correspondence with his steward or agent, regulating all the
affairs of his rural establishment with as much exactness as he did
those of the army. It was a late hour when he arrived. He was joined
by his suite at dinner-time on the following day, and by the Count de
Rochambeau in the evening. General Chastellux and his aides-de-camp
arrived there on the 11th, and Mount Vernon was now crowded with
guests, who were all entertained in the ample style of old Virginian
hospitality. On the 12th, tearing himself away once more from the home
of his heart, Washington with his military associates continued onward
to join Lafayette at Williamsburg.

CHAPTER LXIV.
OPERATIONS BEFORE YORKTOWN.--GREENE IN THE SOUTH.

Lord Cornwallis had been completely roused from his dream of security
by the appearance, on the 28th of August, of the fleet of Count de
Grasse within the capes of the Delaware. Three French ships-of-the-line
and a frigate soon anchored at the mouth of York River. The boats of
the fleet were immediately busy conveying three thousand three hundred
land forces, under the Marquis de St. Simon, up James River to form the
preconcerted junction with those under Lafayette. Awakened to his
danger, Cornwallis, as Washington had foreseen, meditated a retreat to
the Carolinas. It was too late. York River was blocked up by French
ships; James River was filled with armed vessels covering the
transportation of the troops. His lordship reconnoitred Williamsburg;
it was too strong to be forced, and Wayne had crossed James River to
join his troops to those under the marquis. Seeing his retreat cut off
in every direction, Cornwallis proceeded to strengthen his works;
sending off repeated expresses to apprise Sir Henry Clinton of his
perilous situation.

The Count de Grasse had been but a few days anchored within the
Chesapeake, and fifteen hundred of his seamen were absent, conveying
the troops up James River, when Admiral Graves, who then commanded the
British naval force on the American coast, appeared with twenty sail
off the capes of Virginia. De Grasse, anxious to protect the squadron
of the Count de Barras, which was expected from Rhode Island, and
which it was the object of Graves to intercept, immediately slipped
his cables and put to sea with twenty-four ships, leaving the rest to
blockade York and James Rivers.

Admiral Graves, immediately prepared for action, although he had five
ships less than De Grasse. The latt