action.[158] He advanced into
Virginia on his own responsibility. This step led to unfriendly
relations between the two commanders, and after the war was the subject
of a bitter controversy between them. Cornwallis effected a junction
with Arnold's army on May 20, and in command of over 5,000 troops
overran the province, Lafayette, with a far inferior force, retreating
before him. Meantime Rawdon struggled gallantly, though unsuccessfully,
against Greene in South Carolina. He defeated Greene at Hobskirk hill on
April 25, but was forced to retire from Camden. The loyalists saw that
the British could not protect them; the whole province was disaffected,
and post after post was taken by Greene, Lee, Sumter, Marion, and other
generals. At last, after Rawdon's return to England on account of
ill-health, a hard-fought battle at Eutaw springs on September 8, which
both sides claimed as a victory, so weakened the British force that it
remained in and about Charleston until it was withdrawn at the end of
the war.

To return to the spring of the year, Cornwallis's invasion of Virginia
and the destruction of property there seemed likely to bring the war to
a successful issue. Washington's army was in grievous want of supplies,
the American marine was annihilated, their finances were in a ruinous
state, and their resources generally almost exhausted. Powerful
co-operation with Cornwallis on the part of Clinton was urgently needed.
The issue of the struggle depended on the power of Great Britain to
prevent a French fleet and army from undertaking a joint enterprise with
the Americans. At this critical juncture England lost the superiority at
sea. In May, Washington and Rochambeau agreed that, as soon as Grasse
brought his fleet over, they would join forces, and either attack New
York or, perhaps, march into Virginia, as circumstances might direct.
Clinton discovered their design, would not spare any troops from New
York, and in June called on Cornwallis to send him part of the force
under his command, and ordered him to take up a defensive position.
Cornwallis retired down the James river to Portsmouth. Clinton withdrew
his demand for troops and directed him to fortify a station on the
Yorktown peninsula as a port for ships. He would there be able to take
up a defensive position secured by access to the sea. Cornwallis
concentrated all his forces, about 7,000 men, and fortified Yorktown and
Gloucester. On July 6 Rochambeau, in expec