Movements and Counter-movements of Cornwallis and Lafayette in
Virginia.—Tarleton and his Troopers scour the Country.—A Dash at the
State Legislature.—Attempt to Surprise the Governor at
Monticello.—Retreat of Jefferson to Carter’s Mountain.—Steuben
outwitted by Simcoe.—Lafayette joined by Wayne and Steuben.—Acts on
the Aggressive.—Desperate Melée of Macpherson and Simcoe.—Cornwallis
pursued to Jamestown Island.—Mad Anthony in a Morass.—His Impetuous
Valor.—Alertness of Lafayette.—Washington’s Opinion of the Virginia
Campaign.
The first object of Lord Cornwallis on the junction of his forces at
Petersburg in May, was to strike a blow at Lafayette. The marquis was
encamped on the north side of James River, between Wilton and Richmond,
with about one thousand regulars, two thousand militia, and fifty
dragoons. He was waiting for reinforcements of militia, and for the
arrival of General Wayne, with the Pennsylvania line. The latter had
been ordered to the South by Washington, nearly three months previously,
but unavoidably delayed. Joined by these, Lafayette would venture to
receive a blow, “that being beaten, he might at least be beaten with
decency, and Cornwallis pay something for his victory.”[78]
His lordship hoped to draw him into an action before thus reinforced,
and with that view, marched, on the 24th of May, from Petersburg to
James River, which he crossed at Westover, about thirty miles below
Richmond. Here he was joined on the 26th by a reinforcement just arrived
from New York, part of which he sent under General Leslie to strengthen
the garrison at Portsmouth. He was relieved also from military
companionship with the infamous Arnold, who obtained leave of absence to
return to New York, where business of importance was said to demand his
attention. While he was in command of the British army in Virginia,
Lafayette had refused to hold any correspondence, or reciprocate any of
the civilities of war with him; for which he was highly applauded by
Washington.
Being now strongly reinforced, Cornwallis moved to dislodge Lafayette
from Richmond. The latter, conscious of the inferiority of his forces,
decamped as soon as he heard his lordship had crossed James River. “I am
resolved,” said he, “on a war of skirmishes, without engaging too far,
and above all, to be on my guard against that numerous and excellent
cavalry, which the militia dread, as if they were so many savage
beasts.” He now directed his march toward the upper country, inclining
to the north, to favor a junction with Wayne. Cornwallis followed him as
far as the upper part of Hanover County, destroying public stores
wherever found. He appears to have undervalued Lafayette, on account of
his youth. “The boy cannot escape me,” said he, in a letter which was
intercepted. The youth of the marquis, however, aided the celerity of
his movements; and now that he had the responsibility of an independent
command, he restrained his youthful fire, and love of enterprise.
Independence had rendered him cautious. “I am afraid of myself,” said
he, “as much as of the enemy.”[79]
Cornwallis soon found it impossible either to overtake Lafayette, or
prevent his junction with Wayne; he turned his attention, therefore, to
other objects.
Greene, in his passage through Virginia, had urged the importance of
removing horses out of the way of the enemy; his caution had been
neglected; the consequences were now felt. The great number of fine
horses in the stables of Virginia gentlemen, who are noted for their
love of the noble animal, had enabled Cornwallis to mount many of his
troops in first-rate style. These he employed in scouring the country,
and destroying public stores. Tarleton and his legion, it is said, were
mounted on race-horses. “Under this cloud of light troops,” said
Lafayette, “it is difficult to counteract any rapid movements they may
choose to take!”
The State legislature had been removed for safety to Charlottesville,
where it was assembled for the purpose of levying taxes, and drafting
militia. Tarleton, with one hundred and eighty cavalry and seventy
mounted infantry, was ordered by Cornwallis to make a dash there, break
up the legislature, and carry off members. On his way thither, on the
4th of June, he captured and destroyed a convoy of arms and clothing
destined for Greene’s army in North Carolina. At another place he
surprised several persons of note at the house of a Dr. Walker, but
lingered so long breakfasting, that a person mounted on a fleet horse
had time to reach Charlottesville before him, and spread the alarm.
Tarleton crossed the Rivanna, which washes the hill on which
Charlottesville is situated; dispersed a small force collected on the
bank, and galloped into the town thinking to capture the whole assembly.
