attack upon New York, and only yielded his assent to what he discovered to be the wish of the American commander.

G*

TO THE CHEVALIER DE LA LUZERNE.

New Windsor, 13 June, 1781.

SIR, Having been made acquainted by the Count de Rochambeau, with the design of the Count de Grasse to come to this coast with his fleet, I cannot forbear expressing my ardent wishes, that a body of land forces. might also attend this naval armament; for I am apprehensive, that such a decided superiority of men may not be drawn together by the time Count de Grasse will be here, as to insure our success against the enemy's most important posts. His continuance in these seas may also be limited to a short period; and the addition of a respectable corps of troops from the West Indies would, in all human probability, terminate the matter very soon in our favor.

If these should likewise be your sentiments, and if this plan should not interfere with the intentions and interest of his Most Christian Majesty elsewhere, I entreat your Excellency, by the first good conveyance, to represent the propriety and necessity of the measure to the commanders in the West Indies; that by one great and decisive stroke the enemy may be expelled from the continent, and the independence of America established at the approaching negotiation.

I have the honor to be, &c.*

* Four days after the above was written, General Washington suggested in a letter to Count de Rochambeau, that an important expedition to the Chesapeake might be undertaken by M. de Barras with his fleet, as it was not wanted at Newport. If such a squadron, as he could command, were in the Chesapeake, it would prevent a reunion of the enemy's forces, and, by shutting out supplies by water, those in Virginia would soon be reduced to great difficulties. Count de Barras expressed himself favorably inclined to the measure, but said he could not be ready to sail under twenty days, and hinted at obstacles, which seem never to have been removed.

TO GOVERNOR CLINTON.

DEAR SIR,

New Windsor, 21 June, 1781.

I have just received a letter from Brigadier-General Clinton, enclosing the examination of two prisoners who were taken lately by one of his scouts; from whence it appears the enemy in Canada have not made any movements in force, or preparations for an incursion; and indeed this intelligence corresponds so exactly with that which has been received through other channels, that I cannot but regret having sent the reinforcement to the northward, at a time when the aid of every man was so essential to the success of the operations in contemplation.

As it will be indispensably necessary, when we advance towards the enemy's lines, to withdraw the regular force from the northward, I have thought proper to advise General Clinton and your Excellency of it, that provision might be made as far as practicable to replace these troops with the men engaged for the campaign and the three years' service. At the same time that I express my unhappiness at being forced to the measure, and assure your Excellency, that nothing but necessity could induce me to recall the Continental troops, I wish it may be understood, that, when the moment of operating arrives, there is not any consideration which can persuade me to counteract the plan, that has been concerted between the Count de Rochambeau and myself. But lest the enemy should attempt to take advantage of their absence, to make inroads on the frontier, in order to distract our attention and cause a diversion in favor of their most important post, I beg leave to recommend in the strongest terms, that every means in your power should be made use of to guard against such an event.

I will also take the liberty to suggest, whether an additional security might not be afforded to those posts, which are exposed to the ravages of the enemy, by my sending a Continental officer to assist in rousing and assembling the force of the country, and to put himself at the head of such militia and volunteers, as might be drawn together on an emergency from the district of country called Vermont; and whether, in that case, Brigadier-General Stark would not be a proper character to employ on this service, especially as he has already obtained a reputation from his successes in that quarter, and is undoubtedly a man of bravery, and has been accustomed to command irregular troops in action. It appears to me, that a popular officer in that situation would be extremely advantageous on many accounts. Whether there may be reasons of state against it, I know not. I have, therefore, submitted it to your consideration. I beg your opinion freely on the subject, and have the honor to be with great respect, &c.

TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL IRVINE.

DEAR SIR,

New Windsor, 23 June, 1781.

I can easily conceive the disappointment and mortification you have suffered, upon finding the flattering prospects of filling your line so unexpectedly blasted, by the anxious sensations I have experienced on the same subject. If what has been so often urged and repeated will not excite the States to the most strenuous exertions, in completing the Continental battalions, I almost despair of success from any thing I can add to my former representations, arguments, and entreaties.