Life of General Lafayette; . se Arnold—Advance of Cornwallis—Skilful Manoeuvres of Lafayette—Affair atAlbemarle — Retreat of Cornwallis to Williamsburg — Affair atJames River—Daring Intrepidity of Wayne—Retreat of Cornwallisto Portsmouth—Occupation of Yorktown by the British—Arrival ofCount de Grasse—Cornwallis hemmed in—Arrival of Washingtonand Rochambeau—Influence of Lafayette with the French NavalCommander—Siege of Yorktown — Capitulation of Cornwallis—Magnanimity of the American Soldiers. HE combined forces of Lafayette andSteuben now amounted to about threethousand men. To Baron Steubenha
Life of General Lafayette; . se Arnold—Advance of Cornwallis—Skilful Manoeuvres of Lafayette—Affair atAlbemarle — Retreat of Cornwallis to Williamsburg — Affair atJames River—Daring Intrepidity of Wayne—Retreat of Cornwallisto Portsmouth—Occupation of Yorktown by the British—Arrival ofCount de Grasse—Cornwallis hemmed in—Arrival of Washingtonand Rochambeau—Influence of Lafayette with the French NavalCommander—Siege of Yorktown — Capitulation of Cornwallis—Magnanimity of the American Soldiers. HE combined forces of Lafayette andSteuben now amounted to about threethousand men. To Baron Steubenhad originally been confided the com-mand of the operations in Virginia;but he gave way to Lafayette with a magna-nimity of self-sacrifice, which, as has justlybeen remarked, forms not the least of hisclaims upon the gratitude of the Americanpeople. Gen. Philhps deemed it not advisable to cross theriver at Richmond; but fell back, still watched byLafayette, until he received orders from Lord Corn-. 84 LIFE OF LAFAYETTE. wallis to take possession of Petersburg, and thereawait his arrival. Divining his intention, Lafayettepushed forward to intercept him, but Gen. Phillipsreached the place first and took possession of it;and this was the last military act of his hfe, as hedied of a malignant fever on the very day of enteringPetersburg. Arnold now assumed the command,and addressed a letter to Lafayette. The Marquis,who had no sympathy with traitors, treated theEnglish officer who came with the flag of truce inall respects with great politeness, but declined toreceive any letter from Benedict Arnold. Lafayettecrossed the river and withdrew to the vicinity ofRichmond; and when, on the 24th of May, LordCornwallis reached Petersburg, finding that he wasentirely too weak in numbers to cope with theBritish force, he receded as Cornwallis advanced,making his movements with such celerity and cau-tion, that though Cornwallis had boasted the boycannot escape me, h
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, booksubjectlafayet, bookyear1847
