d carry off members. On his way thither,
on the 4th of June, he captured and destroyed a convoy of arms and
clothing destined for Greene's army in North Carolina. At another
place he surprised several persons of note at the house of a Dr.
Walker, but lingered so long breakfasting, that a person mounted on a
fleet horse had time to reach Charlottesville before him, and spread
the alarm. Tarleton crossed the Rivanna, which washes the hill on
which Charlottesville is situated; dispersed a small force collected
on the bank, and galloped into the town thinking to capture the whole
assembly. Seven alone fell into his hands; the rest had made their
escape. No better success attended a party of horse under Captain
McLeod, detached to surprise the Governor (Thomas Jefferson), at his
residence in Monticello.

Having set fire to all the public stores at Charlottesville, Tarleton
pushed for the point of Fork at the confluence of the Rivanna and
Fluvanna; to aid, if necessary, a detachment sent under Colonel Simcoe
to destroy a great quantity of military stores collected at that post.
The Baron Steuben, who was stationed there with five hundred Virginia
regulars and a few militia, and had heard of the march of Tarleton,
had succeeded in transporting the greater part of the stores, as well
as his troops, across the river, and as the water was deep and the
boats were all on his side, he might have felt himself secure. The
unexpected appearance of Simcoe's infantry, however, designedly spread
out on the opposite heights, deceived him into the idea that it was
the van of the British army. In his alarm he made a night retreat of
thirty miles, leaving the greater part of the stores scattered along
the river bank; which were destroyed the next morning by a small
detachment of the enemy sent across in canoes.

On the 10th of June, Lafayette was at length gladdened by the arrival
of Wayne with about nine hundred of the Pennsylvania line. Thus
reinforced, he changed his whole plan, and ventured on the aggressive.
Cornwallis had gotten between him and a large deposit of military
stores at Albemarle Old Court-house. The marquis, by a rapid march at
night, through a road long disused, threw himself between the British
army and the stores, and, being joined by a numerous body of mountain
militia, took a strong position to dispute the advance of the enemy.

Cornwallis did not think it advisable to pursue this enterprise,
especially as he heard