ht over the back roads
he knew well, and beat Tarleton's men to town. At Jouett's warning most
of the legislators fled over the Blue Ridge to Staunton, while Governor
Jefferson left Monticello southward to his summer home at Poplar
Forest, Bedford County. Seven members of the assembly, one of whom was
Daniel Boone, delegate from Kentucky County, were captured. Unable to
take them with him, Tarleton paroled them.

This was the low point of Jefferson's public career. His term had ended
officially on June 3 and since he had not intended to stand for
reelection, he did not go to Staunton. Some disgruntled delegates
wanted him censured. Instead a formal investigation in December 1781
ended with the senate and house presenting him with a unanimous vote of
commendation.

The assembly elected Thomas Nelson, Jr., radical patriot, wealthy
merchant from Yorktown, and commander of the Virginia militia, to be
governor. Nelson served only five months, compelled by ill health to
resign in December. In those five months Virginia went from the depths of
despair to the glories of Yorktown. Nelson was succeeded by Benjamin
Harrison, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

On June 15 Cornwallis left his camp at Elk Hill, sacking the plantation
as he departed. He moved eastward toward the coast where he could better
coordinate his movements with those of Clinton in New York. Clinton was
under heavy pressure from Washington and French General Rochambeau.
Heading for Williamsburg, Cornwallis plundered the countryside as he
went. Reaching Williamsburg, he received orders from Clinton to send
3,000 men to New York. Leaving Williamsburg for his ships at Portsmouth,
he maneuvered Lafayette and Wayne into a reckless battle near Jamestown
on July 6. Beating Wayne badly, Cornwallis had Lafayette at his mercy,
but could not follow up for a complete victory.

At this point indecision by Clinton, commander-in-chief of the British
army, caused a fatal error. He had ordered Cornwallis to send the men to
New York; then he countermanded that order and wanted them shipped to
Philadelphia; then to New York again. Finally learning that Admiral de
Grasse with a major French fleet had left France for America, he
suggested Cornwallis move across the James from Portsmouth and find a
suitable site on the peninsula for both an army and the British fleet. He
suggested Old Point Comfort. His proposal was examined by Cornwallis and
rejected as unde