owed that it
had reached a crisis out of which it could not rise by its own
unassisted strength. To Franklin he wrote in the same strain; and La
Fayette addressed a like memorial of ripe wisdom to Vergennes" (the
French Minister for Foreign Affairs). (Bancroft's History of the United
States, Vol. X., Chap., xix., pp. 417, 418.)

"Scarce any one of the States had as yet sent an eighth part of its
quota into the field; and there was no prospect of a glorious offensive
campaign, unless their generous allies should help them with money, and
with a fleet strong enough to secure the superiority at sea."--_Ib._, p.
425.]

[Footnote 47: It was in the latter part of this year, 1780, that the
treachery of General Arnold and the melancholy tragedy of Major Andre's
execution took place.]

[Footnote 48: Hildreth's History of the United States, Vol. III., Chap.
xli., p. 331.

"Though British conquests had rapidly succeeded each other, yet no
advantages accrued to the victors. The minds of the people were
unsubdued, or rather were alienated from every idea of returning to
their former allegiance. Such was their temper, that the expense of
retaining them in subjection would have exceeded all the profits of the
conquest. British garrisons kept down open resistance, in the vicinity
of the places where they were established; but as soon as they were
withdrawn and the people left to themselves, a spirit of revolt hostile
to Great Britain always displayed itself; and the standard of
independence, whenever it was prudently raised, never wanted followers
among the active and spirited part of the community." (Dr. Ramsay's
History of the United States, Vol. II., Chap. xx., p. 363.)]

CHAPTER XXX.

THE FRENCH AND CONGRESS ALLIES IN 1781 RECOVER VIRGINIA--SURRENDER OF
LORD CORNWALLIS--RESULTS.

Under the adverse circumstances and gloom which attended and closed the
year 1780, as stated in the preceding chapter, Washington felt the
necessity of doing something bold and great to revive the confidence of
his countrymen and arrest the decline of his army.

Under these circumstances, a campaign of operations was devised and
agreed upon by Washington and the commander of the French troops. The
centres of British power in America were the army of about ten thousand
men in New York, under the immediate command of Sir Henry Clinton, who
was, indeed, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in North America;
and secondly, the army of Vir