ervation, are the descriptions I am
about to offer of those events. Before, however, I go on with my
journal I will give a short account of the position now taken up by the
British army.

The peninsula which is formed by the rivers James and York is one of the
richest and most beautiful parts of Virginia. York Town is situated on
the south bank of the latter-named stream and on the narrowest part of
the peninsula, which is there but five miles across. Gloucester Point
is on the north, and therefore the opposite side of the river, into
which it extends so far that it reaches within almost a mile of York
Town. The two posts thus completely command the navigation of the
river, which is here of sufficient depth to allow ships of considerable
size to ascend it. The force with which we now occupied these two
important positions amounted to about 7000 men, and it was the intention
of Lord Cornwallis so completely to fortify them both on the sea and
land sides, that they might resist any attack likely to be made against
them either by the French fleet or the combined American and French
armies till we could be relieved by Sir Henry Clinton or by a fresh army
and fleet from England. It was too well known from the first that the
army was but ill-supplied with guns, and indeed with all the munitions
of war requisite for carrying on offensive, or even defensive,
operations against the enemy. This became still more evident when the
guns and ammunition were landed from the ships-of-war, and the crews
were summoned on shore to work them. Every effort was made to put our
positions in an efficient state of defence, for our hopes of being
relieved from New York were very slight, it being understood that
General Washington was preparing for an attack on that city with all the
forces he could muster in the north, at the same time that a sufficient
number of troops were left in the south to give us a good deal of
trouble, and to cause much anxiety to our commanders-in-chief. By my
daily journal I find that on the 20th of August the Charon's lower deck
guns were landed for the defences on shore, while she with the Richmond
was moored so as to flank the enemy should they make an attack on
Gloucester.

21st.--The troops were engaged in throwing up works, while the seamen of
the squadron were employed in landing the guns and ammunition, the
transports, meantime, being secured under the town of York.

22nd.--The seamen were employed