OPERATIONS BEFORE YORKTOWN.--GREENE IN THE SOUTH.
Lord Cornwallis had been completely roused from his dream of security
by the appearance, on the 28th of August, of the fleet of Count de
Grasse within the capes of the Delaware. Three French ships-of-the-line
and a frigate soon anchored at the mouth of York River. The boats of
the fleet were immediately busy conveying three thousand three hundred
land forces, under the Marquis de St. Simon, up James River to form the
preconcerted junction with those under Lafayette. Awakened to his
danger, Cornwallis, as Washington had foreseen, meditated a retreat to
the Carolinas. It was too late. York River was blocked up by French
ships; James River was filled with armed vessels covering the
transportation of the troops. His lordship reconnoitred Williamsburg;
it was too strong to be forced, and Wayne had crossed James River to
join his troops to those under the marquis. Seeing his retreat cut off
in every direction, Cornwallis proceeded to strengthen his works;
sending off repeated expresses to apprise Sir Henry Clinton of his
perilous situation.
The Count de Grasse had been but a few days anchored within the
Chesapeake, and fifteen hundred of his seamen were absent, conveying
the troops up James River, when Admiral Graves, who then commanded the
British naval force on the American coast, appeared with twenty sail
off the capes of Virginia. De Grasse, anxious to protect the squadron
of the Count de Barras, which was expected from Rhode Island, and
which it was the object of Graves to intercept, immediately slipped
his cables and put to sea with twenty-four ships, leaving the rest to
blockade York and James Rivers.
Admiral Graves, immediately prepared for action, although he had five
ships less than De Grasse. The latter, however, was not disposed to
accept the challenge, his force being weakened by the absence of so
many of his seamen, employed in transporting troops. His plan was to
occupy the enemy by partial actions and skilful manoeuvres, so as to
retain his possession of the Chesapeake, and cover the arrival of De
Barras.
The vans of the two fleets, and some ships of the centre, engaged
about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 7th of September. The
conflict soon became animated. Several ships were damaged, and many
men killed and wounded on both sides. De Grasse, who had the advantage
of the wind, drew off after sunset; satisfied with the damage done and
sustained, and not disposed for a general action. For four days the
fleets remained in sight of each other, repairing damages and
manoeuvring; but the French having still the advantage of the wind,
maintained their prudent policy of avoiding a general engagement. At
length De Grasse, learning that De Barras was arrived within the
capes, formed a junction with him, and returned with him to his former
anchoring ground, with two English frigates which he had captured.
Admiral Graves, disappointed in his hope of interrupting De Barras,
and finding the Chesapeake guarded by a superior force with which he
could not prudently contend, left the coast and bore away for New
York. Under convoy of the squadron of De Barras came a fleet of
transports, conveying land forces under M. de Choisy, with siege
artillery and military stores.
From Williamsburg, Washington sent forward Count Fersen, one of the
aides-de-camp of De Rochambeau, to hurry on the French troops with all
possible despatch. He wrote to the same purport to General Lincoln:
"Every day we now lose," said he, "is comparatively an age; as soon as
it is in our power with safety, we ought to take our position near the
enemy. Hurry on, then, my dear sir, with your troops, on the wings of
speed."
It was with great satisfaction Washington learned that Admiral de
Barras had anticipated his wishes, in sending transports and prize
vessels up the bay to assist in bringing on the French troops. In the
meantime, he with Count de Rochambeau was desirous of having an
interview with the admiral on board of his ship, provided he could
send some fast-sailing cutter to receive them. A small ship, the Queen
Charlotte, was furnished by the admiral for the purpose. It had been
captured on its voyage from Charleston to New York, having Lord Rawdon
on board, and had been commodiously fitted up for his lordship's
reception.
On board of this vessel Washington and De Rochambeau, with the
Chevalier de Chastellux and Generals Knox and Duportail, embarked on
the 18th, and proceeding down James River, came the next morning in
sight of the French fleet riding at anchor in Lynn Haven Bay, just
under the point of Cape Henry. About noon they got alongside of the
admiral's ship, the Ville de Paris, and were received on board with
great ceremony, and naval and military parade. Admiral de Grasse was a
tall, fine-looking man, plain in his address and prompt in the
discharge of business. A plan of co-operation was soon arranged, to be
carried into effect on the arrival of the American and French armies
from the North, which were actually on their way down the Chesapeake
from the Head of Elk. Business being despatched, dinner was served,
after which they were conducted throughout the ship, and received the
officers of the fleet, almost all of whom came on board.
