iamsburg, he set out
on the 4th of July for Portsmouth.

Lafayette followed him on the ensuing day, and took post within nine
miles of his camp; intending, when the main body of the enemy should
have crossed the ford to the island of Jamestown, to fall upon the
rear guard. Cornwallis suspected his design, and prepared to take
advantage of it. The wheel carriages, bat horses and baggage, were
passed over to the island under the escort of the Queen's rangers;
making a great display, as if the main body had crossed; his lordship,
however, with the greater part of his forces, remained on the
mainland, his right covered by ponds, the centre and left by morasses
over which a few narrow causeways of logs connected his position with
the country, and James Island lay in the rear. His camp was concealed
by a skirt of woods, and covered by an outpost.

In the morning of the 6th, as the Americans were advancing, a negro
and a dragoon, employed by Tarleton, threw themselves in their way,
pretending to be deserters, and informed them that the body of the
king's troops had passed James River in the night, leaving nothing
behind but the rear guard, composed of the British legion and a
detachment of infantry. Persuaded of the fact, Lafayette with his
troops crossed the morass on the left of the enemy by a narrow
causeway of logs, and halted beyond about sunset. Wayne was detached
with a body of riflemen, dragoons and Continental infantry, to make
the attack, while the marquis with nine hundred Continentals and some
militia stood ready to support him.

Wayne easily routed a patrol of cavalry and drove in the pickets, who
had been ordered to give way readily. The outpost which covered the
camp defended itself more obstinately; though exceedingly galled by
the riflemen. Wayne pushed forward with the Pennsylvania line, eight
hundred strong, and three field-pieces, to attack it; at the first
discharge of a cannon more than two thousand of the enemy emerged from
their concealment, and he found too late that the whole British line
was in battle array before him. To retreat was more dangerous than to
go on. So thinking, with that impetuous valor which had gained him the
name of "Mad Anthony," he ordered a charge to be sounded, and threw
himself, horse and foot, with shouts upon the enemy. It was a
sanguinary conflict and a desperate one, for the enemy were
outflanking him right and left. Fortunately, the heaviness of the fire
had awakened t