officers of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey, requiring them to fill up their battal. ions, and to have their quotas, 6,200 militia, in readiness within a week of the time they might be called for. Accordingly the French troops marched from Rhode Island in June, and early in the following month, joined ed the American army. About the time this junction took place, general Washington marched his army from their winter encampment near Peekskill, to the vicinity of King's Bridge. General Lincoln fell down the North River with a detachment in boats, and took possession of the ground where Fort Independence formerly stood. An attack was made upon him, but was soon discontinued. The British about this time retired with almost the whole of their forces to York Island. Flat bottomed boats, sufficient to transport 5,000 men, were built near Albany, and brought down Hudson's River to the neigborhood of the American army before New York. Every movement was made which was introductory to the commencement of the siege. It was not a little mortifying to general Washington, to find himself, on the second of August, to be only a few hundreds stronger than he was on the day his army first moved from their winter quarters. He bore this hard trial, however, with his usual magnanimity, and contented himself with repeating his requisitions to the states, and at the same time urged them by every tie, to enable him to fulfil engagements entered into on their account, with the commander of the French troops.

The tardiness of the states, which at other times had brought them to the brink of ruin, was now accidentally of real service. Had they sent forward their recruits for the regular army, and their quotas of militia, as was expected, the siege of New York would have commenced in the latter end of July, or early in August. Whilst the season was wasting away in expectation of these reinforcements, lord Cornwallis, as has been related, fixed himself near the capes of Virginia. flis situation there, the arrival of a reinforcement of 3,000 Germans from Europe to New York, the delay in recruiting the army, and especially the recent intelligence from count de Grasse, that his destination was fixed to the Chesapeake, concurred, about Aug. 15. the middle of August, to make a total change of the plan of the campaign.

The American commander still kept up the appearance of an intention to attack New York, in order to amuse and deceive the British general. Whilst this deception was played off, the allied army crossed the

Aug. 24. North River, and passed on by the way of Philadelphia to York Town.

At the time that the attack on New York was in se. rious contemplation, a letter from general Washington, detailing the particulars of the intended operations of the campaign, being intercepted, fell into the hands of sir Henry Clinton. After the plaa was changed, the royal commander was so much under the impression of the intelligence contained in the intercepted letter, that he believed every movement towards Virginia to be a feint, calculated to draw off his attention from New York. Nor could he be brought to believe that the allies had fixed upon Virginia for the theatre of their intended operations, until the best opportunity for striking them had elapsed. When general Washington arrived at Chester, he received the joyful news that count de Grasse had arrived in the Chesapeake

on the 30th of August, with 28 sail of the Aug. 30. line from the West-Indies. The count on his passage fell in with and took a packet from Charleston, having lord Rawdon on board, who was on his return to Great Britain.

Count de Grasse, without loss of time, blocked up York River with three large ships and some frigates, and moored the, principal part of his fleet in Lynhaven Bay. Three thousand French troops, brought in this fleet from the West Indies, commanded by the marquis de St. Simon, were disembarked and soon after formed a junction with the continental troops under the marquis de la Fayette, and the whole took post at Williamsburg. Lord Cornwallis intended to attack this force, but before all the neceessary arrangements were fixed upon, he received letters from sir Henry Clinton announcing, that he would do his utmost to reinforce the royal army in the Chesapeake, or make every diversion in his power, and that admiral Digby was hourly expected on the coast. On the receipt of this intelligence, earl Cornwallis, not thinking himself justified in hazarding an engagement, abandoned the resolution of attacking the combined force of Fay. ette and St. Simon. And from an opinion that his instructions to stand his ground were positive, or that ineffectual relief was probable, his lordship thought proper to risk every thing on the issue of a siege. An attempt was made to burn or dislodge the French ships in the river, but none to evacuate his posts when that measure was practicable.

Admiral Greaves with 20 sail of the line made an ineffectual effort for the relief of lord Cornwallis.—

When he appeared off the capes of Virginia, M. de Grasse, with his superior fleet went out to meet him, and an indecisive engagement took place. The Brit

ish were willing to renew the action; but Sept. 7. de Grasse declined it. His chief object in coming out of the capes was to cover a French fleet of eight line of battle ships, which was expected from Rhode Island. Agreeably to a preconcerted plan, count de Barras, commander of this fleet, had sailed for the Chesapeake about the time de Grasse sailed from the West Indies for the same place. To avoid the British fleet, he had taken a circuit by Bermuda; and de Grasse now came out to prevent the British from intercepting him, on his approach.Whilst the hostile fleets were manoeuvring near the mouth of the Chesapeake, count de Barras passed the British fleet in the night, and got within the capes of Virginia. After the French fleet had obtained such a superiority, admiral Greaves soon took his departure, and M. de Grasse re-entered the Chesapeake.

General Washington and count Rochambeau reach疒 ed Williamsburg on the 14th ef September. Sept. 14. They, with generals Chastelleux, Du Portal, and Knox proceeded to visit count de Grasse on board the ship the Ville de Paris, and agreed on a plan of operations.