By the 25th the American and French troops were mostly arrived and
encamped near Williamsburg, and preparations were made for the
decisive blow.
Yorktown, as has already been noted, is situated on the south side of
York River, immediately opposite Gloucester Point. Cornwallis had
fortified the town by seven redoubts and six batteries on the land
side, connected by intrenchments; and there was a line of batteries
along the river. The town was flanked on each side by deep ravines and
creeks emptying into York River; their heads, in front of the town,
being not more than half a mile apart. The enemy had availed
themselves of these natural defences, in the arrangement of extensive
outworks, with redoubts strengthened by abatis; field-works mounted
with cannon, and trees cut down and left with the branches pointed
outward. Gloucester Point had likewise been fortified. Its batteries,
with those of Yorktown, commanded the intervening river. Ships of war
were likewise stationed on it, protected by the guns of the forts, and
the channel was obstructed by sunken vessels. The defence of
Gloucester Point was confided to Lieutenant-colonel Dundas, with six
or seven hundred men.
That evening Cornwallis received despatches from Sir Henry Clinton,
informing him of the arrival of Admiral Digby, and that a fleet of
twenty-three ships-of-the-line, with about five thousand troops, would
sail to his assistance probably on the 5th of October. Cornwallis
immediately wrote in reply: "I have ventured these last two days to
look General Washington's whole force in the face in the position on
the outside of my works, and have the pleasure to assure your
Excellency that there is but one wish throughout the army, which is
that the enemy would advance.... I shall retire this night within the
works, and have no doubt, if relief arrives in any reasonable time,
York and Gloucester will be both in the possession of his Majesty's
troops." That night his lordship accordingly abandoned his outworks,
and drew his troops within the town. The outworks thus abandoned were
seized upon the next morning by detachments of American light infantry
and French troops, and served to cover the troops employed in throwing
up breastworks.
The combined French and American forces were now twelve thousand
strong, exclusive of the Virginia militia which General Thomas Nelson
[now governor of Virginia], had brought into the field. On the morning
of the 28th of September, the combined armies marched from
Williamsburg toward Yorktown, about twelve miles distant, and encamped
at night within two miles of it, driving in the pickets and some
patrols of cavalry. General de Choisy was sent across York River, with
Lauzun's legion and General Weedon's brigade of militia, to watch the
enemy on the side of Gloucester Point. By the 1st of October the line
of the besiegers, nearly two miles from the works, formed a
semicircle, each end resting on the river, so that the investment by
land was complete; while the Count de Grasse, with the main fleet,
remained in Lynn Haven Bay, to keep off assistance by sea.
The besieged army began now to be greatly distressed for want of
forage, and had to kill many of their horses, the carcasses of which
were continually floating down the river. In the evening of the 2d of
October, Tarleton with his legion and the mounted infantry were passed
over the river to Gloucester Point, to assist in foraging. At daybreak
Lieutenant-colonel Dundas led out part of his garrison to forage the
neighboring country. About ten o'clock the wagons and bat horses laden
with Indian corn were returning, covered by Tarleton and his dragoons
as a rear-guard, when word was brought that an enemy was advancing in
force. The report was confirmed by a cloud of dust from which emerged
Lauzun and the Frence hussars and lancers.
Tarleton, with part of his legion, advanced to meet them; the rest,
with Simcoe's dragoons, remained as a rear-guard in a skirt of woods.
A skirmish ensued, gallantly sustained on each side, but the
superiority of Tarleton's horses gave him the advantage. General
Choisy hastened up with a corps of cavalry and infantry to support the
hussars. In the medley fight, a dragoon's horse, wounded by a lance,
plunged, and overthrew both Tarleton and his steed. The rear-guard
rushed from their covert to rescue their commander. They came
galloping up in such disorder, that they were roughly received by
Lauzun's hussars, who were drawn up on the plain. In the meantime
Tarleton scrambled out of the melée, mounted another horse, and
ordered a retreat, to enable his men to recover from their confusion.