Seven alone fell into his hands; the rest had made their escape. No
better success attended a party of horse under Captain McLeod, detached
to surprise the Governor (Thomas Jefferson), at his residence in
Monticello, about three miles from Charlottesville, where several
members of the legislature were his guests. The dragoons were espied
winding up the mountain; the guests dispersed; the family was hurried
off to the residence of Colonel Carter, six miles distant, while the
governor himself made a rapid retreat on horseback to Carter’s Mountain.
Having set fire to all the public stores at Charlottesville, Tarleton
pushed for the point of Fork at the confluence of the Rivanna and
Fluvanna; to aid if necessary, a detachment of yagers, infantry, and
hussars, sent under Colonel Simcoe to destroy a great quantity of
military stores collected at that post. The Baron Steuben, who was
stationed there with five hundred Virginia regulars and a few militia,
and had heard of the march of Tarleton, had succeeded in transporting
the greater part of the stores, as well as his troops, across the river,
and as the water was deep and the boats were all on his side, he might
have felt himself secure. The unexpected appearance of Simcoe’s
infantry, however, designedly spread out on the opposite heights,
deceived him into the idea that it was the van of the British army. In
his alarm he made a night retreat of thirty miles, leaving the greater
part of the stores scattered along the river bank, which were destroyed
the next morning by a small detachment of the enemy sent across in
canoes.
On the 10th of June, Lafayette was at length gladdened by the arrival of
Wayne with about nine hundred of the Pennsylvania line. Thus reinforced,
he changed his whole plan, and ventured on the aggressive. Cornwallis
had gotten between him and a large deposit of military stores at
Albemarle Old Court-house.
The marquis, by a rapid march at night, through a road long disused,
threw himself between the British army and the stores, and, being joined
by a numerous body of mountain militia, took a strong position to
dispute the advance of the enemy.
Cornwallis did not think it advisable to pursue this enterprise,
especially as he heard Lafayette would soon be joined by forces under
Baron Steuben. Yielding easy credence, therefore, to a report that the
stores had been removed from Albemarle Court-house, he turned his face
toward the lower part of Virginia, and made a retrograde march, first to
Richmond, and afterwards to Williamsburg.
Lafayette, being joined by Steuben and his forces, had about four
thousand men under him, one half of whom were regulars. He now followed
the British army at the distance of eighteen or twenty miles, throwing
forward his light troops to harass their rear, which was covered by
Tarleton and Simcoe with their cavalry and infantry.
Cornwallis arrived at Williamsburg on the 25th, and sent out Simcoe with
his rangers and a company of yagers to destroy some boats and stores on
the Chickahominy River, and to sweep off the cattle of the neighborhood.
Lafayette heard of the ravage, and detached Lieutenant-colonel Butler,
of the Pennsylvania line, with a corps of light troops and a body of
horse under Major McPherson, to intercept the marauders. As the infantry
could not push on fast enough for the emergency, McPherson took up fifty
of them behind fifty of his dragoons, and dashed on. He overtook a
company of Simcoe’s rangers under Captain Shank, about six miles from
Williamsburg, foraging at a farm; a sharp encounter took place;
McPherson at the outset was unhorsed and severely hurt. The action
continued. Simcoe with his infantry, who had been in the advance
convoying a drove of cattle, now engaged in the fight. Butler’s riflemen
began to arrive, and supported the dragoons. It was a desperate mêlée;
much execution was done on both sides. Neither knew the strength of the
force they were contending with; but supposed it the advance guard of
the opposite army. An alarm gun was fired by the British on a
neighboring hill. It was answered by alarm guns at Williamsburg. The
Americans supposed the whole British force coming out to assail them,
and began to retire. Simcoe, imagining Lafayette to be at hand, likewise
drew off, and pursued his march to Williamsburg. Both parties fought
well; both had been severely handled; both claimed a victory, though
neither gained one. The loss in killed and wounded on both sides was
severe for the number engaged; but the statements vary, and were never
reconciled. It is certain the result gave great satisfaction to the
Americans, and inspired them with redoubled ardor.
An express was received by Cornwallis at Williamsburg which obliged him
to change his plans. The movements of Washington in the neighborhood of
New York, menacing an attack, had produced the desired effect. Sir Henry
Clinton, alarmed for the safety of the place, had written to Cornwallis,
requiring a part of his troops for its protection. His lordship prepared
to comply with this requisition, but as it would leave him too weak to
continue at Williamsburg, he set out on the 4th of July for Portsmouth.