Whilst the combined armies were advancing to the slege of York Town, sir Henry Clinton determined on an excursion from New York to Connecticut, vainly thinking that the alarm might recal part of the American force to the defence of that country. The conduct of this expedition was committed to general Arnold, and its object was the town of New London in his na. tive country.

Sept. 6.

"The troops employed therein, were landed in", two detachments on each side of the harbor.The one was commanded by lieutenant colonel Eyre, and the other by general Arnold. The latter met with little opposition. Fort Trumbull, and a redoubt which was intended to cover the harbor, not being tenable, were evacuated, and the men crossed the river to fort Griswold on Groton bill. This was furiously attacked by lieutenant colonel Eyre. The garrison defended themselves with great resolution, but after a severe conflict of forty minutes, the fort was carried by the assailants. The Americans had not more than six or seven men killed, when the British carried the lines; but a severe execution took place afterwards, though resistance had

ceased. An officer of the conquering troops inquired on his entering the fort who commanded. Colonel Ledyard answered, "I did, but you do now;" and presented him his sword. The colonel was immediately ran through the body and killed. Between 30 and 40 were wounded, and about 40 were carried off prisoners. On the side of the British, 48 were killed, and 145 wounded: Among the latter was major Montgomery, and among the former was colonel Eyre. About 15 vessels, loaded with the effects of the inhabitants, retreated up the river, and four others remained in the harbor unhurt; but all, excepting these, were burned by the communication of fire from the burning stores. Sixty dwelling houses and 84 stores were reduced to ashes. The loss which the Americans sustained by the destruction of naval stores, or provisions and merchandise, was immense. General Arnold, having completed the object of the expedition, returned in eight days to New York."

Soon after general Washington had visited the French admiral, count de Grasse, the latter, wrote to the former, that in case a British fleet appeared, "he conceived that he ought to go out and meet them at sea, instead of risking an engagement in a confined sitnation." This alarmed the general. He sent the marquis de la Fayette, with a letter to dissuade him from the dangerous measure. This letter, and the persuasions of the marquis, had the desired effect.

Sept. 25.

The combined forces proceeded on their way to York Town, partly by land, and partly down the Chesapeake. The whole, together with a body of Virginia militia under the command of Gen. Nelson, amounting in the aggregate to 12,000 men, rendezvoused at Williamsburg on the 25th of September, and in five days after, moved down to the investiture of York Town. The French fleet at the same time moved to the mouth of York River, and took a position which was calculated to prevent lord Cornwallis either from retreating or receiving succors by water. Before the army marched from Williamsburg to York Town, Gen. Washington gave out in general orders as follows: "If the enemy should be tempted to meet the army on its march, the general particularly enjoins the troops to place their principal reliance on the bayonet, that they may prove the vanity of the boast which the British make of their peculiar prowess in deciding battles with that weapon."

The combined army halted in the evening, about two miles from York Town, and lay on their arms all

night. On the next day colonel Scammell, an officer of great merit, was mortally wounded and taken prisoner, in approaching the outworks of the British. About this time earl Cornwallis received a letter from sir Henry Clinton, announcing the arrival of admiral Digby with three ships of the line from Europe, and the determinations of the general and flag officers in New York to embark 5,000 men in a fleet, which would probably sail on the 5th of October-that this fleet consisted of 23 sail of the line, and that joint exertions of the navy and army would be made for his relief. On the night after the receipt of this intelli. gence, earl Cornwallis quitted his outward position, and retired to one more inward. On the 9th and 10th of October, the French and Americans openOct. 10. ed their batteries; and a tremendous roar of cannon and mortars was continued for six or eight hours without ceasing. Major Cochran was sent from New York on the 3d of October with a duplicate of sir Henry Clinton's letter. That gallant officer went in a vessel to the Capes, and made his way to earl Cornwallis, through the whole French fleet, in an open boat. He got to York Town on the same day the Americans opened their batteries; and soon after his arrival had his head carried off by a cannon ball. On the 10th and 11th the shells of the besiegers set on fire and burned the Charou, of 44 guns, together with a guard ship and a transport. Earl Cornwallis, it is said, was advised at this juncture to evacuate York Town, and, after passing over to Gloucester, to force his way into the country. But had this movement been made, and the royal army been defeated or captured in the interior country, and in the mean time had sir Henry Clinton reached York Town with the promised relief, the precipitancy of the noble earl would have been per haps more the subject of censure, than his resolution of standing his ground and resisting to the last extremity.

On the 11th the besiegers commenced their second parallel, 200 yards from the works of the besieged. Two redoubts which were advanced on the left of the British, greatly retarded the progress of the besiegers; it was therefore determined to attack both at the same hour, on the evening of the 14th, as soon as it was dark. To accomplish their reduction as Oct. 14. soon as possible, as well as to prevent jealousies, the attack of the one was committed to the French, of the other to the Americans. Both detachments having passed the abattis and palisades, with unloaded muskets carried them in a few minutes.

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