Dismounting forty infantry, he placed them in a thicket. Their fire
checked the hussars in their pursuit. The British dragoons rallied,
and were about to charge, when the hussars retired behind their
infantry, and a fire was opened upon the British by some militia from
behind a fence. Tarleton again ordered a retreat to be sounded, and
the conflict came to an end. This was the last affair of Tarleton and
his legion in the revolutionary war. The next day General Choisy,
being reinforced by a detachment of marines from the fleet of De
Grasse, cut off all communication by land between Gloucester and the
country.
At this momentous time, when the first parallel before the besieged
city was about to be opened, Washington received dispatches from his
faithful coadjutor, General Greene, giving him important intelligence
of his co-operations in the South; to consider which we will suspend
for a moment our narrative of affairs before Yorktown.
For some weeks in the months of July and August, General Greene had
remained encamped with his main force on the high hills of Santee,
refreshing and disciplining his men, and awaiting the arrival of
promised reinforcements. In the meantime, Marion with his light
troops, aided by Colonel Washington with his dragoons, held control
over the lower Santee. Lee was detached to operate with Sumter's
brigade on the Congaree, and Colonel Harden with his mounted militia
was scouring the country about the Edisto.
Greene was disappointed as to reinforcements. All that he had received
were two hundred North Carolina levies and five hundred South Carolina
militia; still he prepared for a bold effort to drive the enemy from
their remaining posts. For that purpose, on the 22d of August he broke
up his encampment to march against Colonel Stuart. The latter still
lay encamped about sixteen miles distant, in a straight line; but the
Congaree and Wateree lay between, bordered by swamps overflowed by
recent rains; to cross them and reach the hostile camp, it was
necessary to make a circuit of seventy miles. While Greene was making
it, Stuart abandoned his position, and moved down forty miles to the
vicinity of Eutaw Springs, where he was reinforced by a detachment
from Charleston with provisions.
Greene followed on by easy marches. He had been joined by General
Pickens with a party of the Ninety-Six militia, and by the State
troops under Lieutenant-colonel Henderson; and now moved slowly to
give time for Marion, who was scouring the country about the Edisto,
to rejoin him. This was done on the 5th of September at Laurens'
place, within seventeen miles of Stuart's camp. Here baggage, tents,
everything that could impede motion was left behind, and on the
afternoon of the 7th the army was pushed on within seven miles of the
Eutaws, where it bivouacked for the night. At four o'clock in the
morning this little army was in motion. Greene's whole force at that
time did not exceed two thousand men; that of the enemy he was
seeking, about twenty-three hundred. The Americans, however, were
superior in cavalry. His army advanced in two columns, which were to
form the two lines of battle. Within four miles of Eutaw they met with
a British detachment of one hundred and fifty infantry and fifty
cavalry under Major Coffin, sent forward to reconnoitre; it was put to
flight after a severe skirmish. Supposing this to be the van of the
enemy, Greene halted his columns and formed. The South Carolinians in
equal divisions formed the right and left of the first line, the North
Carolinians the centre. General Marion commanded the right; General
Pickens the left; Colonel Malmedy the centre. Colonel Henderson with
the State troops covered the left of the line; Colonel Lee with his
legion the right.
Of the second line, composed of regulars, the North Carolinians, under
General Sumner, were on the right; the Marylanders, under Colonel
Williams, on the left; the Virginians, under Colonel Campbell, in the
centre. Colonel Washington with his cavalry followed in the rear as a
corps de reserve. Two three-pounders moved on the road in the centre
of the first line; two six-pounders in a like position in the second
line. In this order the troops moved forward, keeping their lines as
well as they could through open woods, which covered the country on
each side of the road.
Within a mile of the camp they encountered a body of infantry thrown
forward by Colonel Stuart, to check their advance while he had time to
form his troops in order of battle. These were drawn up in line in a
wood two hundred yards west of Eutaw Springs. The right rested on
Eutaw Creek, and was covered by a battalion of grenadiers and infantry
under Major Majoribanks, partly concealed among thickets on the margin
of the stream. The left of the line extended across the Charleston
road, with a reserve corps in a commanding situation covering the
road. About fifty yards in the rear of the British line was a cleared
field, in which was their encampment, with the tents all standing.
