posts was commanded by his land-batteries and by some vessels-of-war
which lay at anchor under his guns.

On September 29th the besiegers were principally employed in
reconnoitring the situation of the enemy and in arranging their plans of
attack. The main body of the enemy was found intrenched in the open
ground about Yorktown, with the intention of checking the progress of
the allies, while an inner line of works, near the village, had been
provided for his ultimate defence; Lieutenant-Colonel Simcoe, with his
legion, the Eightieth regiment of the line, and the Hereditary Prince's
regiment of Hessians, the whole under Lieutenant-Colonel Dundas, being
in possession of Gloucester Point. The only movement was an extension of
the right wing of the allied armies, and the consequent occupation of
the ground east of the Beaver-dam Creek, by the American forces.

On the evening of that day Lord Cornwallis received despatches from New
York in which Sir Henry Clinton advised his lordship that "at a meeting
of the general and flag officers, held this day (September 24, 1781) it
is determined that above five thousand men, rank and file, shall be
embarked on board the King's ships, and the joint exertions of the navy
and army made in a few days to relieve you, and afterward to operate
with you. The fleet consists of twenty-three sail of the line, three of
which are three-deckers. There is every reason to hope that we start
from hence October 5th." Gratified with this promise of assistance, and
probably confident of his ability to hold his inner position until he
could be relieved, Lord Cornwallis imprudently retired from the outer
line of works which he had occupied, and on the same night (September
29th) occupied the town, leaving the outer lines to be occupied by the
allies, without resistance, on the next day.

On September 30th the allies occupied the deserted positions, and were
thereby "enabled to shut up the enemy in a much narrower circle, giving
them the greatest advantages." Before the allies moved to the positions
which had been thus deserted, Colonel Alexander Scammell, the officer of
the day, approached them for the purpose of reconnoitring, when he was
attacked by a party of the enemy's horse, which was ambushed in the
neighborhood, and, after being mortally wounded, was taken prisoner. On
the same day the transports, having on board the battering-train, came
up to Trubell's, seven miles from York, whence they were