were well warmed, and then opened his masked battery. 1781. He complained of the wants that prevailed in the British camp, commended the fupplies with which the American abounded, expreffed his inclination to return, and then afked-" What fay you, will you go with me?" They agreed. It was left with him to manage as to the fentries. To the firft he offered, in a very friendly manner, the taking a draught of rum out of his canteen. While the fellow was drinking, Charly fecured his arms; and then propofed his deferting with them; to which he confented through neceffity. The second was ferved in like manner. Charly Morgan by his management carried off feven deferters with him. When he had reached the American army, and was brought to head quarters, the marquis upon feeing him cried out, "Ha! Charly, are you got back?" "Yes and please your excellency, and have brought feven more with me," was the anfwer. When Charly had related the reafon of his returning, and the obfervation's he had made, the marquis offered him money; but he declined accepting it, and only defired to have his gun again. The marquis then propofed to promote him to the rank of a corporal or fergeant. To this Morgan replied" I will not have any promotion. I have abilities for a common foldier, and have a good charac

to preferve the health and lives of the failors, he ordered their allowance of rum to be mixed with a proper quantity of water, and the liquor to be put upon deck for their ufe. The failors refented the alteration; but the refolution of the admiral obliged them to drink the mixture or go without. It fo happened that he generally wore on board an old grogram coat: the failors took occafion from thence to file the mixture that was impofed upon them-grog

1781/ter; 1781 ter; fhould I be promoted my abilities may not an fwer, and I may lofe my character." He however nobly requested for his fellow foldiers, who were not fo well fupplied with fhoes, ftockings and clothing as himfelf, that the marquis would promife to do what he could to relieve their diftreffes; which he easily obtained.

Lord Cornwallis, meeting with a plentiful supply of fine horses in the stables of private gentlemen, mounted a confiderable body of troops. Cols. Tarleton and Simcoe were dispatched from the South Anna with feparate detachments to fcour the interior country. They penetrated into the receffes, which had been hitherto free from fpoilers, and might have done confiderable more mifchief to the inhabitants. They destroyed a number of arms under repair, fome cannon, a quantity of gunpowder, falt, harness and other matters, defigned for or capable of being applied to military fervices. Had their deftructive operations of this nature. been ever fo confiderable, instead of trifling, they must have escaped all cenfure; and the Americans would have had no juft ground of complaint; but it was otherwife in various instances. Baron Steuben, who was at the Point of Fork with 500 regulars of the Virginia new levies and a few militia, retired upon the approach of Simcoe. He had been feparated from the marquis, in confequence of an order from Greene for the baron to come and join him. The baron had proceeded to the borders of North Carolina. This left the marquis fo weak, that he was obliged to fall back as Cornwallis advanced, till he should be reinforced. His lordship's march to Virginia made the revocation of Greene's order neceffary. Tarleton penetrated, by a forced

9

4.

forced march, as far as Charlotte-ville; and had nearly 1781 surprised and taken the whole affembly of Virginia pri- June foners. They had removed from Richmond to Charlotte-ville to be out of the way of Cornwallis; and received information of Tarleton's approach but just time enough to escape his legion. They now croffed the mountains, and convened at Stanton. The British convention prifoners had been early marched from Charlotteville toward Pennsylvania.

Lord Cornwallis not having any immediate occafion for

event.

gen. Arnold, dispensed with his abfence, so that he returned to New York about the beginning of June. His lordship finding it impoffible to force the marquis de la Fayette to an action, endeavoured to prevent his junction with Wayne; who had been ordered by gen. Washington to march from the northward with the Pennsylvania line, amounting to 800, with a view to that It was effected without lofs at Racoon ford on the 7th of June. But while this junction was making, 7 his lordship obtained an opening for placing himself between the marquis and his ftores. The ftores, which were an object with both armies, had been removed from Richmond to Albemarle old court-house above the Point of Fork. His lordship was fo far advanced, as that within the course of two days he must have gained poffeffion of them. At the fame moment he found that the marquis, by an unexpected and rapid march, was within a few miles of his army.

This at

first might be matter of joy to him; as he saw no practicable way for the marquis to get between him and the ftores, but by a road, in paffing which the Americanst might be attacked to great advantage. However, con

171.trary to his lordship's expectation, the marquis difcovered a nearer road to Albemarle. It had been long difufed, and therefore was much embarraffed. Fayette had it opened in the night; and to the aftonishment of Cornwallis, fixed himself the next day in a strong pofition between the British army and the American stores.

His lordship now commenced a retrograde movement; and in two night marches measured back upward of 50 miles. He was accompanied with his detachments under Tarleton and Simcoe. By about the June 17th he entered Richmond; the marquis preffing hard 8. after him. On the 18th the British moved toward the

Americans, feemingly with the defign of striking a detached corps. But upon the marching of the light infantry and Pennsylvanians, they returned into the town. The next day the marquis was joined by Steuben's troops; and on the night of the 20th, Richmond was evacuated. His lordship, under an apprehenfion that the marquis was much stronger than was really the cafe, haftened to Williamsburgh; where he occupied a strong poft, was under the protection of his fhipping, and re16. ceived a reinforcement from Portsmouth. On the 26th of June, the day after the main body of the British army arrived at Williamsburgh, their rear was attacked within fix miles of the place, by an American light corps under col. Butler; and had 160 killed and wounded. According to a private letter of Fayette to the prefident of congrefs, his own troops at this period confifted only of 1500 regulars, 400 new levies, and about 2000 militia, in all 3900; while Cornwallis's amounted to 4000 regulars, 800 of whom were mounted.