Adjoining it was a brick house with a palisadoed garden, which Colonel
Stuart intended as a protection, if too much pressed by cavalry. The
advanced party of infantry, which had retired firing before the
Americans, formed on the flanks of Colonel Stuart's line. The
Carolinian militia had pressed after them. About nine o'clock the
action was commenced by the left of the American line, and soon became
general. The militia fought until they had expended seventeen rounds,
when they gave way, covered by Lee and Henderson, who fought bravely
on the flanks of the line.
Sumner, with the regulars who formed the second line, advanced in fine
style to take the place of the first. The enemy likewise brought their
reserve into action; the conflict continued to be bloody and severe.
Sumner's brigade, formed partly of recruits, gave way under the
superior fire of the enemy. The British rushed forward to secure their
fancied victory. Greene, seeing their line disordered, instantly
ordered Williams with his Marylanders to "sweep the field with the
bayonet." Williams was seconded by Colonel Campbell with the
Virginians. The order was gallantly obeyed. They delivered a deadly
volley at forty yards' distance, and then advanced at a brisk rate,
with loud shouts and trailed arms. The British recoiled. While the
Marylanders and Virginians attacked them in front, Lee with his legion
turned their left flank and charged them in rear. Colonel Hampton with
the State cavalry made a great number of prisoners, and Colonel
Washington, coming up with his reserve of horse and foot, completed
their defeat. They were driven back through their camp; many were
captured; many fled along the Charleston road, and others threw
themselves into the brick house.
Major Majoribanks and his troops could still enfilade the left flank
of the Americans from their covert among the thickets on the border of
the stream. Greene ordered Colonel Washington with his dragoons and
Kirkwood's Delaware infantry to dislodge them, and Colonel Wade
Hampton to assist with the State troops. Colonel Washington, without
waiting for the infantry, dashed forward with his dragoons. It was a
rash move. The thickets were impervious to cavalry. The dragoons
separated into small squads, and endeavored to force their way in.
Horses and riders were shot down or bayoneted; most of the officers
were either killed or wounded. Colonel Washington had his horse shot
under him; he himself was bayoneted, and would have been slain, had
not a British officer interposed, who took him prisoner. By the time
Hampton and Kirkwood came up, the cavalry were routed. While Hampton
rallied them, Kirkwood with his Delawares charged with bayonet upon
the enemy in the thickets. Majoribanks fell back with his troops, and
made a stand in the palisadoed garden of the brick house.
Victory now seemed certain on the side of the Americans.
Unfortunately, the soldiers, thinking the day their own, fell to
plundering the tents, devouring the food and carousing on the liquors
found there. Many of them became intoxicated and unmanageable--the
officers interfered in vain; all was riot and disorder.
The enemy in the meantime recovered from their confusion, and opened a
fire from every window of the house and from the palisadoed garden.
There was a scattering fire also from the woods and thickets on the
right and left. Colonel Stuart was by this time rallying his left
wing, and advancing to support the right; when Greene, finding his
ammunition nearly exhausted, determined to give up the attempt to
dislodge the enemy from their places of refuge, since he could not do
it without severe loss. He remained on the ground long enough to
collect his wounded, excepting those who were too much under the fire
of the house, and then, leaving Colonel Hampton with a strong picket
on the field, he returned to the position seven miles off, which he
had left in the morning.
The enemy decamped in the night after destroying a large quantity of
provisions, and breaking upwards of a thousand stand of arms; they
left behind also seventy of their wounded. Their loss in killed,
wounded and captured, in this action, was six hundred and
thirty-three, of whom five hundred were prisoners; the loss sustained
by the Americans in killed, wounded and missing, was five hundred and
thirty-five. One of the slain most deplored was Colonel Campbell, who
had so bravely led on the Virginians.
Stuart met with reinforcements about fourteen miles from Eutaw, but
continued his retreat to Monk's Corner, within twenty-five miles of
Charleston. Greene followed with his main force almost to Monk's
Corner: finding the number and position of the enemy too strong to be
attacked with prudence, he fell back to Eutaw, where he remained a day
or two to rest his troops, and then returned by easy marches to his
old position near the heights of Santee.