Lafayette followed him on the ensuing day, and took post within nine
miles of his camp; intending, when the main body of the enemy should
have crossed the ford to the island of Jamestown, to fall upon the
rear-guard. Cornwallis suspected his design, and prepared to take
advantage of it. The wheel carriages, bat horses, and baggage, were
passed over to the island under the escort of the Queen’s Rangers;
making a great display, as if the main body had crossed; his lordship,
however, with the greater part of his forces, remained on the mainland,
his right covered by ponds, the centre and left by morasses over which a
few narrow causeways of logs connected his position with the country,
and James Island lay in the rear. His camp was concealed by a skirt of
woods, and covered by an outpost.
In the morning of the 6th, as the Americans were advancing, a negro and
a dragoon, employed by Tarleton, threw themselves in their way,
pretending to be deserters, and informed them that the body of the
king’s troops had passed James River in the night, leaving nothing
behind but the rear-guard, composed of the British legion and a
detachment of infantry. Persuaded of the fact, Lafayette with his troops
crossed the morass on the left of the enemy by a narrow causeway of
logs, and halted beyond about sunset. Wayne was detached with a body of
riflemen, dragoons and continental infantry, to make the attack, while
the marquis with nine hundred Continentals and some militia stood ready
to support him.
Wayne easily routed a patrol of cavalry and drove in the pickets, who
had been ordered to give way readily. The outpost which covered the camp
defended itself more obstinately, though exceedingly galled by the
riflemen. Wayne pushed forward with the Pennsylvania line, eight hundred
strong, and three field-pieces to attack it; at the first discharge of a
cannon more than two thousand of the enemy emerged from their
concealment, and he found too late that the whole British line was in
battle array before him. To retreat was more dangerous than to go on. So
thinking, with that impetuous valor which had gained him the name of Mad
Anthony, he ordered a charge to be sounded, and threw himself horse and
foot with shouts upon the enemy. It was a sanguinary conflict and a
desperate one, for the enemy were outflanking him right and left.
Fortunately, the heaviness of the fire had awakened the suspicions of
Lafayette,—it was too strong for the outpost of a rear-guard. Spurring
to a point of land which commanded a view of the British camp, he
discovered the actual force of the enemy, and the peril of Wayne.
Galloping back, he sent word to Wayne to fall back to General
Muhlenburg’s brigade, which had just arrived, and was forming within
half a mile of the scene of conflict. Wayne did so in good order,
leaving behind his three cannon, the horses which drew them having been
killed.
The whole army then retired across the morass. The enemy’s cavalry would
have pursued them, but Cornwallis forbade it. The night was falling. The
hardihood of Wayne’s attack, and his sudden retreat, it is said,
deceived and perplexed his lordship. He thought the Americans more
strong than they really were, and the retreat a mere feint to draw him
into an ambuscade. That retreat, if followed close, might have been
converted into a disastrous flight.
The loss of the Americans in this brief but severe conflict is stated by
Lafayette to have been one hundred and eighteen killed, wounded and
prisoners, including ten officers. The British loss was said to be five
officers wounded, and seventy-five privates killed and wounded. “Our
field officers,” said Wayne, “were generally dismounted by having their
horses either killed or wounded under them. 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 natural bravery rendered him deaf to
admonition.”
Lafayette retreated to Green Springs, where he rallied and reposed his
troops. Cornwallis crossed over to Jamestown Island after dark, and
three days afterwards, passing James River with his main force,
proceeded to Portsmouth. His object was, in conformity to his
instructions from the ministry, to establish there or elsewhere on the
Chesapeake, a permanent post, to serve as a central point for naval and
military operations.
In his letters to Washington giving an account of these events,
Lafayette says: “I am anxious to know your opinion of the Virginia
campaign. The subjugation of this State was incontestably the principal
object of the ministry. I think your diversion has been of more use than
any of my maneuvers; but the latter have been above all directed by
political views. As long as his lordship desired an action, not a musket
has been fired; the moment he would avoid a combat, we began a war of
skirmishes; but I had always care not to compromise the army. The naval
superiority of the enemy, his superiority in cavalry, in regular troops,
and his thousand other advantages, make me consider myself lucky to have
come off safe and sound. I had my eye fixed on negotiations in Europe,
and I made it my aim to give his lordship the disgrace of a
retreat.”[80]
We will now turn to resume the course of General Greene’s campaigning in
the Carolinas.
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